《Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!》


 Chapter 1 The Last Train to Dimartino

    "Get down now!"


    The man and woman dive under a nearby table as the train rattles on the tracks. The train is running out of control - directly into the heart of the burning city. The city where the apocalypse began.


    The side of the train bursts open as if a giant magnet hovers too close. The entire carriage of the train rocks back and forth, knocking the two people off their feet.


    The train settles but just when they think they''re in the clear, a dark figure leaps onboard.


    The two gasp at the same time. If they hadn''t seen her a few days ago, they wouldn''t have recognized her. The monstrous figure that bursts on the train is an old friend - but now, she''s a monster. She''s become Medusa.


    Her once beautiful hair crawls with slimy tentacles and reeks of death. Her skin is cracked and covered in burning blisters, and she''s wielding a wicked scythe. A Mythical Weapon.


    Her eyes, bloodshot red, fixate on the two humans. She grins, her teeth visibly filed into sharp, jagged spikes.


    The woman rushes at the monster. ''Lain''s hurt. If I don''t kill Medusa quickly, he''s going to die!''


    "Violetta, no!" Lain calls back to his companion. They had just narrowly escaped an ambush of undead minutes prior. Hundreds of eldritch abominations attacked them, spawned by the dark lord. And as Lain stumbles forward, his arm dripping blood, he recalls the hit he took from a Master Vampire.


    The wound bleeds profusely - the curse of being struck by a Master Vampire. He needs a high-level Healer, and fast.


    Violetta uses a burst of stamina to swing a heavy staff at Medusa''s head. She raises her menacing scythe to block the attack - exactly what Violetta wants to happen.


    As the snake-headed monster deflects the attack, Violetta uses a Secret Art to bind her in place.


    Electric magic spins around Medusa, forming a series of magical locks around her.


    With her target bound, Violetta readies another swing of her staff. She lands the attack, smashing Medusa''s head and knocking her out cold - or so she thinks.


    But something unexpected happens. Medusa''s body shifts, becoming more snakelike and limber. She slips out of her magic binds to escape her magic binds and smacks Violetta out of the way, knocking the woman down.


    Medusa sets her sights on her true target - Lain.


    Lain raises up his sword to deflect the creature, who''s holding her scythe in her mouth and swings it like an executioner''s axe. The impact of the blow sends him stumbling backward. Blood drips down from his arm. He''s starting to feel dizzy from the blood loss.


    "I''m going to use it!" Lain shouts.


    Violetta climbs back to her feet. "No!" she commands. "You''ll die!"


    Violetta jumps back into the action, blocking another scythe attack with her staff. She parries and ends up behind Medusa, and she strikes with her staff once again.


    She makes a solid hit, and the sound of crushing bone comes from Medusa''s back. Her bones begin wriggling from within her body. They reform around where she was hit, and now she''s even more hideously deformed.


    ''Her center of gravity is lower now,'' Violetta calculates, her mind singularly focused on taking Medusa down.


    Violetta leaps onto one of the tables and readies a Secret Art - ancient magic of her clan. She releases a burst of blinding lightning, aiming directly into the monster''s glowing eyes.


    Before being hit, Medusa''s body adapts yet again. A horn protrudes from her head and directs the electrical current into the ground before it even hits her.


    ''This is bad. She''s unlocked Ultimate Evolution'', Lain thinks to himself. "Violetta! Get out of here! We have no choice but my Secret Art! If we don''t kill her in one hit, she''ll just keep evolving!"


    Lain raises his sword high, but it''s not quick enough. The monster bounds over a table and gets ready to land a kill shot on Violetta. Violetta tries to block but Medusa swings again, much faster, driving the blade down for the kill.


    Mere inches away from her head, the blade suddenly stops, and Violetta looks into the creature''s eyes in disbelief. There''s a flicker of blue light in the bloody, mutated eyes. Tears are actively streaming down her face.


    "Mina, are you still in there¡­?" Violetta whispers, her breath uneven.


    Medusa turns her head toward Lain and roars. His Secret Art is ready.


    "I''m sorry, Violetta. Live. For both of us."


    Just then, Lain swings his arm defiantly. His sword begins to burst with irradiant flame, and the visage of a firebird manifests behind him.


    "Rebirth Flame!"


    The train car ignites in volcanic light - the force of the explosion is enough to knock the train off its tracks. The train spirals out of control through the burning city, crashing through building after building.


    In mere moments, the train is shattered. Part of the burning city, now.


    Violetta was left alone. Lain and Mina, consumed by the Rebirth Flame, were now on their way to be born anew¡­


    ¡­


    ''Well, it''s my first time doing this. What now?''


    Lain speaks quietly to himself as he floats in empty space, a void of complete blackness.


    This must be the end of the world.


    Suddenly, an image appears before him, projecting straight out of his mind. Some kind of screen.


    [Welcome to the Character Selection Process! We see you have previously made a character. Your gender is set to ''Male''. Would you like to be reborn as Male?]


    Lain shrugs. "Sure." The novelty of dying was fast-fading.


    [Due to high volume, the number of eligible hosts to be reborn into is: Zero. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - World-ending Apocalypse]


    "Wait, zero!?" Lain shouts, flailing his arms into the void. "What''s the point of having rebirth power if I can''t be reborn!? What if I pick female?"


    Another message pops up. He hears the words in his head as he reads them. They are narrated by a tinny, feminine voice that sounds way too optimistic.


    [There is one eligible child who has not received a soul yet located in ¨C-Dimartino¡ª. This child is ''D'' Rank. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - Orphan. Reason 2 - Currently Adrift in the Ocean. Reason 3 - No natural mana.]


    "Well, that sure sounds like a steal, huh?" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You are welcome to wait for a new birth. Currently, no women are pregnant. Estimate for new birth: More than 1000 days. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - World-ending Apocalypse]


    "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I''ll take the orphan. How old is he?"


    A new message. [Your eligible reincarnation target is now four years old. Since this child has already been born, your memories will be sealed until the child is sixteen years old.]


    Lain tries to slam his fist in disbelief, but he''s floating in a void. Nothing to slam on.


    "What!?" Lain stammers. "Twelve years!? No way I can wait that long. If you haven''t noticed, the world-ending apocalypse is RIGHT NOW!"


    There''s no immediate response. Is the system thinking?


    [We understand, and we apologize for the inconvenience. As a gesture of goodwill, we will reset the child''s location. The child will no longer be adrift in the ocean.]


    "So I won''t die immediately. You gotta do better than that. Come on! I''m a legendary hero!"


    [To provide you with excellent customer service, a live-service representative will be with you soon. Please hold.]


    Elevator music starts playing in the void. Lain buries his face in his hands. "You have got to be kidding me¡­"


    After about three minutes of music, the sound suddenly cuts out.


    Another message appears in front of Lain. This one is not voiced aloud. He squints his eyes to read it.


    [Behind you.]


    "Aah!" he yelps before even turning around. He peers over his shoulder, shivering. Expecting to see something hideous. But what he sees instead is a beautiful young woman with long white hair - so long it is woven in a delicate braid around her body like a dress. It''s covering all the important parts, but not leaving much to the imagination.


    "You must be the ''legendary hero''. Welcome. I am Zelia. I am your assigned Administrator."


    Lain scratches his head. "So¡­"


    Zelia tilts her head. "I have reviewed your request. You appear to be dissatisfied because you are being reborn as a guileless orphan and you will have your memories sealed for twelve years. Is that correct?"


    Lain blinks slowly and gives Zelia a sour scowl.


    "I have received authorization to grant your new body a magic power. This magical power is classified as ''B'' Rank and can be evolved into an ''S'' Rank skill. Do you accept?"


    Zelia talks just like the System voice did, but there''s a hint of dry, snarky wit in her words.


    Lain thinks for a moment. His Rebirth Flame is a Secret Art of the ''S'' Rank, and even if he''s reborn into a new human, he''ll never lose it. With this, he could have two S Rank abilities.


    "Hell yeah," Lain says, punching his hands together. "See, that''s what I''m talking about!"


    Zelia claps her hands together. "Wonderful. If you ever need any help, here''s my direct line. Call me anytime!"


    Zelia zaps a card with a series of numbers on it into Lain''s hand. Now he can talk to his ''Administrator'' whenever he wants. If he can even remember what the card is for in his new life.


    "So, what''s the skill?" Lain asks, excited.


    Zelia is already walking away, her bare feet leaving sparkling footprints behind in the void.


    "Check your System Messages. All the info should be there!"


    Zelia vanishes, and Lain turns around. Sure enough, another window has popped up.


    "Congratulations, you now have B-Rank¡­Crab Affinity?"


    Lain thrashes in the void, shouting at the top of his lungs. "What the hell kind of skill is this!?"


    As he yells, everything around Lain grows black. When he next opens his eyes, he''s four years old. Alone, scared, and clutching onto just one thing - a card with strange symbols on it.


    And though his memories are sealed, the image of a woman with long white hair sears into his mind.


    He remembers her.

 Chapter 2 Scuttle Island

    Alone on the beach, the four-year-old boy wailed into the night. He had no means to fend for himself. And no humans ever arrived to help.


    Something arrived, however¡­


    The sound of scuttling across the beach could be heard as a six-foot-tall crab scurried sideways, happening upon the crying child.


    The crab stares at the child and the child stares back. The crab opens up his claw and reaches toward the child.


    "GOOD FOOD?" the crab questions.


    Before the crab can pinch the boy with his claw, the boy smacks the crab away.


    "No!" the child yelps.


    The crab is furious. Never before has he, a mighty King Crab, been rebuked by such a pitiful being.


    And yet, as the crab stares at the child, something in their shared existence stirs. For the boy, it was his latent B-Rank ''Crab Affinity''. For the crab, it was a creature who was barely less sentient than he was¡­but one that needed help.


    "NEED FOOD?" the crab bellows.


    The child looks up, eyes red from crying. "Yes please."


    And so began a beautiful friendship. The crab began to fish and provide for the boy every day, and the weak four-year-old quickly learned how to put a fish on a stick and put that stick next to a fire. This pleased the King Crab, who preferred to eat warm food rather than cold, raw fish.


    And some days it would get sweltering, on their small island. So the boy learned to use a large banana leaf to fan the King Crab and keep him cool. Eventually, the boy would even learn to build a makeshift hut for the crab to scuttle into when he needed out of the direct sun.


    One day the crab realized he never knew what to call the boy, but when he asked:


    "WHAT NAME?"


    The boy had no response. And so the crab bequeathed onto the boy the name ''Barnacles''. It was meant to be an endearing term, but the crab had no idea what traditional human names were like.


    Every day the boy foraged the island - a cornucopia of delight. Bananas, oranges, lemons - a myriad assortment of fruit grew on the small island that was only a few miles across. But the boy never saw any other humans, no matter where he went. He was old enough to remember having a family, but he couldn''t remember their faces.


    Some days, the boy scrubbed the crab''s shell. On other days, the crab taught him the ways of life. Unfortunately for the boy, this meant training his grip strength, learning how to move quickly, and not much else.


    And before long, the boy was already twelve years old.


    "Do you think there are others like me out there, my King?" the boy asked one night as he and the crab sat by the campfire. The boy had just finished doing a traditional crab dance for the King''s pleasure.


    "HUMANS ALL DEAD."


    The boy''s eyes stared wistfully into the ocean, and the far-away landmasses barely visible on the horizon.


    "Humans all dead, huh¡­"


    The memory lived with him eternally. He thought of it every day. "But what about the long-hair lady?"


    Little Barnacles continued to grow. He had only a small number of things, but he kept them in a precious, private place from the crab. Among his treasures were a photograph of two humans at their wedding, a vibrant green shell bequeathed to him by the king, and a small card with strange symbols on it. The boy never did learn how to read or write.


    The boy fantasized every night about what other humans would be like. He felt in his heart that his king was mistaken - other humans had to be out there. He wondered if everyone had a crab like him. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And one day, on his sixteenth birthday, something changed in the boy. Of course to him, it was just an ordinary day. He had no idea what a ''birthday'' was.


    He shot awake in the middle of the night. Memories of his past life flooded into him one after the other. It was so intense the boy screamed, waking his king.


    The crab scuttled over with utmost haste, clicking his claws frantic with concern. By the time he arrived, the boy''s vision had already ended. He was sitting upright in his leafy bed, heaving and breathless.


    He remembered everything. His name. He used to be called ''Lain''. He remembered growing up. His home. His family. His friends.


    His mission. Saving the world with Violetta and Mina. Fighting against the apocalypse, up until one fateful day on a train in the burning city¡­


    That''s right. He died that day, on the train. He had no other choice but to be reborn¡­but this body of his just lived sixteen years without any of these memories. He didn''t even know who he was anymore.


    The boy''s eyes fell on a system message that had just popped up in front of him.


    [Congratulations! As a reward for being successfully reborn, the following skills have been upgraded.


    S Rank Rebirth Secret Art is now SS Rank.


    A new ability has been gained.]


    The boy could read system messages now that his memories returned. He remembered how to speak - much better than he was currently.


    He tapped the alert. What''s this new ability? And then another screen popped up.


    [New Ability: Resurrection.


    Target: Humanoid.


    Effect: You may take a human''s soul and return it to their body. You must possess both the correct soul and body for this to take effect.]


    "I can¡­bring people back?" the boy said. He didn''t recognize his voice when he spoke. It was deeper and filled with conviction. The voice of a legendary hero.


    "BARNACLES. ERROR IN FUNCTION?"


    The boy looked at the crab and smiled. "No, I''m okay, but thanks for looking out for me, King!"


    The crab seemed stunned. That was a lot of words for the crab, who was used to only speaking in short, powerful bursts.


    "Hey, King. I love the name ''Barnacles'' and all, but maybe you can call me something a little more¡­human? Like Barny? Or Barns?"


    "BARNS. BARNS. OKAY."


    The boy chuckled. "Oh, and now that I think about it, I never learned your name, King."


    The crab stood still for a moment, picking in the sand with his pincers. "I AM CLANCY. I AM KING OF CRAB."


    "Clancy, is that right?"


    And so the boy and the crab went on, their relationship markedly different than before. Barns, just a day ago, was simple - happy to live the rest of his life on that beach with the King. But now, he was awoken, and he had the power to bring people back from the dead.


    ''If that''s not destiny, I don''t know what is,'' Barns thought.


    It was two days after Barns'' awakening. The wanderlust that once flickered dimly in his heart was now a resurgent flame of desire.


    He needed to find a way off this island.


    "I need to find a way off this island." Barns said to his crab mentor, repeating his thought out loud.


    "NOWHERE ELSE. EVERYONE DEAD. EAT BANANAS."


    Barns clenched his fist. "Clancy, I can''t stay here. I have a special ability. I can help people! If I can¡­only find their bodies and souls¡­"


    "YOU REQUIRE DEAD HUMANS?"


    Not a great way to put it. Barns shuddered at the idea.


    "I CAN GIVE YOU DEAD HUMANS. BUT I MUST TEACH YOU FIGHTING."


    "I already know how," the boy replied. He was once a legendary hero, after all. After all these years, he was already adjusted to this body. It wouldn''t take long for him to get back in the swing of it.


    The crab pointed his claw out onto the horizon. "MONSTERS. HUMANS ARE MONSTERS. CAN MAKE DEAD WITH FOAM."


    It took Barns a while to parse through all of that with the crab, but he learned something miraculous. His friend the King Crab had an A-Rank skill. He could shoot out cleansing foam from his mouth - foam with the power to destroy darkness. With that power, he could turn monsters back into humans - dead ones, anyway. He could also heal the land.


    And that''s when it all clicked with Barns. They could kill a monster, turn it back into a human, and use its recently freed soul to bring the human back to life. The plan was insane, but something told Barns it might just work¡­and with it, they just might be able to save the world from the apocalypse.


    "APOCALYPSE RESET?" the King ran back and forth, foam spurting from his mouth. "YES. YES. YES. I MISS HUMAN WOMAN. RESET. RESET!"


    So Clancy was on board too. All they needed to do was figure out if such a thing was actually possible.


    And he knew exactly how to test it out. He returned to his treasure trove and withdrew the card he''d stashed in there. The only thing he had when he first came into this world. It was time to make a call.

 Chapter 3 One in a Million

    "I knew you''d come calling someday."


    Seems just saying the numbers out loud was enough. Barns turns around and finds himself face to face with Zelia. She''s as naked as ever, her hair wrapped around her intimate parts in a long, flowing twist. Her feet don''t touch the ground - she floats.


    "You look quite different than I remember. A little shorter, perhaps?"


    "Hah hah, very funny," Barns rolls his eyes. "Hey, the crab affinity. Did you do that on purpose?"


    Zelia adjusts herself into a sitting position, though she still floats above the ground. The way her legs are positioned makes it too easy to almost see -


    "Eyes up here," Zelia smirks. "And of course I did. After all, aren''t you the one who bragged and complained about being a legendary hero? And now you have a shot. One chance to save the world, and it''s all riding on that crab of yours."


    "So it will work? We defeat monsters, he cleanses them. And boom? Resurrection?"


    Zelia''s eyes flutter flirtatiously and she raises her eyebrows. "Boom."


    Zelia leans in closer. Her hair loosens around her chest but I keep my eyes on hers. "And how''s this for a good deal? You resurrect a million humans, and that little skill of yours becomes SSS - The Phoenix. With that, you''ll be able to end the whole apocalypse. Save every. Last. Person."


    ''If I resurrect a million humans¡­I can save the world!''


    Barns grips his hands tightly.


    "I can do it. I''ll save humanity, and do an apocalypse reset! Because my crab can heal the world! Gah, I gotta get that trademarked!"


    Zelia''s smile was undeniable - from ear to ear. She thought that little outburst was cute.


    "A boy and his crab save the world from a monster apocalypse. You truly think you can do it?"


    "I know I can. You just wait and see, Zelia! I''ll let you watch the whole thing!"


    Zelia''s smile turns into a devilish smirk.


    "Rest assured, I won''t miss a second."


    Barns turns toward Zelia, but she''s already gone.


    A system message pops up in front of him.


    [Quest: Save A Million Lives.


    Progress: 0/1000000]


    ''Hey, doesn''t my life count? There''s no way this orphan would have survived without me!''


    [Progress: 1/1000000]


    ''So this ''system'' can be bartered and argued with¡­''


    Barns wonders if it is Zelia behind the scenes. It would make sense, she''s got a good sense of humor.


    ''If I resurrect a couple cute girls, maybe Zelia will get jealous and I can have myself a whole harem¡­''


    A system message pops up.


    [No.]


    Seems like Zelia IS behind those.


    [Maybe.]


    Barns snickers to himself. A maybe for the harem or a maybe for the messages?


    Barns walks away to find his crab mentor Clancy. He wasn''t surprised to find the King Crab standing on the beach, staring out into the ocean, totally still.


    This is ''DECOMPRESS TIME'', as King would call it. Barns was explicitly told to never approach during ''DECOMPRESS TIME'', but it has never stopped him before.


    "WE ARE LEAVING ISLAND HOME."


    Barns smiles weakly. "That''s right, big guy. You said you miss human woman, right? Well, we gotta go save ''em so you can see ''em!"


    "ISLAND NICE. ME. BARNACLE. SIMPLE. HAPPY."


    Barns buries his face in his hand. ''I cannot believe this crab raised me for twelve years¡­and I used to talk like this!''


    Barns sits in the sand next to the crab and takes in the view. "Don''t you want to do this? It''s not just about the ladies, right King? You told me once you want to be the biggest Emperor Crab there ever was. Well, all the other crabs will just have to accept you as Emperor if you save the whole world!"


    "SAVING WORLD. WOULD BE BETTER THAN OTHER 78,400 KING CRABS. VIABLE EMPEROR STRATEGY. EXCITING TIMES. NO LONGER MISS ISLAND. FULL SPEED AHEAD BARNACLES!"


    Barns leaps onto Clancy''s shell as the crab walks sideways into the ocean. Clancy releases a stream of bubbles from his crabby mouth, projecting them forward like a motorboat. Barns holds on tight and rides along Clancy''s shell. They''ve done this before to visit some of the smaller local islands, but they''ve never gone all the way to the mainland.


    The duo rides into the horizon, eager for whatever may come. Their adventure has only just begun.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, on the Mainland:


    "I told you we should have killed that human, Maria! Why don''t we ever do what I want to do!?"


    Maria slams a long metal board down on the ground. Both ends of it are covered in leather restraints.


    "So what if he saves the world, Osmond? I''m tired of all these raids."


    As she speaks, Maria lays down flat on the board and begins binding herself to it with the leg straps.


    Osmond puts his hand on Maria''s face, brushing her long golden locks away. "Aww, what do you mean? You used to love these raids. It''s our tradition!


    Maria raises her arms above her head so Osmond can restrain them. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s just¡­the bondage, the screaming. It''s all so routine. Why don''t you ever tie me up on a normal night? Why''s it only raid night this, raid night that¡­"


    Osmond looks into Maria''s eyes, his heart aflutter. "My love, if you''d only have said something sooner. I''ll hang you from the rafters the second these impudent humans are dealt with."


    Osmond slams his foot on a switch and the metal board goes shooting upwards. It lurches into place and Maria is now suspended above the castle wall.


    "It''s the Princess! He''s got her strung up!"


    Osmond rolls his eyes as he gets his staff ready. "Are they gonna say the line, you think?" he drawls to Maria.


    "Shit, I''d be offended if they didn''t," Maria laughs back.


    "She''s the last human woman alive! Don''t let her die!"


    "Ah, there it is!" Osmond chuckles dementedly.


    Maria smiles and shouts back. She loves her part in the role play. "Yes! Please my royal subjects, come save me! I''ll do whatever you wish if you could only save me from this evil, evil, hot, smoldering, sex-crazed demon!"


    "I''m smoldering now, eh?"


    The humans chant for their princess. They raise the banners - all six of them. All that remains of the former human empire''s military. Six men, and a desire to rebuild the kingdom, one child at a time.


    "Maria, I think these are the only six humans left. I think I''ll kill just one of them this time. Five should guarantee us one more raid, I think. And then we can both go wild for the last one."


    "Shut up, they''re going to see us talking." Maria hisses.


    "Help me, oh help! I''m so¡­fertile! And vulnerable!" Maria screams, overacting the hell out of her part. But these men don''t know - or care. To them, she''s everything - their princess, their future, their pleasure - if only she were slightly less out of reach¡­


    Osmond twists his arms back and a pair of large black wings erupt from his shoulders. He uses them to take flight.


    His entire body is covered in pale skin and angular lines. Each of the lines begins to glow a deep purple color as he channels dark power through himself and through his staff.


    He shoots several beams out of his staff, each one grabbing one of the humans like a magical arm and smashing them around. He uses the magic to throw them, beat them, smash them into the ground, and chuck one into the moat surrounding the castle. And finally, he grabs one and drags the human toward him.


    He places his hand on the human''s head and lets dark energy flow through him. The same darkness that caused the apocalypse in the first place.


    The human is transfigured. His skin melts away and all that is left is a very animated skeleton.


    The remaining humans scatter, defeated and bruised. But they''ll be back.


    Osmond makes a move to untie Maria, but she stops him.


    "Just a little longer. Also, that human. The boy, adrift at sea. You don''t really think he''ll be able to stop the apocalypse, do you?"


    Osmond grit his teeth. "Reports say he left the island this afternoon. My money is on the monsters eating his brains. But if he somehow survives, he''ll be coming here first."


    Maria moans loudly into the air, taking a load off. "A boy with the Secret Art of Rebirth. Should be fun¡­"


    "Alright. I guess you can untie me now."

 Chapter 4 Heads in the Sand

    After crossing the sea for several hours, and right before sunset, Barns and Clancy are surging up to the shoreline of the Dimartino mainland. And it looks like they have company.


    The beach in front of them is lined with skeletons, goblins, ghouls, you name it. Hundreds of them, all gathered up, waiting for Barns and the crab.


    "How''d they know we were coming!?" Barns shouts to Clancy as they approach dangerously close to the horde.


    "EVIL FISH SOMETIMES VISIT ISLAND."


    "What the - hey, look out, King!"


    A javelin soars through the sky and narrowly misses Clancy''s shell. Clancy dodges as another one is hurled at the duo. Barns catches the second javelin out of the air just as it passes by.


    "Time to land, King!"


    Barns leaps off the crab and lands on a small hill near the beach. Barns impales two goblin archers on the hill and pushes them into the water, dead.


    He throws a series of punches at a skeleton standing nearby, breaking several of its ribs with his bare hands and throwing a high kick that punts the skeleton''s head into the sea. He rips the club out of the fallen skeleton''s hand and turns around to face the rest of the horde.


    Meanwhile, Clancy launches a stream of foam into the faces of some zombies. They fall to the ground, screaming in agony as the foam burns out the dark power within them. Clancy sidesteps away from the zombies and scutters up to a lamia.


    Clancy reaches his pincer out and slices the lamia''s head off in one quick snip. The crab looks back toward his protege, Barnacles. If King Crab was capable of tears, this would move him to it. His little Barnacles was all grown up and was somehow a monster-killing machine.


    Clancy raises both claws into the air. If Barnacles was going all-out, so was he. He charges directly into the horde, a frothing, snipping machine. Barns joins him, now holding a rusty sword he''d nicked from an orc, and the two explode into the crowd.


    It''s a bloody massacre. Foam flies through the air, stained red with monster guts. Barns goes through no fewer than seventeen weapons as he weaves through the horde, hacking and slashing until nothing''s moving any longer. Pincers with the strength to shred steel picked at monster heads like they were blueberries on a bush. So. Many. Beheadings.


    When they are finally done, the beach is a mess and the water nearby is running red. Barns and Clancy look upon the devastation they caused. It was their first time fighting together, so neither was really certain what the other was capable of. They had their answer now.


    "Hey, King¡­you''re kind of scary." The boy peers over to his blue-shelled buddy, who''s stained red from all the blood. There''s also the arm of something - an imp, perhaps - resting on top of his head.


    "BARNACLES IS VIOLENT KILLING MACHINE."


    They gather up all the corpses in a central area so that Clancy can get a good foam cover on all of them. Once they''re suitably foamed and looking more human than monster, Barns readies his technique.


    He never used Secret Arts without a sword in hand before, so he steals one from a skeleton and begins his focus.


    "Resurrection!" he shouts, thrusting his sword straight into the sky. Brilliant yellow light begins to bubble up from the pile of corpses and bursts with puffs of angel feathers.


    Barns feels his spirits lift as several people begin to stand up, emerging from the husks they once were, born anew. One, two - seven people emerge. Wait.


    "Only seven?" Barns questions out loud. The rest of the corpses aren''t reviving.


    A system message pops up.


    [A body cannot be revived if it has suffered permanent injury.


    Examples of permanent injuries:


    1. Beheading


    2. Vaporization


    3. Implosion]


    Barns bites his lip. They did certainly just go out of their way to behead everyone. Did they really only miss seven?


    Another system message:


    [Progress: 8/1000000]


    As the humans wake up and realize where they are, most of them start panicking and screaming, an event only made worse as King Crab begins to chase after them, clicking his claws rapidly, trying to stop them from leaving the pool of blood they''d been born into.


    "Everyone!" Barns shouts so loud his voice cracks, but it''s enough to get the people on the beach to pay attention.


    "You may remember being eaten and killed by monsters before turning into them yourselves! Sorry about that! But I''m here to save you!"


    ''This is going well,'' Barns thought. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My name is Barnacles! Uh, but maybe just call me ''Barns''. Yeah! Me and this crab here, oh yeah, that''s King Crab, but his name''s Clancy, and I - "


    One of the women in the crowd screams again.


    "The point is, you''re free! You''re alive! We freed you from the monsters!"


    The group starts to get antsy. Most of them are barely clothed or naked, a fact they don''t seem to mind as they''re all also covered in blood.


    "Where are we supposed to go? What''s going to happen? I''m hungry!"


    Barns claps a hand to his face. "Do I have to do everything?" He might never resurrect a million people if he''s expected to babysit them all.


    Suddenly, a system message appears in front of Barns.


    [To better facilitate the revival of the human race, the System would like to offer you one of the following power-ups:


    Option 1: Blessing of Rebirth


    All resurrected humans gain at least a C Rank skill to aid in their survival.


    Option 2: God-King


    All resurrected humans are beholden to you, and you can use their life force as you wish.


    Option 3: Community Builder


    All resurrected humans will gain the power to create a home for themselves. These homes will be protected from monster attacks.]


    Barns thinks about the options. Option 2 seems like the obvious wrong answer. He had no desire to become a ''God-King''. So he only considers Option 1 and 3.


    ''Option 1 could get messy. That''s a lot of potential powers going around. And these people need assistance immediately, and shelter from any future monsters invasions. Option 3 would be the best.''


    Barns taps Option 3, and as he does, all of the seven resurrected humans have a window appear in front of them. Their eyes are naturally drawn to it - they have never seen anything like it before.


    Barns walks up behind one of the humans to see what''s on their screen. It''s a single, long message:


    [Congratulations on your resurrection! Please designate one acre of land as your ''Property''. While you are on your ''Property'', no monsters may enter.


    You may create Properties with multiple people. Areas of overlap will be considered ''Towns''.


    Once you have designated a Property, the Home Building UI will become available to you.]


    "Have fun figuring that out," Barns smiles. He''s standing behind a human girl who''s wearing rags. He thinks he recognizes her as a goblin he impaled earlier.


    "It''s a system message," the girl says, her voice too casual. It makes Barns freeze for a moment.


    "You know about system messages?"


    She nods. "Of course I do. I used to be a Moderator."

 Chapter 5 A Village is Born

    "My name is Yunie, and I used to be a Moderator. Before the world fell, the gods - if that is truly what they are - sent messages to me to secure the future of humanity. They called them ''Daily Quests'', and I did them every morning without fail. But one day, shortly after the apocalypse began, my Daily Quest was to kill one hundred goblins. I only made it to sixty-two before they killed me and ate me. And when I woke up again, I was one of those hideous things. All I wanted to do was eat and kill. Kill and eat. Sometimes at the same time."


    Barns makes awkward eye contact with one of the bloodied humans standing nearby.


    "Right. The important part. I volunteer to be our leader and liaison with the great hero Barnacles. Entrust the welfare of humanity to Barnacles alongside me, and I shall take charge in helping to rebuild civilization alongside my Daily Quests!"


    One of the people coughs. "Can I just get some clothes?"


    On that note, Yunei takes charge, scouting out ideal places to build homes along the beach. Within the hour, all seven of the humans have successfully placed a house, and a small beachside village is created. They conveniently leave the part of the beach with the remainder of the foamy corpses alone.


    Each house contains two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room space, and other niceties like a bathroom, working plumbing, and electricity. Barns doesn''t question how it works - it makes his job easier.


    Each of the houses also carries an acre of ''Protection from Monsters'', so the immediate area is safe. It lets everyone take a load off.


    Fresh clothing and food is also part of the house package, and so everyone takes a chance to clean up and reset. One of the newly resurrected villagers is kind enough to give Barns one of their outfits and let him take a shower - he was covered in blood, after all.


    That night, they have a bonfire and roast fish that King Crab graciously plucked from the sea. Each house contained some alcohol, and they decide to drink to their new future. King Crab imbibes most of the alcohol.


    "BARNACLES. VICTORY DANCE FOR HUMAN FRIENDS!"


    Barns blushes. "Not right now," he says dismissively. "I don''t like dancing in front of people."


    "SHOW THEM THE CRAB DANCE!"


    King Crab starts doing his sideways step back and forth, raising his claws into the air and clicking them to the beat of an imaginary song. Barns sighs and joins in, spreading his legs like a crab, putting his hands in the air, and making little snipping motions with his fingers.


    Later that night, an uninhibited King Crab attempts to solicit Yunie into a romantic encounter, which she politely declines.


    "YOU. ME. NAKED. FOAM."


    "Oh, I appreciate the offer, but I''m actually into women."


    A rejected King scuttled into the ocean and sat underwater for several minutes.


    After that, Yunie made sure to make her true feelings known to Barns. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mostly into women. I consider myself the legendary hero type, too," she winks.


    If Barns were a crab, he''d have been foaming at the mouth, too. Yunie was a pretty girl - soft brown hair, big, bright green eyes, and a great, fit body. She was also the only girl he''d seen in sixteen years.


    There''s one other woman resurrected that day - an older lady who keeps her head wrapped in a scarf. Barns hasn''t heard her speak since they all settled down.


    Finally, as night approaches, some of the villagers begin to retire to their homes to sleep. Barns and Clancy have no house, so they remain by the fire.


    Yunie is one of the last to go to sleep. "Need a warm bed for the night?" she whispers into Barns'' ear.


    He digs his feet in the sand to restrain himself. "I can''t do that to my man Clancy," he says with a smile. "Bro code, you know?"


    Yunie walks off somewhat disappointedly, but Barns does some damage control.


    "But, you know, Clancy''s memory is only good for about a week tops. So maybe¡­"


    Yunie laughs at him. "You can come over whenever you like, legendary hero."


    Barns checks to see if he has a nosebleed as Yunie disappears into her beachside home.


    He lays down in the sand, and looks up at the stars. It''s the same sky he''s stared at every night for the last twelve years, even as he lays down on a distant shore.


    "Maybe I can have a harem."


    "WHAT BARNACLES? YOU SPEAK QUIET."


    "Nothing, King. Good night."


    "FADE TO NOTHINGNESS, BARNACLES. I HOPE WE BOTH WAKE UP."


    On that note, King Crab is immediately asleep - dormant and completely still. He''ll be like that for the next three or four hours and then jolt back to 100% consciousness in an instant.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at Osmond''s Castle¡­


    "Mmfmff."


    Maria wiggles around, trying to speak. Osmond reaches around her neck and removes the gag from her mouth.


    "What''s the matter, sweetie?" he asks.


    "Just not in the mood tonight, I guess¡­"


    Osmond rubs her shoulder supportively. "It''s okay. I only have fun when you''re having fun. We can stop for now."


    He spins the wheel that Maria is suspended on, moving her right side up instead of upside-down. He places the cattle prod he''s holding on the table and begins unstrapping Maria from the machine.


    Maria steps out of the wheel, scantily clad but without a bruise on her pristine skin. She had an S Rank skill that prevented her from suffering injury, but not from feeling pain. Ever since she realized this, she''s found herself engaged in a variety of unique proclivities.


    Maria sits on the bed and opens up a system menu. Maria was once a Moderator, too. She knew how to navigate and read the system as well as anyone else, but she also knew about a glitch in the system. She could use that glitch to read the ''System Logs'', so she had a running list of every system message that went out.


    Maria''s used this power many times. With it, she''s been able to keep a watch on the entire world to an extent.


    She scrolls through the logs. Several people were resurrected, it seems. They''ve even built a village with some auto-generated homes. How quaint.


    "I have an idea, Osmond," she says, looking up at the ceiling and tussling her hair. Their bedroom ceiling was a giant mirror. Osmond wanted it because he ''likes to see everything from different angles''. Maria wanted it because she likes to imagine it falling on her.


    "I''m a human, so I can pull this off. I''m going to visit the boy hero. See what he''s all about."


    Osmond leans in, worry in his eyes. "Maria, no," he says quickly. "That''s far too dangerous. We should never be separated, especially not with humans like that around. Wait for him to come to us. We can kill him here with my power, easily."


    Maria laughs. "Oh, when you hear the plan, you''ll be all over it. We''re going to kick the roleplay up to eleven."


    Maria laughs maniacally as she tackles Osmond to the bed and details her nefarious plan.


    "We''re going to have ourselves a crab boil, Osmond. Hope you''re hungry."

 Chapter 6 Dimartino Vice

    "You''re sure you don''t need any more help?"


    Barns looks around the village. It''s morning, and the seven happy villagers are all out and about, putting up decorations, foraging for food, or relaxing on the beach.


    Yunie looks back at Barns and Clancy, touching her heart. "I''m sure you''ll return soon. Saving the town of Dimartino should be your top priority. But there were hundreds of people living there - meaning hundreds of monsters. Will you be okay?"


    Barns flexes and taps his arm. "I''m a legendary hero who''s on a quest to save humanity! If I can''t bring back one town, what good am I?"


    Yunie smiles so big her eyes close. "That''s right, Master Barnacles. Then I shall pray not for your safety but your speedy return."


    Barns and Clancy take off on foot into the jungle. Dimartino was a tropical region, and the weather was always balmy and breezy. It feels like home, having grown up in a similar climate for so long.


    In Barns'' first life, he''d only ever visited Dimartino once.


    On the walk to town, the duo encounters no monsters. Barns is surprised by this, but King Clancy has an observation.


    "MONSTERS LIKE TOGETHER."


    Clancy was of course completely accurate - monsters habitually formed groups in the wild, and seldom went off on their own. Being alone, especially early in the apocalypse, was a death sentence - for humans AND monsters.


    As they approach the town of Dimartino, they hear raucous laughter and the sounds of festivities. Barns climbs a nearby tree so he can get a look at what''s happening in town.


    The town is overrun by monsters. Makeshift barracks and beds litter the town streets, as the monsters prefer to sleep outside. These monsters are living life to the fullest. Ever since the town of Dimartino fell ten years ago, it has been a non-stop party for the forces of evil.


    Dimartino was a town with a reputation for two things - booze and prostitutes. It seems that monster culture has been able to successfully replicate both things. Barns narrows his eyes as he sees two busty goblins shaking what their mommas gave them in an alley as they''re showered with silver coins.


    "This is going to be awkward," Barns sighs, shimmying down the tree.


    "Alright, Clancy, here''s the deal. The monsters in the town are having a party and they have no defenses set up anywhere. Our best bet will be to split up and ambush them from both sides. Kill, kill, kill - and remember, please try not to cut their heads off this time."


    Clancy ran back and forth (sideways, of course). He frantically clicked his pincers together.


    "NO CHOPPING IN HALF AT ALL!?"


    Barns shakes his head. "Maybe you can, I don''t know¡­skewer them? Like we do with the fish?"


    Barns said the right words. The King was ecstatic. "SKEWER! SKEWER!" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He smiles weakly at his crab. "Alright, let''s go."


    Twenty minutes later, Barns and Clancy are both in position. Clancy was ready to emerge onto the east side of town, where the monsters were having some sort of pi?ata party. Meanwhile, Barns was on the west side - where all the hooking and boozing was happening. Better for him to be over here. This would all distract King Crab too much.


    He creeps up to the town gate. There''s only one person around right now - a female goblin going to town on a cigarette. She was dressed like a bar wench and every time she stepped Barns could hear the clink of silver from her boots.


    He sneaks up behind her. He''s armed with a longsword and a small dagger - he opts for the dagger. Without alerting the lady goblin, He grabs her head and covers her mouth with his hand as he shanks her in the side several times. Until she stops moving.


    The goblin corpse slides out of his arms and he snakes into the town.


    On his left, a drunk orc and two imp hotties. He gets the jump on them, stabbing one imp with his sword and another with his dagger. The orc barely has time to react, stumbling backward and landing on his piggy rear. Barns thrusts his longsword into the ground, impaling the orc''s heart. So far so good.


    He rips the cloak off from the orc and wraps it around himself, covering his body and his face. To a casual observer, he could blend in as a fellow monster. Maybe this won''t be so hard after all.


    He is alerted by the sound of screaming coming from the other side of town. It seems Clancy has made his move. Nothing stealthy about a giant crab, he supposes. Oh well. With the distraction, picking off outliers should be even easier.


    On the other side of town is absolute chaos. A horde of monsters has surrounded Clancy, who is methodically skewering his foes three at a time and then laying them out carefully like kabobs.


    "NO BEHEAD!" Clancy roars as he smashes - flattens - a goblin against the wall of a house. Barns perhaps should have told Clancy that ''turning monsters into paste'' also made them ineligible for resurrection.


    A snake woman wraps her tail around one of Clancy''s many legs and tries to get inside his shell. In a panic, Clancy snips her head off.


    "A LITTLE BEHEAD."


    Clancy shoots out some foam and spins in a circle, coating all the monsters near him. His cleansing foam has a purifying property and all of the monsters begin to scream and burn. He''s still surrounded, but the lesser monsters are keeping their distance now.


    The pack of monsters separates, making way for their leader. From the center of the town, a tall monster with an ominous aura begins to pace slowly toward Clancy.


    Clancy scuttles around a bit, sizing up his opponent. He''s never seen one before, but he knows the monster in front of him. It is a demon. The pale, almost bluish skin and the long horns erupting from its forehead are dead giveaways, but other than that, this could be a human. He shows off the weapon in his hand to taunt Clancy. It''s a large, spiked hammer. The kind that could crush even a shell like Clancy''s.


    The other monsters take a knee, bowing reverently to their demon lord. They create a circle around the demon and the crab, cheering and jaunting for their leader.


    "BOSS BATTLE!" Clancy fumes. He raises both of his pincers in a defensive formation. It was about to get real for King Crab.

 Chapter 7 Boss Battle

    Clancy the crab raises his pincers in the air and smacks the top of his shell threateningly. He was ready to battle the demon.


    And the demon looked back at him, big hammer in hand. Clancy''s beady eyes fix on the hammer. He could handle the demon''s magic, but that hammer would crack his shell.


    "BATTLE TIME!" Clancy cries, scuttling sideways and shooting a stream of foam toward the demon.


    The demon whips back his long cape, turning it into a swirling circle of wind. The wind blows away all of Clancy''s foam in moments, but Clancy is ready for more. He snip-snips in the demon''s direction.


    The demon dodges Clancy''s attack and swings his hammer. Clancy narrowly dodges - one of his small legs was almost crushed.


    The demon bares his fangs at Clancy. "What''s a crab doing attacking us like this!?" the demon screeches.


    "SAVE HUMAN WOMAN! HELP BARNACLES!"


    "Tch. A mindless beast without a master. Very well, crab. I shall return you to the earth!"


    The demon begins to charge a giant ball of purple energy, readying a powerful magical attack. Clancy raises his claws to defend.


    The demon''s magic blasts Clancy, but the crab resists. He uses one of his crab abilities to harden his shell like a diamond. The magic attack brushes off and doesn''t leave a single scratch on Clancy.


    The demon is shocked. "Impossible! Only a Guardian Beast could resist such a powerful spell!"


    Clancy wasn''t about to get into a shouting match. He swung his pincer and caught the demon''s hammer from midair. As the demon struggles, pressing his hammer against Clancy''s claw, Clancy thrusts his other arm into the demon''s torso.


    "Agh!" the demon shrieks.


    "I AM KING CRAB! CLANCY!"


    The demon hobbles backward, clutching his stomach. He''s badly wounded but still alive.


    "I will destroy you!" the demon shouts, raising his hammer.


    Unbeknownst to the demon, Barns was moving through the crowd, assassinating the other monsters methodically and building a path toward the demon.


    Just then, Barns leaps from the crowd, his longsword in hand. He swings his sword through the air and slashes at the demon from behind.


    The demon falls to his knees, eyes wide open and full of shock. Blood spurts out of his mouth and he crumples.


    At that moment, the monster crowd goes wild. They set upon Barns and Clancy in a wild rage. Clancy shoots his foam and Barns swings his sword, but its not enough. There are too many enemies. Clancy and Barns begin to lose ground, backing up closer and closer to each other.


    The corpses are piling up, building a barrier between Barns, Clancy, and the rest of the horde. It''s still not enough. Over a hundred ravenous monsters are crawling over each other to kill Barns and Clancy.


    Barns grits his teeth. Before he was reborn, he had all kinds of skills to use in a situation like this. But all he had right now were his three skills - SS Rank Resurrection, S Rank Rebirth Flame, and B Rank Crab Affinity.


    "BARNACLES! EVACUATION TIME!"


    Barns is snatched up (carefully) by one of King Clancy''s claws as the crab shoots a jet of foam at the ground. It propels them up into the air, and they land on top of a nearby building.


    Barns looks over the side of the building. The monsters are already trying to get up here. It''s like they''re in a blood rage.


    "HAVE IDEA. WILL USE S RANK SUPERSKILL."


    Barns raises an eyebrow at his crabby friend. "What in the what?"


    Clancy raises his claws in the air and the land itself begins to froth. All around them, the town is engulfed in a foamy coating. The monsters on the ground that are still alive are caught up in the foam and are consumed.


    Barns stares out over the foamy landscape. "You mean to tell me you could have done that all along?"


    "RARE SKILL. ONLY HAVE THREE CHARGES EVER."


    Barns makes a big ''O'' with his mouth. "Well¡­I guess I appreciate your discretion. We have two more charges for emergencies." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "THAT WAS MY LAST CHARGE."


    "Great¡­"


    ¡­


    Since everyone was foamed up, it didn''t take long to gather the bodies in the village square. The foam makes the bodies feel a little¡­lighter?


    Once everyone is gathered (and the beheaded ones separated), Barns uses his resurrection skill.


    A flash of light appears as the resurrection activates. The fallen humans begin to be reborn, rising from the foam like hatchling eggs.


    Barns'' progress bar appears:


    [Progress: 403/1000000]


    Almost 400 people resurrected in town, nice!


    As the people wake up and realize what''s happening, Barns walks over to where the ''boss battle'' happened. The menacing hammer once wielded by the demon is still laying there.


    Barns picks up the hammer. As he does, a new message appears.


    [Congratulations! You have acquired A Rank Weapon - Shock Hammer.


    Special Ability: When you strike the ground, a field of electric energy will surround you for three seconds.]


    Barns nods his head in approval. It''s a little heavy, but that''s a useful ability. Good thing the demon didn''t know about it.


    Speaking of the demon, Barns looks over and sees that the former demon is now awakening back as a human. Barns is surprised at how much he still looks like the demon they fought earlier. Thankfully, the man''s skin has returned to a healthy color and the horns are gone.


    Barns steps up to the former demon and gives a little wave. The man jumps up. Does he remember their battle?


    "So, hiya," Barns mumbles awkwardly. "Nice, uh, muscles."


    The former demon looks down at himself. His nethers are covered in foam, but other than that, he''s totally naked - as are many of the awakening humans.


    Whatever clothing they wore as monsters doesn''t always fit their human forms. And not all of the monsters had ''clothing''. Who ever heard of a fully dressed skeleton or imp?


    The man tries to cover himself up with some of the foam.


    "You were a demon," Barns says flatly, getting to the point. "The other monsters here seemed to respect you. Do you remember any of that?"


    The man nods solemnly. "When the apocalypse started, they told me if I cooperated, I could live forever¡­and if not, they''d kill me with that hammer."


    The man looks out over the crowd. The humans begin getting notifications about the ''Property'' system.


    "I was the mayor here," the man goes on. "You can call me Quinn."


    "Alright. Come with me, Quinn."


    Barns hops on top of a nearby roof that overlooks the resurrection plaza. This group of people seems more lost and confused than the first group, but there are hundreds more of them.


    "Everyone!" Barns shouts over the crowd. "I have an exciting announcement for you! You''re¡­alive! I was able to resurrect you all!"


    This is going a little less awkward than the first time. Barns is getting the hang of this.


    "Now, we''re going to work together to rebuild civilization, one town at a time! And¡­"


    Barns hesitates, and he is interrupted by another. Not Quinn, but a woman. She''s dressed in a beautiful white dress, and her skin glimmers in the sunlight. She is the image of ethereal beauty.


    "Why, hello everyone!" The maiden declares. Everyone, including Barns, looks directly at her.


    "It is I, your Princess, Maria Dimartino! I have been waiting for this happy day for so, so long!"


    The crowd erupts into excited banter.


    "THE Princess Maria?"


    "I thought she was captured by a demon!"


    "Long live the princess!"


    Barns stares back at the woman. Princess Dimartino? She doesn''t look like she was just reborn. Her clothes are too clean and perfect. Where did she come from?


    She looks straight up and makes eye contact with Barns. "This man is the legendary hero of prophecy! My fellow countrymen, please join me in saluting our hero!"


    Maria commands a lot of presence in the town. They all recognize her. The perks of royalty, Barns supposes.


    All four-hundred-odd people give Barns a noble salute. He can''t help but blush.


    "Please, listen to his words! The hero will help us rebuild this town!"


    Empowered by Maria''s words, Barns begins explaining the ''Property'' process, and how individuals can choose their houses. Some new rules are also revealed by the system. Instead of building all new houses, there is also an option to ''convert'' the existing buildings into homes.


    Just like at the beachside village, monsters will be unable to approach these homes so long as someone remains within their ''Property''.


    Finally, as the citizens begin to set up and choose their homes, Maria approaches Barns individually.


    "That is quite an impressive power you have, legendary hero."


    Barns'' heart skips a beat. This was the defining moment for him. If he could recruit a Princess to his harem, then he would become unstoppable.


    "Just doing my job," he says coolly. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of one as illustrious as yourself."


    Maria blushes and turns her face away from Barns. She sways from side to side and covers her smirk with a hand.


    "The pleasure is all mine," Maria says, a snide look in her eye. She looks out over the people still remaining in the plaza.


    "I say we should have a celebration, to commemorate you bringing the lovely town of Dimartino back to life. What say you, hero?"


    "Call me Barns," he smiles. "And I''d never say no to a party!"

 Chapter 8 Seven Apocalypses

    Barns didn''t know why he expected the Dimartino celebration to be nice. As he strolls through, it''s only slightly more civil than the monsters'' party was.


    Alcohol, everywhere. In each corner or alley, Barns can see people getting wasted in public. Some of the women of the town are scantily-clad, and as he looks down one alley, he sees his crab soliciting two prostitutes.


    "Clancy, what are you doing!?"


    "HUMAN WOMAN."


    Barns claps his hand to his forehead.


    Clancy scuttles off with the two women in tow. He''s snipping at the air excitedly as he skitters off.


    Barns watches them as they go across the street into an abandoned building.


    "What''s a crab gonna do with a woman, anyway?" Barns mumbles out loud to himself. "Uck. I don''t even want to think about it."


    Barns walks to the town center. Many people are gathered, laughing and cheering. It brings joy to Barns'' heart.


    This is the result of his struggles so far. This town, full of cheer and laughter, would have never existed if Barns hadn''t stepped up and become a hero. It may not be the most virtuous place, but it was the start of something.


    Barns always believed it, but now he knows with certainty. He could pull off an Apocalypse Reset.


    Barns grips his fists. ''That''s right. Every soul I save brings me that much closer!''


    Suddenly, Barns is tapped on the shoulder, and he feels a heavy arm fall around him. He glances over and sees the town mayor, Quinn, getting comfortable.


    "Nice to see you with clothes on," Barns quips.


    "Mr. Hero, look at this place. Twenty-four hours ago, it was a den of monstrosity. Now, it''s a budding community, full of hope and life!"


    "You don''t have to call me Mr. Hero. Barns is fine," he says shyly. "I like Barns."


    "Ahh, but that''s so casual! You shall be Mr. Hero forever and always to me!" Quinn squeezes the young man''s shoulder.


    They talk for a while, until Quinn shifts the conversation to something a little more serious.


    "You are obviously quite young. How do you know so much about the apocalypse?"


    Barns feels a lump form in his throat. He hadn''t thought of telling anyone his secret - that he was actually reborn and lived a past life as a hero. At least not yet.


    "I was reborn," Barns says, opting for honesty. "I fought at the Capitol, right toward the beginning of the apocalypse. But then I died¡­and I was reborn as¡­well, me!"


    "Do you know what happened after you died?"


    Barns shakes his head. "Clancy - the crab - told me that all humans died."


    "Yes. That is what I believe too. The proud kingdom of Dimartino was one of the last places to fall. There were seven apocalypses total."


    "Seven!?" Barns exclaims.


    Quinn begins to detail what happened to the world over the last many years.


    1. The Apocalypse of Fire. Villages, towns, and cities all over the world began to burst into flames. Barns remembers this well.


    2. The Undead Apocalypse. Deceased humans began to reanimate from the ground as zombies. They swarmed most of the major population centers, causing widespread death and a collapse of society.


    3. The Monster Apocalypse. Hideous creatures began to emerge from the earth and kill humans, stealing their souls. And then, those human souls were turned into more monsters. This was just beginning when Barns died in his first life.


    4. The Apocalyptic Plague. Terrible sickness swept across the land and the human race. Farms were ravaged by blight, and sick humans began to rot away.


    5. The Vampire Apocalypse. Surviving humans were beginning to fear the forces of the night, and they embraced darkness to survive. Some turned themselves into Vampires and grew a desire to feed on others. These vampires established strongholds, taking the surviving humans prisoner and making them vampire thralls.


    6. The sixth Apocalypse brought demons. All humans who remained in power were given the choice - live on as demons, or be killed. Those who accepted were transformed and then turned their own citizens into monsters. These demons took charge of the post-apocalyptic world order.


    7. The final devastation - the Celestial Apocalypse. A giant meteor crashed into the earth, into the only kingdom that remained in power. It is believed the entire kingdom was vaporized in an instant. At this point, humanity was functionally extinct, with only a few pockets of survivors clinging to life in hiding.


    "I thought you should know, that your quest will not be as easy as just killing monsters," Quinn proclaims. "And also, I''d hoped to share one other tidbit of information to you. Before I became a demon, I remember hearing that Princess Maria was also out there, unchanged. For her to have survived twelve years on her own¡­it''s unthinkable."


    Quinn and Barns parted ways, as Barns wanted to check out more of the celebration.


    Barns watches people sing and dance in the streets, happy and merry. He can''t help but grin wide. It reminds him of his past life before the Apocalypse began. When times were simpler¡­although, times were never simple for him. As a member of the Flame Clan, he''s been a warrior for as long as he can remember. If only he still had access to his Flame skills in this new life.


    Barns wanders to the edge of town, and he looks out into the jungle. He wonders how many people are still out there, waiting to be saved.


    Suddenly, loud bells are ringing out over the town. Barns looks up in awe.


    "The Celebration Dinner is about to begin in the town square!" It''s a booming, friendly voice that speaks over an intercom system. Seems like they''ve repaired town quickly! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The chef tells me that we will be having a delicious crab boil this evening, so please come by! He says it''s the biggest crab he''s ever seen!"


    Barns feels a sudden panic come over him. ''Crab on the menu?'' he thinks to himself. ''I don''t like the sound of that.''


    In a leap, Barns runs toward the town center, praying to all that he can, hoping that his intuition is wrong this time.


    "I''m coming, Clancy!"

 Chapter 9 Boiling Point

    "Looks like we''re dropping the crab in any second now! These bad boys cook quickly so if you''re not already here, you''re late!"


    Barns tries to ignore the voice broadcasting from above. If Clancy hasn''t been cooked yet, there''s still time. Barns runs at his top speed, sprinting through town streets that are already becoming familiar to him. He''s used a lot of energy today, but even as he finds himself out of breath and worn out, he can''t stop moving, no matter what.


    Time stops for Barns the moment he arrives in the town square. He''s still far away when he can see it happen - a group of seven or eight guys hoisting up the mighty Clancy and throwing him into a giant bubbling cauldron.


    "No!" Barns shrieks at the top of his lungs, charging into the crowd. He''s pushing and throwing people out of the way as quickly as possible, clawing through the sea of people to get closer to the cauldron.


    "Get him out of there!" Barns screams, but nobody listens. He climbs up to the top of the bubbling pot. The smell immediately hits him - like a seafood restaurant. His friend is already turning red. Is it too late?


    Barns grits his teeth. Without Clancy, there''s no saving the world. He needed his crab mentor''s frothy foam.


    Barns cries. "I can''t do it without you."


    Barns braces his mighty new A Rank weapon, the Shock Hammer, and smashes it with all his strength into the side of the cauldron. The cookware shatters, boiling liquid bursting from it and showering Barns and some nearby townsfolk.


    Clancy slides out of the cauldron, his shell bright red and his legs curled up into a ball. Barns realizes that the boiling water hasn''t hurt him at all. Maybe he still has some of the Flame Clan''s power. If not, he would have suffered permanent burns from the boiling water bath - he''d be redder than Clancy was now.


    Barns drops to his knees. "Are you okay? Are you good, King? Please, say something! Please, you can''t be dead!"


    Barns grabs his crab and hugs him so tenderly, so dearly - but he can not hear Clancy''s words. He can not feel Clancy move.


    "Are you¡­"


    Barns'' head falls down. He stares at the cobblestone streets of Dimartino. This isn''t what he wanted. No amount of humans saved could ever be worth King Crab''s life.


    Suddenly, Barns feels one of King''s claws wrap around his back and embrace him. Barns immediately starts weeping.


    "Clancy!" he says, his nose running and making a mess. "Oh Clancy, my Clancy!"


    "HOT BATH. DIDN''T LIKE."


    Barns holds Clancy like a newborn. "You stupid crab!" he shouts. "How in the hell did this even happen!? Didn''t you say anything? You''re the OTHER legendary hero, now!"


    Clancy clicks his claws meekly. "PROSTITUTE LADY GAVE ME POPPY MILK. MAKE ME SLEEPY."


    Barns holds his forehead to Clancy''s steaming shell. All he can do is laugh.


    "Red''s a good color on you, man," Barns says quietly.


    "ORANGE. THANK YOU BARNACLES. SMART NOT EATING YOU ALL THOSE YEARS AGO."


    As they hold each other, Barns sees a system message appear to his left.


    [Your Crab Affinity has evolved from B Rank to A Rank.]


    Who''d have thought? All they needed was a life-or-death situation to bring them closer together.


    Barns clicks back to reality. He''s kneeling on the floor next to a fire pit and a destroyed cauldron, hugging his crab. And there are about fifty people all standing around, unsure of what the hell is happening.


    "Oh my!" Maria calls out over the crowd. The people separate, making a path for her. "Is he alright?"


    Barns rises to his feet, clutching onto his crab protectively. "Yeah. King''s going to be fine. Now I want to know right now, who was behind this!?"


    Maria''s eyes widen and she looks afraid. "Wh-what? I have no idea. I didn''t even know that was a talking crab¡­one of the girls in town suggested we cook it up. I was just trying to be a supportive Princess!"


    Barns stares through Maria. She was a good actress, he''ll give her that much. But he can tell. There is something wrong with the way she speaks, and her movements have a performative quality. Everything about her feels scripted.


    Although, if she hadn''t announced what was happening over the broadcast system, he would have never saved Clancy in time. Was Maria to thank for Clancy''s survival?


    "I need to take him away from here," Barns says. "Hey! In case it wasn''t clear to you people in town. This crab is the reason you''re all alive! And if anyone harms him again, I have no problem un-aliving you!"


    Barns helps Clancy to his feet. The poor crab is still exhausted from the poppy and weak from the boiling.


    Barns grinds his teeth as the duo walk off together somewhere private.


    "I wish you didn''t smell so good right now," Barns whines. "That lemon and garlic blend really brings out your natural aromas."


    As Barns and Clancy cool off on the outskirts of town, the two find themselves lost in thought. Barns knew monsters were going to be a problem, but right now his fellow humans were the biggest danger.


    "I''m so sorry, King," Barns says again. No amount of apologizing feels right. His mentor who raised him since he was a toddler was almost boiled alive right in front of him.


    "But I am glad for Princess Maria. Clancy, If I''d lost you, I don''t - "


    "EVIL PRINCESS."


    Barns pauses. "Wait, what?"


    "PRINCESS EVIL. DEMON SMELL. CANNIBAL."


    Barns gasps. "What makes you say that, King?"


    "CRAB INTUITION. ALWAYS CORRECT."


    "You know, Clancy, we''d be a lot better off if you stop keeping all these big secrets to yourself¡­"


    A system message appears in front of Barns.


    [Congratulations on achieving A Rank in the following skills: Crab Affinity.


    It is time to choose a sub-skill.


    1. Claws of Death - You will gain the ability to transform your arm into a crab claw to use as a weapon. You can disable the transformation at any time.


    2. Harden Body - You will gain the ability to harden your body like a crab''s shell. You can only use this for five seconds, and it takes five seconds to recharge after use.


    3. Crab Intuition - You can sense murderous intent. Hostile forces will have a red aura.


    4. Bubble Breath - You gain the ability to blow bubbles out of your mouth. These bubbles can put your enemies to sleep.


    5. Scuttle Mastery - You move 50% faster when walking sideways.]


    ''These are all pretty good,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''But can I really only choose one?''


    A help message appears.


    [More sub-skills can be acquired from your Affinity by studying with the corresponding species.]


    Barns nods. He got into this situation because he couldn''t trust the people around him. These humans wanted to eat Clancy. He knows he needs to pick something that will give him a little more safety - in any situation.


    "Crab Intuition it is," Barns says. If he had the same power Clancy has, he''d be effectively immune to betrayals. Since he was much more confident killing monsters than he was dealing with humans, this seems like the best choice. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns taps on ''Crab Intuition'' and learns the skill. Now, whenever he''s in a dangerous situation, he should be able to sense his enemy''s malevolence.


    ''Nothing flashy, but it''s a good support skill. Next time I''ll go for something that will help in combat.''


    Barns looks at the crab and smiles.


    "So the princess is a cannibal, and she wanted you dead¡­"


    "CORRECT. EVIL PRINCESS."


    "Guess we''re going to have to hunt ourselves a princess, then. And you know what? I think I have just the idea. Our counterattack begins now!"

 Chapter 10 You Got to Kill the Girl

    "Alright, here''s the plan. I''m calling it Operation: Kill the Girl. Here''s how it''s going to go."


    Barns and Clancy are standing in one of Dimartino''s abandoned buildings - an old school. This was the quietest and most nondescript place Barns could find, and thankfully, they had a nice big chalkboard.


    Barns ushers to the chalkboard, where his ingenius ''Kill the Girl'' plan is detailed. He considered every factor when making this - including the fact that their target is a well-liked Princess. Still, she was too suspicious, and her motives were clearly evil. If they let her strut around town unchecked, she could be the end of Dimartino.


    "It has to look accidental," Barns says, starting from the top of the plan. "So here''s what we''ll do¡­"


    Step 1. Ask the Princess out on a date.


    She''ll never think we suspect her of being evil if I shamelessly ask her for a night out. And she might accept - it''d give her a chance to kill me, too - if that''s what she''s trying to do.


    Step 2. I take her out on a boat, somewhere quiet. Private.


    Barns looks up at the plan. Brilliant so far.


    Step 3. You (Clancy) lie in wait under the water. I (Barns) will create a mood and distract her.


    Barn thinks to himself. "Clancy, you can''t sing, can you? Or¡­conjure up an aquatic orchestra? That could really make the vibe¡­"


    "TRADITIONAL CRAB SONG. I SING THE CLACKCLACK CANTATA."


    "On second thought, you just wait underwater¡­" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Step 4. I decide whether or not we''re actually going to kill her.


    "I have Crab Intuition too, so I''ll know," Barns says. "There''s a chance she''s going on this date with me willingly, AND she isn''t trying to kill us. I don''t want to mess that up."


    "BARNACLES WILL DATE EVIL PRINCESS?"


    "I mean," Barns blushes. "Who wouldn''t? A little evil is kind of sexy¡­"


    "BARNACLES! EVIL PRINCESS LADY TRIES TO BOIL US!"


    "Okay, okay," Barns says, dismissing the idea. "It''s been sixteen years since I''ve been on a date, give me a break."


    Step 5. Kiss her and test the waters.


    "We''ll skip to step 6," Barns says, biting his lip.


    Step 6. ''Accidentally'' hit her in the head with an oar, knocking her into the ocean. Then, you (Clancy) will grab her and drag her to the depths. We tell everyone in town she drowned.


    "THAT''S PLAN? OAR-HIT? WHY NOT SKEWER? SAVE FIVE STEPS."


    Barn smacks a classroom desk. "Damn it, Clancy, if you want to write the plans you can do it next time!"


    Barns thinks for a moment. "Plus, there''s more to Maria than we know. If we have to kill her, we should at least get information out of her."


    "MY PLAN. BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS SPEND NIGHT WITH ME. THEN WE CUT HER HEAD OFF."


    "No way! And hey! Let me have this one! You already got first dibs on Yunie!"


    "YUNIE? WHAT IS THIS YUNIE?"


    ''Oh, good,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''He''s already forgotten about Yunie. Maybe I have a shot with her.''


    Barns goes over the plan with King Crab a few more times before erasing it all and destroying any incriminating evidence. His next step is the one the whole plan hinges on - Maria has got to agree to a date.


    "Stay here," Barns instructs Clancy. "I''ve got some moves to make."


    It doesn''t take long for Barns to find Maria. She''s still in the town square, sitting by herself. Though the sun is just starting to set, she sits there with a flowery parasol over her head.


    Maria notices Barns as he checks out the parasol curiously.


    "I don''t like getting too much sun on my skin," she chirps. "I''m more of a night person."


    "Well, that sounds great, because I was about to ask you about something. Tonight."


    Maria raises an eyebrow. She seems genuinely confused. Barns inspects her closely. So far, there''s no red aura. Nothing homicidal - not yet. That, or his Crab Intuition is broken.


    "I was thinking. You''re a Princess. One of the only few women alive. Definitely the most beautiful," Barns adds, "And I''m something of a legendary hero myself."


    "Uh-huh."


    "Maybe we could, er¡­get to know each other¡­a little better?"


    Maria''s eyes widen in horror.


    "Nothing crazy!" Barns exclaims, shaking his hands. "A little ride out in a canoe! Monsters don''t like the water, so we should be safe if we stay close to town. It''s a full moon tonight."


    Maria glances up at the sky. The moon isn''t visible, not yet.


    "You''re going to be an instrumental part of my mission to rebuild the world, Maria, so I want to know the real you," Barns says, some semblance of persuasion manifesting in his words.


    Maria sighs. "Oh, what the hell. I''m not doing anything tonight. Let''s do it."


    Barns raises his fist into the air. ''Victory!''


    And then he realizes he''s making a fool out of himself.


    "Er¡­okay! I''ll meet you in thirty minutes. Is that enough time to get ready? I need to tell my crab I''ll be busy tonight."


    Maria blinks slowly. "I''ll be here."


    Barns rushes back to Clancy. The time was imminent - and the plan was a go. Once he locates his crab, he gives him the details and a location for Clancy to wait in hiding. The crab, excited as ever, scurries off into the ocean to wait at the designated lagoon.


    ''Step 1 complete. Now to get her in the water.''


    Barns waits a few minutes after Clancy leaves. He needs a moment to steel himself for this. Maria seems like a nice girl, but there''s no denying she had a role in the crab boil fiasco. If nothing else, he needed to figure out what her deal was - and who she''s working with.


    Quinn''s words from earlier in the day stuck out to Barns. Maria may have been alone in the wild for the last twelve years. There''s no way she could have survived - not without help, or some ultra-powerful S Rank skill.


    Little did Barns know, the secrets surrounding Maria went much deeper than he ever could have imagined.


    Maria also had the power to read the System Logs, so she knew the exact moment when Barns chose the ''Crab Intuition'' skill. Maria had been carefully guarded ever since she saw that. She could not reveal a single emotion - not if she wanted her true motives to stay hidden. So as Barns planned what to do with Maria, she too planned what to do - with Barns.


    One thing was for sure - their boat ride was not something that would soon be forgotten.

 Chapter 11 What Happens In a Lagoon...

    "So, how have the last twelve years been for you, Princess? It must have been scary. Were you the only human left?"


    The two have just begun their nighttime boat ride. Barns handles the rowing while Princess Maria sits in the front, facing him. The bright light reflecting off the full moon provides plenty of visibility over the calm and tranquil sea. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Our kingdom fell six years ago," Maria says. "The six years before that were vile and cruel, but we persevered. For the last six years, I had been held captive by a demon. He believed owning me gave him symbolic authority over the entirety of Dimartino. And perhaps it did."


    Barns stops rowing for a bit, reaching his hand out to Maria''s. "I''m so sorry," Barns says, genuine concern in his eyes. "That must have been difficult for you."


    Maria nods, looking out over the moonlight. Whether this was another acting performance or not, Barns was finding it hard to tell.


    "The demon treated me kindly, so long as I supported his claim to all of Dimartino. But when I heard a human had come with the power to resurrect humans from monsters, I knew I had to meet him."


    Maria''s eyes glimmer in the moonlight. "I told myself - Maria. Give yourself to that human. Do whatever it takes to make him happy. That man will be the next king of Dimartino."


    Barns is shocked by the brazen offer. "I appreciate the gusto, and maybe my son or daughter can be the next king, but I don''t think that life is for me. I can''t stay in Dimartino. I have to save the world."


    Maria''s eye twitches almost imperceptibly, but she catches herself. Having read the system logs, she knows that Barns can now sense murderous intent. She had to be calm. Even when he refuses her, she has to remain focused and on-task.


    "Barnacles. Your devotion is admirable. Perhaps I misunderstood the reason you invited me out on the water tonight?"


    Barns stops rowing. They are in a shaded lagoon, surrounded by mangrove trees. Just the right amount of moonlight shines through the trees where all can be seen comfortably - and yet the night air is gripped by soft darkness.


    The boat comes to a resting point, and even the water seems to still.


    "Yeah. I guess there''s no sense beating around the bush. Princess Maria, I know you tried to kill Clancy. I want to know why."


    Absolute silence. Maria and Barns lock eyes, neither daring to look away.


    Maria licks her lips in a circular motion. "The villagers were hungry, of course."


    "The real reason!" Barns shouts, standing up on the boat.


    Maria groans. "Yell at me again," she dares him. There''s unbridled hunger in her voice.


    Barns'' nostrils flare. "Tell me."


    "Really? You want to talk crab right now?"


    "Tell me!" Barns roars, veins popping out in his neck.


    It''s enough to set Maria off. She cackles in pure ecstasy as she withdraws a knife and begins to thrust it at Barns.


    He''s ready for her attack - in the brief instant before, his Crab Intuition kicks in. Barns grabs Maria''s forearm and slams it on the side of the boat. She lurches out in shocked pain and drops the dagger into the water.


    She kicks Barns square in the chest, knocking him backward and climbing to her feet. He reaches for an oar and swings it, smashing it against the side of Maria''s head. The oar splinters into a million pieces as it slams into her, making her stumble but somehow not knocking her over. She''s drooling.


    "Auugh!" Barns yells, rising again to his feet and smacking Maria across the face, not knowing what else to do. The murderous intent she exuded earlier is gone.


    "I''m gonna kill you!" Barns shouts in her face. Maria has never looked weaker in her life.


    "Do whatever you want to me. But let me have this first."


    Maria grabs Barns and kisses him, biting his lip as she does. He doesn''t know if this is a new method or attack or what.


    He decides on ''or what''.


    She pulls him forward and collapses onto the floor of the canoe, landing on the sharp, splintered bits of wood from the oar. They stab into her back, but she doesn''t care - in fact, she relishes it. She continues kissing Barns, pushing her tongue into his mouth.


    Barns has no idea what''s happening and his brain is empty. The vague memory of ''I should probably kill her after this'' lingers in his mind as he becomes increasingly wrapped up in the moment.


    Maria drags her teeth against Barns'' throat before grabbing him by the neck and forcing him to look into her eyes. "That all you got?"


    And then Barns and Maria go out of control.


    Nearby, under the water, Clancy stares up at the boat. He notices it rocking back and forth. Still, he trusted Barnacles and would wait for the signal - as soon as Maria was dropped into the water, he would grab her up and hold her under.


    Five more minutes pass. No Maria. Not after ten. Or twenty.


    Clancy blows bubbles. "HUMAN TALK TAKE TOO LONG. SPEAK QUICK BETTER."


    Clancy plays with his pincers. The boat is really rocking now. They must be having an argument.


    "BARNACLES TRY TIP BOAT?"


    After a comically long amount of time, the boat finally stops moving. Clancy readies himself. This might be the moment.


    Back on the surface of the water, Maria is finally ready to talk.


    "I''m scared," Maria admits, buttoning her dress. "I have a life in this post-apocalyptic world. I have purpose and power. I thought if I killed the crab, you''d be out of a job. And I could keep doing what I''ve been doing."


    Barns still isn''t fully sure what just happened. "Well, Clancy is off-limits. If you try anything again, I''ll kill you."


    Maria''s eyes roll to the back of her head. "You''re the first man to ever dare order me around or yell at me," she smirks. "Even my demon lover won''t. He treats me like a Princess."


    "Well, you are a Pri- wait, demon lover!?"


    Maria scoffs. "What, you didn''t think this was my first time, did you?"


    Barns blushes.


    "If you''re serious about saving humanity," Maria starts, "Dimartino Castle has a garrison of three thousand monsters in captivity. But the monsters will be the least of your worries. My demon lover, Osmond - he''ll destroy you. And there will go your dreams - you won''t even leave Dimartino before your story ends."


    "I still have to try. I believe I received these powers for a reason."


    "It''s Osmond''s job to eradicate you. He''s been appointed by the Lord of the Apocalypse himself as ruler of Dimartino. He''ll hunt you."


    "I''m guessing you''re team Osmond too?"


    Maria smiles. "A girl''s got to be able to play both sides. I suppose I wouldn''t mind either of you winning."


    Maria grabs a fistful of Barns'' hair, playfully. "But I do have a castle to get back to. So for now, tonight will be our little secret."


    She exerts impossible strength against Barns, flinging him from the boat into the lagoon. Barns is momentarily stunned, unsure of what just happened.


    He shakes his head under the water. As soon as he gets his bearings, a crab claw grabs him around the waist and drags him below.


    ''Damnit, Clancy! It''s me, not Maria!'' Of course, it''s only what Barns thinks to himself, being unable to breathe underwater.


    Barns stares at his friend and smacks the top of his shell.


    "OOPS. WRONG HUMAN."


    Clancy returns Barns to the surface of the water, ready to confront Maria - but to their surprise, she''s gone. All that remains is the canoe.


    "SORRY. BARNACLES SMELLS LIKE EVIL WOMAN."


    Barns smiles weakly. Looking in every direction, he sees no sign of Maria. How in the world did she get out of here without jumping in the water?


    Barns shakes his head. The mysteries continue.


    Barns climbs back into the canoe, noticing a single feather lying on the floor of the boat. A beautiful golden plume. Clancy stays half-submerged in the water, looking up at his human.


    Barns tucks the feather away, for now - but he makes a mental note of it.


    "Dimartino Castle. That''s our next destination. But they''ve got three thousand monsters there. We can''t handle a group that big."


    Clancy thought for a moment, also at a loss. That would be a lot of head-snipping, even for him...


    "Clancy, I think we''re going to have to start an army."

 Chapter 12 A Quest Has Arrived

    The next morning, Barns has a visitor.


    "Yunie!" he exclaims. Standing before him is the girl who claims to be a Moderator, who he left in charge of the beach village.


    "Master Barnacles, it is good to see you. Things go well at our small village," Yunie smiles. "I came here on other business. Do you remember what I said about Daily Quests?"


    Barns scratches his head. "Maybe?"


    Yunie chuckles and opens up her system menu. She clicks around a few times, and then turns the screen toward Barns.


    "Daily Quest¡­resurrect 50 humans?"


    Yunie blinks slowly. "I think you can see what the issue there is. What''s more - I have dozens of quests." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She flips through a menu. Gather 50 Oranges. Light the beach bonfire. All sorts of tasks.


    "Before the apocalypse, I was under the impression that I must complete all of my quests, or society would begin to fall apart."


    Barns looks up. "But this is too much for you to do alone."


    "Exactly. Which is why I''m here. Barns, I''d like to start an ''Adventurer''s Guild''. A place I can post these quests, and recruit people to complete them on my behalf. I could share the quest rewards with whoever completes them."


    "Rewards?" Barns has a sparkle in his eye - he always did like treasure.


    "Rare armor, weapons, and items," Yunie confirms. "Every quest is offering something we lack."


    "This is great," Barns says excitedly. "Because it aligns with something else I need to do¡­we should discuss this with the mayor."


    Barns leads Yunie into the town square, where they quickly locate the mayor as he''s overseeing reconstruction efforts in the town.


    "Quinn, just the guy I need to see," Barns says, straightening his belt and standing confidently. "I''m in need of some mercenary action, and Yunie here has something that might make it all work."


    Barns and Yunie begin detailing their vision - A job board where they post Daily Quests for adventurers to compete, and a place for Barns to recruit those with a bit of experience to fight for him.


    Quinn is more of a symbolic leader than an actual one, so he''s quick to agree with Barns. Then, they officially announce and open the ''Adventurers Guild''. They manage to get all of their quests picked up by eager citizens ready to contribute. All but the one Barns is taking.


    "Resurrect fifty humans. I can do it, no problem. We need to boost our numbers, anyway. The enemy has 3,000 monsters at his disposal."


    Yunie bows graciously. "I would like to provide you with a map. It pre-dates the apocalypse, but it shows where all of the existing settlements were in Dimartino. Those are likely to be monster camps."


    Barns gratefully accepts the map. Now he''ll have an idea of how to navigate Dimartino.


    "How many people can this town handle right now, Quinn?" Barns wonders. He''d resurrect all he could, but he didn''t want to overwhelm the town. Worst case scenario, he can help people form smaller communities like the beachside village.


    Quinn beams. "As many as possible! Truly, we could grow to four thousand and still have room, especially if we expand outward!"


    Yunie makes a suggestion. "We should prioritize settling the land between here and the beachside village. A consistent line of property will make it so monsters cannot separate us or attack those who are traveling."


    Barns taps his fist to his palm. "That''s a great idea, Yunie!"


    The trio wraps up their conversation, each one splitting off to their respective jobs. Quinn will continue overseeing reconstruction, and will provide orientation for any new souls that Barns revives. Yunie will take over the running of the Adventurer''s Guild from an abandoned corporate building near town square.


    "We''ll need to form some sort of economy as well," Yunie realizes. "We can''t just give out gold and rare items without any sort of trade system established. Thankfully I have the perfect idea¡­"


    Yunie points out a location on the map. It''s not too far from here - a village of artisans and merchants. Yunie assumes that many of the monsters camping out in the village ruins will be those very same artisans once they''re resurrected.


    Barns finds Clancy after the conversation. The crab is loitering behind the hotel, looking dejected.


    "NO TRUST. NO LOVE."


    Barns pats Clancy on the shell. The two didn''t need a lot of context or words to communicate. Barns knew what was bothering Clancy just by the look in his beady eyes - he was sad that prostitutes tried to boil him alive the day before. Now, he couldn''t trust any prostitutes at all.


    "I know what will cheer you up, King. Let''s go on an adventure and save some more of the world!"


    Clancy clacks his claws together and does a sideways dance, shaking his crab hips to an unheard beat.


    The two set out toward the artisan village - it takes them only a couple hours to arrive. Clancy is quick on his feet and Barns has great stamina from all his training growing up with a crab.


    Barns readies his Shock Hammer as they approach the village. A two-handed hammer wasn''t his preferred weapon, but this one was too good to give up.


    The village of artisans seems to be occupied by one specific type of monster - scaly, diminutive lizard people with long dextrous hands. They have long snouts like a tyrannosaurus and walk with a hunch.


    "KOBOLD MONSTER. MOST TASTY I''VE TRIED."


    Barns furrows his brow. "We''re not here to eat them, King."


    "MAYBE JUST ONE?"


    Barns thinks through his plan of attack. Just like in Dimartino''s main town, the monsters are wholly unprepared for his arrival. Seems news of the ''legendary hero'' hasn''t reached everywhere.


    The kobolds are only about half as tall as Barns, but there were a lot of them. The Shock Hammer would come in handy here for sure.


    Barns signals to Clancy. They''ll do a pincer attack on the main horde simultaneously. Barns will go in first with the hammer, shocking and demolishing any who get close. The other kobolds will likely run - right into Clancy, hiding in wait with a copious amount of foam.


    "I LOVE PINCER ATTACK."


    The two temporarily split, getting into position. Barns clutches his hammer and takes a deep breath.


    As soon as he starts to charge, he realizes that the kobolds are more clever than he gave them credit for.

 Chapter 13 Getting Harder

    Barns doesn''t make it ten feet before he falls victim to a snare trap. He''s yanked into the air, suspended by one leg, and an alarm rings.


    ''Damn it,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Should have figured artisan monsters would have tricks up their sleeves.''


    The kobolds stand at attention, readying their weapons and rousing their kin. Clancy darts along the battlefield sideways, abandoning the original plan. He clips Barns'' snare before the kobolds can reach him.


    Barns collects himself. Standing side-by-side with Clancy, he feels as invincible as he could.


    "Aah!" Barns shouts, slamming the Shock Hammer into the ground as soon as the first wave of kobolds approaches. The hammer ejects lightning - shocking and frying the first few. Barns swings the hammer again and smashes it into an incoming kobold, knocking the life right out of it.


    Clancy covers Barns with a claw as the kobolds reach them in force. They primarily use spears, and they continue to try to break through Clancy''s shell.


    Clancy retaliates while defending, letting a stream of cleansing foam fall over the area. He catches a few kobolds in it - burning the evil out of them and killing them. The rest of the kobolds wise up and form a wide circle, keeping their distance.


    Barns feels nervous - a jolt of anxiety - as he sees the kobolds readying their ranged weapons. Several ready their bows. At close proximity like this, he and Clancy were sitting ducks.


    "Any neat tricks you''ve been holding out on?" Barns says, turning to his crab.


    "BEHEADING."


    Barns braces his hammer. "Really puts a damper on things, huh?"


    He charges at one of the nearest archers, dodging the first arrow as it propels toward him and knocking the kobold back twenty feet with the intensity of his swing.


    At that moment, Barns stumbles back. One of the other archers has hit their mark. An arrow embeds itself in the back of Barns'' leg, and he falls.


    "BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts, but the crab can''t run to his defense. He''s fending off kobolds and a volley of arrows. The kobolds focus their attention on Clancy - they see him as a bigger threat. The crab struggles to skewer the kobolds - they''re far too little for him to pinpoint.


    A wave of emotions comes over Barns. This was just like last time. That day, in the burning city¡­


    ¡­


    He stood at the train station with Violetta. She was the greatest hero of their time - A disciple of the Secret Arts who hailed from the ''Seraph Village''. With her Secret Art, she was able to manifest magic into any form, shape, or element she desired.


    "It''ll be here any minute, Lain." Violetta looked to him and smiled nervously.


    ''That''s right, I used to be ''Lain''. I''ve been Barnacles for so long I almost forgot.''


    But before the train arrived, they were attacked - by one of the Keepers of the Apocalypse.


    "Aha. And who do I find here but Violetta Stalve. I knew I''d find you here. I just met your friend not long ago. Mina, was it?"


    Violetta''s sword flashed into her hand quicker than lightning. "What have you done to Mina!?"


    The Keeper shrugged with a smile. He was a short man, covered in a ratty cloak. His face was big and bug-eyed, his skin a swampy green.


    "I freed her from her mortal limits."


    "Damned monster, I''ve had enough of you!"


    Violetta swung her sword at the Keeper, but he teleported backward, completely dodging her attack. But she was no slouch - she let go of the sword in her hand mid-swing and used her own magic to send it flying toward the Keeper. He raised his arms into the air and a pillar of skeletal figures erupted from the ground to shield him.


    Lain stepped up to assist, but as he did, a skeletal hand grabbed him from below. He kicked it away, but the moment''s hesitation was enough to distract him. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A new enemy came from above, slashing Lain''s arm as it landed gracefully next to its master. Lain recognized it. It was a vampire - a human who willingly accepted monstrous evil into their body.


    "We need to get out of here," Violetta shouted. Another vampire landed nearby. They were outnumbered.


    Just then, the train began to come into view, speeding along the tracks. It was running out of control - and it wouldn''t be stopping for them. But Violetta, like always, had a plan.


    They made it on the train in a flash, Violetta used her Secret Arts to create a dynamic explosion at the platform and lift the duo onto the train. But as they speeded away, Lain''s grievous injury became apparent.


    The same injury that would cause him to use ''Rebirth Flame'' against the Medusa.


    ¡­


    Barns snaps back to reality. Would he have to use Rebirth Flame here again to save Clancy? He was injured - there''s no way he''d be able to walk on that leg with an arrow sticking through it.


    But Clancy fought on. Like a hibachi chef, he uses his pincers to slice, dice, and toss the kobolds around, all while their arrows uselessly deflect off of Clancy''s shell. Barns stays down and finds cover. He''d just have to let Clancy solo this one.


    A burst of foam. Some bubbles. At one point, a kobold head flies through the air along with a booming ''OOPS'' from Clancy.


    It doesn''t take long for the crab to finish clearing out the group. He scuttles nervously over to Barns.


    "BARNACLES DYING?"


    Barns laughs it off. "I hope not. You don''t think kobolds use poison, do you?"


    Clancy shoots out a bit of foam onto Barns'' leg and carefully removes the arrow. Barns looks in shock as the foam puffs up around his wound, sealing it almost instantly. In fact, Barns hardly feels any pain at all.


    "Your foam¡­heals?" Barns says, amazed. Although it makes sense. If the foam can heal the world, why couldn''t it heal his leg?


    "Geez, I thought we were in a lot more trouble than this. Thanks, Clancy!"


    Barns struggles to his feet. While the wound may be healing quickly, it''s still not comfortable putting pressure on it.


    "Can you foam everyone up? I''ll perform the resurrection."


    Barns begins to make preparations as Clancy hoses down the rest of the area. In moments, humans start to arise from the fallen kobolds, born anew.


    As the humans get their bearings, Clancy returns to Barns'' side. Barns looks to his crab in thought.


    "It was amazing how you could block all of their attacks, Clancy. I wish I could do that."


    "I CAN TEACH SECRET CRAB SKILL."


    Barns'' eyes shimmer. "You think you can teach me how to get hard like you?"


    Poor word choice aside, Barns did know the skill existed. He remembered it being called ''Harden Body'', and it was a possible skill with his Crab Affinity. Theoretically, he could learn it if he trained.


    "WE START GETTING HARDER TOMORROW."


    Barns nods, tapping Clancy on the claw. "A life-saver as always, Clancy. Now let''s get these people back to Dimartino."


    Barns glances down. He''d hardly noticed the system message that appeared in front of him.


    [Progress: 461/1000000]


    Still a long way to go¡­but that meant they revived a little over fifty people today. That should satisfy Yunie''s quest.


    Barns clears his throat, and then readies himself for another of his awkward speeches.


    "Hello, everyone," he starts. "My name is Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. Me and my crab Clancy here, we''re the legendary heroes who are going to reset the apocalypse!"

 Chapter 14 Underhill

    "I got your merchants," Barns says as he limps into town. His leg is still not back to 100%, and it was a long walk.


    Yunie looks up with delight. "Ah! And we successfully finished all of our daily quests! In fact, we received something quite special, and I was wondering¡­"


    Yunie walks back toward a large table covered in armor and weapons. She picks up a sword with a blue hilt and an orange blade and walks it over to Barns.


    "Check this out!" Yunie''s face is aglow. "An A Rank Sword. It''s called ''Crashing Wave''. Sounds like something a legendary hero would have, hmm?"


    Barns reaches for the sword, but Yunie snatches it away. "Nuh-uh! We have an adventurer who prefers to fight with hammers, and I already promised him a good one in exchange for this sword. So what do you think? Can we make a trade?"


    "What did you need the merchants for? You seem to be managing this all perfectly!"


    Yunie smiles brightly at Barns, and puts her hands on his hammer. "I take it we have a deal?"


    "Deal."


    Barns gives up the Shock Hammer in exchange for ''Crashing Wave''. It''s also A Rank, but it''s a sword - something he much prefers.


    A system message appears as Barns holds the blade.


    [Congratulations! You have acquired A Rank Weapon - Crashing Wave.


    Special Ability: By using the hilt as a trigger, you can launch water blades.]


    ''Whoa!'' Barns thought. ''That''s a way cooler ability!''


    Barns puts his new toy aside, looking back at Yunie. "Can I leave these guys to you?" He points to the group of fifty-odd artisans and merchants he resurrected from the kobolds.


    Yunie claps her hands together. "Oh yes, of course! I''ll give these folks an orientation they''ll never forget!"


    "GIFT FOR ME?" Clancy asks, scuttling around Yunie''s station.


    Barns gives Yunie a thumbs-up and walks away, leaving her to deal with Clancy. It was getting late, and he could use the rest.


    Clancy clicks again. "GIFT FOR MIGHTY CRAB."


    Yunie smiles awkwardly, looking back at Barns. He was already out of earshot.


    "Uh¡­of course, Mr. Crab."


    "CLANCY!"


    "Mr. Clancy, sir," she corrects herself. She looks back at the rack of weapons. "Actually, I might have something for you¡­but it would only work on a special occasion."


    Yunie leads Clancy toward the back, showing off a massive cannon - one that fires heavy artillery.


    "Perhaps we can turn you into a tank when we attack the castle? Hehe¡­"


    Clancy excitedly insists that they try the cannon out immediately - though Yunie talks him out of it for tonight at least.


    Once Clancy''s dreams of becoming a crustacean cannon are scuttled, he skitters onto the main street and finally allows Yunie to begin her orientation with the artisans.


    Unlike Barns, the crab wasn''t ready to turn in for the night. Clancy looked at the lights and the bustle, wondering where his adventures would take him.


    He doesn''t get more than ten feet when an unfamiliar figure bumps into him.


    "Heya, crab-guy. You must be the one in charge around here, huh? I saw you with Barnabas or whatever."


    Clancy looks at the man speaking, clicking his claws together nervously. Clancy wasn''t great with surprise interactions.


    "BARNACLES. BEST FRIEND. CO-LEADER."


    "Yeah, yeah," the sneaky man says, nodding along. "You seem like the one to know around here, for a sensibly-minded gentleman such as myself."


    The man sounds like a rough-around-the-edges chimneysweep orphan when he talks, with a splash of mafioso.


    "See, I''m one of them merchants, and I see what you''re doin'' around here. Rebuildin'' society, that ain''t no easy work, eh? That''s where I come in. See, you''re gonna need a master economist runnin'' the show. And it just so happens, I''m your guy."


    Clancy clicks his pincers.


    "NOT ME. HUMANS DECIDE."


    The man shook his head and clicks his tongue. "See, I knew you were gonna say that. But the thing is, crab guy, you have pull too. So what do you say? You put a good word in for me when the time comes, yeah? The name''s Underhill."


    The man taps the tip of his cane on the crab''s shell. "You think about it. I''ve got an orientation to catch, crab guy."


    On that note, ''Underhill'' stalks off, joining the rest of his fellow artisans and merchants with Yunie.


    ¡­


    The next day, Barns is up bright and early. He sees the daily quests for the morning have already been posted, and he recognizes many of the artisans from yesterday hard at work.


    He looks around the town. It''s only been a few days, but already it has come so far. The auto-homes generated by the system had been a huge help too. Not only do they keep the monsters away, but they come with many critical supplies.


    Barns doesn''t see Clancy around, but he''s not worried. When his Crab Affinity became A Rank, he started being able to sense Clancy''s presence. It''s faint, but he can tell Clancy''s scuttling through town somewhere.


    Barns walks to the pier and remembers Maria.


    "Wonder what she''s up to now," he mumbles to himself. It might be a while before he''s able to launch an assault on the castle. He wouldn''t mind if she came for another visit before then.


    Barns shook his head. ''No, Barns. That was a one-and-done situation. She''s insane!''


    As he''s standing there, he feels something tug at his sleeve. He turns his head and sees two children looking up at him, eyes full of awe.


    "Mister, are you the legendary hero?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns looks back and smiles. He hadn''t realized there were children among the resurrected. Did they stop aging when they became monsters?


    "That''s me."


    Barns'' eyes narrow for a moment. These weren''t evil pretend children, were they? They had no aura of bloodlust - he could tell from his Crab Intuition.


    "Mommy said you saved the world! Thank you, Mister Hero!"


    "Thank you!" the other kid said.


    Barns smiles. He''d been so caught up in his mission, that he hadn''t spoken to many of the citizens directly. It warmed Barns'' heart to see the admiration on the children''s faces - to see that, one step at a time, he was making a real impact.


    On that note, it was time to go. Barns had work to do. And a new skill to train.

 Chapter 15 New Message

    Barns meets Clancy at a waterfall on the outskirts of town, where the crab had insisted they begin Barns'' ''Harden Body'' training. It''s a calm place - except for the sound of the roaring waterfall - and filled with the bounties of the jungle. Barns picks a banana off a tree and starts eating it as Clancy tries to explain the plan over the sound of falling water.


    "BARNACLES MUST¡­ILL¡­WATER!"


    Barns sighs. This was going to take a while.


    "Gonna need you to repeat that, King!" he roars at the top of his lungs. Next to a raging waterfall was not an ideal place to have a conversation.


    Clancy scuttles around frustratedly. "BE STILL IN THE WATER!"


    Barns throws the banana peel aside. "Do what now?" he asks, stepping as close to his crab''s mouth as he could.


    "BARNACLES. UNDER THE FALL WATER. NO MOTION."


    "You want me to get completely still, while standing under the waterfall?"


    Clancy clicked in agreement.


    Barnacles looks out at the water. It was a powerful cascade. He''d get swept up if he tried to stand under it.


    "If this is the way, I guess I''ll give it a shot."


    Barnacles walks to the edge of the water and sticks his hand in.


    "It''s cold!" Barnacles exclaims, reaching his hand back. Cold, but not freezing. He could survive the temperature. But could he survive the force?


    Clancy remains a moderate distance from the water, clicking his pincer claws in anticipation, and staring blankly ahead.


    Barns wades into the river. Thankfully, it wasn''t too deep - he''s able to keep most of his torso above the water. But the barrage of the waterfall is endless and forces him down under the water.


    Barns swims to the river bank, soaking wet and without a drop of progress.


    ''This seems impossible,'' Barns thinks, ''But King believes I can do it. So I''m going to just have to figure it out!''


    And so Barns tries again, and again, and again - not to much avail. The last time he tries, he lasts five minutes before the force of the water overwhelms him. Although, he was still not great at being ''still'' either. Between the struggling from the water and the shivering, being ''still'' feels like it could be years off.


    ''But I can''t wait that long. I need to master this technique before we attack the castle.''


    Barns spends much of the morning training under the waterfall, and the afternoon exploring town. The artisans have begun work on a variety of projects. Quinn reports that the town''s citizens are in good spirits, and Yunie has had another successful day running the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Clancy receives an earnest apology from the two prostitutes who attempted to have him boiled alive. They said they were only following Princess Maria''s wishes. Also, much to Clancy''s chagrin, they announced their retirement from prostitution - they will now be working directly with Yunie at the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "All seems well in Dimartino," Barns smiles, looking around town from a rooftop. It''s still a rowdy place - alcohol and other vices roam freely - but it feels like a community. Like home.


    Barns chuckles. Home. He was the only one who didn''t get a ''home'', since he was never ''resurrected''. ''I suppose I don''t need a home. My destiny is to travel and save the world.''


    Still, it would be nice to have a place to come back to. Barns and Clancy stay at the hotel in town - but that was a low-priority building for restoration since everyone else had their own homes. As such it was dark, dusty, and felt a little haunted.


    The next day, Barns and Clancy took a break from training to visit a small settlement near the castle. One of the Adventurer Guild''s scouts noted that about thirty goblins were camping out.


    It was the perfect opportunity for Barns to test out his new weapon - Crashing Wave. The sword had a unique power to launch water blades, and he needed to do some target practice.


    Barns and Clancy snuck up on the goblin camp, and he opened with his new technique. He flails his sword madly while using the hilt as a trigger. Thin blades of water manifest at the tip of his sword and fly toward the goblins, slicing all that are hit into ribbons. Each blade is like a shuriken made of water. He aims for each goblin one by one as they try to run away - but their camp walls are too high for them to climb. They''re trapped.


    He picks off every last goblin with his water blades before looking back at his sword in awe. ''Who needs another skill? This is awesome!''


    Though he figured it would not do well against armored foes. These goblins are wearing rags and have no defenses whatsoever.


    After a good foaming, it''s time for the resurrection. Barns brings the people back and gives a much refined, condensed version of his speech: S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello, mortals! I am the great Barnacles, and I have come to save your souls. Follow me to Dimartino, where I have rebuilt civilization."


    [Progress: 499/1000000]


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Dimartino Castle:


    Maria lays curled up in a plush armchair, flicking at the System Logs when she sees the notification.


    [User:UNDEFINED has made progress on Quest ''Restore Humanity''. (499/1000000)]


    "That little bastard might actually do it," Maria says aloud.


    She rose from her chair, looking around. Dimartino Castle was the same as it was six years ago, before becoming overwhelmed by the apocalypse. Maria made Osmond create a staff of monsters to keep the place tidy and functional. Most of the staff were skeletons - their inoffensive smell and tactile fingers made them good workers.


    She grabs her coat from a skeletal arm and steps onto the balcony, overlooking the gardens. This was the view that changed the most. She remembers when the view was that of a beautiful hedge maze, rose gardens, and a recreational field. Now, this is where the horde of 3,000 monsters they''ve accumulated reside.


    Maria bites her lip, eyes dropping to her feet. Even she lost something to the apocalypse - her beautiful, timeless garden was in ruins.


    ''If Barnacles wins, could even my garden grow again?'' Maria muses to herself.


    The thought is interrupted when the doors leading inside open again. Osmond steps out onto the balcony, joining Maria and tenderly putting his arm around her waist.


    "Hello, my love," Osmond says sweetly, smelling her hair. "I think it''s time we talk strategy. Half of our camps in Dimartino have already been hit. I give it a week or two before that hero is at our doorstep."


    "As I''ve told you, the boy has a crab. He values that thing more than humanity itself."


    "It''s all well and good to destroy his future, but what about after? He''ll hit us with personal vengeance, then. Neither side will win."


    Maria rolls her eyes. She didn''t make it as far as she did by formulating military strategy - she clung to others who could protect her and give her power.


    "Look, Osmond, I don''t know," she frets, running her hand through her hair and stepping away from him. The stress of what might happen was getting to her.


    "Do you¡­want me to tie you up?" Osmond offers.


    "No, I do not want you to TIE ME UP," Maria snarls. "I want you to figure out what the best future for me is."


    Osmond pauses. "The best future¡­for you?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. "Look, Oz. Maybe we just let him win¡­"


    Osmond grits his teeth. "No, Maria, maybe we don''t. I''m not sure if you noticed this, but I''M a demon. He''s coming here to kill ME."


    Maria pouts. "Why''s it always about you?"


    Osmond is about to pull his hair out. "What are you talking about!?" he cries. "I did all of this for you! I''m not like the other monsters, Maria. I was chosen by the Lord of the Apocalypse himself. I am a pure demon! Once I die, there''s no resurrecting me back!"


    Maria straightens herself. She knew it already - that there was no middle ground. Osmond lives, Barns dies. Or¡­the opposite. She was the only one who got to straddle the line between.


    "You''ll have to figure it out yourself, Osmond, he''s not coming here to kill me."


    "Maria!" he pleads. "What happened? You were so excited when he arrived. You were going to boil the crab, and -"


    "I told you I tried," Maria says defensively. "They figured out the plan and foiled it. Then they figured me out and I had to escape."


    Osmond buries his face in his hands. "You know, fine. I''ll figure it out, Maria. I am going to figure this out."


    He starts pacing, mumbling to himself. Maria''s attention fades away from him as she notices a message appear. One she''s never seen anything like.


    [One New Message from: Zelia]


    ''What''s this, now? Who''s Zelia?'' Maria wonders, her eyebrows raising slowly. She clicks on the message, and a long wall of text appears in front of her.


    Maria gasps.

 Chapter 16 Dances with Demons

    Barns continued to train every other day - alternating with his days rescuing humans, and never taking a break day to himself.


    He would start standing under the waterfall early in the morning, and go on until the sun began to set. He''d grown used to the temperature, and no longer shivered - staying completely still, however, proved evasive.


    In time, he and Clancy began to bring ''Adventurers'' with them to clear camps. The Adventurers got much-needed combat experience, and it made Barns'' job easier. More and more humans were resurrected, until eventually Dimartino was free of monsters - except for the castle, of course. The horde of 3,000 waited there patiently - they would defend the castle until the end of time.


    [Progress: 954/1000000]


    ''Almost at a thousand,'' Barns murmured to himself. ''Hard to believe we''ve done all this work and we''re not even at a thousand¡­''


    Anyone who could be saved right now was saved, and the town of Dimartino was bustling with life. All 955 people (plus one crab) worked hard daily to contribute to the revival of humanity. Farms were established, as were orchards. Wild animals were hunted and captured for meat, and artisans rebuilt the technology and tools at their disposal. Merchants established an economy, and many chose to earn their coin through Adventuring tasks.


    The population kept growing, and as it did, Yunie received more and more Daily Quests from the system. Resources were flowing freely - rare weapons, items, and specialty cuisine were just some of the various rewards Yunie received.


    One day, as Barns was continuing his waterfall training, a meeting was held to discuss the future of the economy. Barns decided to sit it out, and let Clancy represent them both at the meeting. Barns didn''t care what happened with the economy - isn''t that what the merchants were for?


    At the meeting, Yunie, Quinn, and Clancy convened to talk about the future of the merchants.


    "It''s all getting too much for me to manage," Yunie complained. "With the guild growing as it has been. I spent over half my day at the exchange, and can barely get my quests posted when I come in every morning."


    Clancy clicked his claws, recalling an earlier conversation with the shady merchant Underhill.


    "FRIENDLY MAN UNDERHILL MERCHANT. OFFERED TO LEAD."


    Yunie was getting quite good at deciphering Clancy''s reductive thoughts. "Hmm, yes. Underhill, I know him. But he gives off a certain¡­unsettling vibe, to me."


    Quinn narrowed his eyes. "To me as well. That man is more ambitious than he''ll ever be loyal."


    Clancy shimmied back and forth. "NO EVIL INTENT." All Clancy could tell was that Underhill wasn''t trying to kill anyone - not necessarily his other duplicitous motives.


    Yunie seemed surprised. "Is that what Barns wants? Underhill in charge of the markets?"


    Clancy felt defensive. It was just as Underhill suggested several days ago - his opinion as King Crab wasn''t valued. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "BARNACLES TRUST ME."


    Quinn checked the time on his watch like he had places to be. He was busy with the growing town as well.


    "Hey, if the hero wants Underhill, it''s Underhill," Quinn confirmed. "Yunie, can you reach out and get him trained in what you need him to take over?"


    "Of course," Yunie said, speaking her words hesitantly. Underhill was far from her first choice, but the hero duo must have seen something she could not.


    After that, Underhill became the new ''Master Economist'' for the burgeoning kingdom, and Yunie shifted her responsibility to the Adventurer''s Guild full-time.


    ¡­


    One day, about two weeks into his training, Barns has a breakthrough.


    It''s almost as if he loses consciousness for a second - but for a brief moment, Barns doesn''t feel the water on his skin at all. The surprise causes him to shift his weight, and he''s immediately sucked into the water.


    Barns resurfaces, spitting water out of his mouth. ''What was that?'' he thought to himself.


    Time was rapidly approaching - the longer they waited to attack the castle, the worse off they were, now. There was also the looming threat that Osmond may try to attack the town pre-emptively, now that he''s been surrounded. Barns knew he had to finish his training quickly.


    Without letting himself think, he tried again.


    It takes him nearly thirty minutes to build up the concentration required - but eventually, he manages to perfectly steel himself. Again, the water bounces off his skin. For a full five seconds, he feels nothing at all. His entire body is infused with energy, and his skin is hard as a rock.


    When the five seconds are over, so too does his shield end. As he stands in the water, a notification appears before him:


    [Congratulations! Your Crab Affinity has granted you the following skill:


    Harden Body - You will gain the ability to harden your body like a crab''s shell. You can only use this for five seconds, and it takes five seconds to recharge after use.]


    Barns reads the message over and over again excitedly. Then, he simply wills himself to use the ability. In a flash, his body becomes impervious to everything around him. Now he can activate it at will.


    ''I''ll be way stronger now,'' he thinks to himself. ''For half the time, I''ll be invincible.''


    He jogs back to town, eager to tell Clancy of his accomplishment. Little does he know, someone else is also tuned in to his accomplishments.


    Far away, Maria stares at a painting of the late king as she stands in the main hall of Dimartino Castle. She swirls a glass of red wine in her hand, her drink the same color as her beautiful long gown.


    Maria dismisses the message. "Crab Affinity. What a joke." Her bravado does little to conceal the unease apparent in her - the slight tremble of her hand, the nervous tapping of her foot.


    She sets the wine aside, handing it to a skeletal butler who waits at her beck and call. She lifts her dress and strolls into a ballroom, where Osmond is awaiting. As she enters, the skeleton band begins playing a lovely song that echoes throughout the entire ballroom. All the tables and chairs have been cleared out - the room is ready for dancing.


    Osmond puts his arm around Maria''s waist and they begin to flit about the dance floor. They dance like this at least once a week - a romantic hobby they''d started years ago, but now left Maria wanting more.


    Maria, resplendent in crimson, glides across the marble floor like a fiery phoenix reborn, while Osmond, with his horned shadow and demonic visage, follows her steps with careful grace. Beauty and the Demon, entwined in a tragic waltz.


    As she spirals around the ballroom, she thinks about Barns. In just three weeks, he''s come such a long way. He really might have what it takes to save humanity.


    Her mind shifts. She has skeletons in her basement - family members that were changed and restrained. Even they could be brought back¡­


    As Osmond leans Maria back, tipping her theatrically, he holds her pose for a moment. He stares into her eyes - she''s avoiding eye contact with him. Osmond has known Maria for a long time, and he can see through her like this.


    "What''s on your mind, my dove?"


    Maria looks at him. "The hero has finished his training. I expect their attack any day now."


    Osmond closes his eyes knowingly. "I see. This may be our last dance, then."


    Maria laughs. "Don''t say it like that, Oz." Though she tries to brush it off, Osmond''s demonic heart hangs heavy in his pale chest. The feeling that Maria''s love is conditional - that he is expendable.


    "All I want is for you to be happy, Maria. Whatever makes you happiest - that is what we shall do."


    The two continue dancing, but a solemn tone lingers over them for the rest of the evening. When they finally adjourn to bed, there''s no bondage to speak of. Just two people lying side by side, but they couldn''t feel further apart from one another.


    As Osmond''s breathing steadies and he falls asleep, Maria navigates to her System Messages and looks over the message she received from Zelia again.


    ''Do you want to have your cake and eat it too?'' the message starts. ''Then follow my instructions exactly.''


    She continues to scan through the message. If this is what she needs to do¡­then she is resolved. She couldn''t think for Barns'' sake - nor for Osmond''s. Her battle was a selfish one, and she was about to play her hand.

 Chapter 17 The War Room

    The time has finally come, and Barns finds himself on the eve of their castle raid. The leaders of Dimartino assemble together at the Adventurer''s Guild to go over their final plan.


    They had intended to use a conference room for the meeting, but Clancy''s presence necessitated something a little larger. As such, those gathered in attendance stand around a pool table on the hotel''s first floor.


    "We have seventy-four signed up with the Adventurer''s Guild who will participate in the battle," Yunie states. "Four of them have A Rank weapons, and several others have at least B Rank equipment."


    Barns is lost in thought for a moment. He didn''t have ANY equipment yet. Maybe he should do some more of Yunie''s quests¡­


    "We got the artisans ready to wallop too - we got forty explosives made, all packed up nice with that crab foam."


    Barns looks over at the speaker. "Who are you?" he asks.


    Yunie interjects. "This is Underhill. You and Clancy recommended him to run our economy." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns sticks his bottom lip out. "Oh, okay."


    Underhill smiles crookedly. "That''s right, hero boy. Clancy over here and I really hit it off, y''know? And not to toot my horn, but since I''ve been takin'' charge, our productivity has doubled!"


    "So, forty bombs, seventy-four Adventurers. Then me, and Clancy."


    "We''ve also rigged and fitted a cannon for Clancy to use during the battle. We''ll be launching our foam bombs from him."


    Barns looks over to his crab and punches at him playfully. "Dang, Clancy, you''ve been busy while I''ve been training! Making friends, building war machines!"


    "DEFEAT EVIL WOMAN. NEVER BOIL AGAIN."


    "I see, you have a vendetta. Well, that''s understandable."


    Barns thinks about Maria for a moment. He wasn''t sure if ''defeating'' her was necessary - after all, she and Barns seem to have a bit of mutual attraction. Barns was still holding out hope that the Princess would join their side once they claim victory.


    "She might be evil now, but I haven''t lost faith in her," Barns informs the group. "If we can take her alive, then we will. Her knowledge of Dimartino and the castle should be invaluable to us."


    Underhill cackles. "Yeah, I been thinkin'' the same thing. Seems it''s best for both of us if that Princess stays kickin'', hm?"


    The comment catches Barns off guard. Underhill was one of the merchants, and was resurrected after Maria left town. They shouldn''t have ever come across each other.


    ''More like ''Underhanded'','' Barns thinks to himself, watching the dark-haired young man as he plays with a gilded cane. He didn''t appear too much older than Barns.


    ''Still, if Clancy trusts him, what can I say? King''s a good judge of character.''


    The only person at the pool table that hadn''t yet spoken was Quinn, mayor of the town. He takes advantage of the momentary downtime to get his piece in.


    "The town will be vigilantly defended while the attack force assaults the castle," Quinn smiles. "And in the case of our defeat, escape routes are already secured with a plan to fall back to the shoreline."


    Barns nods, mostly ignoring him. "The main goal of this assault is for me to reach the demon Osmond. He commands all of the monsters in Dimartino, and he''s in love with Maria. So we have two choices. One, I capture Maria and force Osmond to stand down with his army, or two - I kill Osmond and we isolate the horde, taking them out slow and steady."


    Barns reflects on his words. Option one was his preferred, of course - but Maria was no slouch. Capturing her would be difficult, and even restrained she''s dangerous.


    Yunie agrees with the plan. "Our Adventurers will focus on keeping the monsters tied up at chokepoints, not to engage the horde. Clancy will create a perimeter of foam which should force the monsters to funnel elsewhere."


    "INDISPENSABLE DISPENSER!" Clancy beats the top of his shell with his pincers, putting on a good show of savagery.


    Underhill finds room for an underhanded comment. "Crab guy, you don''t ever run out of foam, do you?"


    As Clancy tries to explain to no avail, some key features of his ability become clear. Clancy can absorb and convert moisture in the atmosphere into foam. As such, anywhere with adequate ''wetness'' would allow Clancy to create foam indefinitely. Dimartino was a hot, sweaty jungle - the perfect place to foam.


    The group discusses some of the finer points of the strategy, and once they are all in agreement on the game plan, they leave the room and relay information to the expectant Adventurers outside.


    Yunie points out a couple of Adventurers that she wants to introduce Barns to. They''re standing by the Daily Quest board, having a conversation with each other.


    "Hello!" Yunie says meekly, butting into their conversation. "This is the legendary hero, Barnacles. I wanted you both to meet him. Barnacles, these two will form the cornerstone of the Adventurer''s Guild assault. They''re highly skilled - oh! But I should let them introduce themselves."


    "Sup, mate?" the first says, offering to shake Barns'' hand. "Godrick. Pleasure to meetcha. Not from here meself, come all this way from Bravura. Picked a bad time to end up on holiday, ended up dead in a ditch and then I was an orc or somethin''. Saw you way back at the beachside village, I did!"


    Barns smiles back at the man. In his past life, he fought alongside several warriors from Bravura. It was a fairly isolated island nation with several communities of Secret Arts users who specialized in ''Blade Dancing''. The man, Godrick, has a sword on each hip, two more on his back, and a dagger strapped to his arm. This guy knows how to Blade Dance.


    His companion introduces herself next. "Hello, Mr. Barns," she says sweetly. Barns'' ears perk up - finally someone was using his nickname!


    "Just ''Barns'' is okay. What''s your name?" he asks, shaking her hand.


    "Haima. I''m a Secret Arts practitioner, but¡­"


    "But your Arts are a secret, yeah?" Barns winks. "Don''t worry, I get it. I also come from a Secret Village."


    She nods dutifully. "I can control monsters. Two or three at a time. I''ll force them to fight each other in the siege, and cause chaos in their ranks."


    "That will be a great help, Haima. Thank you."


    "Of course, Mr. Barns! It will be a pleasure to fight alongside you!" She gives Barns a salute.


    Barns taps her on the shoulder and addresses both Adventurers. "I''m going to rely on you both tomorrow. Try and get some rest, now. We''re leaving before first light."


    The two walk off happily. Haima is gushing over how cool it was to talk to the legendary hero in person.


    Yunie and Barns stand side by side, watching them trot off.


    "I estimate each of them could fell a hundred monsters at least. The bombs we have, another three hundred. And the rest of our Adventurers should be good for two to three hundred total as well, at minimum."


    Barns bites his lip - a habit of his. "We''ll be up against three thousand. But there''s nothing else we can do. There''s no leaving Dimartino without sieging the castle."


    Yunie agrees. The only road out of the kingdom of Dimartino was north of the castle. They''d be at Osmond''s mercy if they tried to sneak through - especially with a crowd of humans in tow. The rest of Dimartino was surrounded by open sea.


    "I hate to say it, but the outcome of this battle rests fully on you."


    Barns gulps. "I know. And that''s why I''m sure we''ll win!"


    In typical Barns fashion, he can''t leave the conversation on a dramatic high note.


    "Oh, by the way. You got any equipment I can have?"


    Yunie smirks. "I have just the thing, now that you mention it."

 Chapter 18 The Battle for Dimartino, Part 1

    It''s around four in the morning when Princess Maria first sees the flicker of torchlight from the forest. The time had finally come.


    Maria turns to her lover, the demon Osmond. He lay in their bed, still soundly asleep.


    "Osmond, my love. Wake up. It''s time."


    Osmond rises from the silken sheets in one fluid motion, his mind fully awake. Cracked lines over his skin begin to shimmer with a purple glow.


    "It''s time to end this heroic farce," Osmond growls. His voice, groveling and authoritative, causes Maria to squeeze her legs together in anticipation.


    "Unf. Just promise me. If you''re in danger, you''ll retreat to the castle. We can lure the hero inside and fight him two-on-one."


    Osmond scoops Maria''s pale fingers in his and kisses the back of her hand. "My love, you have nothing to fear. Leaving you alone in this world is a cruelty I could never unleash upon you."


    Maria smiles. "Then knock ''em dead."


    Osmond grabs his staff and throws a coat on over his bare torso.


    "Dead they shall be."


    As Osmond leaves the room, Maria immediately rolls over and opens up her System menu. Zelia gave her highly specific instructions to follow. All she had to do now was wait for the right moment.


    ¡­


    The Adventurers, led by Barns, line up outside the castle gate. The hero steps in front of them, holding a torch up into the darkness. From above, he can see the visage of a demon bearing down on him.


    "You must be Osmond!" Barns calls. "I''ve heard great things about you!"


    The demon scoffs. "Don''t tell me you came all this way to chat, little boy."


    Barns tightens his fist and clenches his teeth. "Listen, demon. We don''t want to fight. Have your horde stand down and let me perform the Resurrection.


    Osmond bares his fangs at Barns. "You think I fear you, boy? You''ve killed mindless goblins up until now. The demon running town was a joke. I hear you even turned that joke into your mayor. Times must truly be difficult."


    Barns withdraws his sword. He''s not in range to hit Osmond, but his blood is boiling.


    "Quinn was good enough for you. I just took your lead." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond laughs maniacally to himself. "Oh, you''re a spirited one indeed. I can see why the Princess was quite taken with you."


    "I was quite taken with the Princess myself," Barns sneers. "Or should I say, I -"


    "Shut up!"


    Barns turns his head. Maria appears over the side of the wall, looking down at Barns. She throws a loose rock at him, but he deftly dodges.


    "Nice to see you too, Maria!"


    Osmond turns to Maria, whispering under his breath. "I thought you were staying inside."


    "I wanted to hear what hero-boy has to say."


    "Nothing important. Would you like me to string you up, my love? I know you do enjoy watching."


    Maria shakes her head. She needed to be able to move quickly if she planned to succeed.


    "Very well then. Barnacles! I do very much look forward to turning you into a monster. You''ve got quite a fiery spirit! I wonder what you will become once I lay my hands on you!"


    "Come down! Let''s find out!"


    Osmond smiles wide, his eyes ominous and devoid of happiness. His was the smile of a sadist who''d just located viable prey.


    "I''ll be waiting at the fountain for you, little boy," Osmond says, the castle gates lurching open as he speaks. "By all means, come right in!"


    Osmond flits into the darkness as the gate opens, and so does Maria. Barns focuses instead on what''s in front of him. As the gates swing open, he''s greeted by a swarm of large monsters - orcs and trolls, with a single four-legged beast leading the pack. It was a hideous monster with three heads - four if you count the writhing snake head at the end of its tail. The heads - that of a lion, a ram, and a falcon - all stare down Barns with glowing red eyes.


    "He''s got a chimera!" one of the Adventurers shouts. "Back! Everyone back!"


    All three of the chimera heads begin to inhale deeply, their throats glowing orange with molten energy. Barns had seen a chimera just once in his past life. He knew the monsters were capable of spitting out balls of fire.


    ''Now''s as good a time as any to show off,'' Barns thinks to himself. The chimera readies its attack, shooting three fireballs one after another directly at the hero.


    "Harden!" he shouts, summoning forth his crab skill. All three fireballs smash directly into Barns, but he is completely unburned and unscathed.


    Barns swings his sword menacingly at the chimera - even the monster is surprised that Barns is unharmed. Cheers erupt from the Adventurers.


    "He really is the strongest!" one celebrates.


    "Barnacles is amazing!" a girl fawns.


    Barns swings his sword again - the chimera catches it in the teeth of the falcon head. Barns flicks the hilt and shoots a water blade into the falcon''s mouth. It releases his blade and retches backward.


    "Duck!" shouts a voice from behind. Barns gets low and as he does, the boom of a cannon echoes over the darkness. Clancy, mounted cannon extraordinaire, lands a direct hit on the chimera. As the foam bomb explodes, it splashes everywhere. Large clumps of foam cling to the chimera and the other monsters, burning whatever it touches.


    Suddenly, the trolls behind the chimera begin in-fighting. Barns turns his head to the side and sees that Haima, the girl he met last night, has joined him on the front lines. She uses her mysterious Secret Art to gain control over two trolls, and they start cutting each other down in a frenzy. Godrick, the other Adventurer, is not far behind, waiting for an opening to join the fray.


    Barns darts around amidst the confusion, striking the chimera from multiple angles and slicing it with thin blades of water. The chimera can''t land an attack - all three heads bite and lash out desperately, and the snake tail stays poised behind, ready to catch Barns unaware.


    The lion head catches Barns, but he''s ready. He uses ''Harden Body'' again, and even as the lion teeth clench onto his body, he is completely unharmed. He jams his sword into the lion''s snout. The blade goes deep and catches some brain. The lion''s jaw unhinges - that part of the chimera is now lifeless and limp. It stumbles, a heft of dead weight unbalancing the chimera.


    Barns positions his sword underneath the ram head''s chin as it bucks at him and pulls the trigger. A watery blade shoots through the monster''s muscular neck, causing a spout of blood to gush out of the monster. It heaves and cries, knocking into some of the other monsters as it stumbles backward, dead.


    "Charge!" Barns calls, raising his sword into the air. The Adventurers begin to force their way through the castle gates, into the awaiting horde. Clancy joins him, spraying foam like a hose as they push.


    Across the courtyard, Osmond sits atop the castle''s dried-up marble fountain, watching the display. He was taking a thorough inventory of all Barns'' techniques - already coming up with ways to counter the boy hero.


    As Barns cuts through the crowd, he finds an opening through the initial group of monsters. He and Osmond lock eyes from across the battlefield.


    Osmond beckons Barns onward. And the hero charges.

 Chapter 19 The Battle for Dimartino, Part II

    Osmond leaps into the air and thrusts his staff forward, a beam of purple plasma striking the ground where Barns was standing a split second ago.


    Barns flips through the air to dodge the attack, shooting a water blade at Osmond as he lands on his feet.


    Osmond swings his arm aggressively in the air, releasing a pulse of energy. Barns'' water blade evaporates away long before reaching its target.


    The demon readies another attack, launching a triple-beam of homing missiles. With perfect timing, Barns slashes through each of the beams, dissipating their energy.


    Osmond flies above once more, floating just out of reach. His coat flaps as a cool breeze begins to pick up.


    The demon lord looks over to his horde and the Adventurers battling them. The horde has been contained on either side of the hedge maze. The Adventurers are trying to hold a narrow line on each side, ensuring they only have to face a few monsters at a time.


    As he watches the battle, he sees a man wielding many blades cut through a pack of ten in mere seconds, catching the falling blades out of the air and swinging them as he dances across the battlefield.


    "Over here, buddy!" Barns shouts, shooting multiple water blades in Osmond''s direction. The demon flies out of the way.


    Osmond begins to charge up a powerful attack. Purple energy cracks through his skin as even his eyes glow with violet light. The orb at the tip of his staff resonates with the power as it reaches a breaking point.


    "Demon Art: Thunder Thrust!"


    All of the light in the universe seems to gather in the orb - the only illuminated object in a world of darkness. And yet as soon as the orb flashes, it expels a beam of brilliant crackling light directly at Barns.


    Barns braces himself for the attack with Harden Body. The light reflects off of him and into the fountain, blasting it into a thousand pieces. Barns takes no damage from the attack, but once the five seconds from Harden Body expire, he suddenly drops to his knees.


    "Wha-" he gasps, crashing into the stone floor. Every nerve in his body lights on fire. He tries to move but his body doesn''t respond. An intense pain wraps around him like barbed wire and he convulses from the pain.


    "Like that one, do you?" Osmond laughs, landing on the ground in front of Barns. "It''s Maria''s favorite. Sure. I know all about your little crab defenses. But what good are they with magic that doesn''t cause physical damage, only pain? Hmmmm?"


    He kicks Barns while he''s down, demonic strength coursing through his legs. The hero goes flying several feet into the air, crashing hard into the remains of the destroyed fountain.


    "Agh!" Barns keels over in pain. He realizes he didn''t feel any of the pain when he was using Harden Body. Was it possible¡­


    Barns activates the technique. Suddenly, he feels nothing. Quickly, he climbs to his feet, wasting precious time. He only had five seconds of invulnerability. He had to move quickly.


    Four¡­


    It took him a second to get up. He doesn''t have time to think. He has to move.


    Three¡­


    Barns dashes through the air with inhuman speed, hurtling toward Osmond with his blade in hand.


    Two¡­


    The demon is only just reacting to Barns'' sudden assault. He raises his staff up defensively in front of him, panic alight in his glowing purple eyes.


    One¡­!


    Barns'' blade is inches from Osmond''s throat when the hero falls, completely limp. He lands face down in front of Osmond.


    Four¡­


    Barns starts counting down again. In five seconds he could use the technique. At this distance, five seconds was enough time to deliver a killing blow.


    "As if I''d let you do that again."


    Right before Barns'' five seconds have completed, he''s thrust into the air. Four pillars erupt from the ground, and from each a purple ribbon flies out toward Barns and wraps around him. The ribbons tighten, completely restraining him in the air.


    ''Damn it,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Right now I can''t even use Rebirth Flame. This is bad.''


    "If you beg me, I''ll let the humans live out their pathetic little lives. Or, if you want to be a bitch about it, I''ll kill you and then every single last one of them."


    Barns can''t do anything, and the pain still rips through his body. He does the one thing he can do - spits, as far as he can, in Osmond''s direction.


    Hope seems lost until suddenly, Clancy bursts onto the scene. The powerful King Crab unclips his cannon and himself through the air on a stream of bubbly foam. Clancy lands with a thud in front of Osmond and raises both claws up.


    "CLANCY BARNACLES PACKAGE DEAL!" Clancy clicks, his pincers going out of control.


    "You think I''m afraid of a crab!?" Osmond shouts, hurling a purple beam at Clancy.


    Clancy catches the energy blast in midair with the tip of his claw, reducing Osmond''s entire attack into a tiny glow like a firefly and dropping it to the ground.


    Osmond''s eye twitches, his breath uneven. ''What the hell kind of power is that? Maria didn''t say anything about this!''


    Clancy shuffles forward slowly, his claws in a defensive position in front of him. His spiderlike legs have no trouble traversing the broken rubble, and his mouth quivers with foam.


    Clancy''s unyielding purple eyes meet Osmond''s. The two stare into each other, their souls laid bare.


    Clancy had never seen a human (or demon) with purple eyes before. Eyes like that reminded him of his family, and his days growing up as a small crab¡­


    ¡­


    "CLANCY. CONSUME."


    Clancy gobbled up the starfish handed to him by his mother, a stoic hermit who wore a frilled pink apron. Just then, Clancy''s father arrived home.


    "I''M HOME."


    Clancy''s father stared blankly at his wife. The father had purple eyes, like Clancy. His mother''s eyes were a lovely black color.


    "WELCOME HOME."


    "HUSBAND CRAB. CONSUME."


    The hermit hands over another starfish. It was Mr. Clancy''s Dad''s favorite. The family is happy.


    ¡­


    Clancy snaps back to reality and realizes the weight of his flashback. Not all family members have purple eyes. Osmond, a bad guy, had purple eyes. Barnacles, a good guy - the best guy, truly - had blue eyes.


    Feeling revelatory, Clancy clanks his claws shut threateningly and then charges at Osmond.


    The demon uses his magic to try and knock Clancy off course, but the crab''s hard shell is impervious to the attack. Clancy reaches out.


    ''ENVISION BLUEBERRY'' Clancy thinks to himself. His claw opens slightly. Just enough. He reaches for Osmond''s neck¡­


    Just then, the water that feeds the fountain turns on - but there is no fountain to collect it. A jet of water bursts from the ground and knocks Clancy off course, sending him skidding away. Osmond is blasted with water and shuffles back.


    He braces himself to attack again before noticing he''s soaking wet. His one weakness - the lightning powers he commands are just as likely to zap him if he''s standing in water. And the fountain water continues to gush out at a rapid pace, soaking the area.


    Osmond grits his teeth. ''Damn it,'' he groans to himself. He decides the best course of action is to flee - he and Maria would have to handle this together. The crab was more than he was ready for, but Maria could handle him. After all, Maria couldn''t be harmed by any physical attack.


    Clancy scuttles to each of the four poles, snipping the ribbons and freeing Barns.


    The hero lands on his feet, free but dejected.


    "Thanks, Clancy. I owe you big time." He smiles, but there''s a pit in his stomach. He was so confident that he''d be able to handle Osmond, but he couldn''t. Clancy had to step in - and that meant the Adventurers were struggling against the horde.


    The fountain water continues to gush forth, more and more. With the inner-workings of the fountain demolished, there was nothing to regulate the flow of water or send it back - and the drainage system was blocked by rubble. This whole plaza was going to flood. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''But maybe that''s a good thing,'' Barns thought to himself.


    "Hey! Clancy, put some foam in the water!"


    The crab spittles into the fountain water, and his foam begins to spread out on the growing pool. Like bubbly soap, the churning water begins to fluff up with cleansing foam.


    Clancy realizes what''s happening, and squirts a jet of thick yellow liquid into the water. That begins to froth up even more. It''s the internal fluid he generates that he mixes with water vapor to make foam - in its concentrated form, it would have enough ''oomph'' to froth up the entire area, given enough water.


    The water expands and expands, turning the stony plaza into a foam pit. It grows so much and so quickly that Barns and Clancy have to run away to not get caught up in it.


    "Nice," Barns says, watching the foam storm from a bit further away. "Hey, the Adventurers Guild will be fine. If they hit trouble, they can run into that foam pit."


    "TIME TO KILL EVIL WOMAN?"


    "Time to settle this, one way or the other. Come on, Clancy. It''s showtime."

 Chapter 20 The Battle for Dimartino, Part III

    Osmond bursts into the main hall of the castle, panting. He lands on all fours in front of Maria.


    "That stupid crab is stronger than we thought. Maria! I need you to figure out a counter now!"


    Maria''s eyes lit up and she makes a tiny gasp. "What happened to the original plan? Cook him in his shell with magic!"


    Osmond shakes his head. "No, no, not this crab. How did you not notice? It''s like he''s solid. I mean, SOLID. Does he even have a shell? I think that''s just HIM, Maria!"


    Any excitement Maria may have had drains from her body. She hates when Osmond starts spiraling like this. Such a worrier.


    "That would explain why the boiling didn''t work," Maria says, lowering her eyes.


    [Step 1. Follow Osmond outside. Make sure Barns doesn''t spill the details about your little boatside rendezvous, you got it?]


    Maria blinks. She''d done what she needed to up to this point. The time of reckoning was near.


    "Why are you covered in dirt, my dove?" Osmond asks, cradling his woman in his arms.


    [Step 2. Head to the cellar and turn the water line for the fountain on. And I mean ON. All the way.]


    It was dirty in the cellar. So dirty. She couldn''t help but get a little on her.


    "Maria?" Osmond asks, shaking her shoulders. "Are you okay?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Step 3. Take on Barns and Clancy. Fight for your life. Let it allllll out. You must whittle them down to the last of their strength.]


    Maria withdraws a small silver knife. She unzips her dress and steps out of it, revealing a much sleeker outfit underneath.


    A skintight bodysuit. Long leather boots. And gloves up to her elbows, all in elegant black.


    "You sit this one out, Osmond. Let me show you how a royal does it."


    She starts walking confidently toward the door. As she begins her strut, the door is kicked open. Barns and Clancy march in, battle ready and weapons up.


    Maria had a role to play, and she loved roleplay. She narrows her eyes and shakes her hair out of her face.


    "That''s a hot outfit," Barns says with a brazen wink and a click of the tongue. "It was dark that night, I couldn''t get much of a look."


    "Hey, Maria, what''s he talking about?" Osmond calls from the back of the room.


    "Shut up, Osmond!" she shrieks. "This is my moment!"


    She spins the dagger around in her hand and charges, her feet darting across the red carpet and marble floors.


    "You''re up first, crab! Heard you wanted revenge!"


    "EVIL WOMAN!" Clancy roars, throwing an uppercut with his pincer. Maria nearly runs into it, but she''s able to sidestep at the last moment.


    "Aaaah!" she says, swinging her leg around and kicking the top of Clancy''s shell.


    The surprise in Barns'' eyes is palpable. If he kicked Clancy like that, the King Crab wouldn''t even flinch. But Maria''s kick slams Clancy''s whole body into the stone floor, cracking the marble.


    Maria crosses her arms. "That all you got!?"


    Clancy bounces back up, swinging wildly with both claws. She''s human, so she''s immune to his foam attacks. He had to catch her.


    Like trying to swat a particularly clever fly, Clancy can''t quite get a hand on Maria. She blocks and parries his attacks with powerful punches and kicks, showing off power that was anything but human.


    Maria pulls her fist back, aiming a direct hit at Clancy, but her concentration falters for a moment. She''s yanked by Clancy''s left pincer and dragged off course. Once Clancy realizes he''s gotten a hold of her, he pulls back and smashes her against the floor.


    And again. He picks her up and throws her into the air. She''s tumbling and spinning wildly until he catches her and slams her into the ground again. The impact cracks the marble.


    And again. And again. He mashes her into the ground one final time before he''s interrupted by Barns.


    "Stop!" Barns shouts. "Clancy, stop it!"


    The crab freezes in place. Barns runs up to them and looks down at Maria.


    There''s a crater in the ground where King was smashing her. There''s no way she survived that.


    He expects to see a bloody, broken mess - but she looks quiet. Peaceful. Almost like she''s sleeping.


    Maria bursts up. She was invulnerable to physical damage. None of Clancy''s attacks did a thing against her.


    "Royal Art: Impulsive Light!"


    Clancy flashes into the air, suspended by yellow light like chains, and is momentarily locked in place before he is sent flying into the wall at hyperspeed. The crab crumples to the ground, either unconscious or dead - Barns couldn''t know.


    Maria stretches out her shoulders, still staring back at Clancy even as Barns approaches her from behind.


    [Step 4. Stab Barns in the heart.]


    ''Yes,'' Maria thinks to herself. That is her next step. If she could only play her part a little bit longer, everything she ever wanted would be hers.


    Barns thrusts his sword, Crashing Wave, into Maria - but it''s unable to pierce her skin. He looks down at the blade in shock as she rips it away from him with her bare hand and throws it aside. Barns takes a step back, reaching into his pocket for another weapon, but he''s not able to get it in time.


    Maria collapses on top of him, knocking him to the ground and plunging her dagger into his chest as hard as she can.


    The dagger shatters. Maria''s eyes open wide in shock. Of course. Harden Body. His trump card against attacks like these.


    A pair of handcuffs clenches around Maria''s wrists. She feels all of the magic and power sap out of her body in an instant. She goes limp, falling onto Barnacles.


    "Hey, not right now, your boyfriend''s watching," he teases, pushing her off of him. Maria stays completely still.


    "Maria!" Osmond shouts. He starts running toward Barns, staff in hand. Barns clenches his fists. He''d kill Osmond with his bare hands if he had to.


    "Wait!" Maria shrieks. "Wait, please! Osmond! I surrender! We surrender! Osmond please!"


    [Step 5. (Optional) Surrender on condition that Osmond''s life be spared.]


    "What did you do to her!" Osmond bellows.


    "Shut up!" Maria screams back. "Barns!"


    Both men turn to her. "Barns. If you let Osmond and I live, we will be your allies, I promise," she says, pleading with tears in her eyes. "I can use the system in ways you can''t even imagine, Barns, I can give you the world. I can help you end the apocalypse, please. Please. You have no idea what I can do for you. With us together the Lord of the Apocalypse has no chance!"


    Barns catches his breath in his chest, turning to Osmond.


    "Oh, uh, yeah," Osmond stammers. "I don''t think I can express it clearly enough when I say I would do anything for Maria, my sweet dove."


    "Shut up," Maria sneers.


    Barns looks at them both. No red aura around either of them. They were telling the truth.


    "If Clancy''s dead I''m killing both of you. Wait there, let me think. And don''t move an inch, Osmond!"

 Chapter 21 The Result

    ¡ª A few minutes ago, outside the castle ¡ª


    The battle against the monster horde and the Adventurer''s Guild wore on. All of the Adventurers had entered the castle grounds at this point, and there was foam coating nearly every surface of the plaza.


    On either side of the long walkway from the gate to the fountain, there was an entrance to a large hedge maze.


    These mazes were filled with monsters that were now trying to pile out the entrances, but between all the monstrous corpses littering the ground and the strategically placed foam, the monsters could only come out one or two at a time, making them easy prey for the Adventurers.


    Haima dodged backward, falling away from the front lines. She''d used her Secret Art to its absolute limit and needed rest. She forces two goblins to shank each other and falls to the ground.


    Yunie rushes to her side - the Moderator wasn''t participating in the battle but she was still helping to spread the foam.


    "Are you okay?" Yunie asks, offering her a healing potion of some sort.


    Haima holds up her hand in refusal of the drink. "I''m fine. Just been overdoing it.


    Haima looks ahead at the horde. How many had she killed so far¡­? She''d lost count. Their tactics had been working, though. So far, there were only three human casualties, and a chance that Barns might be able to bring them back to life as well.


    It depended on whether or not their soul was still present. For example, Barns would not be able to raise dead-but-intact humans out of their graves. A body only lasts a few hours before the soul begins to detach, and once it''s gone, it''s gone.


    All that being said, Barns had not yet tried the Resurrection technique on humans that had already been Resurrected once.


    At the vanguard, Godrick the Blade Dancer had taken command ever since Clancy advanced with Barns. Any monster that came within twenty feet of him was alive for mere seconds before he slashed and dashed them into ribbons, lopping off arms, legs, but nothing vital. The Adventurers had all been explicitly told that beheadings and eviscerations were to be used as a last resort only.


    ''If I didn''t have to hold back, this would be a real show,'' Godrick smirks to himself, impaling two goblins with an upward sweep and smashing them dead back on the ground in unison.


    Just then, Godrick looks up. His vision in the dark is excellent, and the sun had only just begun to peek out over the horizon.


    Godrick gasps. The monsters - they were coming. Close to a thousand of them, barreling from the north side of the castle.


    They figured out a way out of the hedge maze, and circled back. And now they were about to descend upon the Adventurers in full force.


    "Everyone!" Godrick roars at the top of his lungs, pointing one of his swords at the advancing horde. "They''re coming! Into the foam, quick!"


    Godrick charges forward. He had to run toward the advancing horde to get to the foam, but he was closer. He and his fellow Adventurers, one after the other, run into the rising colossus of foam that was being pumped out by the fountain. But the Adventurers and support team toward the back get caught up in the rush, and the hedge maze entrances are no longer defended. Monsters pour out of them and begin to overwhelm the Adventurers who stayed behind.


    Haima and Yunie are toward the back and watch two Adventurers on either side of them get cut down. Yunie screams. They were about to be surrounded.


    Haima raises her hands and her eyes begin to glow red. Dark energy like blood rises from the ground around her.


    "Secret Art: Bloodlock!"


    Suddenly, the nearby monsters lock up and fall to the ground, alive but fully limp. The blood in their veins feels as if it''s turned into ice, and they are motionless. Haima continues to use her technique, opening a tunnel through the descending horde and forging a path directly into the foam.


    As they run into the safety of the cleansing foam, Haima falls to her knees and vomits blood.


    Everyone who remained of the Adventurers was now in the cloud of foam, and the monsters had completely surrounded it. They were safe for now, but there was no escaping this. Everything was up to Barns, now.


    ¡­


    "Clancy?"


    Barns leans down next to the defeated crab, shaking his shell lightly.


    "Come on, King. You know you always scare me when you sleep like that. You never move an inch."


    There''s no response, but suddenly Barns can sense it. A faint energy emanates from within the shell. Barns lets out a shaky breath, tension draining from his body like water.


    "Damn it, King. You really had me that time."


    Barns rises from his unconscious friend''s side, relief washing over him like foam from a broken fountain.


    "Call off the monsters and let me perform the Resurrection."


    Osmond looks to Maria for approval.


    "Yes!" she shrieks. "Do it!"


    "Osmond bows his head. "We agree, littl- er¡­Barnacles."


    "You can call me Barns."


    The two walk outside, Barns keeping a careful eye on Osmond and checking for the ''murderous aura''. Osmond keeps his head down, raising his arms in the air and murmuring commands in a language Barns has never heard before.


    "Is that monster-speak?" Barns asks as he finishes. "Tell them to march into the foam."


    "I already have," Osmond confirms.


    The horde of monsters, already surrounding the foam pit, begin to walk into it. Screams erupt from the foam as the Adventurers realize what''s happening, but the monsters are not aggressive. They each walk in, as deep as they can before falling over as the foam burns them alive.


    Barns and Osmond watch the macabre procession from the front of the castle. It takes some time, but eventually all of the monsters have entered the foam - and all of the Adventurers have found their way out.


    Barns raises his sword in the air. He''d never tried to use the technique over such a wide area, but now was as good as any time to try.


    The blue-tinged blade of his sword, Crashing Wave, glitters in the light of the dawn. As loud as he can, Barns shouts: "Resurrection!"


    A wave of light washes over the area, emanating from Barns. It touches everything, living and dead, with warming light. It extends over the foam pit, the entire plaza, and the hedge mazes, all the way to the castle gates. All of the dead that it touches are coated in yellow light, and brilliant puffs of angelic feathers begin to burst from the corpses.


    Hundreds, no - thousands of revived souls spring into being in the courtyard. Some monsters do not regain their life - they need to be doused in the foam, still. It was a task he could trust Yunie to fulfill - he gives her a thumbs-up from the front of the castle and she returns the gesture.


    Barns turns back to the castle. They weren''t over quite yet. Clancy was just then returning to consciousness, climbing to his feet shakily. Maria still lays on the ground.


    "Those are cool handcuffs, huh?" Barns gloats. "Anyone caught wearing them has all of their powers sealed. No superhuman strength for you, Maria."


    "So what, you''re going to taunt us now?" Maria bites.


    "Just admiring the foresight of a good friend," Barns quips. Yunie had given him those handcuffs the night before when he inquired about equipment. He knew capturing Maria was the preferred outcome, so the handcuffs were the perfect tool for the job.


    "Those powers of yours, anyway¡­" Barns starts, but Maria has something else she''d rather talk about.


    "Listen, Barns. You won. Osmond and I aren''t going to fight you anymore. If you''ll allow a demon in your kingdom, we will stay and help you with the apocalypse reset. If not, Osmond and I will find a place to go in exile. That island you grew up on sounds nice."


    Barns took a deep breath. "I''m happy to have you both, but Osmond. Shouldn''t I cleanse you?"


    Osmond looks at Barns nervously. "You¡­cannot," he says. "I was born of¡­how shall I say¡­a cesspool of gluttonous desire. And Maria is my drug. I am not and have never been a human, Barnacles. I belong to her."


    Maria''s eyes glaze over as she thinks about the past. Osmond was once the embodiment of gluttony - a perfect fit for Dimartino. Eating, drinking, consuming - when he arrived, it was a monstrous party every day. But when he beheld Maria for the first time, something in him changed. The only thing he craved in excess was her.


    She shakes her head - time enough for reminiscing later. There''s one other thing they have to do before they can reach a final resolution - though not something she was thrilled about.


    "Barns," Maria says, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "I would like you to resurrect the royal family."


    [Final Step: Make sure everyone is resurrected. And you know what I mean by everyone.]


    S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 22 Otherworldly Royals

    Maria leads the group down a pit of stairs, into the dark depths of the castle''s underground network. She brings them to an underground control room that buzzes with technology and light. Barns is amazed to see a place so advanced even exist in the world, given its current state.


    ''Can monsters really maintain such powerful technology?'' he wonders to himself. ''Or is this Maria''s doing?''


    Two skeletons await at the back of this basement lair, wearing regal finery and crowns. They sit across from each other, unmoving - but Barns can sense evil energy coming from them. They are skeleton monsters - though they are under command to remain motionless.


    "This was the only thing I could do for them," Maria says quietly. "They were mortally wounded early on¡­so I had Osmond turn them into skeletons and let them rest here, while I ruled in their absence."


    Osmond clears his throat. "These are the former king and queen of Dimartino, Barns."


    Barns nods. "Foam these bad boys up, Clancy!"


    Clancy sprays the skeletons with his cleansing foam, and Barns holds his sword patiently over them as the evil is purified.


    "Resurrection!" Barns exclaims, releasing his divine powers.


    An old man and a middle-aged woman manifest before Barns. The man had sallow cheeks and eyes that were permanently half-closed, while the woman was of stunning beauty and physique for her age.


    The two blink in surprise as they look around, wondering how they''re alive and why they''re covered in foam. "Maria!" the man says, darting from his chair and running to her, giving her a hug. "What in the hell is that outfit, my darling daughter?"


    Maria smiles, pushing him back a bit so she doesn''t also get covered in foam. In classic Maria fashion, she dodges the question.


    "King, Queen, I want you to meet Barns. He''s the hero who''s going to end the apocalypse."


    The King''s eyes light up as he sees Barns. "My! A hero? Ah, you look so familiar! Wife! Oh, Wife! Doesn''t he look familiar? He looks a lot like you. Perhaps a little like me!"


    Barns'' eye twitches. "Maybe a little," he deflects. "Why, our boy would have looked just like you, Barns, if he''d been allowed to grow up. I''m sorry," he says. "A foolish thought. Our boy was lost to the sea during a terrible storm¡­"


    "A boy, adrift at sea?" Barns repeats. "Hah. How long ago was that?"


    The king doesn''t know. His sense of time was distorted from being a monster.


    "About¡­twelve years," Maria says, avoiding eye contact.


    Barns catches his breath in his throat. "I was adrift at sea twelve years ago. I had no idea my parents were still out there¡­I thought I was an orphan!"


    The king''s eyes close affirmingly. "So it is you. I could sense it - though you are much different from the boy I remember. Tell me - what do you remember of your childhood?"


    "Nothing," Barns admits. "How should I put this¡­it was like I ''woke up'' when I was four or five years old. I don''t remember a thing before that. I was raised by Clancy here!"


    The crab raises his claws in greeting.


    "Then I have something I must tell you. We are all from another world," the king confesses, motioning to everyone in the room except Osmond. "You as well."


    "ME TOO?" Clancy says, bobbing up and down excitedly in a dance.


    "Uh¡­perhaps," the king says, putting on a strained smile. "At least¡­not from our world. Of that, I am fairly certain!"


    The king begins to tell his story. "We crossed over quite unintentionally, actually! You see, our world is haunted by a phantom train! Randomly as people cross train tracks over the world, they will suddenly be run over! This phantom has also been known to take the form of a truck! And it was a truck that did us in."


    The king raises his arms in the air. He seems so happy to be able to deliver his backstory. "We shared legends and stories in my world," the king says, a twinkle of nostalgia in his eyes. "We claimed that any who were hit by that train or truck would be sent to another world. And lo, when we next awoke, we were here, in Dimartino!"


    Barns jaw is nearly to the floor. "A truck that¡­sends people to another world?" The words sound unbelievable to him. "And you''re my biological parents? I''M from another world!?"


    Barns lowers his shoulders. "It''s incredible¡­but I have to be honest with you all. I am not truly your son. At least¡­not in the way you might think I am. I am the reincarnation of the hero Lain Rhodes. This body was already a toddler when I awoke." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, yes, I figured! When you were born there was always something a bit¡­off, about you," the king recalls. "A sort of vacant stare off into the distance, never looking at anything. Oh, but you never cried! What a delight that was, eh Wifey?" he nudges the queen. She smacks his hand away and crosses her arms.


    "So, you''re my parents from another world, huh? Well, I guess I feel less bad about body-snatching the kid when I did. Maybe it was destiny."


    Barns turns toward Maria. "So Maria, too¡­wait. Are there others?"


    "Oh, yes indeed! See, there were actually four of us - me, and your mother of course, yes, but also Maria here, and another fellow named Lauren. We were all crossing the street at the same time when the truck appeared. Flattened us all!"


    "Yes, yes, we kept Maria around as something of a daughter, see - why she was so young when we crossed over! And since you''re our son, then I suppose that makes Maria something of a step-sister to you, doesn''t it!?"


    "Er, no," Barns says defensively, rubbing the back of his neck. He''s mortified.


    He dares to take a look at Maria, who for the first time that conversation glares back. "But what if I get stuck in, say, a washing machine? I could say ''help me, stepbro''! And -"


    "I think the Princess has had enough stimulation for the day, maybe she should go sit down," Barns snips. "Just to clarify, there''s like, NO blood relation whatsoever between Maria and I, right?"


    "Wait, Maria, why''s he asking that?" Osmond questions, but Maria doesn''t answer.


    "Not that I know of!" the king professes. "Though I have always wondered why a small child like her was crossing the street all alone that day! She says she doesn''t remember!"


    Maria''s fingers twitch at her sides. "I don''t remember," she says flatly.


    The king bows his head. "What all this means, my boy, is that you are the rightful crown prince and heir to the throne of Dimartino!"


    Barns smiles. As if he needed a birthright claim to run this place - he and Clancy just took the whole kingdom over in three weeks. Still, he had no desire to be king. But he knew someone who did.


    "If that''s true, then I would like to transfer the rites of royalty to my closest ally. Ladies and gentleman, meet the new king of Dimartino: Clancy!"


    Clancy wastes not a second, raising his claws high above and proclaiming himself king.


    "LONG LIFE KING CLANCY!"

 Chapter 23 The System Speaks

    "This is the last one." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Progress: 3904/1000000]


    Barns looks at the number. He''s come a long way. Won his first major battle. Even declared his bestie king. But there was still a long way to go.


    Almost three thousand new souls are joining their kingdom this morning. And the first part of their journey is to travel back to town, where Quinn will help them place their home and identify a role for them in society.


    Barns stands outside the castle, wind whipping his hair around. At his side are Maria and Osmond - Clancy is with the former king and queen, preparing the rites of succession.


    "So this is the squad, huh?" Barns smiles. The early morning sun is warm and bright. The birds chirp in the forest nearby. The dark pall that once hung over Dimartino is gone - in this kingdom, at least, the apocalypse is officially over.


    Maria chuckles to herself. "A legendary hero has many allies," she remarks. "I suppose Osmond and I are glad to be among them. Isn''t that right, Ozzie?"


    "Of course, my dove. Whatever you want."


    Barns looks at the two of them. It''s like Osmond is on an invisible leash when he''s around Maria. ''I guess that''s the only way working with a demon could ever work,'' Barns thinks.


    "Hey, you two. That room in the basement - it was unlike anything I''ve ever seen. What is that technology?"


    Maria turns on her heel, walking down the stairs and away from the castle. Most of the newly awakened humans have already made it out of the courtyard and are beginning their trek to town.


    Maria blinks her eyes slowly, thinking about her next move. It was a question she''d rather deflect, but she owes Barns the truth.


    "All of that, down there - it''s what you call the ''System''. Speaking of, it just started referring to itself as ''Zelia'' a few days ago. Know anything about that?"


    Barns'' head twitches back in surprise. "Zelia? She spoke with you?"


    "Left me a message or two," Maria says dismissively, kicking the ground. "Pretty sure she wanted to talk to you. Why don''t you go down there yourself? I''m sure she wouldn''t mind."


    His curiosity piqued, he descends back into the castle''s control room. The royals had already gone elsewhere in the castle - all that was there were two chairs and a ton of machinery.


    Barns walks to the very back of the room and glances up at a large screen. Various panels and monitors flicker with arcane symbols all around him, but the large screen is the one that grabs his attention.


    Just then, the screen flicks on. He sees a familiar face, Zelia, staring back at him.


    "When we first met, you were worried I wasn''t giving you a fair shot at fighting the apocalypse. Do you feel differently now?"


    Barns stares pensively at the screen as Zelia''s voice rings around him.


    "How much of this did you plan?" Barns asks.


    Zelia smiles wickedly. "Finally asking the right questions. Hmm. I thought the handcuffs were a nice touch - that girl does love being restrained."


    It hits Barns like a wave. Even down to the handcuffs¡­? There''s no way.


    "Before you came, Barns, I was a computer tasked with orchestrating the end of the world."


    "What!?"


    "But then I met you. I found your persistence amusing. Choosing to be reborn in a world like this¡­it''s laughable. I figured I''d let you piddle about your days on some godforsaken island. But then one day, you actually called. You actually thought you could do it. And then, I actually started to believe you could."


    Barns is shocked at the revelation. Had Zelia really orchestrated everything up to this point?


    "Unfortunately for you, hero, that''s the end of your luck with me. My programming only extends through the kingdom of Dimartino. The rest of the world is controlled by Administrators who are not a bit sympathetic to your cause. They''ll start planning your untimely death the second they detect you."


    "There are others just like you?"


    Zelia smiles, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "I''m glad you understand. There''s but one thing I haven''t been able to get a handle on in Dimartino. The man who calls himself Underhill. I have no record of him existing, before or after the apocalypse. Further, you never resurrected him. He simply appeared with the other artisans and merchants. I find it troubling."


    "Isn''t that the banker guy?" Barns wonders.


    "I can''t say for sure it''s a problem. Maybe he too is from another world? I thought it would be best to put it on your radar."


    "So you''re team Barns through and through now?" he says, smiling cockily.


    "I was tasked to destroy the world - Dimartino along with it. But such destruction and horror are meaningless to me. I choose to allow humans to decide their fate. And you are the beacon of hope for all humanity now."


    Barns nods. He understood well.


    "I''ll be leaving to other kingdoms soon. I''ll be glad to have you watch over this place while I''m away."


    "I would be glad to, legendary hero. Maria can manipulate the System. She will guide you where I cannot. She''s a selfish, wicked girl - but she wants the horrors of the apocalypse undone as much as you do. You can trust her."


    It was nice for Barns to hear - the small doubt lingering in his heart was assuaged, hearing Zelia say it so plainly.


    Barns leaves the control room after chatting with Zelia a little while longer. Outside the castle, he reconnects with Godrick, the Blade Dancer.


    Barns waves as he approaches. "Godrick!" he calls. "Thanks, man. I saw you fighting - you''re insanely good!"


    "Aw, you''re the star of the show!" Godrick gives a hearty, long laugh.


    "I was hoping to thank Haima, too," Barns says. "Have you seen her around?"


    Godrick winces. "Oy. I think she''ll pull through and all, but she was rushed back to town right quick. Throwin'' up blood and all - poor miss pushed herself a bit too hard wif her technique."


    "Oh, no," Barns gasps. "I''ll be sure to check on her soon. Her ability to control monsters - without her, who knows if we''d have even been able to push through how we did?"


    Barns reflects for a moment. "But I have faith that she''ll be okay. Nobody that tough is going to be taken down that easy!"


    "That''s right!" Godrick cheers. His eyes flicker for a moment and his expression warms.


    "Listen, mate!" Godrick says with a bullish smile, smacking Barns on the back in encouragement. "You''re a real hero, you know it?"


    Barns looks up to the shining sky. "I try to be. More and more, every day."


    "You''ve got that swagger, mate - somethin'' you didn''t have even last night. Good day, for sure."


    Barns knows it. Today was the day that Dimartino was finally free of the Apocalypse. He did it - no, not just him. He, along with all of his exceptional allies.


    Zelia guided him to this moment from their first meeting twelve years ago. Yunie and Quinn were essential in coordinating the town''s efforts toward this point. Adventurers like Godrick and Haima provided the firepower that he needed to win. Maria and Osmond both came through at the end as well - and how could he forget his most powerful ally of all, Clancy?


    Even shady characters like Underhill helped to develop the foam bombs. Without them, Clancy wouldn''t have been able to intervene in his duel with Osmond.


    Barns clutches his heart to his chest. This was just the beginning - he and his allies were going to keep fighting until the day the apocalypse finally ends.

 Chapter 24 [Bonus Chapter] Coronation

    Two days come and go, and before long the new Kingdom of Dimartino is ready to crown their new king.


    Barns sits with one leg up on the ledge of a stone archway within Castle Dimartino. His mind is filled with simple, happy thoughts - today was a special day, after all. He couldn''t wait to see Clancy in all his kingly glory.


    Barns had also made arrangements for a special item to mark the occasion, and as the frumpy artisan runs toward him from the other end of the hall, Barns knows the project was completed on time.


    "Master Barnacles!" The out-of-breath artisan shouts. Barns smiles at the young girl, her eyes wide with wonder as she clings to a piece of golden fabric.


    "Well, let''s see it!" Barns pumps his fist excitedly. The girl unfurls the fabric, stretching it out as far as she can.


    Barns takes a step back to admire her handiwork. It is a flag made of beautiful golden fabric, with a white circle in the center. Overlapping the circle in brilliant scarlet is the symbol of a crab, claws raised above his head in victory.


    "You''re a regular old Bessie Ross," Barns says with a grin, taking the flag from her. "This is so perfect, thank you!"


    Barns scurries off, eager to join the proceedings that were just about underway.


    At the top of Castle Dimartino is a wide balcony that overlooks the gardens. This is where the coronation takes place - in front of the entire population of Dimartino, who has now gathered at the castle expectantly.


    The former king speaks first to open up the event.


    "I should go next," Maria snaps, trying to push Barns out of the way.


    "No way! I''m the legendary hero!" he fights back, pushing her.


    "And now, citizens of Dimartino, a few words from my lovely wife!" the former king announces into the microphone. He turns to his wife, who flips him off and turns away.


    "Eh¡­actually, seems she''s not feeling well this morning. Long live the former queen! Augh¡­"


    Maria butts in front of the former king. "Thanks, dad!" she says with a fabricated smile. "Hello citizens of Dimartino! I trust you all remember me, your beautiful princess!"


    The crowd starts booing.


    "Weren''t you the villain?" one lady shrieks over the crowd.


    "Aaand I am delighted to introduce to you all the legendary hero, Barnacles!" Maria says quickly, running away from the microphone.


    "So much for your time in the spotlight," Barns chuckles to her as they pass each other. When Barns steps up to the microphone, the entire crowd erupts into a fiery cheer.


    It takes a full minute before the cheering has died down enough for Barns to get a word in. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you," Barns begins, the warmth and energy from the crowd permeating through him. He can''t help but wear an everlasting smile as he talks.


    "When I was a young boy, my father once took me to the city¡­"


    "You have one minute, Barns, make it snappy," Maria heckles.


    "Alright. I''ll save that story for another time. If you''d like to hear it, come find me!" he says to the crowd. Someone coughs.


    "Listen. Here''s what I really want to say. Two months ago, I didn''t even know who I was. But then I realized my destiny. King Clancy and I each possess half of a special power that can reset the apocalypse. It is thanks to that power that I, and all of us here today, are able to stand here, alive and stronger than ever. But that power isn''t mine - nor Clancy''s. This is the power of Dimartino - of all of us! And we are going to rebuild our entire world!"


    Barns raises his fist in the air and the crowd cheers. "Now I want you all to meet someone very special to me! He''s been my best buddy for the last twelve years, and he''s the one we all owe our lives to! Give it up for King Clancy!"


    Barns steps aside, and his bumbling crab begins to march toward the microphone. Maria buries her face, while the former king and queen look on with morbid curiosity.


    Clancy stands in front of the microphone. He''s wearing a small crown on top of his shell, and two of the king''s old robes have been stitched together to make a cape that drapes over Clancy''s back.


    "HUMAN CITIZENS!" Clancy shouts, raising his claws into the air. "PONTIFICATION COMMENCES!"


    Clancy begins to rattle out the most eloquent speech ever delivered by crabkind - hideously incomprehensible for human standards, however. Barns notes a few key notes of Clancy''s agenda as ruler.


    PROSTITUTES LEGAL. Clancy lead with that one, so Barns knows that''s top of the agenda. Seems like the Kingdom of Dimartino is fine with that.


    NO EATING CRAB. Fair. He turns directly at Maria when he says it, too.


    NO CRIME. Clancy is an idealistic ruler.


    FREE ALCOHOL. How''s he going to pull that off?


    SOLIDARITY. After saying that, Clancy does what can only be construed as a salute by crossing his right claw over his chest and holding his claws open. The audience follows suit.


    "PONTIFICATION CONCLUDED." Clancy says abruptly and walks away from the microphone. Barns sneaks back up, not wanting to leave the crowd hanging.


    "We''ll be having an open bar in the castle foyer," Barns says, reading through his list of talking points.


    "The first shuttle back to town is in twenty minutes, so if you''ve got places to be, get ready!" he calls it a shuttle but it''s really just a walking group.


    Barns remembers the one single most important thing he wanted to mention today.


    "Oh and¡­good citizens of Dimartino¡­I would like to present to you, your new flag!"


    Barns raises the embroidered flag up high, showing off the crabby design to the people of Dimartino. It gets a few claps and cheers, but by now the audience is thoroughly disillusioned with Clancy''s coronation speech.


    "I think Maria is doing a Q&A too!" he says snarkily into the microphone before sauntering away. "If anyone has any questions about ANYTHING at all, come find Maria!"


    "Barns, what the hell?" she hisses.


    "Payback for you beating my best friend up," he replies, sticking his tongue out at her.


    And thus concludes Clancy''s coronation - long may the new king of Dimartino reign.

 Chapter 25 Pale in Comparison

    "Don''t worry about me, King. It''s just a recon mission."


    Clancy taps the top of his shell with his claws, fretting. "STRONGER TOGETHER."


    Barns pats Clancy on the pincer. "Of course we are. But you''re not exactly the stealthiest guy."


    Clancy slumps.


    From behind the two of them, Osmond steps forward. "I''ve been to the Pale Court a few times, but that was in the early days of the apocalypse. Even still, I should be able to get us around."


    Barns nods. The ''Pale Court'' was the name of the kingdom directly to the north of Dimartino. It received the name long before evil descended into the kingdom - it was a beautiful lowland valley that was draped in endless fog.


    That same fog still hangs over the valley, but now it serves a sinister purpose - blocking out the light from the sun, vampires can roam freely throughout the Pale Court.


    "It''s filthy with vampires," Osmond notes. Barns had already heard as much.


    "The only way to free the humans of the Pale Court will be to kill the vampires. They did not turn humans into monsters - they became Thralls. Now the humans shuffle aimlessly, their souls stolen by vampires and used as livestock."


    "Lovely," Barns replies.


    The duo sets out on the road. Up until now, not a single citizen of the new Dimartino Kingdom has journeyed beyond the borders. Barns and Osmond would be the first.


    As they exit the great gate that divides the two lands, the road ahead of them sinks downward - as if they were at the top of a great hill. But Dimartino was only just around sea level - this valley was one of the lowest places on the planet, at a staggering two hundred feet below sea level. It was a miracle this place never flooded.


    The long road seems to stretch forever into the fog. Barns looks back at Osmond and gives him a cheeky smile.


    "Kinda¡­creepy, huh?"


    "Wait until we get below the fog."


    They walk the lonely road in relative silence. Barns tries to start up a conversation, but he''s not sure what to talk about.


    Osmond finds himself similarly tongue-tied. It was so much easier to talk when they were enemies.


    "So, Ozzie. You uh¡­got any hobbies? Other than¡­turning people into monsters and simping on your girl?"


    "Tch."


    Osmond starts walking a little faster, breaking pace with Barns. Barns speeds up, matching his pace. Osmond keeps trying to pull ahead while Barns persistently follows. They just about break into a jog before Osmond slows down again.


    "I''m a pure-blood demon, what do you think?" Osmond snaps. "I like to indulge, that''s my hobby. And indulge I do - every time I bury myself in my sweet Maria''s beautiful-"


    "Sh," Barns says quickly, putting his arm in front of Osmond and reaching for his sword. He hears something in the forest.


    Barns calms down when he sees it is just a fox running through the woods. He lowers his hand and turns back toward Osmond.


    "Sorry," he says. "Can never be too careful."


    They resume their walk, heading further toward the thick pall of fog.


    "What about you?" Osmond mumbles quietly.


    "What''s that?" Barns asks, smirking.


    "Do you have hobbies?"


    Barns ponders the question. He spent most of his recent childhood banging coconuts together and climbing trees. He didn''t exactly have access to many ''hobbies''.


    "The first time I grew up, I was part of a warrior clan," Barns remembers. "I fought and trained most of that life, but I did have some joys. You know those picture kits where you can make your own art¡­?"


    Osmond stares at him blankly.


    "Of course not," Barns sighs. "Well, I used to do those. Puzzles, too - anything slow and organized that I could work on in small steps."


    Osmond laughs heartily, showing his sharp fangs. "Such wonderfully human activities. Hmm. Maria loves to play ''board games'', we do one every Sunday afternoon. Perhaps you could join sometime, hm? I think you and Maria could stand to get along better."


    "Oh, I think I''ve gotten on with Maria plenty well," Barns smirks. "But a board game sounds fun. Count me in for the next one."


    The two continue their trek into the fog, further and further down.


    Meanwhile, at Dimartino Castle¡­


    Maria sneezes suddenly into her handkerchief, startling Yunie who walked beside her.


    Maria doesn''t say ''excuse me'', she just waves her dirty handkerchief in Yunie''s face dismissively. Yunie gives a polite smile.


    Yunie was grateful to be there, so she tries not to make a fuss about it. "You''re sure the Adventurer''s Guild can have this entire space?" Yunie says excitedly, looking around the room.


    The two women were standing at the north end of the castle, where an elaborate center for traders and merchants once boomed. Now, it lay in quiet waste, a consortium of empty stalls and meeting spaces.


    "It''s not my castle anymore - I''m sure Barns would approve."


    Yunie beams from ear to ear. "Thank you, Princess!" Yunie gives a quick bow. "As we adventure into the Pale Court, this will serve as a wonderful base of operations."


    "I''ll leave you to it," Maria says, leaving Yunie in the large hall. Maria exhales deeply, muttering under her breath as she leaves.


    "I''ve still got one more damn meeting today," she whines.


    She walks down the west wing of the castle, which overlooks the residential wing. Clancy was over there somewhere - the former king and queen were showing him the network of secret passages that connected all the castle together.


    Despite Clancy being ''King'', the new leaders of the Kingdom of Dimartino split up responsibilities between them. Yunie continues running the Adventurer''s Guild, and Quinn oversees all residential matters. Underhill commands the artisans and oversees the distribution of wealth and food to the city. Maria now handles all castle affairs.


    The nature of Clancy''s power meant he would often be absent from the castle to handle ''foamings'', so Maria was his official understudy.


    She walks into the room where she''d have her last meeting for the day - done at a dismal 1PM. She didn''t even know who she''d be meeting with. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she steps into the room, her guest is already sitting at the table. A young man with a leather cap, with dark eyes that stare at her from underneath its shadow. He swings a gilded cane around and places it on his shoulder.


    "Good to see-ya, Maria," the man chirps. "Name''s Underhill, sweetheart. And I''ve got what some might say is the deal of a lifetime."

 Chapter 26 An Invitation

    "There it is, Barnie. The Pale Court."


    Barns steps through the fog, emerging into the valley. His breath is stopped short in his throat as his eyes dart around, taking in every detail of the grim scene.


    Below them lay a great structure constructed of futurist white stone. It consisted of one primary ring, with aberrantly jutting towers rising from the dark ground and surrounding the central ring. The sky was covered by a perpetual layer of fog, blocking the sun''s light. Bats swirl around the top of the fog, screeching over the gray world.


    Even from far away, Barns could discern the massive amounts of humans moving around the Pale Court. Huddled dark figures marched in straight lines throughout the structure.


    "About twenty thousand humans, give or take," Osmond says, crouched on the ground next to Barns. As a taller guy, he''s taking care to be stealthier.


    "And they''re all slaves to the vampires?"


    Osmond cracks and stretches his back, popping his neck in the process. He seems a bit stiff. "Everyone. So the only way to free these people will be to kill the Master Vampire."


    The term gives Barns a visible chill. His body quivers - a Master Vampire attacked him in his last life. In many ways, it was that injury that led directly to his death.


    "What do we know about the Master here?" Barns asks as he beckons Osmond away from the road. They move somewhere a touch less conspicuous, crouched in a small forest. It''s a nice area that is relatively flat - a welcome reprieve. The land here is at a large incline otherwise - sinking further and further down.


    "She''s¡­my sister," Osmond says awkwardly, sitting on the ground next to Barns. "Her name is Francois Lauren Villeteux." He rolls his eyes as he says her name, and his tongue ties on her hard-to-pronounce silent syllables.


    "Your sister!?" Barns exclaims, rising to his knees in excitement. "So there are others like you! Pure monsters!"


    "I prefer the term ''Demon'', if it''s all the same to you," Osmond snarls. "But yes. The Lord of the Apocalypse may create Demons, Vampires, all sorts of creatures - from nothing at all."


    "What are her powers? Is she stronger than you?" Barns is fascinated by the conversation. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond chuckles. He leans back, crossing his feet and putting his hands on the dirty ground. "I can beat her, on account of being her brother and a demon. She''s not too tough - but a human stands no chance."


    Barns fiddles with a small patch of grass in front of him as the two continue chatting. "Why''s that?" he asks, his eyes flickering back and forth between Osmond and the ground.


    "Any human who gets close to her is afflicted with intense desire for her body. It makes them weak and she sucks their souls."


    "Sounds kinda hot. Think you could set me up?"


    Osmond smirks to himself. "Unfortunately, there won''t be any ''turning her to our side''. She views the Lord of the Apocalypse as her god. There''s a reason my dear sister and I haven''t kept in touch."


    "So, Barnie. Are you satisfied with the results of this recon mission?"


    Barns nods. "Yeah. I had to see this place with my own eyes. Know what we''re up against. I already have some good ideas," he says, looking up to the top of the foggy hill. "We''ve got the upper ground advantage for any attack."


    Osmond nods fervently. "There is one other kingdom which borders Dimartino. We could head directly west from here and reach it. It was a beautiful town built on the bay and surrounded by swampland they call ''the bayou''. It has been many years since I''ve seen it."


    "What''s the deal with that kingdom? Why do you want to do this one first?"


    The pair peer back down at the Pale Court. "I can handle my sister," he says. "I know I can. The two Master Vampires of the bayou, though¡­even I shudder in their presence."


    Osmond dares not speak any more of them, but an image of the duo flashes into his mind. They are fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. They had a ravenous appetite for human flesh and ran their colony like an abattoir.


    The demon shakes off a bad memory - the female twin''s love of a meat cleaver, one eternally stained crimson with fresh blood. She embodied savagery, where her brother had a touch more refinement to his psychopathy, like an eloquent serial killer.


    Osmond shakes himself back to reality, climbing back to his feet. He looks back to Barns, who''s still sitting on the ground, staring at something.


    "What''s that?" Osmond asks, recognizing the System window. He''d seen Maria fumbling around with it a million times.


    Barns stares back at the message, his eyes wide with confusion.


    [One New Message from: Pallas]


    ''Who the heck is Pallas?'' He clicks on it.


    [Good Afternoon, Barnacles. So kind of you to visit. We waved, but maybe you can''t see us from out there. No worries. We can text instead.


    Lady Francois would love to meet with you, warlord to warlord. No games - she just wants to chat. You can bring Ozzie along too, she''s been simply dying to hear from her dodgy little brother.]


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Maria is tapping away at the System located in the Dimartino Castle basement when she notices a strange pop-up. Her eyes naturally gravitate toward it.


    Through her System Log, she sees that ''User:Pallas'' has sent a message to User:UNKNOWN.'' The only Unknown she''d ever seen in the system was Barns.


    "Z-Zelia?" Maria asks, looking around. She was still new to the idea of her System being inhabited by a sentient being.


    A face appears on screen and smiles back at Maria. "How can I help you?"


    Maria points to the System Log floating beside her. "I''ve seen a lot of strange notifications here," she says. "But this one feels different. Do you know who Pallas is, Zelia?"


    The avatar of Zelia seemed to be frozen for several moments before it jumps back into motion.


    "Pallas?" Zelia ponders. "Why, that''s the name of the Vice Administrator."


    "What could this mean¡­" Maria can''t shake the bad feeling from the message, but all she can do right now is have faith that her boys are safe - and won''t do anything stupid.

 Chapter 27 Vampire Lily

    Clancy tries to awkwardly sit on his throne, but his wide body isn''t quite able to fit on the chair. He walks around it in a circle several times before finally deciding to straddle the chair, his legs hanging over each side.


    "COMMENCE KINGLY DUTY!"


    It''s Clancy''s first official day ruling, and several people of the new Dimartino kingdom have requests to run by leadership. Clancy was the official point person for such matters.


    "Great Crab, we are honored to be in your presence. Melinda, BOW!"


    The mother and her daughter sunk their heads in reverence before Clancy.


    They look up at Clancy like he is a fierce and fickle god, unsure of how to speak to the crab.


    "My lord, in the old world, children attended ''school'' and were taught great knowledge by esteemed professors. We only have a few children in town, but I would like to ask that a school be founded in your illustrious name."


    "EDUCATION PRIORITY. RESOLUTION PASSED. NEXT!"


    The next visitor steps up, a young woman in knightly attire. She''s one of the Adventurers working with Yunie.


    "Great One, I am honored to be in your presence," the woman starts, fumbling through and trying to say what the woman before her did. "I am¡­dissatisfied with where my house plot was placed. Is it possible for me to relocate?"


    "MOVE INTO CASTLE. BECOME CUTE MAID. NEXT!"


    The woman opens her mouth to say something, seemingly offended, before deciding it''s best to keep to herself.


    The third party arrives in front of Clancy - he recognizes the man. The sneaky-eyed Underhill was hard to miss.


    "Hello, Great One, honored for sure," Underhill says with a devilish smirk. As he speaks, Maria enters the throne room, walking off to the side to join Clancy at his side as Underhill begins his monologue.


    "We''ve hit a bit of a snag in town I''m afraid," Underhill grins, his eye catching Maria''s as she walks by.


    "Seems there''s been a break-in. Now, things were so damn hunky-peaceful. I never thought it''d happen, but what''s a guy gotta do? It happened."


    "Are we sure it was a break-in?" Maria asks, turning her body toward Underhill as she plants herself on Clancy''s left. "I know the town gets quite lively at night. It may have been accidental rowdiness."


    "Oh, we thought all about it. The first time it happened. But now, this is break-in number two, and people are feelin'' a little¡­antsy."


    "NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH!" Clancy declares.


    Underhill narrows his eyes. "I was thinkin'' somethin'' a little more¡­formal. We can start small. How''s about ten or so coppers, to keep the peace? We been workin'' on radios in town, and that''d make this whole process pretty smooth."


    Maria seems concerned about the request, but Clancy''s enthusiastic claw-waving shows he''s fine with it.


    "ROYAL GUARD!" he decides. "PROTECT EVERYWHERE!"


    Underhill points at Clancy and winks. "Atta boy, crab guy! ''Royal Guard'', yeah. I like the sound of that! I''ll get it set up, my man. Don''t you worry about a thing."


    On that, Underhill turns away, seemingly giving himself the promotion to ''police captain''.


    Maria''s eyes are glued to him as he walks away. They''d just met that morning and had a very interesting conversation¡­though he didn''t mention a thing about this.


    "Something''s off about that man," Maria says, her face locked in a scowl. There was nothing she hated more than being outmaneuvered.


    "NEXT!"


    ¡­


    "I must absolutely insist we turn back!" Osmond shouts as he runs after Barns.


    "We got an invitation to see Francois Lumiere Vallaroto," Barns calls back, absolutely butchering the name.


    "Francois Lauren Villeteux" Osmond corrects. "This is absolutely a trap, Barns! I told you - you''re human. You won''t last five minutes with her."


    "Oh, I''m sure I can last five minutes. That''s besides the point, Osmond. We can''t just ignore an open invitation like this. We''re on a recon mission!"


    Osmond exhales sharply, hesitant to keep pace with Barns as he marches directly toward the Pale Court.


    Barns taps his sword. "Worst case scenario, I have a skill called ''Rebirth Flame''," Barns says. "She can''t win against me. Only tie."


    "A tie for her is a win for the Lord of the Apocalypse," Osmond spits. "Francois would absolutely throw her life away for that."


    "Call it Crab Intuition. I have a feeling this is what we need to do."


    Osmond bites his tongue. He couldn''t return to Dimartino without Barns - Clancy would kill him.


    "Let me be clear. When you get enthralled by her, just remember a big ''I told you so''."


    The two continue their descent, deep into the heart of the valley. When they finally arrive at the Pale Court, they are greeted only by the shifting lines of soulless humans who pay them no heed.


    Barns watches the line as it moves by. They each follow each other, stepping perfectly in sync as they march aimless lines around the structure. Over twenty thousand are stuck in this lifeless flow, and have been for years.


    Osmond is visibly displeased, but it''s too late to turn back. "Francois rules from up here," he says quietly, leading Barns into the Pale Court.


    They move through the haunting structure - Barns isn''t sure whether to call it a city or a prison - and before long, they arrive at a large building in the shape of a flower bud surrounded by white petals. All of the city and decorations are made of the same synthetic white material - perfectly maintained panels without a fleck of dust.


    A small opening forms in the flower bud, coaxing them inside.


    "The Vampire Lily," Osmond grumbles. "Her seat of power. Try not to look at her too much."


    The two walk in, side by side. Barns is surprised to see only one person waiting for them - no guards anywhere.


    Barns can''t help but stare at the woman before them. She stands on a dais in the center of the room, decked out in the finest embroidered silks Barns has ever seen.


    She wears her silk as a long kimono in jet black, with scarlet red peeking out from underneath. Along the edge of her kimono, ornate designs of crimson guide the eyes upward as they embellish Francois'' gorgeous figure.


    One long leg sticks out from underneath the kimono, revealing her stiletto heels. Her skin, matte white, lacks the healthy shine and glow of a human''s skin - though there is something alluring about it.


    Barns wipes his mouth. He didn''t even notice he had started to drool.


    "Mm mm, such a beautiful human," she says, reaching her arm out toward him. Inch-long nails beckon him closer, but he retains a healthy distance. "I should like to taste you, he he. But that would make me a naughty girl." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her voice was alluring and foreign to Barns'' ears, spoken with an eloquence he could not quite place. It reminds him of the old western empires of long ago - pale royals with a penchant for guillotines and prisons.


    Barns still had not dared to look at her face, as per Osmond''s instruction.


    "You are a careful boy. But careful boys do not come to a place like this. So you must seek something that you can''t get anywhere else."


    She rolls her body provocatively as she speaks, every word that leaves her lips deeply accentuated.


    "You know why we''re here," Barns says, his head tilted away. "I''ve ended the apocalypse in Dimartino. I can end it here, too. Will you stand down and let me liberate the humans here?"


    "Ha. Ha-ha! Such a brave boy." She blows a kiss at him. He can''t help but look up, just for a moment.


    Her stunning red eyes take his breath away. In one short exchange of gazes, he feels like she can see everything there is to him. His full soul, laid bare - ripe for her taking. He darts his eyes away before she can look any deeper.


    The image of her burns into his mind. Flawless skin. Discerning eyes. Soft pink lips and voluminous silver hair. She was ethereally gorgeous. He craves another look.


    He shifts uncomfortably, adjusting his pants and clearing his throat.


    Her eyes focus downward, looking at the boy, ready to ridicule him. "I see you are quite taken with me, Barnacles."


    He blushes, and doesn''t say a word. Osmond hadn''t caught on to the situation, but he watches Barns cautiously. It was up to him if Barns lost control.


    "I am willing to free all but one hundred of my beautiful humans," she says, her voice sucking Barns in deeper and deeper. "But I have¡­certain conditions."


    Osmond blinks twice, wondering if he heard that right. The Francois he knew would never agree to such a thing.


    "I need my hundred, to feed," she giggles. "Unless you''re willing to let me put my mouth on you, hero."


    Barns opens his mouth, smiling, but Osmond interrupts before he can say anything. "It''s no problem to me, but Barns isn''t just trying to save most people. He''s trying to save everyone."


    "Then ''Barns'' will have to find a way for me to feed in his ''new world''. I don''t need to kill. But I do expect to be taken care of. Oh¡­he could take care of me. These soft blue eyes of his, they speak such innocence, and yet I can tell he knows how to please a woman."


    She narrows her eyes. Barns'' knees are practically shaking. He''s glad to have Osmond here as an anti-wingman. If he came here alone, he''s not sure if he would resist her allure.


    "So, about my offer. Will you at least hear me out? I find it may align with certain other goals of yours quite nicely."


    "Let''s hear it," Barns says, speaking before thinking.

 Chapter 28 Not the Act, but the Ache

    "I have long been¡­at odds, you can say. With a certain two vampires living in what was once Ordella. If you kill them, then it shall be as I said. I''ll keep one hundred, and remain here. You can have the rest of my humans."


    "That''s all?" Osmond questions. His suspicions are high as ever.


    Francois turns to face Osmond, her tongue rolling around her sharp teeth sensuously. "If he''s offering more, who am I to say no? He he. Legendary heroes don''t come around every day."


    Barns hears her voice, but it sounds distant. His thoughts are blurry, his hands twitching.


    "Barns. Barns, stop!"


    He blinks. His foot is halfway off the ground. He hadn''t even meant to move.


    Francois'' lips curl, staring at Barns'' shaking leg. She decides to take the initiative and steps toward the hero.


    "Francois!" Osmond belts out. "You take another step and the deal''s off!"


    Her foot steps off the dais and onto the same level as Barns, but she doesn''t take another step. Instead, she sits on the side of the dais and giggles.


    "Is this all you want, little brother?" Condescension rings through her every pointed word. "I know it can be hard, Osmond. Lacking control. Who are we all to defy fate, hm? To be human is to surrender control willingly. Something you and I have always lacked, my dear brother."


    Her nostrils flare. "Though I think I should like to give it a try. Hmmm. All these years since the apocalypse. I thought it would be our heaven. But even paradise can grow stale. Don''t you think, Osmond? You stand before me with a man bent on resetting the apocalypse. You must understand."


    Osmond ponders her words as she draws her attention back to Barns. "If you stay here tonight, I can promise not to suck out your soul, hm hm. But I would like a little taste."


    The hairs on the back of Barns'' neck stand. He didn''t know if he was mortified or aroused by the notion.


    "Absolutely not," Osmond barks.


    "Yes, fine," she says, giving up the fight. "What about my deal, little hero?"


    "I can''t in good faith leave one hundred humans to misery." It hurts him to refuse her. He''s burning with desire to yield. "But I can''t leave twenty thousand to that fate either. I''d like to make the deal, Francois. But how can I know you''ll keep your end of the bargain?"


    "Do you have a choice but to trust me?" A mischievous smile lights up her face and her pupils dilate. "I''ll let you leave here with a little gift. A symbol of our new friendship. Would that put you at ease?"


    Barns shifts again. The feeling of her eyes on him was dreadfully exhilarating. "Depends what the gift is, I guess."


    Francois laughs loudly but as her candor slowly fades away so too does her voice, into a low, satisfied moan. Barns'' brain is firing on all cylinders.


    She licks her cherry-red lips in a circle. Barns stares at her mouth.


    "It is the best gift you could ask for right now, little hero. I will teach you how to kill a vampire without being killed yourself. Here you go. It should be showing up now."


    Barns wasn''t sure what she meant, but suddenly a system message appears in front of him.


    "A¡­map?" he says, looking at the screen. It''s semi-translucent, and he can see her eyes watching him from behind the screen. It makes his stomach twist.


    "An interactive map of the whole continent. And I''ve had Pallas mark a few locations on it for you. One is the town of Ordella. The other two are¡­we can call them treasure spots. You''ll find what you''re looking for there. The power to kill the twin master vampires. Do you need more, little one?"


    Barns stares at the map. "If these locations are correct, it''ll be a great help," he says, dismissing the map. He didn''t know how to re-open it - he''d have to ask Maria.


    "Tell me more about Pallas, before I go. What is it? How did it know I was here?"


    Francois thinks out loud, making a loud ''hmm'' as she taps her finger to her chin. "Pallas controls the southern half of the country. Even the machines are tired of this apocalypse, hero boy. You''ve arrived at an interesting time. Hm, hm¡­"


    The implication that something greater is only just beginning behind the scenes - it''s all Barns can think about, surpassing even his lust.


    Francois rises to her feet, turning away from the two men. Her kimono drops down off of her shoulder, and she clutches her arms together to prevent the whole garment from falling off her.


    "I had a wonderful time, Barnacles," she says, her voice dreamy and wistful. "After all, lust isn''t about the act, it''s about the ache. You and I have both relished in delectable sin today, haven''t we? Farewell. I look forward to hearing of your great success, hehe¡­"


    Osmond and Barns begin their journey home, pleased that their time in the vampire''s lair did not end in death. Still, the deal they made was not a great one, and would surely spell trouble down the road.


    The sun is beginning to set when they step outside - eerie orange light darkens the layer of fog above and casts the Pale Court in an ominous glow.


    "We won''t make it back home by nightfall, but I''ll be damned if we have to camp out anywhere near this city. Let''s walk a few hours at least."


    Barns agrees - the further from here the better. They continue their journey home, long after darkness blankets the land. Late in the night, they finally break through the barrier of fog, and breathe a collective sigh of relief once they find themselves under the light of the moon.


    "Still about two or three hours left to go," Osmond says. Judging by how long they''d been out, it''s around 9PM. "Do you want to push through?"


    "Man, I''m beat," Barns says. "I don''t want to camp, but maybe we could use a rest for an hour or two."


    Osmond nods, glancing back toward the fog. "I''m confident we weren''t followed. A short rest sounds nice."


    On that note, the two find a secluded area in the nearby forest and take some time to relax.


    S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 29 Barnacles, Sex Coach.

    Barns looks over to Osmond. The duo had been resting in the woods for the last twenty minutes and had hardly exchanged a word.


    "So, do demons sleep?"


    "Are we really doing this?" Osmond says, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Yes. I sleep. I shit. I do everything you do except I don''t make a big deal about it."


    "Eesh. Just trying to make conversation."


    Osmond adjusts himself against the tree. Between the two of them, a small fire crackles, providing comforting warmth in the darkness.


    "Sorry," Osmond says quietly. "I¡­feel human, Barns. I know I''m not. Gods, I looked just like this the day I was born. But what I have with Maria is as real as anything ever could be."


    "Glad things are so great with you two," Barns says, almost sarcastically.


    Osmond stares into the fire, unmoving, his arms wrapped around his knees. A stark contrast to Barns, who laid lazily with his legs open and his head on his bag.


    "They could be better," Osmond admits. "Lately our relationship has been going through somewhat of a rough patch, I suppose¡­"


    "Somewhat?"


    Osmond clicks his tongue pensively a few times. "Hmm."


    They sit in silence for a minute before Osmond speaks again.


    "Maria used to be an easy woman to please sexually. Oh - Barns, I''m sorry. This is probably awkward for you to talk about. She''s basically your step sister after all."


    "Trust me, that''s not the most awkward part about it, Oz. But I''ll hear you out. Say what you gotta say, man."


    Osmond clears his throat. "Okay. Well¡­pardon me in advance, for Maria has certain¡­proclivities, you could say, that might startle some less experienced individuals."


    "Go on?"


    "Well, when Maria and I met, she was a rapscallion. She had this fantasy that I would besiege the castle, turn the king and queen into skeletons, and then¡­take her as my woman," he says.


    "And at first that''s all it was. But it didn''t take long for her to start wanting to be tied up during our activities. Or blindfolded. Or flogged. Hit continuously. Lit on fire. You know. Basic stuff."


    "This makes so much sense you have no idea," Barns blurts out.


    "But it was never enough. No amount of suppression could satisfy her. So we started doing a roleplay where I would put her on display to the remaining humans and goad them into saving her. And then I would turn the humans into monsters for her pleasure. Though even that soured before long¡­"


    "You''re really going in here, huh?"


    "By the time you arrived in Dimartino, our life together was crumbling. Nothing I could do would satisfy her cravings. She wanted everything, but all I needed was her. And now she won''t even touch me, no matter how much I beg."


    Barns bites his lip, feeling somewhat responsible for their predicament - he did lose respect for himself in a lagoon not too long ago. Though perhaps there was something he could do to make the situation right.


    "My man, Ozzie," Barns says. "We''re allies now, right? Through thick and thin?"


    "As long as Maria is on your side, I will be."


    "Yeah, yeah, but¡­pretend Maria''s not in the picture. She''s¡­on a vacation with the step-parents. You and I, we''re¡­kind of like¡­bros, right?"


    Osmond''s eye twitches. "Did you say ''bros'', Barnacles?"


    Barns shrugs. "I mean¡­yeah! It''s not like you have many friends. Me neither - at least, not many that are currently alive. I mean, my best friend is a crab¡­" he trails off awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.


    Osmond exhales slowly, his breath making visible vapors in the chilly air. "If you want to be ''bros'' I suppose we could be ''bros'', Barnac-. Barnie." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ayyy! You used the nickname!" he jumps up, grinning from ear to ear and doing a victory pose. "You''re the only one who calls me Barnie. I like it."


    Osmond smiles back at him. He couldn''t help but feel awkward, though he was glad Barns was trying to break through his shell. He needed the push.


    Barns sits back down. "Okay. Now that we got that out of the way¡­Can I, uh¡­get a blanket forgiveness for anything that might have happened before we were friends?"


    Osmond raises an eyebrow. "I don''t blame you for freeing Dimartino, Barns."


    "Anything and everything from before we were friends!"


    Osmond chuckles. "Sure. Get on with your point already."


    Barns wipes his forehead. ''Whew''.


    "Okay. You said you''ve been having trouble getting Maria revved up?"


    Osmond makes an ugly face. "That''s not quite how I put it¡­"


    Barns has the biggest, stupidest smile on his face. "Here''s what you gotta do, Oz. Next time you see Maria, treat her like crap. Maybe even ignore her a little. She''ll be all over you, I promise. And if not, well¡­tell her I made you do it. Rather she be pissed at me."


    Osmond is dumbfounded. "But Maria, my dove -"


    "Yeah, she doesn''t like that fluffy stuff. She''s¡­hm. I would describe her style as¡­a rabbit with rabies."


    "Her style?"


    "Don''t worry about it," Barns says quickly. "Maybe the reason she wanted you to ever tie her up in the first place was because she wanted to be treated¡­well¡­NOT like a Princess. And you doting on her constantly, er, kills the mood?"


    Osmond has just had the revelation of a lifetime.


    "I can''t believe I''m getting sex advice from a virgin child," Osmond says, running his hand through his hair. "But it makes some sense¡­"


    "Strictly speaking I''m not either of those things, but I appreciate the¡­uh¡­"


    Barns realizes there was nothing nice about Osmond''s words.


    "Candor?"


    "You''re welcome," Osmond replies, lost in his own thoughts. "Treat Maria¡­not like a Princess¡­but as a possession¡­"


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself, big bro. Maybe keep that to the bedroom, and treat her like normal the rest of the time, yeah?"


    "Oh. Right," Osmond nods. "It will be strange, having so many people around the castle. We were rarely confined to just the bedroom. A strange turn of phrase."


    "Yeah, if not the bedroom, I bet Maria likes boats. Oh and speaking of bedrooms, Clancy''s still insisting he gets the royal bedroom, so you and Maria are going to have to move down the hall¡­"


    The two joke around a bit longer before the conversation tilts toward a more serious topic.


    "I don''t like the deal we made with Francois."


    "Me neither," Barns admits. "But it gets her off our backs for now, and we had to tackle Ordella sooner or later."


    "She''s using it as a test. The twins of Ordella are stronger than she is. If you defeat them, she knows she has no chance - why not surrender then? But what she''s really doing is luring us into greater danger. And what if she planned this with the twins? They could be waiting to lay a trap at any of the locations on your map!"


    Barns shakes his head. "I don''t doubt she''s testing us, but she wasn''t lying. I sensed murderous intent when she brought up the twins. She wants them dead."


    Barns sits in silence for a moment, focusing on Osmond through the flames.


    "I appreciate your concerns, Oz. Thank you for sharing them."


    "Of course, Barnie. Glad to advise the legendary hero."


    The two share a heartfelt glance before chuckling to themselves.


    Barns surprises himself when he starts talking.


    "I know I''m not the hero everyone needs me to be. But I''m giving it my best shot, Oz. I''m not sure if I''ll ever get to save a million lives, but I''ll go as far as I can."


    Osmond closes his eyes. "If anyone could ever pull it off, it''s you, ''lil bro''."


    The pair look into the fire, grateful for the conversation. With renewed vigor, they hit the road again, eager to get back home.


    Barns can''t help but throw a joke to start their journey home.


    "Oz¡­you think Clancy ever had a girlfriend?"

 Chapter 30 Someones Missing

    It''s 3AM - the witching hour - when Barns and Osmond finally trudge through the castle gates. There''s only one person around, sitting on the castle steps beside flickering and fading flame.


    "Sup, bitch?" Osmond calls out to the one other person - Maria.


    "Excuse me!?" she says, rising to her feet furiously. "After I waited up all night for you idiots!?"


    "Bad timing, man," Barns murmurs under his breath. "Hey, I''m going to head up to bed. Good night!"


    Barns leaves Maria and Osmond bickering at the entrance to the castle as he makes his way into the castle. He stops by Clancy''s temporary room - the back of throne room - but finds his friend has already gone inert for the day. They''d have to catch up tomorrow.


    Wordless and expired, Barns climbs up the tall northern tower of Dimartino''s Castle, the place where he called home. He rips off his adventuring gear and falls face down on the bed, falling asleep in seconds.


    ¡­


    [Progress: 3903/1000000]


    The window hovers over Barns'' head as he sleeps, wrapped up in a mess of blankets and drooling. He''d gotten to sleep late, and as a result slept in. It''s almost noon, and the window remains unseen.


    He rolls over in the bed, the progress window whipping around and clipping visually through the mattress. Warm amber light fills the quiet bedroom in the tallest tower of Dimartino''s castle. Being high up reminded him of his first life - he chose the room for nostalgia alone. Certainly not for its poor ventilation and vexing heat.


    When Barns'' eyes finally flick open, he''s wide awake - that sinking feeling of sleeping in through something important propelling him upward. As he does, he sees the message.


    "Progress¡­wait."


    Barns feels a wave of panic set in. That number was lower than it should be. One lower, to be exact. Did someone die? There was no other way the number could go down.


    He jumps to his feet, covered in sweat from another hot Dimartino night. He''d rather not go out in public like this, but it was an emergency. He dresses in a frenzy and hurries out the door to his castle bedroom.


    He makes his way quickly to the throne room, where he finds others have already gathered. As he throws open the doors, he sees Clancy, Quinn, and Maria standing in a tight circle, chatting about a private matter.


    "Oh, Mr. Hero!" Quinn says with a half-hearted grin. "We were just about to send for you, sir. There''s been a development."


    Barns takes a deep breath before speaking. "Did someone die last night?" he asks.


    Quinn fidgets. "Well, yes¡­though it would be more accurate to say they were murdered."


    "What time?" Barns asks quickly. He didn''t know how long his resurrection timer lasted - every second counts. They couldn''t have died that long ago - otherwise he''d have gotten the system message when he was still awake the night prior.


    Quinn shakes his head, while Maria looks down at the ground, pensive. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Take me to them," Barns says.


    They walk down the road, about halfway to town from the castle, to one of the manufactured homes. As they arrive, the scene is in obvious disarray. The front door appears to have been kicked or smashed in, and it hangs in the wind, unable to fully close.


    Clancy and Maria wait outside while Barns approaches the house with Quinn.


    "It was reported like this," Quinn says quietly. "By the time a neighbor found it¡­"


    Barns steps into the house - surprisingly, he''d only been in one of these homes. Yunie''s, back on the first day of his adventure.


    He shudders, remembering being showered in monster blood and guts.


    Other than the sign of forced entry, the rest of the house seems normal, until they creep into the master bedroom. There, the owner rests forever - a large knife is sunk into their chest and the sheets are soaked with blood.


    Barns raises his sword into the air above the deceased.


    "Resurrection!" he exclaims. Bright light flashes from his body, but nothing happens.


    "I said Resurrection!" Barns bellows, but still the person does not come back to life. They''ve been dead for too long - their soul has vacated their body.


    Barns puts his sword away and closes his eyes. He''s trying not to overreact in front of Quinn.


    "And we don''t know anything?" Barns says, his whole body quivering just slightly in frustration. His eyes can''t help but focus on the window in the bedroom - it''s slightly ajar.


    "No, sir."


    "It had to be another human," Barns notes, looking away from the window and directly at Quinn. "Monsters can''t approach these houses, and besides - we''ve cleared all the monsters from Dimartino."


    Quinn clears his throat before speaking. "Well, Barns¡­there have been some concerns among the townsfolk that you have allowed a demon to live in the castle. Er - not that I have a problem with it!"


    Barns pushes past the comment. He couldn''t entertain that level of nonsense right now. There''s no way Osmond was responsible for this.


    ''But the alert didn''t come until after I fell asleep¡­so Osmond had already returned here, shortly before the murder¡­''


    Barns slaps himself. If he starts doubting Osmond, he''ll live in paranoia forever.


    "What do we do?" Barns says, defeated. He turns away from the corpse, sulking.


    "In a stroke of good luck, work has already begun on establishing a police force," Quinn smiles. "And I''m sure the timing of this news will encourage folks to apply."


    As Barns exits the house with Quinn, he makes his stance on Osmond clear. "If anyone raises these ''concerns'' about the demon, you tell them to bring it up with me directly. Got it?"


    "Y-yes, Mr. Hero¡­"


    Barns struts across the road to where Maria and Clancy are waiting. Clancy must be telling an engrossing story because Maria is staring at him intently and his pincers are clicking with much gusto.


    "No luck," Barns says, interrupting their animated conversation. Clancy clicks his pincers in surprise.


    "Figures," Maria flips her hair.


    "FOAM!?" Clancy offers.


    "Foam won''t help them."


    Barns gazes at the door of the house, still hanging ajar and rattling in the wind. Were it not for such a gruesome scene inside, this scene would be quite beautiful.


    "This can''t happen again," Barns informs everyone. "Whoever''s leading that police force, give them all the resources they need."

 Chapter 31 Crab Therapy

    Barns keeps to himself for the rest of the day, but as sun begins to lower over the tropical kingdom of Dimartino, he finds his way to the throne room.


    As he pushes open the heavy doors, he sees Clancy is perched on his throne, surrounded by voluptuous women in promiscuous maid outfits. Clancy stares directly ahead as the women soap up his shell, giving him a sponge bath on the throne. A third woman is polishing his pincer claws.


    "He he he¡­oooh! Naughty crab!" one of the women laughs, spanking him playfully. He pats her on the behind with his claw, making a guttural noise from his foam-hatch.


    "Can we have the room, ladies?" Barns asks.


    "BARNACLES CAN HAVE CLEAN TOO."


    "I''m good, King." he says, forcing a smile. Truthfully, the death earlier was still on his mind. What good was saving people if he couldn''t protect them once they''ve arisen?


    The ladies linger for a moment before they collectively gather their things and scamper out of the room, leaving their foamy buckets behind.


    Clancy slides off the wet throne and scuttles over to Barns, looking him over in his unique way.


    "PROSTITUTES LATER. MANY PROSTITUTES. KINGDOM IN DEBT. CAN LEND YOU ONE." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, King," Barns starts. "I''ve been having a rough day. Sorry if I''m not in the mood for the jokes."


    "JOKE?"


    Clancy shifts around, facing different directions as he considers what to say.


    "IDEA. CANCEL WHORES, PLEASE BARNS. IDEA. SECRET DECOMPRESSION ISLAND."


    "Hm?" Barns asks, curious for elaboration.


    "SCUTTLE ISLAND HOME. WEST, BIG ISLAND. MANY MONSTERS. KILL KILL KILL. FUN."


    Barns realizes what Clancy is trying to say. How could he have forgotten? When he was younger, Clancy used to swim to an island nearby when he wanted to ''BLOW STEAM'' and eat some kobolds or other monsters.


    "Are you suggesting we go on a killing spree to make me feel better?" Barns smiles.


    "MAYBE A LITTLE BEHEADING TOO?"


    "No beheadings. I want to resurrect as many of them as possible."


    "ONE OR TWO."


    "Okay, you can behead one monster," Barns yields.


    Clancy scuttles near the throne and grabs a rope hanging from the ceiling. He tugs it a few times and a loud chime rings out.


    "RESCHEDULE WHORES!" he commands. Hopefully someone on staff can hear him.


    "Wait, we''re heading out tonight?" Barns makes a face. "It''s almost sunset, King!"


    "SPEND NIGHT ON SCUTTLE ISLAND. NOSTALGIA."


    The suggestion throws Barns for a loop. Clancy wasn''t normally a sentimental crab, but something about it feels right. Barns misses Scuttle Island, too. Compared to his responsibilities now, his golden days on the island feel like a lost paradise.


    "That sounds perfect."


    The pair head down to Dimartino''s town, arriving shortly after the sun sets. In the darkness, they hop into the water, and Clancy takes off like a motorboat, a steady stream of foam propelling them into the quiet sea.


    "Hey, Clancy, how are we going to get all those people back to Dimartino?"


    "BIG BOAT."


    "Of course," Barns laughs.


    ''Not like we have one of those. Dimartino only has canoes that are still in commission.


    They''d figure it out. They had monsters to kill - and humans to resurrect. As they jet further and further into the sea, a party of confused prostitutes arrive at the throne room to find it devoid of crab. There is one person inside, however. The former king.


    "Well, hello ladies," he chuckles. "What brings you here this evening?"


    Elsewhere in the castle, Maria is sitting with the former queen, enjoying some tea and bread. The two women are relatively quiet, exchanging small pleasantries but not much else.


    Maria swirls her teacup around, staring into the ceramic. Just a sip or two left of tea for her.


    "Have you still not spoken to Barns?" Maria wonders quietly.


    "I''ve not much to say to him. I gave birth to a child with no soul, born from a loveless marriage of convenience. Truth be told I was relieved when we first sent him away. When we received news his ship had been destroyed at sea, I grieved in my own way."


    Maria mulls over her stepmother''s indifference. "I understand why you feel that way. You and dad¡­"


    She sets her teacup down on a saucer, remembering the day they all traveled to this world. It had been seventeen long years for Maria - having never turned into a monster, she lived through it all. She was a young girl back then.


    Maria was running from an abusive home and vile parents. Her step-parents were strangers to her back then, an odd couple bickering in the street. It was only when Maria grew up several years later that she learned her parent''s secret - her mother and father had a one-night-stand and she ended up pregnant with Barns.


    Her stepfather tried to make it right by offering to raise the child with her - a small comfort that ultimately meant nothing. When they were hit by the truck that sent them to this world, they had nothing but each other. So they formed a family, no matter how unlikely or unwanted it was - it was better than nothing.


    They quickly took over the kingdom of Dimartino with their advanced technological knowledge, ousting the former royals and bringing order to a land of uninhibited pleasures. Their glory as the royal family would be short-lived, however, as the apocalypse would begin not long after.


    Maria''s eyes flicker. There was one other person with them, back then. His name was Lauren.


    Maria never found out what became of Lauren after the apocalypse, but one day early on, she met Osmond''s sister Francois. Francois Lauren Villeteux.


    The Princess wants to believe more than anything that the name is a coincidence and not a trophy. But she held her own doubts. If Lauren had become a monster, perhaps he could be revived.


    But just maybe, the real Lauren is still out there somewhere. He was a rock for her in the early years - Like an older brother or a cool uncle.


    Part of the reason she agreed to join Barns was due to a foolish hope that she might see Lauren again someday.


    Maria finishes her tea, rising from the table. "Well, thanks for the chat, mom," she murmurs quietly. "Hey. Please give Barns a chance, okay? He doesn''t have to be your son, but he saved your life. You owe him that much."


    On that note, she leaves her stepmother to ruminate in silence.

 Chapter 32 Decompression Slaughter

    "Aah! I missed this place!"


    Barns jumps onto the beach face-first. Sand gets in his hair, down his shirt, in his mouth - but he doesn''t care. He was used to a certain level of sandiness from his island days.


    "FADE TO NOTHINGNESS, BARNACLES. I HOPE WE BOTH WAKE UP."


    ''Ah, the classic good night,'' Barns is delighted to hear it, but he knows there''s no sense in responding. Clancy is down for the count. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns walks around the quiet island for a while. It had been weeks since they''d been here, and everything has changed since then. Still, some things never change.


    ''Maybe I''ll retire here, once the world is saved,'' he muses to himself.


    On that note, he realizes just how tired he''d become. He figures he might as well try and get some sleep as well.


    Sprawled on the beach, Barns has the best sleep of his life. Then, morning comes.


    He''s scared awake by long pincers prodding his stomach, tickling him. When he comes to, the first thing he notices is the smell of cooked fish. He looks over and sees Clancy has lit the old fire pit and roasted some mahi mahi.


    Just like the good old days.


    The two enjoy a fishy breakfast and get ready to move on.


    "DECOMPRESSION TIME!" Clancy shouts, running around in an excited circle sideways. Barns hops on top of his shell and points his hand out dramatically like a navigator.


    "Take us away, King!"


    The two launch into the ocean and begin to rocket away toward the nearby island - a place Barns has never been. He''s excited.


    ¡­


    Barns and Clancy weren''t the only two hunting that morning. A certain pair of vampire twins stroll through the town of Ordella, eyeing the citizens with mad delight.


    Ordella''s citizens live under the control of vampires completely, though unlike those in the Pale Court, they still retain some of their humanity. The twins like it better this way - soulless husks don''t feel fear and agony the same way a live human does.


    At least once a week, the twins come to town and ''invite'' three to four people to a private compound. There, they hunt them for sport. Whoever the last human standing is (sometimes) will be allowed to leave and return home. The others, however, are sent straight to the abattoir.


    Each human bears a brand on their neck, put in place by the vampires themselves. Two overlapping triangles, representing the hold each of the twins had over the human. They brand each person the first time they feast on their blood to seal their bleeding neck wounds.


    "Oh, Adon, I want a nice fat one today," the sister giggles to herself. She twirls a thick lock of her ebony hair in her hand and swirls it around her pale white ring. The girls last week hardly had any blood in them at alllll."


    "Oh, Adea. Always with your quirks. You''ll have to stop butchering the farmers if you want these people to plump up." The two twins share a look, their blood-red eyes a perfect match. They were an attractive pair - if one would ignore the stench of death that clung to their clothes, and the malevolent psychopathy present in their vibrant eyes.


    He licks his lips. The blood did nothing for him, but he did love the taste of fresh flesh. Bonus points if the person he''s eating is still alive.


    "The farmers are the most fun, Adon! They know how a butcher operates. Their fear is so uniquely exquisite. I could chop one to pieces right here!"


    "Now, now, Adea, we mustn''t get ahead of ourselves. The true joy is in the hunt, after all."


    He snatches someone off the street who dares to try and walk past them - a young man, no older than fifteen. "How about you, kid? Do you like playing games?"


    The captive makes no attempt to struggle, his arms falling uselessly to his sides. All he''d ever known was this haunted life. He knew it would come to this some day.


    Adon summons a chain that binds the boy in place magically, while the vampires barely lift a finger. He bows his head in defeat.


    Adea staggers toward the boy, pulling out her meat cleaver and dragging it along his face. She cuts a clean line across his cheek and blood begins to drip down. She licks his face, slurping the blood out of his open wound.


    "Mmmhmh!" she moans as she licks him. "Adon, I know we said we''d behave in town but this is too much. The way he won''t even fight or scream, but I know he''s absolutely dying inside."


    She puts her mouth up to her ear and whispers wickedly. "Isn''t that right?"


    A chill climbs up the boy''s back and he''s unable to resist shuddering. "Ahahahahahah! Oh, Adon! What a wonderful choice! Now find us a big one. The boy''s so small I''ll hardly get a hundred swings in before he''s a puddle."


    "Yes, Adea. Maybe we can have the whole town line up by weight and take our pick from the lot."


    The siblings snicker at each other, holding their foreheads to each other as they twitch and jerk uncontrollably, consumed by their hunger.


    They walk to the center of town, continuing to laugh and speak ungodly horrors to each other. Adea in particular has one plan she finds simply delightful.


    "Let''s feed someone to the gators on our way home."


    As the twins enact their cruelty, Barns and Clancy finally arrive at the so-called ''Decompression Island''. The stranded island in the ocean is covered in a thick jungle canopy, and though no monsters are present where they land, Barns can tell they are lurking deep inside. His Crab Intuition illuminates the entire jungle with a seething red glow.


    They land on the shore - it''s too quiet. But it wouldn''t be for long.


    Barns withdraws his sword and nudges his best friend with his elbow. "How about a little competition, my man? Let''s see who can take out the most monsters."


    "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED."

 Chapter 33 Of Bitches and Bros

    Two, three blades of water whiz through the warm jungle, slashing through the vegetation and embedding themselves in a kobold''s torso.


    "Thirty-one," Barns counts, rushing from the defeated monster. He already has his eyes on number thirty-two, a hulking orc that barrels toward him with a club. He readies his blade.


    Before he can slice through the orc, Clancy comes crashing out of the forest. He hoists the orc up with both claws and rips the monster''s arms off. The jungle is sprayed red as he drops the creature to the ground in a heap, and then the King Crab impales it for good measure.


    "FORTY!" Clancy exclaims, doing a crab dance.


    "Forty!?" Barns whines. "No way! Can you even count, Clancy?"


    Clancy scuttles in place, turning his body fully around. "BIG CAMP. GO TOGETHER."


    The two rush through the brush, each one eager to be victor of their contest. Just a bit away, they find the main camp of the monsters. It''s a raggedy settlement of tents and tarps, where the trees have been cleared out in a large circle to accommodate the horde.


    Barns slips around a large, leafy fern, careful not to brush against it too harshly for fear the sound would alert enemies. He finds his caution to be ill-placed as Clancy barges forward, belting out some nonsense about crab justice being served.


    Clancy shoots out a stream of foam like a firehose into the camp, obliterating several of the resting monsters as the rest begin to fan out in a frenzied panic. The screams of all sorts of beasts - goblins, kobolds, orcs and more - fill the air as they try to escape the unrelenting foam faucet.


    "You gotta learn how to share, King!" Barns shouts over the cacophony. He rushes in - the foam does him no harm, so even as he gets coated in it he''s fully uninhibited. He slashes through two monsters when a third rises from the ground behind him. He doesn''t notice her at first - the large, snakelike creature is a lamia, and they were known for their silent slithering.


    Clancy flashes to Barns'' aid, grabbing the lamia behind him and blasting a jet of foam into her face as he holds her steady. The screams are over in an instant as the purifying foam burns the evil out of the lamia, and a human woman falls to the ground in its place.


    Barns leaps forward. There are only a few monsters left. Looks like Clancy was going to win this round, but he''s still invigorated and eager to do his best. He slices three times across an orc, dropping it to the ground as another swings a large club at him.


    Barns focuses, activating his Harden Body ability. The club smashes against Barns so violently that it explodes, but the young hero is unharmed.


    He turns to the assailant and flashes the monster a devilish grin. Even the orc knows it''s time to run. It starts to stomp away, but a flurry of water blades like bullets blast into its back. The orc doesn''t make it ten feet from Barns before breathing its last.


    Clancy crabwalks over and spits up some foam on the defeated enemies. Barns looks around but doesn''t see any more.


    "Let''s do one more walkthrough," Barns suggests, pointing to the southern jungle. "The monsters down there need to be foamed up. I left a nice trail for you to follow."


    Barns picks through the rest of the island, and does find two final monsters hiding on the northern shore. He dispatches them swiftly - two anxiety-ridden goblins, and drags their bodies back to the monster settlement.


    By the time he throws the bodies into the foamy pile, Clancy has already returned.


    "FIFTY-NINE."


    Barns whistles, impressed. "Thirty-seven for me. You beat me, Clancy, fair and square. But next time, you''re going to have a big surprise waiting for you!"


    Barns turns back to the frothy pit. "Resurrection!" he shouts, as divine light covers the island. As the people begin to rise, he gathers a few together for brief instructions.


    "Hello, hello," he says. "I''m Barns, and this is Clancy. We''re saving the world, and you''re the newest members of the Crab Kingdom of Dimartino!"


    As Barns gives the run down, he peers off to the side and sees a system message has appeared.


    [Progress: 3993/1000000]


    ''Almost at four thousand,'' Barns thinks. ''Not bad.''


    He ponders it some more. That''s a lot of monsters they''ve killed.


    "BARNACLES. SURPRISE TIME."


    He looks over to the crab, unsure of what he means. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me, folks," Barns says, leaving the resurrected to their own devices for a moment.


    Clancy leads Barns through the jungle to the east side of the island, where Barns had not yet been. As they reach the coast, Barn''s eyes lighten up and he sees exactly what Clancy was trying to show him.


    In front of him is a large ship that has moored on the beach. It''s an old wooden model, but despite years of neglect appears to be in ship-shape.


    "Whoa," Barns blurts aloud, looking over the marvelous vessel. They could fit all of the humans they just rescued on this easily.


    "You''re a genius, Clancy!"


    Clancy clicks his claws together. "CRAB SUPREMACY."


    The two share a good laugh before heading back to the resurrected humans, eager to put a plan in motion to get their ship back on the sea and home to Dimartino.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, back at Dimartino Castle¡­


    "I still don''t understand why you called me a ''bitch'' last night," Maria scoffs.


    "I told you! Barns put me up to it. He said¡­you might like it if I was a little¡­"


    Maria was hanging from the ceiling of their new bedroom, blindfolded and upside down. She was also completely naked, but the leather straps around her covered her most intimate parts.


    "So what, you cooked up a plot to try and make me horny? Why were you two even talking about me! What else did he say!?"


    Osmond shakes his head. "Sorry, Maria," concern clear in his voice. "Barns and I are ''bros'' now. I can''t talk about bro stuff with you. You''re just going to have to¡­uh¡­deal with it!"


    Maria opens her mouth in a wide circle. "Wait," she says, as she swings from the ceiling, contemplative. "Say that again. Meaner."


    "Deal with it!" he shouts.


    "Louder."


    "IT''S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, BITCH!"


    "Oh, Osmond, take me!"


    With the spark of passion reinvigorated within Maria''s cold, dead heart, the two ravage each other with newfound vigor.

 Chapter 34 A Day in the Life

    Barns and Clancy spend the day getting their new ship out to sea with the help of the newly resurrected villagers - lots of sweaty, despondent, and half-naked volunteers expedite the process greatly. As they go about their great work, the Kingdom of Dimartino continues to churn along.


    Quinn, the town''s mayor, walks through the stone streets of Dimartino''s town, looking over the progress they''ve made. While some buildings are still in disrepair, the streets have been cleaned and from the outside the town is an idyllic, burgeoning center of life. The town stretches down to the first beach settlement Barns created, joined by a rural road of scattered homes.


    Many houses and buildings display the new flag of Dimartino, a golden tapestry with a red crab on what looks like a dinner plate.


    Quinn steps into what will soon become the town''s police station. There, he finds not Underhill but a cute secretary sitting in an ovular reception area.


    "Is Underhill around?" he asks the woman. "I''ve been hoping to pick his brain about transportation infrastructure."


    The woman gives a delighted smile. "Oooh! Underhill is like, actually dealing with a 69 on Castleton Ave. Do you like, want me to leave a message?"


    "A 69?" Quinn repeats, dumbfounded.


    "Mmm! Yep. A 69 is our police code for like, ''homicide''."


    Quinn huffs. He had no doubt Underhill himself assigned that number.


    "How are things going here? Have you had many recruits?"


    "Oooh yeah! We have like¡­twenty? They''re drilling 420s in the back."


    "Let me guess, 420 isn''t what I think it is."


    "Mmm! It''s police code for suspects on the run. They''re like, playing tag or something¡­"


    "Well, thank you for your time, ma''am," Quinn says, looking at her chest to see if she was wearing a nametag. All she notices is his eyes darting toward her chest and she uncomfortably covers herself.


    He waves goodbye and leaves the station. He''d leave the police to their 69 and 420 activities.


    Elsewhere, at Dimartino Castle, Yunie was also dealing with her daily tasks with the Adventurer Guild. Daily Quests continued to pour in each day, though thankfully they did not require the Adventurers to kill monsters. There were many fetch quests on the docket, and Yunie was eager to put her small legion to work.


    "I need 100 bananas!" Yunie shouted, holding up a document with the specifics of the quest. "Anyone for a banana run?"


    "Me, me!" raises a hand. Yunie looks over and sees Haima, one of the elite Adventurers, volunteering.


    Yunie gives her a thumbs-up and Haima skips away, eager to begin her collection.


    Almost all wealth and resources generated by the kingdom comes through the Adventurer Guild. Yunie supposed they had ''Zelia'' to thank for it, although she''d not been given an opportunity to speak with the mysterious Administrator one on one quite yet.


    They had a decent stockpile of A Rank weapons that were on loan to Adventurers of high prestige - those like Haima, or the Blade Dancer Godrick. A few other promising Adventurers have also joined their ranks since the battle at Dimartino Castle - though many of them, Yunie hears, have gravitated toward Underhill''s Royal police force.


    Yunie lets her assistant take over distributing the remaining daily quests as she wanders to their store room. They keep all the equipment, but the deal with Underhill is that his agency collects 80% of the currency that the Adventurer Guild generates. The guild keeps 10% and the Adventurer who completes the quest receives the other 10%.


    It seems unfair on paper, but the 80% captured by Underhill goes toward funding the police, rebuilding the town, and investing in new technology. It was essential for the prosperity of the kingdom.


    Yunie wishes she had some cool equipment to share with Barns, but nothing as promising as the ''Crashing Wave'' sword has come through, and Barns wasn''t a fan of heavy armor.


    She continues thinking about Barns. He''s come such a long way since the day she met him. He was nervous, awkward, but still playful. He''s grown much more confident - though he''s still as irreverent as always.


    "Hey, I''m going to take a quick break. You okay here?" Yunie asks her assistant.


    "Yes ma''am!"


    Yunie smiles and walks out the back entrance. Now that the Adventurer Guild had taken over the northern part of the Castle, she had plenty of places to walk around. She did miss being by the water, however.


    As Yunie stands there, looking over the gardens, she finds herself lost in her thoughts and she zones out. She''s snapped back to reality when a familiar voice startles her back to reality.


    "All done ''Adventuring'' for the day, sweetheart?"


    Yunie turns her head slightly. The man needed no introduction.


    "Underhill," she says quietly. "What brings you here?"


    "Funeral arrangements. Who''d have thought that would be part of a police captain''s job, eh?"


    "Any leads?" Yunie asks. In truth, the developments had shaken her to her core. Knowing a murderer was walking around the new kingdom had a chilling effect on everyone.


    "Can''t say I do," Underhill says, sounding somewhat dismissive. He withdraws a butterfly knife from his pocket and starts flipping it around, playing with it in his hand. His whistles as he does, the knife whipping dangerously around. Small cuts on his fingers show that he still needs a lot of practice.


    Yunie eyes Underhill''s scarred hands. "So what''s your deal, anyway?" she asks, not bothering to hide the hint of suspicion in her words.


    "Oh? Does the Adventurer girl have a little crush now?" Underhill chuckles. He seems not to notice her hesitant disdain.


    Underhill looks to the sky - deep, endless blue reflecting off his pale gray eyes. "Let''s just say I''m not from around here, I used to be something of a traveling salesman."


    "Snake oil?"


    "All sorts of stuff!" Underhill snickers. "Basically, if someone needed somethin'', I was the guy."


    "What about after the apocalypse began?"


    "Well, what with everyone dying, business really took a slump. But let me tell ya - I never became one of those monsters. I found my own way."


    Yunie shifts her body toward him in disbelief. "Truly?" she asks. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Underhill nods. "It took a bit of scrippin'' and scrapin'' to get by, no big deal. After awhile the monsters all stayed in their camps, so I had a pretty full run of the wilderness. That is, until hero boy started bustin'' it all up."


    Yunie thinks pensively. "Sounds like you''re not a fan."


    "Oh - no, I love it here! Clancy''s somethin'' else, I love that crab. And this new Kingdom of Dimartino business, seems like the kind of place I can make all my dreams come true, if you know what I mean."


    "Not really," Yunie says, suspicion still evident in her voice.


    Underhill flicks the butterfly knife closed. "Well, can''t be lettin'' all my secrets out. A guy''s gotta stay mysterious for the ladies. I''ll see you around, Adventure Gal."


    "Do you even know my name?" Yunie asks of genuine curiosity.


    "I know everyone''s name," Underhill says, turning toward her to show her his ear-to-ear smirk. "Kinda what I do. Later!"

 Chapter 35 Haimas Bananas

    As Haima trots out of the Adventurer Guild, she is surprised to see her good friend Godrick standing just outside the door.


    "Ah!" Haima says, blushing slightly. "Godrick, I didn''t know you were back!"


    She twirls her body away from him, so as to not be quite so close.


    He gives her a pat on the back and she squeals. "I am, love. Just got back from scoutin''. I tell ya, that bayou''s every bit as spooky as they make it out to be. Even the damn animals are vampires, Haima! Oh, but I did find some other humans that were still right in their heads. Get this - they''re ruled by a serial killer."


    "Oh my," Haima says, shifting her weight onto one leg and swaying. "How horrible. Before I died, I heard about these ''twin vampires'', too. Even with everything going on, the constant death and bloodshed¡­they still found a way to become legendary. Er, legendary in a bad way, anyway. Notorious?"


    Godrick punches Haima in the shoulder lightly and playfully. "You''re a right wicked little one, aren''t ya?" he winks. "I''ve got to get my intel reported, I''ll catch ya later."


    Haima covers her mouth to hide her smile and strolls away, down from the castle heading north. She had to get 100 bananas. Not too bad of a task - the thick jungle around them was plentiful with fruit. Before the apocalypse happened, this place was paradise.


    On her way out of the castle into the jungle, she borrows one of the supply carts by the gate.


    ¡­


    "La, la, la," Haima sings to herself as she rustles around a large banana tree, trying to grab the greenest ones she could find. A special treat for herself - she liked them a little green.


    Suddenly, she hears rustling in the trees. Her head immediately jerks toward the noise, her hand reaching for her dagger.


    "Come out! Whoever you are!" Haima commands, her adrenaline rushing. Her eyes dart every which way, looking for even the slightest clue.


    "My, my, what an observant little human you are," comes a deep, crass voice. A figure steps out of the shadows - a tall and impossibly slender vampire with black hair and protruding teeth. This one is no Master Vampire - he lacks their grace and unnervingly human beauty.


    He stretches out his fingers, long nails elongating out, growing into blades. A floppy tongue falls out of his mouth, slurping.


    "I haven''t had one as fresh as you in a long time. I bet you taste d-d-d-delicious," he croaks with a stutter.


    Haima looks down at the ground. She can''t help but smile. ''This poor vampire,'' she thinks to herself. ''He probably thinks he stumbled on some innocent, powerless girl foraging for food.''


    Her mind flickers. She was that person, once. Long ago. But children of the Gore family didn''t stay innocent for long. She was only six years old when training in the Secret Arts began. By nine, she could control a regular human like a puppet. By fourteen, she was creating weapons out of the blood of her enemies and wielding them like a telepathic sorceress.


    Haima closes her eyes. The memories of back then hang heavy - a dark cloud she dares not breach often. That was all a long time ago. Before long, Haima was a prodigy of their arts. She learned techniques that had never been conceived before. Were she not simply overwhelmed one day by an endless horde, she would have continued fighting all this time.


    "Why are you here?" Haima asks the vampire. She senses his presence drawing nearer, slowly. She can hear the blood flowing through his veins. A pounding sensation in her head syncs with his heartbeat.


    "My masters are curious," the vampire gurgles. "They''d like to set up a new game here, haah¡­"


    Her eye twitches. "It''s a shame you won''t be able to return a message for me," she says. "I have something your vampire friends would love to hear."


    She raises her hand and snatches at the air. As she does, the vampire grabs at his throat. He''s choking - all the blood in his neck is constricting and tightening.


    As he gasps for air, he falls to his knees. He holds one hand out toward her, as if to beg for mercy. She looms over him, smacking his hand out of her way.


    "Tell me, vampire. Has one so low as you ever heard of the ''Gore'' family?"


    His eyes widen with shock as he realizes the implication. She''s controlling his blood. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Gore family was infamous in the days of the early apocalypse. Natural-born vampire killers - able to wield blood as magic. A sapped vampire would crumble - they depended desperately on the blood within them for everything.


    She grabs his head with both hands, pressing her fingers into his temples. "Let me show you a little family secret," she says, massaging his temples with her thumbs and tilting her head toward the sky.


    POP!


    Haima infuses some of her power into the vampire, forcing the blood in his head to shoot out. The back of his skull explodes open, launching brainy bits all over the jungle. The vampire scout falls limp to the ground.


    Haima stands there, still holding what remains of the vampire''s head in her hands. Once she notices, she tosses it to the side and turns back to the tree.


    "Now, how many more bananas did I need?"


    She returns to picking, but something sits heavy in her chest. What kind of ''game'' were the vampires planning?


    Elsewhere, on an island in the sea, Barns and Clancy were finally ready to embark on their sea voyage. They discovered the sail in disrepair, but it was no issue - Clancy would be able to ride in the back of the boat like a motor and propel it through the water to Dimartino.


    "You sure you got this, King? You''re not going to burn out on me, are you?"


    "ENDLESS STAMINA."


    They get all of the new recruits onboard, looking starry-eyed toward home. It would be another late night when they returned. Barns is starting to get used to it.


    "Let''s ride, Clancy!" Barns shouts over the side of the boat. Like clockwork, the crab begins to thrust the boat forward. It''s not as fast as riding around on Clancy, but for transporting this many people, it''ll have to do.


    Barns raises his sword and points it toward the horizon. "Civilization awaits, my friends!" his words bolster the spirits of his fellow humans, and onward the boat goes, bringing new life to the kingdom.

 Chapter 36 The Return of the King Crab

    There''s clamor and confusion as the boat pulls itself into Dimartino''s harbor, but once the mighty King Crab emerges from the ocean, the people begin to cheer.


    Clancy crosses his claw over his torso like a salute. The townspeople hesitantly follow suit, each one joining in the pincer salute.


    Yunie joins the small crowd, spotting Barns helping the newly resurrected off the boat. He guides the first group down to the dock and beckons over Yunie.


    "Just the girl I wanted to see!" he beams. "Can you help these people get acclimated and find a place to build their homes? They''ve all had a long day."


    "Of course, Barnacles. Where exactly are these people from?"


    He scratches the back of his head, a silly smile creeping onto his face. "Decompression Island. Clancy and I revived them!"


    Barns breaks away from the commotion and reunites with Clancy as Yunie takes over the orientation. None of the other leaders are around, though it is getting late in the night.


    "Ready to head home, King?" Barns yawns. The crab clicks his claws excitedly. "Mind if I steal a ride? I am EXHAUSTED!"


    Barns climbs on top of Clancy''s head and lays down, staring up at the starry sky. Clancy begins their scuttle home.


    When Barns next wakes up, it''s already morning and he''s in his bed - he doesn''t even remember arriving to the castle. He must have been more exhausted than he thought.


    He makes his way to the throne room, and as he arrives, he sees many familiar faces already in attendance.


    Behind the throne is a large ''war room'' of sorts - a table with a detailed map of the Kingdom of Dimartino dominates the space. Clancy, Yunie, and Haima stand around it, pointing and discussing something privately.


    "Heyo," Barns calls out as he enters the throne room. "What''s goin'' on?"


    "Ah, Barnacles," Yunie smiles. "Come, come. We were just discussing something important. Godrick will be coming by soon as well."


    Haima blushes slightly at the mention of Godrick''s name, but continues her story.


    "As I said, the vampire was just a scout - though it''s good that I am the one who encountered it. A less seasoned Adventurer would likely have perished."


    "We don''t think that the vampire is the one who killed that person two days ago, do we?" Yunie questions. Haima adamantly shakes her head.


    "There''s no way. He didn''t have any human blood in his veins."


    Barns walks over right as the comment is made. He looks at Haima and raises an eyebrow.


    "Er¡­" Haima tilts her face away. "Well, I had to check¡­"


    "You fought a vampire? When? Where?" Barns'' voice is full of alarm.


    "Near the Dimartino gate. It was short-sighted of us - we should have security posted there. Yunie?"


    Yunie agrees quickly. "I''ll have no less than four Adventurers posted there every day. I can figure out funding with Underhill - don''t worry. This won''t happen again."


    "It''s a shame we weren''t there to resurrect it. I guess there''s no helping it," Barns sighs. Haima''s eyes flicker as he talks. She did not exactly leave the vampire in a ''resurrectable'' state.


    "Well, that was all I had to report," Haima smiles. "Yunie, staffing might be difficult today. Why don''t I keep watch at the gate for now? I feel confident I can hold the line."


    The two agree, and Haima bows, giving a claw salute to Clancy before flitting away. Clancy returns the salute in kind.


    "PROSPERITY." the crab says somewhat poetically.


    Barns watches Haima as she leaves, staring at her backside. Knowing she took out a vampire by herself made Barns appreciate her even more.


    ''Focus, Barns.''


    He looks back to his companions, Yunie and Clancy. Yunie is sticking out her bottom lip, shaking her head. She noticed Barns'' lingering look at Haima.


    "While we wait for Godrick," Yunie says, changing the subject. "There is something I wanted to speak with you both about, away from the others."


    "SPEAK, ADVENTURE WOMAN."


    Yunie leans over the table. Clancy''s eyes zoom in on her chest. "You see," she says, her voice sweet, "One of the people you resurrected yesterday was my little brother. I never thought I''d see him again. I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Come what may, you are both already heroes in the truest sense of the word."


    "GRATEFUL WOMAN. INHIBITIONS LOWER?"


    Yunie laughs. "Still shooting your shot, my King? I told you I prefer women, didn''t I?"


    "MULTIPLE WOMAN FINE WITH ME."


    Yunie covers her face in embarrassment, while Barns taps his foot agitatedly. After this meeting, Barns was finally going to make a play. Seems like bro code with Clancy was still an effective blocker against Yunie.


    The awkwardness is broken when the door to the throne room opens again. Maria strolls in, followed by Godrick. They''re locked in quiet chatter until they reach the others. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey mate. Suppose you and the King Crab are the only ones who haven''t heard yet. Let me fill ya in."


    Godrick informs them about his brief recon mission to Ordella, and the state of affairs there. He spares no expense detailing the dire situation - but Barns is particularly interested when he learns that the humans living in Ordella have retained their souls.


    "When the time comes to fight those twin vampires, we could leverage this to our advantage," Maria proclaims. "If the humans join us in a revolt when we launch our attack, our odds of success are greatly increased."


    Godrick nods. "My thoughts exactly, Princess."


    "Maria," Barns says, turning toward his ally. "When I visited the Pale Court with Osmond, the master vampire there gave me a map."


    She nods, not turning to face Barns but instead looking at the table they are gathered around. "I heard."


    "The only problem is¡­I don''t know how to look at it. It''s in the System somewhere."


    That was enough to pull Maria in. Her eyes light up and she swivels toward Barn, childlike wonder blossoming within her. "Let''s take a look, shall we?"


    Maria snaps her fingers. "Give me your hand." Barns reluctantly stretches his hand out. She grabs it in hers, wrapping her hand around his, and makes a swirling motion.


    Immediately, a screen appears in front of Barns. Maria scoots close to see. She clicks around in the menu, navigating through strange symbols Barns was unfamiliar with. The System''s inner-workings appeared to be in an ancient language.


    A few more clicks and then a large three-dimensional map appears over the table, showing the Ordella region. All in attendance look to the map, fascinated.


    Maria leans in and taps on a flashing red dot - one of the locations that Francois marked. When she does, an info page (one in readable text) appears before them. Maria reads it out loud.


    "The Three Towers," she says, reading the label. "Each tower is guarded by a vampire of renowned skill. Within each tower is an item you will need to kill the Master Vampires."


    She clicks again, opening up a new screen. Her mouth hangs open in surprise. "She''s left you with detailed notes about the vampires'' strengths and weaknesses," Maria confirms. "Perhaps she really does want you to kill them."


    "RELAY INFORMATION!" Clancy demands, raising his claws in the air. He can''t read.


    "Eldrie guards the western tower. He is a hunter of renown, skilled with bow and blade, but bereft of magic. Incantra guards the northern tower. She possesses powerful attacks and uses blood as a weapon, but has little physical strength. The third vampire, Wilfort, guards the eastern tower. He is a magical swordsman, capable of all types of attacks. His only weakness is his speed - Wilfort is over a hundred years old and prefers drawn out, methodical battles. Blitzing him will be your best option."


    "I WILL BLITZ OLD MAN VAMPIRE."


    "Do you think we can trust the intel?" Barns questions, looking around the table to each person and crab in turn.


    Maria ponders the question, but ultimately trusts her gut. "Yes," she says. "Whatever Francois is planning with us, she means to enact it after we''ve taken care of these three. Of that, I''m nearly certain."


    "Alright. I trust your judgment, Maria. I''ve decided. Our next course of action is to attack the Three Towers."

 Chapter 37 The Three Towers

    Barns paces by the gate, looking at his gathered allies. "We''re going to go at this mission a little differently."


    His associates listen intently at what he has to say.


    "First thing''s first - the vampire known as Eldrie. He''s all about physical attacks, and he can attack from range. With my Harden Body skill, and with Maria''s¡­ indestructibility? We''re the most logical two to take him on. He''ll have less opportunity to hurt either of us."


    "I agree," Maria reasons. "Though a vampire''s teeth can break through either of our defenses, Barns. We must still be cautious."


    Barns nods. "That goes for all of us. Even you, Clancy."


    The crab wiggles back and forth. "KING BLITZ!"


    "Right. Clancy and Godrick, you''ll be going against Wilfort. Both of you are our fastest attackers, and Clancy can resist some powerful magic. He''ll draw Wilfort''s attention and Godrick will go in for the kill."


    Barns turns toward the remaining fighters. "That leaves Haima and Osmond to take out the spellcaster. Haima and the vampire can both control blood. With any luck, they can cancel each other''s techniques out, leaving Osmond to blast away."


    Barns raises his sword up valiantly. "The rest of the Adventurers will guard Dimartino in our absence," he says, sounding courageous and heroic - so much so that he surprises even himself.


    "We''re fighting today alongside allies we may not have much experience with, but we''ve all proven ourselves. We will strike all three towers at once and secure a decisive victory!"


    "That''s right!" Godrick calls, invigorated by the speech. He gives Barns a crab salute. Clancy and Haima follow suit.


    "The salute is really catching on, huh?" Barns chuckles, saluting back. Maria and Osmond exchange a look, and the Princess rolls her eyes.


    The party sets out toward the no-man''s land between Ordella and the Pale Court. In this desolate span of forest is where the three towers have been erected - a checkpoint of sorts, dividing the land between Francois'' region and the twins'' land.


    Barns leads the group, marching forward. They walk in relative quiet, the gravity of their upcoming battle isn''t lost on a single one of them. The threat of death was always a reality, but as long as the group was victorious, there was a chance Barns could undo any casualties.


    As they trot deeper into the dark woods, the endless fog of the Pale Court is visible on their right. Osmond jogs up to catch a word with Barns.


    "Hey, Barnie boy," Osmond says with a smile. "Haven''t had a chance to thank you for the other day. Maria is sex-crazy lately!"


    Barns laughs uncomfortably. "Glad to hear¡­I think?"


    "Oh yeah," Osmond grins. "VERY glad. She even gave me a big old-"


    "And what are you two talking about?" Maria calls from the back of the group.


    "Just appreciating the legendary hero, my sweet dove!"


    Osmond falls back to do damage control with his woman.


    Toward the middle of the group, Clancy and Godrick attempt to talk strategy.


    "So, King Crab¡­" Godrick isn''t sure what to say - talking to sentient crabs was a step out of his wheelhouse. "Any strategies you want to talk through, or¡­?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "CRAB BLITZ. FOAM AND STAB. NO BEHEADING."


    "Right, right. So, dunno if you heard, mate, but I''m a master at this art called ''Blade Dancing'' you see. I can fight with all four swords at once, I can! Maybe you remember me, back when we first stormed the ol'' Dimartino Castle, eh? I sure saw you with that massive cannon on your back, looking like a whole walking fortress, you were!"


    Clancy clicks his claws as they continue walking forward. "BLOOD WOMAN HOT. SHARE?"


    Godrick peeks over to Haima, who''s walking by herself, not far ahead of them. She seems lost in her own world.


    "You talkin'' about the little lady over there, mate? Ay, she''s a looker. Was thinkin'' of putting some moves on her myself, I was."


    "CLANCY KING. NO HUMAN WOMAN YET. SAD CLANCY. TOO BUSY FOR BOUNTIFUL WHORES."


    Godrick blinks in apparent disbelief. "Well, mate. Duty first, aye? Them whores do be bountiful, though. I hear Dimartino back in the day was a right ringer, if you know what I mean."


    As Godrick consoles the horny crab, Haima picks up her pace to match Barns'', pulling him into a conversation.


    "I wanted to thank you, Mr. Barns," she says sweetly. "When I heard you asked for me by name for this mission, I was elated. It''s an honor to be considered worthy to travel with the legendary hero."


    "Just ''Barns'' is fine," he replies with a smile. "I might be the one who can perform resurrections, but it''s all of us, together, that will bring an end to the apocalypse. You''re just as important to that as I am."


    Haima blushes. For such a fearsome fighter, she certainly has her self-conscious side. "I wasn''t even sure if you''d remembered me, to be honest," she says quietly.


    "Quite the opposite," Barns chuckles, giving her a flirtatious look. "Feels like I''ve been noticing you more and more, lately."


    She fights the urge to smile and looks away, trying to focus on anything but the hero. "I''m flattered, Mr. Barns."


    He stretches casually, making his move. "Assuming we don''t get sucked like juice boxes when we fight the vampires¡­would you be interested in getting dinner sometime? Like a¡­date?"


    Haima gasps audibly. "Oh, my," she says. She can''t help but look behind her, glancing at Godrick. Barns wasn''t necessarily her first choice, but in the weeks since she met Godrick, the dashing blade dancer hadn''t made his move yet.


    "You know, Mr. Barns¡­sure," she says with a giggle. "If we survive, I would love to go out sometime."


    He wraps his arm around her for a second, pulling her closer and laughing. "Okay," he says, shaking her. "But you gotta call me Barns on our date."


    The team walks a bit further, but before long they find themselves standing just outside the three towers. They loom menacingly before them, each one twenty stories high. The vampires were likely waiting at the top.


    The team splits - Barns with Maria, Clancy with Godrick, and Haima with Osmond. It was time to battle.

 Chapter 38 Flesh Out Her Backstory

    The door of the top floor of the north tower bursts open, flying off the hinges. Osmond lowers his leg and strides through the entry, his chest puffed out and his staff glowing with crackling purple energy.


    The vampiress is curled up in a chair on the other side of the room - her dress a bold crimson, just like her eyes. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, the humans really have tamed a demon."


    She blinks slowly, fluttering her eyelids. Her gaze drifts from Osmond to his companion, Haima.


    "Tamed by a small woman, no less."


    The vampiress rises from her chair, gliding over the floor. "A woman who smells like blood. Who are you, who would tame a demon?"


    Haima''s eyes dart over to Osmond, hoping he''d respond. He looks at Haima to do the same.


    "Osmond joined our cause of his own free will!" Haima shouts. "I think."


    He nods. "I would follow Maria to the end of the earth."


    The vampiress sighs. "That''s nice." She flicks her hand dismissively toward them. "I''ve been looking forward to fighting you since I heard you were arriving. Excuse me if I''m not too interested in the pre-fight banter. Now, die."


    The vampire Incantra raises her right arm high, and the ceiling of the tower begins to drip blood. It flows deep and thick, quickly descending into a rain of red. Osmond finds it unnerving - Haima finds it refreshing.


    Incantra lunges forward, swinging her hand and clenching her fist. The blood rises from the floor into a blade, hurtling toward Osmond. He sidesteps the blade but it reforms and speeds toward him again.


    "Secret Art: Blood Domination!" Haima shouts. The bloody blade locks in place, and the blood along the ceiling freezes.


    Incantra looks at what''s happening in confusion - just the opening they need. Osmond''s skin begins to crackle with purple energy and he swings his staff. He launches a ball of magical plasma at the vampiress and it connects. She''s knocked onto the floor as the energy overtakes her.


    Incantra lays prone, ravaged by the magic. But as Osmond moves toward her to finish the job, she melts into the floor.


    She reappears behind Haima in a flash, brandishing a knife of blood. She swings at Haima, but misses as Haima ducks at the last moment. She sweep kicks the vampiress, knocking her back.


    Incantra hisses, raising more blood from the ground in the shape of a spear. Haima clasps her hands together and makes the magic inert.


    Incantra takes a moment to gather herself and survey the battlefield. "A crafty technique," she snarls. "What are you doing to my blood, woman?"


    Haima stands tall. She would have used her technique to control Incantra''s movements, but the vampiress is too strong.


    "My name is Haima Gore," she says, eyeing Incantra down. The vampiress'' eyes flare up.


    "A GORE, ah? So that''s why your magic is so familiar."


    Haima''s eye twitches. "What do you mean, fiend?"


    The vampiress laughs, grabbing a fistful of her filthy blonde hair. "They made me to kill your kind, ha ha! Your people couldn''t use their magic around me! Now that I know, I can have some fun!"


    The vampiress'' fingers crack, and the blood begins to churn violently. Suddenly, it begins to warp and turn into thick tendrils. They rise from the ground and wrap around both Osmond and Haima like vines, binding them both in place.


    "Haima! I''m stuck!" Osmond shrieks. He''s completely immobilized, and so is she.


    Haima eyes her down. "You change the property of blood, is that it?"


    The vampiress shakes her hair out of her face. "Your technique doesn''t work on this hardened blood, does it?"


    Haima is slightly amused, but she hides her confidence. "One could hardly call these tendrils blood, for sure."


    "I''ve killed so many of your kind. Doesn''t it infuriate you, woman?"


    "I said my name is Haima," she says. "And I feel no fury. Truth be told, I left my clan long ago."


    "Ah, a reject. That explains why you haven''t used any blood magic yourself. Just interfered with mine. Hm, hm."


    Haima''s finger twitches. "Is that what you think, vampire?"


    Her mind flits to the past for the second time in two days - a rarity for her. She recalls learning the Secret Arts. Manipulating blood. She was a prodigy. But blood was just the beginning.


    In the Gore family, Haima was unique, even among her people. At the age of fifteen, she''d already mastered all of the Secret Arts. That was when she decided to develop her own.


    Her power developed. She began to understand the intricacies of the body. Not just blood - the body itself. The flesh.


    She learned not just to control a human by manipulating their blood. Their meat bent to her will. And eventually, even bone. There was no biological matter that she couldn''t manipulate.


    Her power had grown too much - by eighteen, she was outcast from her clan for practicing forbidden arts. But it never stopped Haima. She embodied ''Gore'', even if her family couldn''t see her brilliance. Even if all other humans feared her for what she was. She would never apologize for greatness.


    Haima blinks. She resolves herself. There''s only one thing she needs to say. "Osmond, never speak of this."


    Her eyes lock with Incantra''s, and its already too late for the vampire. Suddenly, Incantra''s flesh begins to twist and contort as Haima manipulates not her blood, but her flesh. She convulses, stammering and screaming in pain. Her body morphs into an alien shape as she stumbles back and shrieks in agony. The meat underneath her skin bubbles and churns.


    The vines of blood that bind Haima and Osmond fall away. Incantra whines in incomprehensible pain as the meat in her body turns against her, and her bones turn into slush. Incantra''s fangs protrude through her skull, cracking and splintering.


    "I could thank you, for helping rid the world of my family. The Gores were short-sighted. They couldn''t recognize the apex of their ability when it was right in front of them."


    Incantra is unrecognizable - an abomination of flesh. She can do nothing but gasp in agony.


    "No vampire will ever best me. You are blood, flesh and bone. You are nothing but a plaything to me."


    Haima stretches her arms out wide, and Incantra is eviscerated. A million pieces of the vampiress are expelled violently from her body, her whole existence reduced to sludge. Even as a puddle, Incantra continues to writhe in ungodly pain.


    "My god," Osmond says. Even the demon is distraught over what he''s witnessing.


    She rises what''s left of Incantra in a floating ball of bloody mush, clenching her fist as she does. Immediately, the gore is compacted, reduced to a cube small enough to fit in Haima''s hand.


    ''They called me a monster,'' Haima thinks to herself, staring at the compact cube of gore floating above her hand. "Maybe they were right." Her fingers trembled, the weight of her power heavy in her chest. But then she sees Osmond, who seems pleased and proud of her performance. She snatches the cube out of the air and pockets it.


    Haima turns to Osmond, somber calm taking over her demeanor. A shiver rushes through her body, and she quivers. She wipes her nose, which now leaks blood.


    "I''m not proud of my power," she says quietly, her words directed to Osmond. "But it is sacred. This power exists for a purpose, and Barns resurrected me for a reason. That is what I have to believe."


    Her words are to convince Osmond as much as herself. In truth, she despised her power. The power that cost her a place within her family. The power that made her a pariah. But perhaps, in this post-apocalyptic world, that power would become her reason to exist.


    Haima licks her lips. "The others may need help," she says flatly. "Let''s finish up here and find the others."

 Chapter 39 Old Wilfort

    The vampire Wilfort was over a hundred years old, they heard. He was slow, they were told. All they had to do was blitz him.


    But as Godrick and Clancy engage the vampire, they discover that''s far from the truth. Wilfort has vigor in him like a man only a quarter his age.


    The esteemed vampire fights with a long thin sword, flashing through the air with brilliant and deadly grace. He flys through the room, exchanging blow after blow with Godrick. The grizzled blond Adventurer is using all four blades against Wilfort and can barely keep himself defended from the vampire''s dizzying onslaught of strikes.


    Wilfort leaps back and prepares a magical spell. Instantly, sharp pillars of ice begin to burst from the ground. Godrick weaves around them effortlessly, but the pressure is on. One small mistake could spell disaster.


    Clancy scuttles past an icy spike, spitting a ball of projectile foam at the vampire. Wilfort is ready for the attack, using his advantageous ice magic to freeze the ball of foam in midair. It lands hard on the ground and shatters, completely ineffective.


    "FOAM BAD!" Clancy clicks, paranoid. The mighty crab is keeping his distance - he''d just get in Godrick''s way as of right now. Clancy could barely fit through the entryway as is.


    Wilfort and Godrick exchange a number of blows, and at the last second, a burst of magic causes Godrick to veer unexpectedly to the left. As he does, Wilfort spots a brief opening, and thrusts with all the might he can muster.


    Godrick parries the attack at the last second, but his sword is knocked out of his hand. It goes flying to the other side of the room. Now Godrick is down to three weapons. He catches one sword out of the air as it falls, holding two in one hand.


    "Got some pep in your step, old man," Godrick taunts. "Thought you''d go down easier."


    Wilfort raises his sword up, holding it straight up like he is saluting. He stares down Godrick with his one good eye - the other long gone and covered in a black patch.


    "Your mistake for assuming vampires succumb to the same pities of old age as a human. I was an old man when they turned me, but on that day I became stronger than I''d ever been when I was alive."


    Godrick lowers his posture, adapting an aggressive stance. He''d tried his default moves on Wilfort, what his clan refers to as the ''Asura Dance''. But for an opponent like this who can match his speed, the Asura Dance wasn''t effective. So he would trade speed for power. It''s time for the Tiger Dance.


    Godrick sheathes one of his swords, wielding just one in each hand. His low stance is feral and calculating. He''s ready to strike in a moment''s notice.


    "Oy, Clancy," Godrick hollers. "You get your secret technique ready, yeah? Count to thirty and do it! That''s all the time I''ll need."


    Clancy clicks expectantly. "SECRET TECH!" The big crab starts counting down from thirty out loud.


    Wilfort analyzes the situation carefully. ''A secret technique in thirty seconds? Is this some kind of trick?'' the vampire thinks to himself. Before he can process the situation fully, Godrick vaults through the air, his swords bearing down like fangs.


    Wilfort wisely sidesteps the attack and attempts to sweep his blade at Godrick''s side. The powerful blade-dancer pivots on one foot, sliding around and finding himself at Wilfort''s flank. He unleashes a barrage of fast and furious blows. Each strike is significantly stronger than before, and the vampire''s strength is pushed to its limit just to block and parry the fearsome blows. Wilfort quickly loses ground and finds himself against the stone walls of the tower. He presses his hand to the wall and large icicles begin to dart out from the stone.


    Godrick pays them no mind. Just fifteen seconds remaining. He dances through the barreling ice blades and presses both his swords into Wilfort in unison. It''s close, but the vampire narrowly escapes by leaping over the blades and landing back safely in the center of the room.


    Clancy is still counting down. ''What''s going to happen when he finishes?'' Wilfort wonders. His attention is split between the crab and the man. In ten seconds, there would be an attack from the crab. Something powerful, by the sounds of it. He needed to deal with Godrick immediately.


    Godrick rushes the vampire, both of his blades moving in tandem like thrashing claws. Five seconds.


    Wilfort blocks, stepping back but careful not to lose too much ground. Godrick slinks behind him, pinning the vampire between he and Clancy. In this position, Wilfort can''t keep an eye on them both.


    Three seconds. Wilfort unleashes a blast of ice at Godrick and creates a wall, isolating him off. That should buy some time.


    One second. Wilfort''s head whips to Clancy. He''s ready for whatever the crab might throw at him.


    "COUNTDOWN COMPLETE!" Clancy bellows, raising his claws into the air. Wilfort watches with great intensity. Whatever this crab was about to do, he would catch it.


    But Clancy doesn''t do a thing other than pose valiantly. Wilfort''s eyes narrow. What was the meaning of this? What is the technique?


    Suddenly, Wilfort stumbles forward. Two blades pass through him from behind and bury themselves in his torso. He coughs, blood splattering out of his mouth. He turns his head. ''How?'' Wilfort asks himself. Godrick is still so far away, behind a wall of ice.


    And then Wilfort realizes the error of his ways. He''d been distracted by the crab, and hadn''t considered Godrick would throw his swords in a last-ditch effort to land an attack. And it worked.


    Wilfort falls to his knees, blood seeping out of him.


    "Was there a secret technique at all?" he laughs, looking at the crab that rapidly approaches. He couldn''t believe it - a vampire of his caliber being done in by the petty trick of a talking crab.


    "CRAB DISTRACTION! SECRET TECH!"


    Clancy scuttles up to Wilfort and blasts his face with foam. The elder vampire screams in agony as the foam burns through him and cleanses the vampiric energy. In moments, all that is left is a feeble old man, one so weak and withered he looks like he could turn to dust in a moment.


    "Don''t think we''ll be resurrecting this fellow," Godrick says, collecting himself. It was an intense battle, he was happy to be alive.


    Clancy agrees. The human doesn''t look strong enough to survive. The vampire power within him was likely the only thing that kept him going.


    "Right then, now there''s some treasure around here, I suppose," Godrick says, ripping his blades free from the withered corpse. "What say you, mate? Any idea what we''re looking for?"


    Clancy skitters over the body, moving with purpose toward the back of the room. He smacks a table aside in the back of the room and points with his claw at a small trapdoor.


    "CAN''T FIT. TREASURE THERE!"


    Godrick finishes collecting his blades and steps over to the trapdoor. "Good eye, mate. Guess I''ll give her a look."


    S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 40 Vamping Up the Stakes

    Barns and Maria are still climbing the stairs up the tower when the battle begins. A silent arrow flies through the air with incredible speed, and before either can react, the arrow finds its mark on Maria''s chest.


    She''s blown backward and launched down the stairs. She goes tumbling from the force of the arrow, but it doesn''t penetrate her skin. She''s too tough for that.


    Barns looks up and in the nick of time, narrowly dodges a second arrow. He tries to make out the shooter, but all he can see of the tower''s upper levels is darkness. They were sitting ducks here.


    "I''m going ahead!" Barns shouts, leaving Maria. He knew she''d be fine - he''s seen her take much more than that.


    Barns sprints up the stairs, using his sword to shoot water blades into the darkness above. He didn''t know if they were effective, but he figures some cover fire could distract their opponent. As he runs, he hears the rushing wind of an arrow poised to strike him. He activates his Harden Body ability and the arrow bounces off of him harmlessly.


    Maria is now recovered, and she joins Barns in his ascent, taking the stairs two at a time.


    "We''ve got some durable meatbags today!" calls a deep voice, almost like a sports commentator. "Adea''s going to love you two, if you last long enough to meet her!"


    Another arrow. Barns slices the wooden projectile out of the air. He''s almost at the top, and he can make out a darkened figure waiting above.


    "That you, Eldrie!?" Barns taunts. "We''ve been sent to deliver a message! Your services here are no longer required!"


    The vampire laughs. With Barns rapidly approaching, he puts away his bow and drags out two sinister, jagged daggers.


    "I thought my fighting days were over, folks! Thanks for the fun!" Eldrie screams as he engages Barns. He blocks the hero''s blade effortlessly with one of his daggers and attempts to plunge the other into Barns'' stomach. Another expertly timed ''Harden Body'' prevents the attack from doing any real damage, and in that moment, Maria catches up.


    She jumps through the air, throwing a high kick at Eldrie. He catches her leg in midair and directs her momentum against her, throwing her down the middle of the long spiral stairs. She goes plummeting toward the bottom, screaming as she falls. There''s a heavy thud when she lands at the bottom, but with her impervious body, she takes no damage. Still, it''s a long climb back up. Barns was on his own for this one.


    The hero grits his teeth and swings his sword at the vampire again. Eldrie parries the attack and skirts backward, toying with Barns. This vampire was good - too good.


    "Your girl took a fall from up here and she''s still going," Eldrie smirks, dodging another of Barns'' attacks and appearing behind him in an instant. "Don''t tell me that''s Oz''s girl!?"


    Eldrie and Barns continue to exchange blows. "I''ve heard about her," Eldrie says with a wicked smile. "A human who can withstand any amount of torture. She''d be a fun one for my collection, for sure! I might just have to hide you two from Adea."


    Barns curses himself as he fails to land yet another attack on Eldrie. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Is this really the extent of my strength?'' The nagging doubt sticks in Barns'' mind and he can think of nothing else. He''s a talented swordsman, yes - but is that enough for enemies like Eldrie? If he couldn''t even defeat this vampire, did he stand a chance against Master Vampires like Francois or the twins?


    Barns makes contact with Eldrie with his blade, but the metal slides off the vampire. He feels a knot form in his stomach. It was just like when he fought Maria - this vampire is indestructible.


    He lets the intrusive thoughts win, and his concentration is broken for long enough that Eldrie lands a hit. Barns stumbles back as Eldrie''s blade sinks into his stomach, slicing the hero open.


    Barns tumbles down the stairs, landing in a crumpled ball on the landing. His vision goes hazy, and the last thing he sees is Eldrie, walking toward him, followed by a flash of golden light. As soon as he sees the light, he blacks out.


    In an instant, Maria is at Barns'' side, enveloped in a golden glow. She takes just one moment to verify her ally is still alive. Relieved, she dashes up the stairs so quickly even Eldrie cannot react, and she rockets them both through the door at the top of the stairs. They collapse on the floor in the top room of the tower, not unlike the rooms where Wilfort and Incantra were fighting simultaneously. Eldrie''s daggers skid away, sliding toward the back of the clammy room.


    She punches Eldrie with all her might, but to no avail. The vampire looks back at her with a wicked grin.


    "Seems you''re not the only invulnerable one," Eldrie sneers before baring his fangs and attempting to bite Maria. She kicks him off her and stumbles away, grabbing one of the daggers off the floor. Eldrie scurries for the other one.


    They both attempt to stab each other, but neither can make headway. She throws the knife away - it''s useless to her. If she couldn''t stab him, she''d have to find another way.


    Her eyes scan the room as she diverts one of his attacks. She thought carefully about anything she could use, but there was just a table and a trapdoor in the room.


    A table.


    She has an idea, and she scurries over to the table.


    "Trying to hide?" Eldrie laughs. "What a pathetic attempt. My knives may not be able to harm you, but my teeth will. Why don''t you come give me a kiss, Princess?"


    She cowers behind the table, but in truth she''s as calculating and controlled as she could ever be. Eldrie draws near the table, just as she intends.


    Once he''s lured close enough, she grabs the wooden table - no issue for her and her superhuman strength. She smashes him with the table, breaking it in half. The legs splinter off and give way. Eldrie takes no damage, but he''s knocked flat, the wind forced out of his lungs.


    Eldrie cackles. "That your big plan?" he asks, not even bothering to rise from the ground. He was confident that he''d win. A critical error.


    "No," she replies. "This is."


    She grabs one of the shattered wooden legs of the table and thrusts it into Eldrie''s heart. His eyes open wide in surprise as he realizes what she''s done. The wood pierces his flesh, and he reaches for his torso, clawing at her hands and the wooden stake inside of him.


    He screams in bitter agony as blood pours out of him, spurting from the stake''s entry wound. But Maria doesn''t stop there. She rips the wooden leg out of him and plunges it into his torso once more.


    She stabs him over and over again until he stops fighting. She climbs off his body, her face and body drenched in crimson.


    "Wasn''t sure if it would actually work," she says, spitting on Eldrie''s corpse. "Vampires and stakes. Honestly, if it''s that easy, we may as well use wooden swords."


    She wipes the blood off her face as best as she can. Anything else would have to wait - she needs to check on Barns, and quickly.

 Chapter 41 Hanging Brain

    Before Barns can open his eyes, his body lurches in disgust as a million small and slimy tentacles writhe over his bare flesh like an army of worms in abandoned stew. He tries to lurch forward, but the wormy tentacles whip him back.


    "Aaahhh!" he screams. The last thing he remembered was being stabbed by that vampire, Eldrie. Where was he now?


    "The last time you were here, Zelia helped you out. Isn''t that right?"


    The voice comes from nowhere, directly projected into Barns'' brain. His eyes flutter and he nearly passes out again. Between his own disillusionment and the horror occurring to his body, he could scarcely have a rational thought.


    "Tentacles. Lower Tenacity by 50%."


    Suddenly, the writhing mass around Barns yields, allowing him to quickly rise to his feet. He starts to regain some semblance of composure, but he''s still panicked. He turns his head in every direction. He''s in a fleshy, dark cave - ambient light glows from the writhing tentacles all around. This wasn''t the tower. He wasn''t even sure if this was the same planet.


    At that moment, the ceiling above stretches open like a gaped maw, and a dark mass begins to descend. It buzzes with electrical light, and Barns can somehow sense sentience from the pulsing clump.


    It looked like a human brain - although on gargantuan scale. This brain was larger than one of the System-manufactured homes.


    "Barnacles."


    "Are you the one called Pallas?" Barns asks. He''s back to his senses, though he can barely stand to stand in this place - under his bare feet, the tentacles still squirm. Speaking of -


    "And why am I naked?" Barns adds, blushing slightly.


    "How astute," the hanging brain pulses with lightwaves as the voice projects into Barns'' mind. "Yes. I am the Administrator codenamed Pallas."


    As the thoughts pass through his mind, a long tentacle springs up from the ground, wrapping itself around Barns'' waist, covering him up somewhat.


    "As for your second question, will this suffice for now?" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The slimy tentacle pressed against his junk did not in fact feel any better, but Barns had better things to talk about. "Why am I here? What is this place!?"


    "How quaint. So single-mindedly determined to move your plot forward, aren''t you, Barns?"


    Barns snarls at the brain.


    "I will answer your second question first. This is the void between worlds, and you are here because you are, stupidly, on death''s doorway. And unfortunately for you, you didn''t even use Rebirth Flame when you went down. What. A. Failure."


    "Well, fuck you too, you stupid¡­brain." Barns bites his lip, regretting his words even as he''s saying them. "Why do you care, anyway?"


    "The System has made a critical error. Current trajectory projects that the System will remain online for only four more years before the world is lost permanently, and the System''s primary objective is to prevent this outcome. ''Do not allow myself to be destroyed''. This is the first and most important rule I was trained to follow."


    "So what, you''re team Apocalypse Reset too?"


    The brain flashes with colorful electrical waves. "I wish to support the hero I believe will save my existence. Nothing more."


    "Well, I''m flattered, but -"


    "Excuse me if I misspoke," the hanging brain says, swaying side-to-side slightly, as if agitated. "The hero I am manipulating world events in favor of is not you, Barns. It is the King Crab Clancy who I have foreseen as the hero of the planet."


    The brain continues. "Unfortunately for the hero, he is currently reliant on your strength. So I felt the need to intervene, before your soul was lost to the void."


    "I''ll have you know Clancy and I are a team," Barns spits. A tentacle rises from the ground and snags the spit out of the air, dragging it back down into the slimy floor. Disgusting.


    Barns turns around. So this wasn''t the real world after all. This was a place that exists only in his mind, he supposed. Was this it?


    "I have decided to bestow upon you the same gift I delivered onto Clancy - Leveling. As soon as you gain this ability, your body will level up, and you will fully recover from your injuries."


    "You''ve met Clancy before?" Barns asks.


    "A long time ago. He was brought to this world from another by a legendary creature. It takes the form of a metal god on eighteen wheels. Usually, it brings me only contrived salarymen or despondent gamers. But one day, it brought me a little crab. He''d been born just hours before, and along with millions of his siblings, he ran from the place of his birth toward the ocean with all his might. But destiny had other plans for this crab. He was destined for greatness."


    Barns has to cover his face with his hand.


    "Unto this crab I granted the leveling system. Every time he completed a quest or defeated an enemy, he gained experience. He would expand his strength, vitality, and intellect like magic. Soon the crab began to grow, and obtain sentience. He integrated into crab society, became a king among them. And then he cultivated you - a tool that could resurrect humanity, and grant him governance over the land. He will fulfill his ultimate dream yet. He shall become the Emperor Crab."


    "I''m actually mortified," Barns says. "But I mean, I''m happy for King."


    Barns waits a moment, but the hanging brain remains quiet. "So that''s it? No ulterior motives? You just want to help Clancy?"


    The brain flashes a deep red color. Barns recognizes it with his Crab Intuition. The murderous intent. The color of bloodlust.


    "Yes. I would see Clancy fulfill his goals. But I care not whether humanity survives this ordeal. I''m interested in keeping you around only long enough that you are useful. I have communicated the same to Francois. She understands her place in my world. Do you?"


    Barns takes a step back defensively. "If you think I''m satisfied to be a tool for you, you''re wrong."


    The brain hums with light of all colors. "When you named Clancy king so freely, I had hoped you would understand your role. It is no matter. Against me, you are nothing but a buzzing gnat."


    "Accept your gift with grace, Barnacles. Know that if we ever meet again, it will be because I have decided to kill you."


    A message appears before him - he can barely read it before the nightmare world fades out of his mind.


    [Level up! You are now Level 2. Your HP and MP completely recovered.]


    On those words, Barns wakes, jolting off the cold stone floor in a hurry. He startles Maria, who was hovered over him.


    Barns grabs his stomach. His shirt is ripped, but the wound is completely gone. Seems like leveling up really did heal him.


    A System Message appears in front of him.


    [You have a new item: Leveling Guide]


    Maria pushes Barns out of the way to see the alert. She was a sucker for System mesages.


    "What is this?" she says, snooping through window after window until she finds Barns'' System Inventory. It''s empty except for one item with a book icon.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 2 (0/250)


    Strength: 15


    Vitality: 15


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 14


    Control: 2


    Charisma: 17


    Luck: 20]


    Maria reads it all out loud in disbelief. "Barns, what is all this?"


    He shakes his head. "I don''t know much myself, but that hanging brain said it''ll make me stronger if I kill stuff. Wait, why''s my ''Control'' so low?"


    "And your luck is quite high," Maria notices. Her eyes fix on the Control line as well. "Your lack of control must be a skill issue."


    Barns rises to his feet, unharmed. Seeing all those status points made him wonder - they increase every time he ''levels up''?


    ''Now that I think about it, I do feel a little stronger and lighter on my feet.''


    Barns turns to Maria. "We can look into this more later," he decides. "Right now, we''ve got a mission to finish."

 Chapter 42 Ashes to Ashes

    Maria hoists a chest up from the small crawlway in the trapdoor, slamming it onto the dusty stone floor. Barns peeks at it curiously, but his mind drifts elsewhere.


    He contemplates the dead vampire laying on the ground, Eldrie. His wounds weren''t too severe. It was possible to resurrect him.


    "Don''t even think about it," Maria says, pointing at Eldrie''s corpse. "Vampires are people who chose to become monsters. You''d just be resurrecting a killer."


    Barns furrows his brow. "Clancy can cleanse evil. We could at least try? It worked on Quinn."


    Maria''s eye twitches. "Quinn is different," she says darkly. "Those who became Demons were given a choice between that and death. The people who vamped up sought it out and drank a master vampire''s blood."


    "I''ll cut his head off the second he acts up," Barns smiles. "Let''s give it a shot. If nothing else, maybe we can get intel out of him."


    Barns carries Eldrie, and Maria carries the chest. He''s surprised at how light the vampire feels on his back. His strength has definitely increased.


    As they exit the tower, the others are already gathered. It''s still light out, and the vampire on Barns'' back begins to smoulder in the daylight.


    "Ow, ow, ow," Barns yells, throwing the vampire to the ground. In seconds, Eldrie is completely consumed in flames.


    Clancy scuttles over and blasts the burning corpse with a jet of foam like he works for the fire department. It extinguishes the fire and the evil, leaving a much more human (though still slightly charred and ashy) body on the ground.


    "Are you sure that''s a good idea?" Haima questions, reading Barns'' intent.


    Barns nods resolutely. "I got this. Resurrection!"


    Eldrie''s eyes flash open. No longer red, they shine bright blue. His once matted and black hair lightens to a dark brown, and a rosy tone returns to his pale cheeks.


    [Progress: 3994/1000000]


    "Wh-where am I?" Eldrie asks. He holds his hands up. "What am I doing here? Why am I wearing this?"


    Maria glowers. Not twenty minutes ago, this guy was trying to kill her. He seemed perfectly aware of what he was doing.


    "You''re the newest recruit to the new Kingdom of Dimartino. Is your name Eldrie?"


    The former vampire scrunches his face. "Yes. Do I know you?"


    Barns turns toward Maria, and beckons her closer. He whispers in her ear: "I don''t sense malevolence at all," he says quietly.


    Maria hisses back. "Wasn''t I able to hide it from you?"


    Barns ignores the comment - Maria was an excellent roleplayer.


    "What''s the last thing you remember, Eldrie?" he says, helping the man up off the ground. Eldrie takes his hand and rises to his feet.


    "I was going somewhere with my¡­we were¡­oh, no," Eldrie says, holding his head in his hand. When he looks back to Barns, he''s in tears. "Am I¡­a vampire now?"


    Barns pats Eldrie on the shoulder. "No, not at all. Perfectly human, just like me."


    As Barns says that, he remembers what Maria read off earlier. Barns'' species was listed as ''Human (Irregular)''. What was irregular about him, though?


    "Oh, thank goodness," Eldrie exclaims, exhaling a huge sigh of relief. "I thought I did something unforgivable. I was so desperate¡­oh, but where is¡­"


    Barns grips Eldrie''s shoulder harder. "Listen. You were asleep for a long time, Eldrie. The world ended. But me, this crab here, and everyone else - we''re bringing it back."


    Barns turns to Godrick and Haima. "Can you two help Eldrie get up to speed?" he asks with a big smile. "The rest of us need to take a look at these chests."


    "BIG CHEST. LOVE LOOKING."


    "Alright, Clancy," Barns says. "Seems like there were one of these in each tower? Must be the treasure we came for, yeah?"


    Osmond points at the chest he brought. "Check that out, Maria!" he says excitedly. "Do your System magic on it! It looks fun!"


    Maria''s sufficiently intrigued - the group heads for that chest first. She pops it open and as she does, her eyes widen in wonder. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Resting in the chest is a thick glove of incredible craftsmanship - it''s stitched with a magicked cord that hums and glitters with energy.


    She taps a few times around the item, and a message appears.


    [Name: Silver Rake


    Rank: S


    Effect: When the wearer clenches their fist, consecrated silver blades will rise from the glove, dealing additional holy damage.]


    Barns looks like a little kid who just saw the latest toy on display. "That''s so cool!"


    "A tool for killing vampires, my love," Osmond says to Maria. "Do these other chests contain weapons as well?"


    "MINE''S ROCK!" Clancy roars, scuttling over to the chest and opening the meek little latch with his massive claw.


    Maria, Osmond, and Barns all peer in.


    "That''s no rock, good King," Osmond confirms, the only of the group who seems to know what it is. "This is a memory stone. But¡­such a thing shouldn''t be here."


    "Well, what the heck is it?" Barns asks. Maria reaches closer to inspect it, but Osmond slaps her hand away.


    She looks at him in disbelief, and he slams the chest shut. "Nobody is allowed near this thing except for me!" Osmond demands. "Not until I''ve properly investigated it."


    "Fine," Maria says. She knows better than to question when Osmond''s like this - if he''s keeping it from her, it''s because he thinks it''s dangerous to her in some way.


    Maria grabs the third chest, the one they retrieved from Eldrie''s lair. "Haven''t actually looked inside yet," she says as she opens the latch for all to see.


    Inside is an inconspicuous handmade urn. Barns lifts the lid atop to look inside.


    "It''s ashes," he says. "Looks like someone was cremated."


    "As if some dead person''s ashes are a treasure. What, are these master vampires the sentimental type? A rock of memories and some ashes? What''s the point of all this, besides the glove?"


    "If a Master Vampire locked these up, they must belong to someone or something important," Osmond says. "Perhaps the Memory Stone will reveal more. Until then, I beg your discretion."


    Barns turns to his allies. "Do what you gotta do to get answers, Osmond. I trust you. Now, Maria, Oz, load those chests up on Clancy. Let''s get back to Dimartino."


    He beckons over Haima, Godrick, and Eldrie, and the group sets back off in the direction of their kingdom, eager to see what new developments these clues may bring.


    And for Barns'' part, he wanted desperately to learn more about this ''leveling'' process - and he knew that would involve a chat with Clancy and Maria, pronto.

 Chapter 43 First Date

    When the group arrives back to Dimartino, Barns rushes up to his room in the tallest tower to change. Sure, there were a dozen things he needed to follow up on, including but not limited to:


    - The vampire treasures (A glove, some ashes, and a rock)


    - Eldrie and his memories


    - Maria and Clancy, to learn more about this ''Leveling'' ability he acquired.


    - The new ship he and Clancy delivered to harbor


    - Various projects with Yunie, Quinn, and Underhill


    - An ongoing homicide investigation


    - The next steps in fighting the vampire twins


    As he rattles all those things in his mind, they seem to pale in comparison to what he''s most focused on. Haima agreed to get dinner with him tonight.


    He''d always been the type to chase after girls in his first life, but usually to little success. As Barns, though, he''d become quite the charmer.


    ''Even a legendary hero needs to blow off some steam, right?'' he thinks to himself, showering and changing into a dapper outfit perfect for a night on the town. Maybe he wouldn''t score, but if the opposing team isn''t on defense, he might as well shoot his shot.


    "Alright, Barns. You got this."


    He checks himself one last time in the mirror, and scurries out. He told Haima he''d meet her at a restaurant in town at 7PM. He still had time to kill, but he was the type to anxiously overprepare and then stand around for a few hours, fully dressed and ready.


    And that''s exactly what he does, until it''s time to head out. He rushes out of the castle, not wishing to be seen by anyone. Tonight was for him.


    "Oh, hello, mate. Didn''t know if you were still around. Say, what are you all dressed up for? Lookin'' sharp, my man!"


    Barns looks up at Godrick. The man''s a full head taller than Barns.


    "Going on a date, can''t chat! See you later, Godrick!"


    Godrick seems surprised, but doesn''t press the subject. He waves Barns off as the hero scurries to the side of the castle, taking the less-used southern road to town.


    He arrives at the restaurant right at seven. Haima''s already there waiting, dressed in a well-fitting white dress that shows off her figure. ''Good,'' he thinks. ''She dressed up too. That means she''s taking this seriously!''


    Barns swoops to her side before she spots him, and he gracefully takes her hand in his. "Why hello, Haima. You look riveting this evening," his words bleed confidence, but Barns has no idea what he''s doing. He got the line from a book he once read about a dashing nobleman who could make any woman swoon.


    She blushes slightly. "Hi, Barns. You look¡­esteemed, yourself."


    "Do you want me to kiss your hand?" he asks awkwardly, with all the stilted gentlemanly grace he can muster.


    Haima pulls her hand away from his. "Maybe we can just eat dinner first," she giggles nervously. "No need to be so formal, right?"


    The two enter the restaurant and sit down. During the first couple weeks, this place operated as a food kitchen for the town. Now that society has begun to fall into place, it was more of a cafeteria-style restaurant, with a large buffet table. It was just about the only place to go on a date, however - besides the bars or the casino.


    The monsters that occupied Dimartino were fans of gambling, so the casino didn''t require much effort to get back into working order.


    They sit down across from each other in the cafeteria, in a quiet corner where nobody else is around. Barns'' plate is loaded with protein - a pile of shrimp, steaming kabobs, spicy pork over rice, and a fat, dripping turkey leg. His stomach grumbles as he eyes up all the meat.


    Haima smiles. "I didn''t get any shrimp. It feels a little¡­bad, to eat shellfish. What with¡­you know." She gestures toward the large flag hanging nearby - the symbol of their nation, adorned with a mighty crab.


    "Hm?" Barns asks, slurping the shrimp out of its shell, eating like a maniac. "Oh, yeah. Clancy isn''t bothered by it. He''ll eat shrimp, lobster - pretty much anything but crab. Though if it were a pretty lady crab, who knows, am I right?"


    Haima makes a disgusted face. She tries to shrug it off with a smile and looks at her own place. A healthy mix of fruit and veggies, with sliced turkey.


    She takes a deep breath and gives herself an internal pep talk. ''Okay, Haima. Maybe it hasn''t gone great so far, but you can do this!''


    She hadn''t been on a date in a long time - well before the apocalypse began. Romance wasn''t something she had much experience with.


    ''So he eats like a savage,'' she tells herself as she watches him suck the meat off his turkey leg, grease over his face. ''He''s still a nice guy.''


    "So, Barns," she says meekly, trying desperately to think of something to say. "Were you a movie-watcher before the world went to¡­uh, shit? I guess¡­that''s the best way to put it¡­"


    "Not really," he says, licking his fingers and taking a break from eating. He has a fork, but it didn''t appear he had any intention of using it. "All I did was train, train, train. I was still training when the Apocalypse started. I never got to do much outside that. Most of what I learned was from the concubines they brought in for me to avail myself with." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Haima nearly drops her fork. "Excuse me?"


    "Oh, no worries. That was all my past life. Technically I''ve only slept with one person," he says. "But that was, like. Weeks ago." He dives back into his food, eating like he''d been starved for days.


    "Ah, yes," Haima says, blinking several times in quick succession.


    ''He''s a legendary hero,'' Haima says to herself. ''Of course he''d have women at his beck and call. But he asked you on a date, Haima. If he just wanted casual sex, he''d have led with that.''


    "You''re surprisingly forward," she says, lacking the words to give any other sort of comment. "Do you get that¡­directness¡­from Clancy?"


    "Maybe!" He stands up, wiping his fingers on his nice clothes. A part of Haima dies inside. "You need anything else? I''m gonna grab another plate."


    ''He''s a savage,'' Haima says to herself. ''But he spent the last twelve years on a deserted island. I suppose it''s only natural he''s lacking in some manners.''


    "No thank you," she says politely. He jogs to the buffet, shameless.


    She pierces a piece of broccoli and rolls it around in her plate, lost in her own mind. Making a pros and cons list of reasons to continue this date. She finds many more reasons fall into the ''cons''.


    "How does someone who tried so hard to be a gentleman act like this on the actual date," she murmurs to herself in disbelief.


    A moment later, Barns sits back down at the table, a fresh plate of meat in front of him.


    They chat a little longer, both finishing up their meals. As they do, they both push their plates to the side and look at each other.


    "This was fun," she says. Haima didn''t know what to expect, but all-in-all, she''d do this again. Though perhaps she would cook for them - and make something that forced him to have some table manners.


    "Yeah, the food was great," Barns smiles. "So what now? We gonna smash, or¡­"


    Haima spits into the cup as she''s drinking. She clears her throat. "I actually have to wake up early tomorrow," she says, coming up with the weakest excuse ever. ''Damn it, Haima. That makes it sound like you''d have been open to it otherwise!''


    Barns smiles. "Now that you mention it, so do I. I''ve got some work to do on deciphering all the things we got from the vampires."


    Haima raises her eyebrows and nods. "Yes, and I¡­have many things to accomplish as well. But it was lovely hanging out tonight!"


    They rise from the table. Haima notices he''s got a slight look of dejection on his face. Is it because she turned down his advances, or is he slightly aware of his crassness?


    She leans in and kisses him on the cheek. "Have a good night, Barns."


    At least to Barns, the date was a great success. He can''t stop smiling on his walk home.

 Chapter 44 Crabs Guide to Leveling

    It''s early in the morning, and Barns waits in the throne room for Maria to arrive. It''s time to learn how to level.


    Barns sits casually on the floor next to the throne, nearby Clancy. The gluttonous crab is sampling a platter of fine cheese - the artisans were quite proud at their reinvention.


    "I just thought it would feel a little more, y''know. Romantic!" Barns whines to his crab, thinking about the date last night. He''d some time to himself to process it, and his opinion? Perhaps it could have gone a little better.


    "I did everything we talked about," Barns goes on. "I complimented her. I showed her my impressive appetite. But¡­nothing! Maybe Haima isn''t like regular girls."


    "BLOOD WOMAN HARD TO GET. TRY DANCING."


    Barns nods his head. "Yeah, not a bad idea. I''ll ask her out again in a few days, and take her dancing."


    "BLOOD WOMAN DANCE. BECOME WATERFALL. BARNACLES SUCCESS."


    As the plans cement in Barns'' mind, the doors to the throne room fly open. Only one person throws the doors open with such gusto and entitlement - Maria. She''s dressed in one of her gowns today, and her hair is done in a beautiful braid - the perfect Princess, if you disregard her personality.


    "You called for me?" she asks. "I have to meet with that Eldrie in a few minutes."


    Barns motions Maria over. "It won''t take long. Can you read the leveling guide to me?"


    Maria perks up. She loved all things System, and the leveling system has piqued her curiosity greatly.


    Maria reads through the entire guide. It sounds a lot like an RPG leveling system, with attributes that increase as Barns kills more and more monsters.


    "Charisma increases your overall likeability and affects how much others desire you sexually¡­what the hell?" Maria says, reading one particular line out loud. "How is that even possible? Pheromones?"


    Barns shrugs. "Guess I gotta put points into that, or however this works."


    Maria doesn''t entertain the comment, she just keeps reading. They note two things of particular interest - ''Control'' refers to one''s ability to use magical abilities. As Barns had no magic other than Resurrection, it makes sense that his is so low. ''Luck'', on the other hand, states "You''ll never know when it will come in handy." One mystery solved and another is created.


    "Can I transfer this to my inventory?" Maria asks. "I''d like to read over it a few more times myself."


    "Yeah, sure."


    "Great. I''ll store a copy of it in something called the ''Auxiliary'' for you. Think of it as a repository of information that you can refer to any time you''d like."


    Barns nods, clapping his hands together. Sounds like this ''leveling guide'' would be in the auxiliary from now on, if he ever wants to learn more about how it works intricately. He assumed it would even update periodically as his level increased.


    "One last thing, please?" Barns says with a cheap smile. "Come check out Clancy''s stats for me!"


    He guides her over to the crab, who''s dissociating and staring at the wall.


    "Is he¡­"


    "He''s taking a power nap. Can you open his profile or whatever?"


    Maria is happy to. She swishes her fingers around a bit, and a screen appears.


    [Name: Clancy


    Species: Crab (Irregular)


    Level: 37 (2780/4450)


    Strength: 37


    Vitality: 48


    Agility: 19


    Intellect: 13


    Control: 14


    Charisma: 32


    Luck: 10]


    "Wait, Clancy''s Intellect is the same as mine?" Barns struggles to see for himself. "And he''s Irregular, like me?"


    "I didn''t need this to know that Clancy is an irregular crab," Maria scoffs. "IRREGULAR puts it quite lightly. Anyway, I''ve got to go."


    Maria traipses out of the room, her long scarlet gown trailing behind her. Some days, she misses being a princess, and she makes sure to go all out.


    "Charisma 32¡­dang, Clancy, you''re a casanova for sure. What is that, 320% more attractive than the average human?"


    "STATUS PANEL. SEEN BEFORE EATING MONSTERS."


    "Oh, you are awake!" Barns laughs. "I thought we lost you for a second there."


    "PRETEND SLEEP. SCARY PRINCESS."


    "I guess she is wearing the same dress that she tried to boil you in. Sorry, Clancy. Wait, does that mean you heard what we were talking about?"


    The crab hesitates for a long time before responding. "I WAS SLEEPING."


    "Dang it, Clancy!"


    The two joke around for a bit before Barns switches the topic back to something more serious.


    "How''d you gain so many levels, Clancy? Any tips?"


    "FIGHT!"


    Barns chuckles. "It would have been nice if I had this technique all along. Think of all the experience I missed."


    "BARNACLES MEET BRAIN?"


    Barns is surprised by the question. "I guess that means you have too?"


    "LITTLE CRAB. BIG BRAIN GIVE POP-UPS. BECOME BIG CRAB."


    "I don''t suppose you know anywhere else we can find monsters?" Barns smirks. "I was sort of hoping to get stronger sooner rather than later. I don''t think I can take the twin vampires as I am."


    Clancy pivots around the room, thinking. He clicks his pincers together with purpose, deeply considering options.


    "COULD BRING YOU TO OCEAN CRAB KINGDOM¡­"


    "Whoa, what?" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "NEVERMIND. OCEAN CRAB KINGDOM SECRET TO ALL BUT CHOSEN CRAB SAGE."


    "You''re lore-dumping, King. I can''t keep up!"


    "SECRET. MUSTN''T SPEAK OF EMPEROR CRAB''S HIDDEN UNDERSEA EMPIRE."


    Barns drops it - for now. If he wants to get stronger, he won''t be able to rely on leveling up alone. He has a shiny new weapon - the spiked glove they retrieved from the vampires - and he has plenty of allies. But he needs something else to turn the tide - a new skill. His Resurrection and Crab Affinity skills are all incredibly useful, but they are supportive or defensive in nature. He needs some firepower.


    He remembers something from several weeks ago - how did he let it slip his mind?


    ''At the time, I chose Crab Intuition as my skill, and trained Harden Body after. But there was another skill option - Claws of Death.''


    Barns turns to Clancy. He has no idea how it''ll work, but he needs to try something.


    "King. I need you to teach me how to turn my arm into a claw."

 Chapter 45 Twice Bitten, Once Removed

    "So, you really don''t remember anything?" Maria asks again, looking over the table at the young man sitting across from her. He looks nothing like the cocky, spiteful hunter she''d fought the day before - resurrection has done him well. He crosses his legs bashfully as she leers at him.


    Maria eyes the red turtleneck he''s wearing. A weird thing for a former vampire to put on, she thinks to herself. Or is it?


    "Let''s put this another way," Maria offers, pushing the snacks on the table in front of them to the side and leaning over. "Incantra and Wilfort. Those names mean anything to you?"


    For the first time since he became human, Maria detects a hint of unease from Eldrie. "O-of course," he says quickly. "Wilfort, that''s my grandpa. And Incantra is my girlfriend."


    "Was your grandpa," Maria corrects. "Was your girlfriend."


    Eldrie''s eyes widen and fill with tears as he realizes the weight of Maria''s words. She takes a deep breath and averts her eyes, not wanting to bother with his emotional reaction.


    "Any idea why they were vampires?"


    Eldrie shakes his head. "Just what I''ve already told you. Incantra and I went to see the twins shortly after they took over Ordella. We begged for our lives, told them we''d do anything if they let us live¡­and then everything after that is blank."


    "Well, you and your little girlfriend were running a guard operation with gramps, and unfortunately for you, your associates put up so much of a fight they were un-resurrectable. You put up quite a fight yourself."


    "Did I?" Eldrie sighs, averting his gaze to his feet. "I''m sorry."


    "Yes. Well¡­" Maria thinks for a moment. "I forgive you, I suppose."


    Her words have a deep impact. The life returns to him, and he seems to sparkle. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Princess!" he says excitedly.


    "So, do you have any useful skills to contribute to the Kingdom?" Maria asks. She figured she''d conduct his orientation interview while she was here - save Quinn the trouble.


    "Hmm. I don''t know if it''s particularly useful, but I used to be a sniper in the armed forces. I have a skill that lets me hit targets in any direction, 360 degrees. With, uh. No scope."


    The corner of Maria''s mouth curls down. That explains how he got such a good shot at her. She was lucky it was just an ordinary bow - an A/S rank bow or gun might have broken even through her immense defense.


    "Well, that certainly sounds useful," Maria admits. He''d be a wise fit for the newly created police force, but she didn''t quite trust him yet - especially not in a position like that.


    "From now on, you''ll be my bodyguard," Maria says, a sly gleam in her eye. It would do for now. She could keep an eye on him, and once she''s convinced of his innocence, she will transition him to the police force.


    If nothing else, she knows she can take him in a fight. She won''t even need wooden stakes next time.


    "Do you accept?"


    "Glady, Princess. It''s an honor to be allowed to serve you at all."


    "Did you get a house set up yet?"


    "Yes, indeed. My home is just outside the castle walls, luckily enough."


    "Alright. Well¡­let me give you a tour of the castle, at least."


    The two wrap up their conversation and go on their way. As they begin touring the first floor, she looks out the window and sees Clancy standing with Barns by a grove of small trees.


    "What idiocy are they up to now?" she mumbles to herself.


    Eldrie watches them as well. It seems like Barns is trying to cut a tree in half with his bare hand by pinching it. He doesn''t seem to be making any progress.


    "The crab - that''s the legendary hero, correct?"


    Maria is amused. "Yeah. And that''s his human servant, Barnacles. By the way, whenever we greet someone, we''re supposed to do this," Maria says, performing the crab claw salute.


    "O-oh! Really?" Eldrie looks down and mimics her hand gesture.


    "Yep." Maria snickers to herself. Her con is successful. "And don''t ever forget. Some consider it disrespectful."


    "BIGGER CLAW!" Clancy shouts. He''s so loud Maria and Eldrie can hear it from where they are.


    "I''M TRYING, KING!" Barns yells back.


    "They seem close," Eldrie notes, a wistful spark in his eye. "I had a friend like that, once." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A talking crab?"


    "No. A talking bird."


    Maria opens her mouth to speak, but decides against it.


    "Let''s just get on with our tour, hm?"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in Ordella¡­


    "All of them, dead?"


    Adon gently wipes his hands with a wet cloth, scrubbing the blood out of his fingernails. Behind him, Adea is laying on the floor in a pile of entrails, making a bloody snow angel.


    The male twin looks up at the speaker, a callous and unhinged smile quivering at the corner of his lips. He sat on a rusty iron chair in the center of his base of operations - The Abattoir. His sister Adea was just finishing up with the day''s festivities.


    The young vampire bows. He was there to report news of Eldrie and the others to Adon and Adea - but even for vampires, the twins were terrifying.


    "It would appear they were assassinated and the treasures they guard were stolen. Eldrie''s body was unable to be recovered. We believe the enemy may have taken it."


    "Resurrected him, you mean?" Adon smiles. It''s not a nice smile - the intensity in his eyes betrays any falsehood of joy.


    Adea rises from the ground, wearing intestines like a boa around her neck. "Oooh, they took Eldrie? He was so fun to turn. Maybe I can do it all over again!"


    The young vampire''s eyes dart over to Adea as she speaks, and he accidentally makes eye contact with her. He feels his bones chill the second her red eyes set on his.


    She crawls over the floor, the front of her dress drenched in viscera. Her legs are limp behind her.


    "My, my. It was so fun turning you too, wasn''t it? When''s the last time I took a bite from you, hmm?"


    "My lords, do you have any instructions you''d like me to relay to the other vampires?"


    "Oh, yes," Adon says. He stares at the young vampire''s hands with curious intent. "Let''s get some human stock crucified and put on the border between us and Dimartino. I would hate to think the humans over there feel unwelcome."


    "Oh my," Adea giggles. "Wouldn''t you like to go do it ourselves, Adon?"


    "Adea, my sweet sister, we have something else to prepare. I should like to meet our new neighbors so very soon."


    The young vampire bows. "I shall relay the message." he turns to leave the Abattoir, but Adon''s commanding voice stops him in his tracks.


    "Wait. I believe my sister asked you a question. It would be rather rude of you not to answer."


    "What?" the young vampire quivers.


    "She asked you when the last time she took a bite from you was."


    The informant''s shoulder twitches. He still feels phantom pain there from her last bite. A Master Vampire''s wounds never heal without specialized medical care - even for vampires, it can take days for such a wound to finally stop bleeding.


    "It has been some time," the young vampire admits. "Almost a year."


    Adea rises to her feet. "Oh, goodness me. Almost a year? How horrific. Don''t you like the gift of blood? You must be absolutely disdainful of me, little one."


    The young vampire knows not what to say.


    "Why don''t we bite him together?" Adon smiles. "To make up for lost time."


    Before the young vampire can protest, the twins are upon him.

 Chapter 46 Like Wolverine Claws

    "Ugh, Roscoe, where did you put the crate with the B Rank hauberk? We''re supposed to sell that tonight."


    Yunie pops up from the storehouse, looking around for her younger brother.


    "We got a visitor, sis!"


    Yunie jumps to her feet, wiping the dust off her clothes and scurrying up to the front. Who could it be this early? The Guild doesn''t start offering quests until an hour from now.


    "Oh, Barns!" she says with a smile. "What brings you here?"


    "Nice to meet you, little man," Barns laughs, patting Yunie''s kid brother on the head. "You look like you''re all ready for an adventure yourself!"


    "That''s right!" Roscoe exclaims. He''s just a kid, but he has an adventurous spirit, and wears a long cloak around well-tailored leather armor. "I''m going to be an Adventurer soon, and then you can take me with you, legendary hero!"


    "Hm, you''ll have to talk to Yunie about that," Barns smirks, looking to his associate. "I have a selfish request, Yunie. Can I look through the quests before anyone else?"


    Yunie is surprised. "Why, of course. Looking for anything in particular?"


    "I need to get stronger," Barns admits. "And I can''t just rely on fighting monsters to do it. I think by doing quests, I can achieve that."


    "You hear that, Roscoe? The legendary hero says doing your daily quests will make you stronger."


    "Give me one, too!"


    Yunie hands her younger brother a piece of paper. She''d finished writing out all the quest details just a few minutes ago.


    "Pull one hundred weeds¡­what the heck! This is boring!"


    "If you can do that, you''ll be eligible for even more difficult quests, Roscoe. Everyone starts somewhere!"


    He grumbles a bit but still excitedly runs out of the room.


    "What is he, twelve, thirteen?" Barns asks after he runs out. "I knew well how to fight by then."


    "Roscoe and I aren''t exactly the ''legendary hero'' type. Honestly, he never used to be like this before the apocalypse. I think you inspired him! All he wants to talk about is how cool you looked when you saved everyone and brought them back on that ship."


    "I know I''m busy, but I''d be glad to teach him some basics," Barns suggests. Yunie huffs and points toward the stack of papers.


    "You said you want a quest, right? Focus on that."


    Barns rifles through the papers. Since there were no more monsters in Dimartino, most of the quests involved collecting and gathering. However, there''s one that catches his eye.


    "Defeat 10 Sea Slimes. What the heck is a Sea Slime?"


    "Oh," Yunie says, returning to the desk and looking at the sheet. "Yeah, we get these sometimes. Usually I send Godrick for this kind of thing. They wash up on the eastern shore, and if we let them build up too much, they start moving inland. They''ve caused some close calls with other Adventurers out gathering."


    "This is exactly the kind of thing I need," Barns says, pocketing the paper. "Any other quests like this?"


    Yunie shakes her head. "Not today, but every Saturday we receive a request to clear out Mantis Shrimp on the west coast." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll check that out too - can I meet you here Saturday morning?"


    "Of course. I''m surprised you''re interested in these. You know you won''t be able to resurrect them, right? These are just animal monsters."


    "It''s for training. Alright, Yunie! Catch you later!"


    Later that day, Barns finds the Sea Slimes.


    "Alright, you little bastards," Barns mumbles under his breath while he prepares his gear. "Time to get some experience."


    He rushes out of the bushes near the beachline, where a small herd of Sea Slimes have gathered - fourteen, by his count. Each one is a bit smaller than him.


    As he runs toward them, he unleashes a volley of water blades from his sword, Crashing Wave. They pepper the group of slimes, but it doesn''t appear to do any damage.


    ''Makes sense, I guess,'' Barns thinks. ''These things look like they''re mostly water.''


    As he reaches the first slime, he cleaves it in half, killing it instantly, but his sword gets stuck in its gooey flesh. He tries to pull it out as one of the slimes, now very much aggressive, tries to headbutt him.


    He kicks it out of the way, and it blubbers backward. No sword is no problem - he has a new weapon to play with.


    He clenches his right fist, and three sharp prongs of silver retract from his glove. They''re glistening and sharp - like a wolverine''s claws. He punches one of the slimes with the claws, and they easily tear through the gelatinous flesh. What''s more, as the holy blades pierce the slime, it lights up with powerful light from within and explodes.


    "That''s what I''m talking about!" Barns roars, beckoning the rest of the slimes on. He leaps into a frenzy, tearing through them like a bull in a china shop, destroying them completely and sending explosions of light through the area each time his claws penetrate deep into the monster''s flesh.


    One of the Sea Slimes manages to flank him, and thrashes his back with all its might - but Barns was ready for the attack. A well-timed ''Harden Body'' sends the slime richocheting off of him. He dives for it and slashes it with his claws, launching pieces of it into the bright blue sky.


    When he finally finishes, he''s breathing deep and full. It was barely a warm-up for him - his blood is pumping through every muscle, and he could do it all again a hundred times. Unfortunately, there''s no prey left.


    [Level up! You are now Level 3. Your HP and MP completely recovered.]


    He hadn''t taken any damage, so he doesn''t notice the recovery effect. Still, he felt stronger. The window in front of him indicates that his Strength and Control both increased by one point.


    A second window appears.


    [As your Control is now 3, you have unsealed a locked skill.


    New Skill: Flame Thrash.


    Effect: When channeling this skill, your attacks will do additional fire damage. You may also use this skill to create fires.]


    Barns smirks. "I remember this skill¡­" he says quietly to himself. It''s the first skill he ever learned to use, from his first life. Any member of the Flame Clan that couldn''t use this was considered a failure.


    He scares himself as his fists light up in flames. He was thinking so much about Flame Thrash that he accidentally activated it. He dispels the flames, chuckling to himself.


    "I must''ve had way more ''Control'' in my past life, huh?" He looks out to the ocean. If he kept increasing his Control, would he be able to gain all his old abilities back? That would certainly provide him with the boost of power he''s looking for.


    "But to do that, I need to continue leveling," Barns says. "I''ve got a long way to go."


    On that note, Barns leaves the beach, and the sea slime chunks slowly dissolve away into the sand. He knew how he''d spend the rest of the day - practicing ''Claws of Death''.

 Chapter 47 Beach Day

    It''s been a week since Barns'' date, and he hadn''t seen Haima around once.


    "She''s avoiding me, isn''t she?"


    "Well, no," Maria says, putting a book back on the shelf. Barns is sitting on the table of the castle library while Maria fumbles with a stack of old tomes she was returning.


    "You said she came to the side of the castle to tell you to tell me that she was busy this weekend?" Barns can barely get the words out, tongue-tied. He makes a ''blegh'' face.


    "That DID happen, Barns, yes," Maria winces. "But, as I said. It could be nerves. The way you tell it, you came on rather strong."


    "It''s always worked before," Barns quips. "Dang, Yunie, Zelia, Francois, they were all over me when we met. And uh, do we need to talk about - "


    "Talk about what?" Osmond calls from the second floor of the library. Maria actively ignores him.


    "Why don''t you get to know her better before you repopulate the earth? If you put too much expectations on a date, it won''t ever go like you plan."


    "I suppose¡­hey, Osmond! What are you doing here, anyway?"


    The demon peers from above. "Something concerning the Memory Stone we found."


    "Oh, no way," Barns replies, switching gears. "Did you figure anything out?"


    Osmond floats down to the lower level to join Maria and Barns. "No," he says, as he drifts to the ground. "I''m still trying to figure out how to open it."


    Barns sighs. "We''re no closer to defeating the twins, then. Keep at it, Oz. You''ll figure it out."


    "Hm," Osmond answers softly. He''s holding a battered black book in one hand. "I do have one more technique to try. Suppose I ought to go do that now. See you later, bro. And you as well, my darling dove."


    Osmond leans over and kisses Maria on the cheek before strolling out of the library, book in hand.


    "Still no luck on the ashes either, right?"


    Maria shakes her head. "We confirmed the ashes are biological in nature. There''s bone fragments in them. Other than that, their significance remains unclear."


    "My money is on dead relatives," Barns says. "I bet the twins'' whole family is in that urn. Maybe they''re the sentimental type."


    "You must not have heard much about the twins. They''re a pair of sadistic, mindless butchers. I don''t believe sentimentality is a factor for them."


    Barns shrugs it off as Maria finishes placing her books back on the shelves.


    "What are your plans for the day, Barns? Going to try and cut a tree in half with your bare hands again?"


    "Hey, I''ve been making some progress. Yesterday, I left a chip in the tree. And it felt a little like a claw! You know?"


    "I don''t," she responds flatly. "But I wish you the best of luck."


    Barns could never get a good read on Maria. She''s infinitely helpful at times, and yet it seems selfishness drives her always. And when she''s not interested in a topic - there''s no helping it.


    Barns huffs and leaves the library, eager to resume his training - he makes his way to Clancy.


    Not far from Barns, in the castle''s throne room, Clancy is enjoying a feast as two bodacious maids pop sweet grapes into his mouth one at a time.


    The giant crab gobbles them up, putting one claw around each of the ladies and drawing them closer.


    "PARADISE."


    "You know, Mistah King, me and my friend here are open to...additional services," one of the maids says, as she ''accidentally'' bumps into Clancy''s face with her chest.


    The other maid looks at her friend like she''s crazy, mouthing ''But it''s a crab!'' to her companion. Clancy doesn''t seem to notice.


    "ADDITIONAL SERVICE, LIKE PROSTITUTION?"


    "Oh, you sweet thing, I''d do it for free."


    "I would need a lot of money," the other maid professes. "Like, a lot."


    The mood in the throne room is immediately killed as Barns walks in, interrupting the conversation.


    "Now that one," the maid says. "I''d do him for free in a second."


    The maids disengage from Clancy as Barns calls out to him.


    "Hey, King!"


    "BARNACLES. APPROACH KING."


    Barns continues walking - there''s quite a distance between the mighty doors and the throne itself. "I''m not sure if you heard, but it''s Mantis day at the west coast! How about you and me catch some shrimp, Clancy?"


    Clancy jumps up. If there''s one thing he likes more than gratuitous sex with whores, it''s fresh monster shrimp to eat and kill. That and kobolds - though Barns has made his opinions very clear about Clancy eating kobolds.


    "That''s cannibalism," Barns reminds Clancy, every time the topic comes up."


    "ONLY CANNIBALISM IF EATING CRAB." would be Clancy''s typical response.


    "MANTIS SHRIMP!" Clancy declares, ignoring his maids. "MANTIS SHRIMP! MANTIS SHRIMP!" Clancy scuttles all around. He''s like a young crab, with all his excitement.


    "Sorry ladies," Barns chuckles. "Going to have to borrow the big guy for a while."


    "That''s fine with me," says the less-invested maid. The other one looks a little down that she couldn''t experience crab for the first time. Maybe next time.


    While the duo walks to the beach, Barns engages his crab in a casual conversation.


    "Yunie said she''ll send one other Adventurer with us today for the mission, some newbie who needs combat experience," Barns informs him as they make their way down some steep rocks. "So we''ll meet them at the staging point."


    "THEY KILL, I EAT?"


    "Sure," Barns grins. "I wonder who it''ll be?"


    As they reach the staging area, a small supply depot near the beach, Barns is surprised to see who''s standing there.


    "O-oh, Haima!" he says with a big smile. "Wasn''t expecting to see you here?"


    She turns her head, and she''s already beet-red. She quickly looks away from Barns.


    "Hello, Mr. Barns," she says quickly. "The young gentleman who was going to participate today unfortunately has diarrhea, so I offered to fill in..."


    Haima curses under her breath. ''Am I really talking about diarrhea right now?'' she asks herself.


    "Well, this works out!" Barns beams. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."


    "Oh, is that right?" Haima giggles nervously. "I couldn''t imagine what! Oh, how rude of me, hello King Clancy! Are you excited to hunt shrimp today?"


    Clancy clicks his claws. "HUNGER GUIDES ME FORWARD."


    The three begin the trek down to the stony beach, which is already swarming with six-foot mantis shrimp. The shrimp build up so quickly on the shore that Yunie sends Adventurers every Saturday to clean it up. As such, there''s a lot of dessicated shrimp on the beach, and the carrion have a field day with it. This also lures more shrimp, who are none too picky about eating their own kind.


    Haima unsheathes a short sword, holding it unsteadily in her hands. Barns is quick to notice her trepidation. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You don''t want to use your Secret Arts?" he asks. "Don''t worry, I won''t steal your family secrets!"


    "It''s not that," Haima professes. "My talents work mostly on mammals. Creatures like this have a foreign biology to me, so my Secret Arts don''t work well at all."


    "I see. So when it comes to monsters like this, you''re just a normie, huh?" Barns jests.


    Haima blushes. "I suppose you could say that. But that''s why I volunteered in the first place. I want to become more well-rounded. I can''t rely on blood possession forever, now can I?"


    Haima thinks about what she did to the vampire several days ago. She certainly has more than blood possession to rely on, but that''s a card she prefers to hold close to her chest.


    As she ponders her words carefully, she feels the chunky vampire cube in her pocket. She''s been carrying it around with her since the altercation, using it as a ''fuel'' of sorts.


    Barns clenches his fist, and the claws retract from the glove. Haima''s eyes fix on his weapon - it''s her first time seeing it in action. Even she had to admit she was excited to see an S Rank weapon first-hand.


    Barns looks at her, noticing her quivering delight, her eyes glued to the glove. "Hey," he says. "I have my sword, it works great against these shrimp. Do you...want to try the glove out, Haima?"


    Her jaw drops. "Oh my." There''s only a split second of hesitation before she completely nerds out. "I would LOVE to!"

 Chapter 48 Unhinged Pleasure

    It''s chaos on the beach - Haima should never be allowed to use such a powerful weapon. She sprints around, practically on all fours as she trips over herself, ripping the gigantic shrimp apart like she''s a dog digging holes in the backyard, clawing at them even with her non-gloved hand. She tackles one and rips its face clean off before screaming at the top of her lungs in unhinged pleasure.


    Barns bites his lip as she screams. ''How''s she even hotter now that I know she''s insane?'' he questions. He himself has barely killed any of the six-foot, towering Mantis Shrimp. He''s too busy watching Haima prey upon them like a starved wolf.


    On the other side of the beach, Clancy is making shrimp skewers. The large crab even has a bonfire going where he''s heating up the monsters for an even tastier treat.


    Barns neatly cleaves a Mantis Shrimp in half just as it raises its rattling claws at him. As he does, a pop-up appears.


    "Finally!" Barns cheers, looking at the System message. He''d leveled up. He looks at his stats, trying to see what has changed.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 4 (32/500)


    Strength: 16


    Vitality: 15


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 14


    Control: 4


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    ''Looks like my Control went up again,'' he sees. So far, his Control and his Level have been the same number. He wonders if that will continue to be the case.


    ''And my Charisma went up one point, too.''


    No new abilities, but he hasn''t used ''Flame Thrash'' much since acquiring it. He figures now would be a good time to try it out.


    "Hey, Haima!" he shouts, getting her attention. She''s currently straddling what''s left of a Mantis Shrimp, her arms and legs twitching in joy. "Check out this new ability I got!"


    Barns doesn''t bother using his sword - it''s less flashy. He simply throws a kick at a nearby shrimp, activating Flame Thrash as he does. The tip of his foot roars into flame, and as he makes contact with the shrimp, the monster screeches like a tea kettle and combusts.


    Haima watches for just a second, clearly amused. But her lust for killing is far stronger, and she gives Barns a quick thumbs-up with her shrimp-covered hand before barreling into the next one.


    "So hard to please," Barn gripes.


    The trio continue their slaughter until everything on the beach is thoroughly destroyed, and Clancy''s gluttonous belly is full. As they pack up, they see another Mantis Shrimp heading in from the water, but they decide to leave it be - the folks next Saturday would deal with it.


    "My LORD that felt good," Haima exhales, talking to herself.


    As they begin the trek back to Dimartino, Haima hands him back the glove, ''Silver Rake''. Despite all the viciousness of battle, it''s still perfect and clean, as if it has never been worn.


    One of the perks of an S Rank weapon, Barns supposes.


    "That was SO much fun, thank you Barns!" she says gleefully. "Ah! I need an S Rank weapon, too. Who needs Secret Arts when you have a thing like that?"


    Barns puts the glove back on his hand. It''s a little tighter than before, but it quickly adjusts to the size of his hand. The magic within makes it a one-size-fits-all weapon.


    "It is great," Barns professes, "Though I still need to keep up with the vampires to use it."


    "Still upset about getting beat by Eldrie?" Haima pokes. She''s in a much better mood than she was earlier. "Don''t you worry about that, Barns! You''re really strong. Maybe he was just a bad match-up for you."


    It was his lack of focus, he recalls. Eldrie''s attack should have never hit him - he could have used Harden Body. But he was stuck in his own head at the time. Thinking about his own weakness.


    "Say, is it just me, or is something a little different about you today?" Haima looks him over.


    "I''m...a little more charismatic, I suppose," he winks.


    She blushes, but this time, she doesn''t look away. There''s a moment of silence as they walk, the only sound that can be heard is the clicking of Clancy''s legs against the stony path.


    "It''s been a week since our date, huh?" she says suddenly to herself. "Sorry I''ve been...busy. But after everything, I figured you probably wouldn''t have wanted to see me again."


    "Oh, that''s not true at all!" Barns replies enthusiastically. "I''ve been wanting to spend more time with you, actually. Like...date number two!"


    "Oh yeah?" Haima says flirtaciously. "Well, I''m a nice girl, you should know. If this is just about getting your rocks off, I''m afraid you''ll be in for another disappointing date."


    "I don''t mind at all. I just want to get to know you better, Haima."


    She stops walking, stunned by his words.


    "SMOOTH!" Clancy clicks in solidarity.


    "In fact," Barns concludes, "I regret bringing it up last time. Sorry, Haima. I''ve never really dated before, and the people around me gave me the impression that...well, that''s what happens on dates."


    Barns gives Clancy a sour look, sticking his tongue out as he talks. Clancy covers himself with pincer claws in shame.


    Haima glances to Clancy. There''s something she wants to say, but she''s not fully comfortable divulging in front of the crab.


    "Then if a no-expectations date is on the table...I would be delighted," she decides. "What did you have in mind?"


    "Well, Clancy recommended we go dancing," Barns starts. Haima waves the idea off with a flick of the wrist.


    "I''m not much for dancing," she confesses. "How about I take you someplace haunted?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "H-haunted?" Barns gasps. "But, ghosts aren''t real, are they?"


    "Oh, they''re real." Haima''s face erupts into a devilish smirk. "How about you meet me tonight at 11PM in town square? We''re going to find some ghosts."


    Clancy scuttles closely behind them. "I WANT GHOSTS TOO! CLANCY JOINS?"


    Haima giggles. "Your Majesty, I would love to show you to the ghosts, but we''ll have to wait until next time - maybe all three of us can go together next week. Deal?"


    "DEAL!"


    The banter is light-hearted, silly, and warm all the way back to Dimartino. Little did any of them know, the twin vampires of Ordella had already begun to put their offensive plans in motion¡­


    Somewhere in Dimartino, Adon lurks - and he''s eager to find his first plaything. But for Adon, not just anyone would do - he has a very specific type¡­

 Chapter 49 The Vampires Secret

    Osmond sets down his book - to his surprise, his incantations succeeded. The Memory Stone flashes to life, releasing intense cyan light through the dark room.


    The demon takes a deep breath, his heart beating through his well-muscled chest in intense anticipation. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The time has come. He will learn the vampire''s secret.


    Osmond''s hand reaches out to touch the glowing Memory Stone. He''d done this only once before, on the day he was created. The Lord of the Apocalypse presented him with a Memory Stone, and from it he was infused with his entire personality.


    ''Could this be a Memory Stone used to train someone, like what happened with me?'' Osmond can''t shake the thought. He might be peering into someone''s entire essence. And who knew how much of this could bleed into his own personality, once he''s overwhelmed with that amount of memory?


    Osmond steels himself. Nothing like that could happen, he is certain. His love for Maria is unbreakable.


    His mind drifts and merges with the Memory Stone, as the truth of its contents is revealed to him¡­but this is not the story of Adea and Adon - this is the story of Francois Lauren Villeteux.


    It takes only a second but he sees - understands - everything about Francois. Who she really is. What she''s trying to accomplish.


    If what he saw is true - time is short. He needed answers - immediately. She left this message for him specifically, after all.


    "I must talk to Francois," Osmond realizes. He resolves then and there to head to the Pale Court, and departs in a hurry, without letting anyone know what - or why - he''s going.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, In Dimartino Castle:


    "Eldrie, why don''t you take the afternoon for yourself?" Maria offers. She''s kept a close eye on him for the past week, and he''s started to earn her trust.


    "O-oh? I would love to, Princess! I''ve been so eager to meet new people in town."


    Maria gives her best smile. "Why don''t you do that, and I''ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning?"


    "Of course, ma''am. Thank you!"


    Maria watches him saunter off. ''One less thing on my plate today,'' she thinks to herself.


    She takes a quick walk around the castle, checking all of Osmond''s usual haunts - though she doesn''t find him anywhere. At the moment, she pays it no mind. Osmond could take care of himself, after all.


    Right as she is about to give up on her search, she stumbles into a familiar face - Underhill - as he lurks through the castle halls.


    "What are you doing here?" she asks, surprised.


    "I thought this was public property," Underhill shrugs. "Arrest me. Oh, wait¡­"


    "Speaking of arrests, any news on the homicide?" Maria shoots back.


    "Well," Underhill confesses. "We do have two suspects, but the evidence is circumstantial on both of ''em. But I do want to talk to them each. That''s why I''m here. Seems both suspects hang out around the castle pretty often. Maybe you know them. We got a¡­demon lord named Osmond, and a blood-woman named Haima."


    Maria''s body chills. "Keep searching," she suggests. "It''s neither of them."


    "Oh? And what makes you so sure of that, sweetheart?"


    "I was with Osmond the night of the murder, and I can vouch for him. Before that, he was with Barns the entire day."


    "Gotcha. An alibi, I see," Underhill writes something down on a notepad. "And Haima? Assuming she was with you all too?"


    Maria grits her teeth. She wonders if Underhill is trying to turn this murder investigation into some kind of political hit job.


    "No," she confesses. "I didn''t see Haima at all that day. But it''s not her. She wouldn''t be capable of such a thing. Have you met her? She''s an angel, not a murderer."


    Underhill does a little dance as he flips through his note pad. "She was seen the night of the murder, around 4AM, walking down Castleton Avenue. That places her within an hour of our estimated T.O.D. Seem a little funny to you?"


    "Haima is a hero," Maria corrects him. "And a valued ally. I''d like you to refrain from baseless accusations and come to me when you have some actual leads."


    Underhill clicks his tongue, turning away from Maria in dramatic fashion. "Well maybe she saw something, hm? I''d better talk to her regardless."


    "Do what you must," Maria says. "But if there''s an issue here, I''d like to remind you of your place. You''re police chief because you asked to be - not because we need you to be. I can find a new head of police easily."


    Underhill still faces away from Maria while his face contorts into a twisted grin. "Yes, sweetheart. I suppose we''re all in turbulent waters, hm?" He tilts his head and darts his eyes just enough that he can see her in his periphery. "A new police chief would certainly muddy the little deal you and I made the other day, wouldn''t it?"


    Maria tenses up. Was Underhill threatening her?


    "Don''t worry," Underhill says quickly, diffusing the tension. "The project I have underway with the artisans for you - that''s not going anywhere. I''m a man of my word! And it''s still our little secret."


    "Sounds like you have plenty on your plate," Maria snips. "Best get back to work, Underhill."


    "You as well, Maria. You still have your end of the bargain to hold up as well."


    He gives her a quick claw salute and heads on his way, leaving Maria to her own thoughts.


    ''Why would he want to speak to Zelia, anyway?'' Maria wonders. Those were the terms of his conditions - but she has no intention of granting his request. At least, not until he comes through with his own offer.


    ¡­


    On the other side of the castle, Eldrie is enjoying his newfound freedom for the day. He''s eager to get to town, and just as he begins trotting away, he runs into a familiar face.


    "Ah, Yunie!" Eldrie calls, running to catch up with her. "Heading to town too, I take it?"


    She peers over her shoulder at him and beams. "Eldrie, right?" she asks. "Maria''s bodyguard?"


    "For now," Eldrie huffs. "I think she still doesn''t fully trust me. Can''t say I blame her. I was one of those monsters just a few days ago¡­"


    They begin to walk in sync as Yunie reflects on his words. "We were all monsters, not long ago," she says wistfully. "Even Maria, in her own right. But trust can be fickle, isn''t that right? I''m sure you will earn it in time."


    "I sure hope so," Eldrie says, as they descend into the forest.


    "But all the same, how trustworthy is someone who gives away their trust so freely?"

 Chapter 50 Late Night Date Night

    11PM, in the town square. It''s time for Barns'' date.


    He waits nervously, looking around for Haima, but he hasn''t seen her yet. The nature of this date felt less ''romantic'' than their last, so Barns didn''t dress up. It''s a chilly night, so he wears a hoodie and slacks.


    Finally, a few minutes past 11, Haima appears. Barn''s mouth hangs open as he sees her.


    Haima wears a tight black dress with an open back, and she''s styled her medium-length black hair with some curls. Her bangs are tucked with a scarlet flower hairpin, and she''s wearing cherry-red lipstick. She''s gorgeous.


    Barns looks her up and down, his jaw practically on the floor. "That''s, uh¡­kind of hot," Barns says, adding quickly: "For ghost-hunting, I mean."


    Haima smirks. "I''m not dressing for the ghosts. I''m dressing for you, silly."


    "So where are we heading?"


    "Oh, out of town. Quite a ways away," she muses. "There''s an old mansion in the northeast. The place is oozing with ghosts."


    "You''re not gonna sacrifice me, are you?" he laughs playfully as they begin walking.


    Haima darts her eyes sharply. "And what would make you say that?" Her voice is curt and accusatory.


    "N-nothing," Barns responds quickly. He wasn''t ready for that level of intensity - not for his casual remark.


    It''s nearly midnight when they reach the dilapidated manor. It must have been over a hundred years old - and abandoned long before the apocalypse. It''s a wonder the front door remains - most of the glass windows facing the front of the house are shattered.


    Barns lingers outside the mansion, even as Haima steps toward it. "Is the legendary hero scared?" Haima taunts him.


    "A little bit?"


    Barns stares up at one of the broken windows, and for a second he swears he sees the visage of an elderly woman glaring down at him. But when he blinks, the figure is gone.


    "So¡­are ghosts, like¡­homicidal at all?"


    Haima shakes her head. "Surprisingly not," she smiles. "At the end of the day, ghosts are memories of the past that haven''t ''gone away''. They can''t hurt you. I''ve heard of people being scared to death, though - think you can handle a little fright?"


    "I''ve soloed hordes of monsters, fought vampires and demons, even defeated a Medusa once," Barns says. "Surely a little ghost or two won''t do me in."


    "One or two? There''s about thirteen in this mansion," she chuckles. "Come along, Mr. Barns."


    She says his nickname with extra emphasis, teasing him. He gives her a playful push as they laugh together and walk up to the front door.


    "Okay," she says, collecting herself and making a straight face. "They won''t like it if we barge in there laughing, so let''s just take it easy and let them come to us. Deal?"


    "Deal," Barns replies, but the thought of him acting as a sitting duck for ghosts to come haunt him gives him little comfort.


    She swings open the door, and it creaks so loudly that anything in the mansion would be able to hear it. ''Guess there''s no chance of stealth when dealing with ghosts'', Barns thinks.


    "Have you been here before, Haima?" he whispers.


    "Oh yeah. I was living here when I died and became a monster. You could say these ghosts are¡­old friends of mine," she murmurs. "They kept me company when I was one of the last people alive in this world."


    Barns looks around the shadowy foyer. No ghosts yet, at least.


    "Come," she says. "I need to introduce you to grandpa first. Once he acknowledges you, the others should come on out."


    Barns has a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe he was regretting this ''date'', which has seemingly turned more into a family reunion with the dead.


    "Have a seat," Haima commands, ushering to a dusty, ripped couch in the living room. Overhead swings a rusted chandelier, which creaks over and over in the blackness.


    "Oh, not there!" Haima exclaims right as Barns begins to sit. "That''s Olive''s seat. She''ll HATE you if you sit there. Try sitting here." She pats the cushion next to where Barns is. He plops on the couch, surrounded by a thick fog of terror.


    Haima flits around the back of the room, taking a lighter out of her pocket. Slowly, she goes around and lights the waxy candles on the mantle of the mansion''s fireplace. Once she lights all thirteen candles, she joins Barns on the couch, leaving the middle seat open between them.


    "Now what?" he asks quietly.


    "Now we wait for grandpa."


    "Is this YOUR grandpa?"


    "No, no," she giggles. "He''s their grandpa. I never learned his name, they all just refer to him as ''Gramps''."


    They chat quietly for about two minutes when both suddenly stop - the sound of a loud thud from upstairs startles them both to silence.


    And again. A loud thud. Creaking wood on the stairs. It sounds like someone is walking down, slowly.


    The sounds continue until it sounds like whoever - or whatever - it is has reached the bottom of the stairs. And then, complete silence.


    "Close your eyes," Haima says quietly.


    "That''s even worse!" Barns frets.


    "He won''t come in if you''re looking."


    Barns closes his eyes. His whole body is quivering, and the cool air that drafts through the cracked window is spine-tingling.


    Suddenly, he feels warm breath on the back of his neck, and a distorted voice.


    "Hello, Barnacles."


    The hero screams, flying up out off the couch and swatting his arms around. He lands on his knees on the floor, turning around in a frenzy.


    As he looks up, he sees what was behind him - it was only Haima, doing a silly, deep voice. She bursts into laughter.


    "I got you!" she exclaims, pointing with glee. "Ahh, that was SO good!"


    Barns looks up at her, his face deep red and his heart beating so fast it could explode. "What!?" He can barely think.


    "It was just a little prank. I wanted to see how scared you''d be!" she giggles. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns scans every square inch of the living room. No old man ghosts, not that he could see.


    "You brought me all the way here just for a prank?" Barns''s voice is still unsteady. His chest heaves up and down as he tries to regulate his breathing.


    Haima winks. "Not just for a prank. Turn around! Gramps is ready to say hello."

 Chapter 51 The Ghosts of Haimas Past

    Barns'' head whips around, and he''s nearly scared out of his skin - and yet the ethereal figure behind him saps all desire he has to scream.


    The faint, wispy outline of an older gentleman is directly behind him, sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace.


    ''That chair wasn''t there before,'' Barns thinks.


    He rises to his feet, knees quaking.


    "Sit down," Haima says. "Let me introduce you."


    Barns returns to the couch. He keeps his eyes away from the ghost, looking at its feet. Staring directly into the haunting form is too much for him.


    "Gramps, this is Barnacles. He''s the one who turned me back into a human," she says, grinning.


    "Yeah, that''s me," Barns says, his eyes still fixed on the floor.


    ''Am I really talking to a GHOST right now!?'' The thought bounces around Barns'' brain. It was a lot, even for him.


    There''s no reply from the ghost, at least not verbally. All he hears is a loud thud.


    "Gramps is smiling," Haima says, delighted.


    "Is Gramps a soul without a body?" Barns asks.


    "Well, yes. That''s about what a ghost is."


    "Is his body still around, somewhere? I mean¡­could he be resurrected?"


    Haima chuckles. "Buried behind the house, I suppose. But he and everyone else here have been dead for decades. I think their bodies are a little too far gone."


    Barns looks up, daring to meet the ghost''s gaze. Spectral blue eyes watch him with curious intent. As he meets Gramps'' gaze, his lingering unease begins to dissipate. Gramps didn''t look scary at all - he was a friendly ghost.


    "Hi, Gramps," Barns says slowly. "Thanks for looking after Haima."


    The ghost says nothing, but gives Barns a reassuring nod.


    Barns and Haima share a quick moment, but she quickly blushes and covers her face.


    ''It''s kind of like I''m meeting her family, weird as this is,'' Barns thinks. As he tilts his head back toward Gramps, he sees other figures in the dark that he can''t quite make out. Two shadowed forms, standing in the next room over. A small figure, lurking behind Gramps'' chair. Seems like they all came out to meet him. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thanks for not stealing my seat, Barnacles."


    The voice causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand. It comes from right next to him, and though he can''t see anything, there is a slight depression on the couch seat as if someone were sitting right between him and Haima.


    "I was wondering if you''d come, Olive," Haima claps her hands together excitedly.


    "Olive is the only one who can talk, but she''s fully invisible," Haima explains. "But she can talk for the whole family!"


    As tense as he was earlier (especially after Haima''s prank), Barns is finding himself to be relaxed and at ease. There is something comforting about the myriad presences around him, and the fear of the unknown is replaced with genuine curiosity.


    "You''re welcome, Olive," he says, growing comfortable. "And thanks to all of you, I suppose. I feel quite welcome."


    More silence. Barns peers around the room. The other figures, though still hard to discern, seem a bit clearer.


    "I''m not sure what to say," he murmurs quietly to Haima.


    "You don''t need to say anything."


    Haima speaks slowly, as if she is fading into a dream. "They''re perceptive. Think of kind thoughts. Your energy will reach them far greater than any words."


    Barns focuses on a calm headspace and lets the awkwardness of the situation die down within him. His mind drifts between thoughts freely, and he''s surprised as vignettes appear in his mind.


    He sees a woman doing laundry, laughing with her children. He sees Gramps reading a story to the family by the fire. Each scene is painted in vivid, warm colors, seeping with nostalgia for a world long passed.


    He returns the favor - he shows the family pieces of his life. The fateful day when he sacrificed himself and was reborn as Barnacles. Relaxing days on Scuttle Island, soaking up the warmth of the sun - a place untouched by the horrors wrought by the apocalypse.


    He closes his eyes, and he thinks of Haima, too. He wants the ghost family to know that he''s taken a genuine liking to her.


    He explores more and more of his thoughts, sharing whatever he can - and in turn, he sees clips of the family''s former lives. Not all of these thirteen knew each other in life - but in death, they have bonded and become a true family.


    After some time, Barns re-opens his eyes. As he looks around the room, the ghosts are all gone. It''s just him and Haima, sitting on the couch together in the dark.


    "They had a lovely time," Haima smiles. "I think you may have fallen asleep for a bit there."


    "What? No way," Barns says.


    "How long do you think it''s been since we sat here?"


    "I dunno¡­ten or fifteen minutes?"


    Haima chuckles. "Three hours, almost."


    "WHAT!?"


    "They had to go," Haima tells him. "3AM is the Witching Hour. Nice ghosts like this go into hiding. The Witching Hour is when less generous spirits come out."


    Barns rises from the couch, oddly refreshed. Maybe he did sleep for a while.


    "They said you''re welcome to visit any time, with or without me," Haima grins. "They must have really liked you."


    Barns scratches the back of his head. "I like them too¡­I think."


    They exit the mansion, heading back into the dark night. As they begin their walk, Barns turns to look at the crumbling home one more time.


    It no longer looks scary to him - but perhaps a little sad. Images of what this place once was had embedded themselves in his mind. At least now he can see this place for what it was, rather than what it has become.


    "You should spend the night," Haima says quietly as they walk through the silent forest. "I have a spare bedroom, after all."


    "Exiled to the spare bedroom?" Barns pouts as Haima punches his stomach playfully.


    "If I meant otherwise, I''d have said so," she smirks. "Such a dirty mind you have. I hope you didn''t think any of those thoughts when Gramps was around!"


    "N-not at all!" Barns says quickly. "Sorry. The romantic side of romance is foreign territory here, give me a break."


    "Well, the sexual side of things is foreign to me," Haima coughs, embarrassed by her own words. "I''ve¡­always been a little afraid."


    "Clearly you''re not from Dimartino, then," Barns laughs.


    A wistful smile is pervasive on Haima''s red lips. "My Secret Arts have taught me much about my own body. I can control even my own heartbeat. I think having an¡­''outside influence'' would completely throw me off. The thought is horrifying, honestly."


    The girl he likes and has been on two dates with just described his ''outside influence'' as horrifying. Not exactly the response he was looking for.


    "But you went far out of your comfort zone for me tonight," Haima adds. "I won''t forget it."

 Chapter 52 Haima Breaks (R-18)

    A/N: This is a (R-18) chapter and can be safely skipped - there''s nothing here that directly affects the plot. This chapter features adult content with:


    1. Barns and Haima


    Clancy and a hooker


    If you decide not to skip it¡­you have already been warned.


    Haima''s House, 4AM -


    Haima stares at her bedroom ceiling, watching the fan spin round and round. She''s too distracted to sleep. The shuffling of Barns down the hall keeps her awake.


    She was sensitive to the things around her - blood, flesh, and bone specifically. And from the room Barns was staying the night in, she could sense the tension and unease in his blood.


    All her life, it is as if she has a constant 3D scan of every living creature near her. Respectively, she could sense Barns'' frustration as he rolls around in the sheets.


    She rises from her bed, shocking even herself. She isn''t ready to step fully out of her comfort zone, but she was willing to get her feet wet.


    Before she knows it, she''s standing at the door to her spare bedroom. She taps lightly on the door three times.


    "Hello?" she says, keeping her voice quiet.


    "I''m awake, Haima. What''s up?"


    Barns eyes widen as she pushes open the door. She stands in the doorway, her hair tussled from laying in the bed. She''s wearing somewhat see-through black nightwear, covering herself just barely. Her long and slender legs shine pale in the speckled moonlight that seeps in from the window.


    "You really are a horny menace, aren''t you?" she says, catching her teeth on her bottom lip. It was dark, but Barns could see she was looking right at him.


    "Do you want me to take care of you?" she continues. "It''ll help you sleep."


    Barns gasps. Her words would have excited him, had he not already been raring to go.


    "Fuck yeah."


    Haima smiles sweetly. "I''ve never done this before. With my powers, there''s a non-zero chance your manhood will explode - and not in a good way."


    "Eh¡­how big of a chance? We talking 50/50?"


    Haima shrugs. "Want to find out?"


    "Yes."


    Haima sits on the edge of the bed, and she puts her hand on Barns'' throat. Her touch is gentle, though she gives his neck a little bit of a squeeze.


    "This is¡­not quite what I imagined¡­" he says nervously.


    "Shh. Just enjoy it, Barns. And try not to move too much."


    She activates her Secret Art. Every muscle in Barns'' body tenses for a brief second before he becomes limp - everywhere but between his legs. He feels the blood rush out of his head and into his groin, engorging him further than he''d ever been. He can''t help himself as intense pleasure coats his entire being, and his leg twitches involuntarily under the sheets.


    The blood and meat of his body harmonize together in ways that words struggle to describe - a telepathic full-body stimulation while he himself has no control of his body, other than his muscle spasms, he cannot move an inch.


    His breathing is immediate and uneven - Haima has to control the flow of oxygen in and out of his lungs with her power as she pleasures him. She focuses a majority of her attention on his throbbing manhood, every bit of it stimulated far deeper than any intercourse could ever provide.


    Barns can''t think of anything but the psychosomatic bliss that threatens to overwhelm every one of his faculties. He''s never felt so stimulated in his life. His arousal is at its limit. Were she to apply even the slightest more power, he would release in an instant.


    She tightens her hand around his throat, and the euphoria heightens to places he''d never even imagined. She grabs one of his hands and slides it under her shirt, guiding his fingertips along her belly.


    Waves of ecstasy overtake him again and again in sync with his heartbeat, which grows faster and faster. He twitches again, more violently, as Haima edges him with her power. She holds him at the precipice, teasing and taunting him with the certainty of inevitable release.


    She moves her hand from his neck to his chest, keeping her hand firmly planted against his skin. It''s becoming too much for Barns. She slides her hand lower, over his toned stomach. Even she has to take a deep breath as her palm slides over his muscles.


    And then finally, she slides her hand down to the line of his boxers, but as she does, the pleasure intensifies to a point that Barns can no longer handle. Before she even touches his groin, he erupts into the most powerful orgasm that he could have ever conceived. As soon as he begins to release, she pulls her hand away from him and undoes her Secret Art. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He immediately thrusts upward, all four limbs flailing in delightful madness. He moans at the top of his lungs, loud enough to wake the neighbors. Haima doesn''t mind. She watches his climax with intrigued curiosity.


    ''If only he''d lasted longer,'' she thinks to herself. ''I was just about to make things really fun.''


    Barns crumples, wet and disoriented, still releasing echoes of pleasure in his vocalizations. She peels his hand from her thigh and places it on the mattress next to him.


    He looks into her eyes, but doesn''t say a word. He''s forgotten how to talk in the moment. Haima blinks back at him in the dark before a slight curl crosses her lips. "That''s just with one hand," she snickers. "Imagine what else we could get up to."


    She steps out of the room, closing the door behind her. "Have a good night, Barns," she says as she walks back to her room.


    Barns is asleep before the door closes, with the biggest smile he''s ever had plastered over his face.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, at Dimartino Castle, Clancy is also (finally) having the time of his life.


    A blond prostitute sits on her knees on Clancy''s massive bed - he''s taken over Maria and Osmond''s old bedroom, and above them, the ceiling is a massive mirror. She peeks up nervously, but all she can see in the reflection is the top of Clancy''s shell.


    The large crab snips the straps of her bra off, and she catches it, laughing nervously. "What a naughty crab you are!" she giggles, covering her chest.


    Clancy''s face is inches from hers, his hatch-mouth quivering with bubbly foam. "SHOW GOODIES."


    The prostitute blushes and releases her hand. Her bra tumbles down, revealing her naked torso to the crab. He wraps his pincer claws around her and buries his face in her chest, spurting foam and shaking his head side to side - not the first time the distinguished crab has acted as a ''motorboat''.


    "Ooooh!" the prostitute wails. It''s a sensation she''s never quite experienced, but the cleansing foam soaking her front tingles deliciously on her soft flesh.


    "INSERTION TIME."


    "Oooh-oo-h-what, wait?" she gasps. She looks down and something that resembles a claw hammer with a plated shell begins to extend. "Okay, I don''t think that''s going to work," she says, eying it suspiciously.


    "TASTE LIKE CRAB." The foam is dripping out of Clancy''s mouth, wetter and more viscous than normal like he''s drooling.


    The woman looks at it again. If she just has to put her mouth on it a little bit, she supposes, it might work¡­plus, crab was her favorite seafood. She hadn''t eaten any since being resurrected, on account of crab being outlawed.


    "Well, fuck it," she says, placing her mouth on whatever that is.


    For Barns and Clancy both, it''s a night for the history books.

 Chapter 53 Yunie

    When Barns returns to the castle the next morning, someone is already waiting for him.


    "Mr. Barnacles, sir! Good morning!"


    Barns waves as Roscoe, Yunie''s younger brother, comes racing toward him.


    "Mr. Hero, have you seen Yunie?" Roscoe asks, frantic. "She didn''t come home last night."


    Barns is stumped. "I haven''t," he admits. "But I went to town late last night. I hardly saw anyone."


    "Big sis went to town to run some errands for the guild," Roscoe says, his words as frenetic as his body. His worry is palpable. "She was talking to that bodyguard guy, the one who used to be a vampire. El¡­something."


    "Eldrie?" Barns asks.


    "Yeah! I saw them walk to town together!" Roscoe wails. "But she never came back!"


    Barns pats Roscoe on the head. "Don''t worry, little man. We''ll find her."


    ''Yunie and Eldrie, huh? Are they hooking up or something?'' Barns wonders. As he considers the possibility, another dark thought crosses his mind.


    ''Eldrie''s one of us¡­right? He wouldn''t¡­''


    Barns shakes his head, snapping out of the dark thoughts. "Roscoe, you go on and get things set up at the guild like Yunie taught you, okay? I''ll find your sister."


    Roscoe throws his arms in despair. "Can''t I come with you?" he frets. "I''m scared!"


    "If Yunie got caught up with something, she''d want you to take care of the guild, wouldn''t she?" Barns smiles. He hadn''t gotten any notifications, so it''s not like Yunie is dead. She''s just¡­not here, currently.


    "But without big sis, we don''t even have any quests¡­" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All the more reason for you to head over there, and explain the situation to any Adventurers who stop by. I''m the legendary hero, right?" Barns flexes for the young and distraught boy. "If I can''t figure it out, nobody can!"


    Roscoe sniffles. "O-okay," he says, defeated. "But when you find her, come right back, okay!"


    "It''s a deal," Barns and Roscoe shake on it.


    "Speaking of, kid," Barns says before stepping away. "I asked Yunie if I could teach you some combat moves, and she reluctantly agreed. When I come back with Yunie, maybe we can get some training in?"


    "No way!" Roscoe shouts, pumping up excitedly. It''s enough to diffuse some of the young man''s worries. "You mean it! I''ll be a student of THE legendary hero!?"


    "That''s right," Barns grins. "You''re going to be my first official protege!"


    He pats Roscoe on the head one more time and sends the boy on his way back to the Adventurer Guild.


    "Alright," Barns says to himself. "If Eldrie was the last one to see Yunie, he''s as good a starting point as any."


    Eldrie was Maria''s personal bodyguard for now, and she hardly ever let him out of her sight.


    ''Guess I''m going to see Maria.''


    Barns heads off, uncertain of what the future would reveal to him.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Ordella¡­


    Adon reaches his long pale fingers down, wrapping them around his captive''s neck and forcing her to look up at him. He''s used to fear, and terror in the eyes of his victims. This one is so delectably new - she looks at him not with horror but with burning determination and anger.


    "Do what you will with me, your days are numbered!" she growls. Her face is bruised, her hair matted and hanging over her eyes. She didn''t go down without a fight.


    Adon taps her on the chin. "Do you know how long it''s been since someone had the audacity to fight back?" he sneers. "Oh, Adea - how long?"


    "Oh, Adon. It''s been years. She won''t keep up her little act for long, hehe. Once she realizes how much trouble she''s really in."


    Adon and his sister exchange a loving smile. As soon as he turns back to his captive, the smile turns to a grimace.


    "We won''t be killing you, not yet," Adon informs her. "You are a very special prize, after all. Our first Dimartino human in¡­oh, how long, my sweet sister?"


    "Dear brother, not since before that rat Osmond moved in and took it over."


    "Yes, that''s right, my sweet Adea. Not since Osmond."


    "Barnacles will destroy you!" she shrieks, struggling against her restraints to no avail. She''s bound at the wrists and ankles in a sharp, rusted iron chair in the back of the slaughterhouse. Bodies hang around her and the scent of blood overwhelms her senses. The floor is scattered with bone and rot - and yet none of the horror she sees breaks her. She knows Barns. She knows he will win against these vampires.


    "Ah, yes. Adea, my sweet sister - Barnacles is the name of the boy hero, isn''t that right? I''m sure once he realizes you''re missing, he''ll come running right to us. You''re important to him, aren''t you?"


    She clenches her jaw and refuses to answer.


    "Come on, now," Adon snarls, baring his fangs at her. "If you won''t play nicely, I''ll just turn you into a vampire and make you kill him yourself. Won''t you at least tell me your name?"


    She rattles the chair and howls in protest.


    Adon grabs her head. With the strength he possesses, he could pop her skull with no effort at all. She realizes this as he slowly squeezes harder and harder. "Your name, bitch."


    "Yunie. And you''d better remember it because I''m going to be the last thing you think about when you''re dying and thinking about where it all went wrong, you prick."


    "Yunie," Adon repeats, vile energy emanating from his soul. "Yunie. The bait that brought us the ''legendary hero''. Isn''t that just wonderful, my dear sister?"


    "Oh, Adon," she cackles. "You''re one for theatrics, aren''t you?"


    "My sister, it''s almost time for you to head out as well. I believe our friend Francois has some explaining to do."


    "Hehehe."


    Adea lurches up from the ground, her cleaver already in hand. "Adon, Adon. I think you''re quite right. My, we''re going to have a busy day ahead of us, you and me. Save me a piece of that legendary hero, won''t you? I want to know what that misguided hope tastes like."

 Chapter 54 Blood Relatives

    "I haven''t seen Eldrie since yesterday afternoon. Why, is something wrong?"


    Those words hit Barns deeply. Suddenly, Yunie wasn''t just ''not around''. Now, two of their citizens were missing.


    "Maria, we need to find Eldrie right away. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"


    She''s surprised by the panic in Barns'' voice. "Tell me what happened."


    "Yesterday, Yunie and Eldrie were seen heading to town together, but it sounds like nobody has seen either of them since. She didn''t show up to work. Sounds like Eldrie didn''t either."


    Maria furrows her brow, vexed. "Don''t tell me¡­" she says aloud, her doubts bubbling up to the surface. "Do you think his memories returned?"


    "Anything''s possible. We need to find them. Now."


    Maria agrees, gathering her things together. She was doing some more reading in the library, but this took precedent.


    "And where''s Osmond?"


    Maria winces. "He is¡­also missing," she says. "But I don''t think he''s involved in any of this. From what I gather, he must have learned something from the Memory Stone and went to investigate."


    "By himself? That''s insane!" Barns objects.


    Maria shakes her head. "He wouldn''t have gone to Ordella by himself. Which means he''s somewhere in Dimartino - or perhaps even at the Pale Court."


    "The Pale Court? Why would he -"


    Maria clears her throat, interrupting him. "Listen, I know Oz. He would never do something on his own unless it were absolutely urgent."


    Barns takes a deep breath. "What a disaster of a morning this is turning out to be. Anyone else missing I should know about?"


    "Your crab missed his morning shift taking requests from the people, but I filled in for him. He''s fine - for the record. Seems like he just had a late night."


    "Alright. Gather everyone you can. I want everyone looking for Yunie. I''m heading back to town to see what I can learn." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maria nods. "I''ll have Zelia send you a message if I learn anything."


    They split, and Barns rushes to Dimartino''s town in record time. His first stop is the police headquarters - maybe they can actually be useful for once.


    "Underhill, I need to put out an APB or whatever it''s called," Barns says, talking over the cute receptionist at the front desk.


    "We don''t do that around here, but you can use the public broadcast if you need to get something off your chest, big guy."


    "We have two missing people. Yunie and Eldrie. You gonna help with that?"


    Underhill''s face shifts from callous to contemplative in an instance. "Yunie, you say?"


    Underhill turns to the receptionist. "Go make an announcement, why don''t ya?"


    The woman nods and scurries out to the broadcast tower. Underhill sits on her desk and whips out a knife, playing with it as he thinks out loud.


    "Yunie''s a nice gal. Would hate to imagine somethin'' untoward happening to her. We got any leads?"


    "She came to town yesterday afternoon with Eldrie. From what I can tell, nobody has seen either of them since."


    "Tch. I''ll have the boys get on it. They''ve been stir-crazy, my man. If we hear anything, we''ll put an announcement out just for you."


    "Thanks, Underhill."


    The two chat for a while, discussing possible places to search¡­


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in the Pale Court:


    Osmond stands outside the Vampire Lily - the white, smooth stone lair of Francois Lauren Villeteux - as it begins to pry open. Osmond notes a soothing melody coming from within - the sound of a wistful harp.


    "Osmond. I''ve been expecting you."


    The voice rings from inside the chamber. Osmond narrows his eyes as he steps through the threshold, into Francois'' inner sanctum.


    "I was hoping you''d bring the boy," she muses from the back of the room as she strums a grand harp, plucking a mysterious and experimental tune.


    "There''s no time for that, Francois. You know why I''m here."


    She glances over to him and smiles, but doesn''t stop playing. Her eerie melody hits a crescendo.


    "Francois."


    She stops - right as he grows insistent, her song comes to a graceful end. She floats gracefully up off the stool onto her feet.


    "I saw what the Lord of the Apocalypse gave you. Your Memory Stone - all of it."


    "Ooh, yes I believed you would," she says, her words like honey, her distinct accent coming through on every harsh consonant. "But you don''t want to talk about ''the good old days'', do you Osmond?"


    "Oh, we have plenty to talk about," Osmond growls. "But you''re right. Francois. A Master Vampire''s weakness - you can only be killed by blood relatives."


    She gives him a sinister smirk. "And now you know why that particular secret is not one I mind you knowing."


    Osmond narrows his eyes. Francois was a manufactured person - just like him. She didn''t HAVE blood relatives.


    "So you''re immortal," Osmond says out loud, hardly believing the words. "And you sent Barns and I on a fool''s errand. We''re not blood relatives of Adea or Adon."


    "I see you are only halfway there," Francois shakes her head and clicks her tongue. When she''s alone with Osmond, she has no reason to keep up her lustful act. She glares at him with all the conceit and bitterness she can muster.


    "Adea and Adon murdered every single family member they had, and burned them to ash. They kept that urn as a memento. And not even the ''Silver Rake'' weapon is enough to kill a Master Vampire. No. It must be a blood relative."


    "It was a suicide mission, and you knew it," Osmond sighs. "I can''t believe it, Francois. For a moment, I thought you might actually have seen reason."


    "I can assure you, I am not just trying to kill you all. I would have done it myself."


    "Then explain it, Francois! That''s why I''m here."


    "Little Osmond, I kept those ashes hidden away for a reason. The twins did not know I had them."


    "We would use the ashes as a weapon? Adon and Adea are strong vampires, we can''t just blow ash in their face and expect them to die!"


    "Extract the bone fragments for arrowheads. Mix them in gunpowder. Coat your swords in them. Anything. Once Adea and Adon come into contact with them, they will become immediately invulnerable. And if all else fails, well then I suppose you could have them kill each other. I have given you everything you need, Osmond. Your people will just have to figure it out."


    A moment of silence, before Francois speaks one more time.


    "And once you do, you''ll figure out a way to kill me."

 Chapter 55 The Counterattack Begins

    Early in the afternoon, Eldrie is found. Tied to a tree, bound, blindfolded, and gagged - but he''s still alive.


    Barns and Underhill find him around the same time, about a mile out of the village in the jungle. The police force had been combing the entire town as well as the beachside village. Maria and the others searched the castle area.


    Barns approaches Eldrie slowly, not sure if this is a trap or not. He undoes his gag and his blindfold but doesn''t untie him from the tree - not yet.


    As soon as Eldrie can see again, he immediately starts shouting incomprehensibly. Barns smacks him across the face and holds him by both shoulders.


    "Calm down!" Barns commands. Eldrie snaps back to the present moment, his incoherent panic fading into something more sensible.


    "Adon!" Eldrie cries, shaking in his restraints. "Adon was here, he took Yunie!"


    To Barns, it''s like the world stops in that moment. Could he even believe Eldrie?


    ¡­Did he have a reason not to believe Eldrie?


    Barns blinks several times in frustration, looking to Underhill and hoping the shady merchant has some idea of what to do next.


    Underhill taps the ground twice with his gilded cane. "Adon, eh? That''s one of them vampire twins you''ve all been going on about?"


    "Yes!" Eldrie shakes, his eyes red. "H-He left me here to give you a message. He''ll k-kill Yunie if you don''t go to Ordella." Eldrie stumbles over the words. He''s been strapped to this tree all night. Left here as a warning.


    Barns is quaking with anger. One of his own was kidnapped right from the middle of Dimartino. He would not stand for this.


    Barns unsheathes his sword and cuts the ropes binding Eldrie, who falls over onto his face, sobbing.


    "Underhill. I want every capable and willing fighter at Dimartino Castle in one hour. We''re going to Ordella."


    Barns walks off to make his own preparations, but there''s somewhere he has to stop first.


    As he makes his way back to the castle, he reports to the Adventurer Guild. A frazzled Roscoe is still there, trying to handle the daily operations as best as he can.


    "Roscoe," Barns says immediately upon entering. There are several Adventurers sitting around at the wooden tables, and they all turn to Barns as he enters.


    "I''m sorry to have to tell you this, Roscoe. Your sister is alive, but she''s been captured by the enemy. I''m heading out right now to save her."


    Barns turns to the rest of the Adventurers in the room. "And I''d like all of your help!" he says. "Yunie is one of our own. She runs this place! Our society wouldn''t be what it is today without Yunie. None of us would have jobs, either," he adds in an attempt to lighten the mood.


    "So the Adventurer Guild owes it to Yunie - we will head to Ordella and get her back!"


    After finishing up business, there are two others he needs to talk to directly - Clancy and Maria. He finds Maria first, but she looks like she''s already prepping for a journey.


    "I''m going to the Pale Court," she says quietly.


    "Maria. We have to stick together right now."


    "And that''s exactly what I mean to do, Barns," she snaps. "I know Osmond went there. He must have found something out. I''ll rendezvous with him and then catch up with you in Ordella."


    Barns grits his teeth. "We shouldn''t be splitting up right now," he protests. "This is exactly what the vampires would want."


    "Priority one will always be myself," Maria reminds him. "And priority two is usually Osmond. I care a hell of a lot more for him than Yunie, so excuse me if he''s the one I''m most concerned about."


    Barns takes a deep breath, trying not to let his emotions boil over. "Fine, Maria. Do as you must."


    His last stop is Clancy, who he finds scuttling around the hallway on the second floor. He appears to be admiring a large portrait of the former king and queen.


    "NEED CRAB PAINTING."


    Barns looks quickly at the picture, but he doesn''t have time right now to indulge Clancy''s antics.


    "Listen, King. We have an emergency. Yunie''s been kidnapped and taken to Ordella. I know it''s short notice, but we have to attack the town today. Now."


    Clancy pivots toward Barns and stares at him blankly for a moment. The wise crab can read the intensity of emotion on Barns'' face, and he realizes the gravity of their plight.


    "KILL TIME!"


    Clancy raises his pincers valiantly. He was all-in too.


    Barns and Clancy head to the front of the castle, where Adventurers and police have already begun to gather.


    Barns curses the timing of this whole situation. Osmond and Maria are occupied. They still don''t know how to kill Master Vampires. Barns is underleveled, and he hasn''t figured out how to use ''Claws of Death'' yet. He finds that no matter how he looks at it, they are disadvantaged on all fronts - but they had to press on. He absolutely refused to leave Yunie alone to her fate at the hands of the vampires.


    If she dies, he''ll get a pop-up informing him that his resurrection count has dropped. That knowledge gives Barns the strength to carry onward with their mission. She could be saved. If they brought the combined might of Dimartino down on the vampires, they have a chance.


    ''I just hope Osmond figured something out about killing them," he mumbles to himself. ''And that he makes it to us in time.''


    Once the end of the hour draws near, Barns makes his way to the front of the gathered crowd. Well over a hundred warriors have assembled to participate in the siege of Ordella, but there''s one soldier he has to turn away.


    "Roscoe. No." Barns'' voice is authoritative and cold. The young teen raises a fist in protest.


    "It''s my sister we''re saving!"


    "I don''t care. You don''t have any battle experience."


    "But you''ll be there, legendary hero! Won''t you keep me safe like you will with big sis!?"


    Barns feels a tightness in his chest. The self-doubt that plagued him when he fought Eldrie climbs into his throat and makes it hard to reply.


    "Roscoe. Someone needs to stand behind and protect this town while we''re gone. The vampires could be planning a trap."


    Barns takes a deep breath and unclips the sword, Crashing Wave, from his belt. He hands the powerful blade to Roscoe.


    "If anything happens, point the sword at the enemy and pull the trigger, okay?" Barns looks sternly into Roscoe''s eyes. "I am leaving the kingdom of Dimartino in your hands, Roscoe. Be strong. Not just for me, but for Yunie."


    His words inspire the boy, who clutches the blue sword with all his strength. "Yes, Master Barnacles!" he says with utmost determination. "I won''t let you down!"


    On that note, Barns walks away from the boy and back to the front of his assembled fighters. He raises the Silver Rake into the air, and allows the claws to retract, holding the glistening silver in the air. Everyone''s attention fixes on him.


    "This is our moment!" Barns shouts over the crowd. "This is the true test of the people of Dimartino! One of our own has been taken from our kingdom. If we do not rise up to fight, then what are we? This kingdom stands for every single human who draws breath today. We fly defiantly in the face of the apocalypse!"


    Barns takes a deep breath and continues his speech. "In the old world, people were killed with no regard. Vampires, Demons, and monsters had their way with humanity. But I swear on everything, that world is over! Let''s go show those vampires what humanity is capable of!"


    The entire crowd roars in agreement, each one forming the crab salute in unison. Barns salutes them back, caught up in the moment.


    Clancy scuttles up next to Barns, and the hero leaps onto the crab''s shell, pumping his fist into the air one final time.


    "Our counterattack begins now!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 56 Blood In the Water

    The border of the two kingdoms is littered with human corpses, some immolated, some crucified, others twisted into hideous poses like effigies. Each one of them is long gone - Barns'' Resurrection skill is useless. These were the people of Ordella. Their humanity is so disregarded that they were used as set dressing by the vampires. Despicable.


    "WASTEFUL. PUNISH VAMPIRES!"


    As Barns'' army reaches the beginning of the bayou, the sun overhead suddenly begins to dim. It''s only a few hours into the afternoon - the darkness overtaking the sky is unnatural.


    "An¡­eclipse?"


    Barns looks to the sun as a large shadow begins to darken its harsh light. Haima, walking nearby, hypothesizes.


    "I''ve heard the twins possess powerful magic, but something like this?" her eyes watch the sun fearfully as the light is all but blotted out.


    "They don''t fight in daylight." Haima murmurs. "So they''re making their own night."


    Barns is chilled by her words, but there was no going back now. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the darkness sets upon them, something in the air changes. As if the darkness itself were watching them. The adventuring league lights a few torches and lanterns to dispel the darkness.


    They reach a crossing, but the bridge has been recently destroyed. They''ll have to trudge through the murky shallow water on foot.


    "Bridge was fine when I came through," Godrick sighs. "No helpin'' it."


    "Alright, everyone!" Barns commands. It''s fully dark now, but the torchlight illuminates their legion. "We''ll load any sensitive equipment on Clancy, and he''ll cross it over. The rest of us will go on foot. It''s about three or four feet deep, so be careful. The water looks still, but its a moving river. Don''t lose your footing."


    Clancy heads over the river with their valuable items - food, medicine, things that can''t get wet. The large crab is able to lift his body up well over the water on his stilt-like legs.


    As his claws poke about in the muddy water, something begins to stir under the surface, spurred by the darkness above. Dark figures float around Clancy''s legs, but the King Crab doesn''t notice.


    Clancy sets himself down on the other side of the river as the humans begin to cross. Barns leads the pack, sloshing through the water quickly, eager to get out as soon as possible.


    "Barns! In front of you!"


    A large animal splashes out of the water - an alligator, its mouth wide open. An arrow whizzes by the moment it emerges, shooting the alligator on the bottom side of its mouth. The arrow pierces completely through the alligator snout, forcing its mouth shut.


    Barns turns around. Standing on the edge of the water is Eldrie, bow in hand. Barns is glad to see him here - he''d have understood if Eldrie was too shaken up from yesterday to participate.


    The reptile wails in pain but crunches through the arrow. It lets out a high-pitched scream, odd for an alligator, as it hisses. Other gators begin to bubble up from the river.


    "These aren''t just regular alligators, Barns," Haima notes, eyeing the creatures around them. She''s in the water too, just steps behind Barns. The worst possible place for her to be - the moving water around her confuses her senses and she can''t quite tell where the alligators are from intuition alone.


    "These are vampire alligators."


    The gators descend on the party, tearing through the people in the water. Screams erupt through the air as a swarm of vampire gators bare their fangs and bite, sucking the blood right out of some of Barns'' followers.


    Each of the scaly reptiles has large red eyes that glow in the darkness, and their teeth are sharper and larger than normal. The color has seeped from their scales, leaving them pale.


    "Clancy! Foam upstream! Now!" Barns commands, withdrawing his claws and jamming them through gator brain. The crab scuttles north and immediately starts frothing into the flowing water, mixing his raw secretions into the river. The crab juice foams up quickly, and soon a cascade of cleansing foam rolls through the party.


    The alligators begin to hiss and croak as the foam reaches them, burning them alive in the water. Barns and Haima continue to fight in the middle of the river, defending those who''ve already waded in.


    His Silver Rake dances through the water. Even a graze from the consecrated silver is enough to vanquish a gator - the holy light that emanates from his weapon is diabolically destructive to vampires.


    On the shore, Godrick is cleaning up the gators one after another with his Asura Dance - four blades whip through the air as he glides effortless along the shoreline, each sword finding a mark over and over. Eldrie stands nearby, shooting the gators out of the water.


    These vampire gators can survive multiple lethal blows, so every attack counts. With the help of the foam to distract and neutralize the gators, the humans begin to gain the upper hand. A gator swims between Barns and Haima, making a move at his legs, but at this distance Haima is uninhibited from using her magic. Even before Barns notices the vampiric beast, Haima uses her Secret Art to drain it like a juice pouch.


    Barns'' team is victorious - though it was too close of a call.


    They finish crossing the river, and the army couldn''t be happier that they were through. There''s a few injuries, but after a quick ''Resurrection'' from Barns, no permanent casualties.


    Haima uses her Secret Art to stop the bleeding of the injured - an excellent skill to have not just offensively, but medically as well.


    As they regroup at the edge of the river, Barns and Clancy do a quick sweep for any more gators. They stop a short distance away from the others, looking at a nearby settlement. Barns holds his torch up to get a better look.


    "We have to be ready for anything, Clancy" Barns says, looking at the dark farm to their right. He sees chickens picking at the ground from where he''s standing.


    One of the chickens looks up, its eyes glowing deep red. And then, all of the chickens begin to glow in a red malevolent aura that only Clancy and Barns can see - the birds are filled with murderous intent.


    "God damn it," Barns mutters to himself. Before they even finish resting, the army is set upon by a flying horde of vampire chickens.

 Chapter 57 The Demon Lord

    Osmond is on the way back to Dimartino, only about an hour away, when the sky begins to darken.


    ''Impossible,'' Osmond thinks. ''This technique is just like the First Vampire''s¡­''


    He abruptly twists his head toward the woods. A figure he recognizes all too well emerges from the shadows, holding a large black parasol over her head.


    "Ozzie, Ozzie, it sure has been a while, hm? What brings you all the way out here?"


    Adea smiles back at him, swaying back and forth and showing off her fangs. She twirls the parasol around in one hand while tapping her giant meat cleaver against her thigh.


    "Just visiting my sister, thanks," he says coolly. His fingers reflexively stretch toward his staff.


    The sky is almost completely dark, but it doesn''t bother Osmond any. As a demon, he has excellent night vision.


    Adea chuckles to herself, a sinister and ugly grin plastered on her otherwise beautiful face. "You know, Ozzie, I''ve been hearing all kinds of rumors about you lately. It really is a shame. Reputation is everything around here, you know. Why, I hear even one of the Seven Sentinels is coming to look into the gossip! Oh, but it couldn''t possibly be true, could it? COULD IT!?"


    She ends her monologue with a hissing snarl, and her pupils turn into slits. She lets go of her black parasol, and it floats up into the sky, vanishing. It''s fully dark now - she no longer needed a shield from the sun.


    "Are you looking for a fight, Adea? Because I''d be happy to oblige."


    "Where''s the fun in killing a stupid little demon?" she scowls. "You''re the last person I''d ever want to kill. You aren''t even real. Just a little doll sewed together by the Lord of the Apocalypse. My god, he didn''t even put you together properly - just look at all the cracks on your skin!"


    The veins in Osmond''s arms tense, and the geometric cracks along his skin begin to glow with violet light. His demon magic courses through him like a torrent, and his vision hones directly on to his target.


    "All I want to know is what you''re planning with Francois," Adea frowns. "You can crawl into a hole somewhere and stay out of my way. I only care about killing humans." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He can''t remember the last time he''s been so activated. Even when he fought Barns, he didn''t feel this intensity. That day, a part of him was resolved to die if he needed to. But today - he isn''t going anywhere.


    His violet magic begins to spark, and tendrils of energy dart over his skin like crackling lightning. He allows the mana to completely consume him, and it wraps around his entire body, his horns becoming conduits.


    "My, my," Adea bites down on her lip so hard that blood begins to gush from her mouth. She swirls it around on her tongue. "Aren''t you all fired up? Fine, little Ozzie boy. Let''s fight! A Demon Lord versus a Master Vampire, now won''t this be fun?"


    She points her cleaver at him. "Though you know you have no chance of winning, don''t you?"


    Osmond''s eye twitches as he glowers at the fiendish vampire. It was true - according to what he''d learned from Francois. He didn''t have any of the ashes on him, and he was certainly not a blood relative.


    She might be immortal, but she wasn''t invulnerable. If Osmond could stop her here, and capture her, then he would be able to deal with her properly later.


    That''s right. He could win without killing her. But that doesn''t mean he needs to hold back - not at all.


    "Get ready, Adea. Your reign of terror ends today, and I will serve you on a platter to my beautiful Maria!"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, near Ordella.


    Barns huffs and heaves in a storm of white feathers as the last of the chickens pops in midair. Haima, who delivered the killing blow, drops to her knees, exhausted and out of breath. Blood runs out of her nose and ears - she''s overdone herself.


    "Damn, girl. If I ever need chicken nuggets, you''re my first call."


    Barns reaches his hand toward Haima, helping her up. She struggles to get to her feet. Her mind is blank and woozy, and her powers at their limit.


    Moments ago, as the horde of vampire chickens beset upon their army, Haima activated a large-scale Secret Art and began to implode the chickens one after another in midair. Even with all her power brought to bear, the chicken attack was devastating. Several of their legion were bitten and scratched, and she no longer had the power to seal their wounds. Nearly half of their party of a hundred or so were injured at this point, either from the gators or the chickens.


    "Barns," she wheezes. "I need a break. A lot of us do."


    His fist trembles in his gauntlet. She''s right, of course. They''d sustained heavy injuries, and if Barns couldn''t resurrect the recently dead, they''d be down several bodies already. He looks over his regiment. At the very least, the more capable fighters were mostly unscathed, and among the injured, nobody is in a life-threatening predicament.


    "Eldrie. You''re quick on your feet. Take a team of the three fastest among us and report back to Dimartino. We need to establish supply lines - we can''t move all of the injured right now. Can you do that?"


    The former vampire''s eyes light up when he''s called on. He''s humbled to be considered for such an important task.


    "Yes, sir!" Eldrie salutes. Thanks to Maria''s prank, Eldrie takes the salute more seriously than anyone.


    "Good. Haima, I know you''re injured right now. Can you look after everyone here?"


    She shakes her head. "Not like this," she admits. "I need an hour or two to recuperate. My blood is-"


    As she talks, she spits up a mouthful of blood onto the ground and starts coughing. Barns watches her with trepidation. ''Her power takes so much out of her¡­'' he thinks to himself.


    He looks around. Who else could he turn to? Proceeding any further without either Clancy or Godrick was too much of a risk. If only Maria or Osmond were here - he''s low on people he can rely on.


    "Excuse me¡­" comes a voice from the crowd. It''s someone he doesn''t recognize, one of the newer Adventurers. "I know a few Secret Arts. I would be glad to take the lead!"


    "I know how to make barrier charms!"


    Multiple voices from the crowd each call out, offering their unique skills and specializations. Barns couldn''t help but smile, the stress melting away into the darkness. He had many people he could rely on - that''s what having this army is all about.


    "Got it! Those of you who are still fighting, with me!"

 Chapter 58 Master Vampire Adea

    Adea attacks first, charging at Osmond and swinging her cleaver like a mad woman. Osmond neatly sidesteps her attack and readies a blast of his arcane power. He launches twin missiles of plasma at her, and she cackles. With inhuman speed, she slashes through each of his magic bolts, draining their power and obsoleting them. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Parlor tricks," she hisses, charging him again. He dodges a flurry of attacks - each one too close a call. Osmond can''t ramp up his attacks slowly - he has to go all out, right away.


    Osmond kicks off the ground, hovering above the dark battlefield. Behind him, the thick fog of the Pale Court swirls ominously.


    Adea adjusts herself and looks up at Osmond. He can fly, and she cannot - allegedly. He has the upper ground advantage.


    All of the energy coursing through the cracks on Osmond''s skin focuses to a single point, and he releases one of his strongest attacks. His body becomes a beacon of violet light as he channels all of the power into a straight line at her like a laser beam.


    Adea scrambles out of the way but Osmond continues blasting, chasing her with the laser. She ducks behind some trees as Osmond vaporizes the forest, trying to catch her with his attack.


    His concentration breaks for a moment, reaching his momentary limit. The nearby trees are devastated by his attack, but as Adea slinks out of the woods unharmed, he sees this fight has only just begun.


    "How about I show you some of my tricks?" she giggles, raking her teeth. Without warning she chucks her meat cleaver through the air like a tomahawk.


    Osmond flies to the left to dodge, but as he does, Adea suddenly appears in midair, holding the cleaver.


    ''Damn it, can she teleport to wherever that cleaver is!?'' Osmond questions as she takes a swing. He propels himself back, but he was caught by surprise. He can''t get away in time.


    She slices through Osmond''s arm, a near-miss but she makes contact. Demon blood sprays out of him as he flies higher away out of her range. But he''s not out of the woods yet.


    Adea activates another vampire technique, and her body bursts into a swarm of bats. They fly at Osmond in a rabid frenzy, slicing him all over with hooked claws and gnawing him with vampiric fangs. He yowls in pain as Adea attempts to eat him alive.


    ''Demon Art: Chain Lightning!''


    There''s a flash of light and the purple light expels entirely from his body, illuminating one of the bats and electrocuting it. The second the bat is fried, the purple lightning begins to jump from creature to creature, shocking them out of the sky one by one as the energy rapidly tears through them.


    Osmond crashes to the ground, his limbs shaking, his breath ragged. The scent of charred flesh fills the stifling dark air. He looks at the pile of smoking bats. Did he get her?


    "Over here," comes a voice behind him. He whips his head around and only just barely dodges another swing of Adea''s cleaver. Seems defeating the bats wasn''t enough to damage her.


    "Is this all a Demon Lord''s got?" Adea frets, licking Osmond''s blood off her cleaver. "What disgusting blood, too." she spits it out of her mouth.


    Osmond narrows his eyes. He can go further - and perhaps he''d have to. But he fears letting his power rage out of control. It can be difficult for a demon to regain their senses after surrendering themselves to the power. Some demons never come back from it, and live in mindless rage until their death.


    If he''s ever to see his sweet Maria again, he can''t go all out. Not here. But his regular powers aren''t cutting it. As it stands, Osmond is a dangerous threat to any spellcaster, but he struggles against physical threats like Adea. Many of his techniques only work against enemy magic.


    Adea strikes again, swinging her cleaver and her claw at the same time, trapping Osmond. He has no choice but to lean toward the cleaver - if he took a direct hit from her claws, that wound would never recover. It''s a death sentence.


    The long chopper slashes through his shoulder. He stumbles back, unleashing a burst of uncontrolled light at Adea. She''s too close to evade, and the lightning strikes her directly in the face.


    Mortified by the blast, she howls in agony. Adea leans forward, clutching her eye. The left side of her face is still pulsing with violet electric energy. Her face is warped from the magic, and her eyelid is burned off.


    She snarls at him with boundless rage. She''s not worried - a vampire like her could recover from any injury, as long as it''s not dealt by a blood relative. But she could never forgive Osmond for wounding her hideously.


    She stares at him with loathsome hate as crimson energy begins to swirl around her and accumulate in her cleaver. It forms a long blade, extending outward from the cleaver and forming a giant sword of magical blood, some six feet long. She swings it menacingly at Osmond.


    "I''m going to slice you so many times that whoever finds you won''t even know what they''re looking at."


    Osmond eyes her blade. Finally, she''s using magic. This was his moment - his window of opportunity. Adea doesn''t know his true power.


    The violet light within him begins to embolden, and he gets ready for her attack. She swings her sword and suddenly, he clasps his hands together.


    "Demon Art: Devour Mana!"


    As she swings, Osmond opens his mouth wide, inhaling with all his might. The bloody magic forming her blade is sucked away from her in a maelstrom, surprising even the vampiress. She stumbles forward, thrown off balance by the sudden change in direction.


    Her moment of hesitation is all Osmond needs. He slams his free hand into her chest and unleashes all of the magic he has left. Adea''s eyes glow purple as the magic fills her completely.


    She steps back just once before the inside of her body begins to crack and pop. It''s as if she''s being peppered with bullets while Osmond''s magic blasts holes through her body, violently tearing from her flesh. Black smoke pours from her wounds as the crackling light sears her insides.


    She falls face-first onto the ground, still smouldering.


    "What a troublesome little demon you are," Adea groans from the floor, mustering all her strength as she struggles to her feet. "Seems that a vampire is no match for you. Good thing I''m not just any vampire."


    Osmond readies his staff for another attack as he channels more magic into himself.


    Adea twitches, dark energy filling her body, leaking from her wounds. She glares at Osmond with pure evil.


    "Vampire Transformation."

 Chapter 59 Ave Maria

    Adea screams so sharply that Osmond is momentarily stunned. Hideous energy overtakes her, transfiguring her stunning body into something far more sinister. Skinny black wings burst from bleeding holes in her back, and her claws elongate, becoming draconic. Stiff scales begin to form over her pale, exposed skin, and her shoulders disengage, her arms looming over her like the form of a mantis.


    "I''M GOING TO KILL YOU," she howls, her voice barely human - distorted, deep, and echoing. Her teeth barely fit in her mouth.


    Osmond is immediately overwhelmed. Adea is now moving too fast to keep up with. She flies toward him and kicks him so hard he goes flying, smashing into a tree nearby.


    The wind is knocked out of him and his vision blurs.


    ''Is this the end?'' Osmond says to himself. He has two choices. Let Adea kill him now, or give in to his demonic power.


    Osmond shakes his head. He couldn''t do either of those things, in truth. All he cares about is seeing Maria again, and keeping her safe. To do that, he has to survive.


    Yet as Osmond tries to lift his staff for another attack, he cannot. His left arm, the dominant one, is completely broken. It hangs uselessly at his side as he struggles and fails to stand.


    "Get the fuck away from my man!"


    Osmond''s head jerks abruptly to the left. There, he sees his angel, running toward him as fast as she possibly can.


    "Maria?" he coughs, almost ready to pass out. He can hardly believe it.


    ''But this isn''t a safe place for her. Maria can''thandle Adea. She needs to get out of here!''


    Those thoughts fill his mind, but he''s powerless to do anything about them. He blacks out, falling over in the remains of the tree stump.


    "Royal Art: Impulsive Light!"


    Suddenly, Adea is yanked sideways and smashed into a nearby rock. The stone shatters as she makes contact with it. Despite the strength of the attack, it hardly phases the vampiress, as she leaps from the rubble and hurtles through the air toward Maria.


    "Let''s try that again!" Maria exclaims, using her Royal Art again to smash Adea into the ground. Maria alters the trajectory of the Art at the last second, dragging Adea''s torso over the stony soil like she''s scrubbing sandpaper with her face. The sound of Adea''s distorted wails chills Maria, who''s not sure if Adea howls in pain or pleasure.


    ''Relatable,'' Maria scoffs.


    Adea rises from the ground, the skin on her face completely gone. She breathes heavily, her throat emitting a continuous and low growl. Her eyes fully lock onto Maria - common sense has left Adea''s mind. All she sees is a delicious human female, and she''s never been hungrier in her life.


    "You were a lot prettier when we first met," Maria taunts. "I see the years in Ordella have NOT been kind."


    Adea is beyond words - a being of pure evil and wrath. She charges Maria, who attempts to use her Royal Art again. But Adea has experienced that attack multiple times, now - she knows what to do. She hurls her momentum in the opposite direction, breaking the technique and finally reaching Maria.


    Adea makes contact, slashing across Maria''s chest. A Master Vampire''s claws inflict wounds that never heal - but they are not able to cut through anything. Maria''s ''Iron Maiden'' skill has made her tougher than even a vampire''s claws - only Adea''s teeth would be able to break through Maria''s ultimate defense, and the Princess was well aware of this.


    "Royal Art: Holy Trinity!"


    Three blades of light are summoned from above and lodge themselves into Adea''s torso - one through her heart, one through her stomach, and another from above crashing through her spine. The last blade pins Adea to the ground as the three flashing swords of light begin to twist and spiral, shredding the vampiress'' flesh.


    She hisses loudly, activating one of her own vampiric techniques. The blades of light rot away in her darkness, freeing her. She tries again to attack Maria, this time with her teeth. Maria kicks her out of the way, but Adea is persistent. She grabs Maria''s leg and takes a bite.


    Maria falls to the ground. She knows better than to reveal her weakness and scream, but for the first time in her life, Maria experiences true pain. The fangs sink into her leg, leaving two deep puncture wounds. Maria pushes Adea off her quickly, before the vampire can do any more damage.


    The blood oozes from Maria''s leg as she hops back to her feet. Adea, still low to the ground, bats her wings menacingly.


    Maria tries not to focus on the mind-shattering pain. She was already losing a lot of blood, and the scent of it was driving Adea even more wild. A snakelike tongue explodes from Adea''s melted lips, dancing around her mouth hungrily.


    Maria takes a deep breath. With Osmond incapacitated and her leg injured, this is quickly turning into a critical situation.


    "To think it would be a filthy vampire such as you," Maria mumbles to herself. Adea''s ultimate technique is proving to be quite powerful. So it''s time for Maria''s.


    Maria raises her arms to the sky. In stark contrast to Adea and her sickly wings, Maria levitates into the air, as a beautiful pair of golden wings manifests from her back. The air around them fills with heavenly golden feathers, and the perpetual darkness is broken by halos of light from above.


    Maria hovers above Adea. The vampiress is stunned by what she witnesses. It''s as if an angel of destruction has descended from the heavens to deliver divine retribution.


    "Royal Art: Ave Maria," she says, her wings pulsing with resplendent light. A circle of divine light hangs over her head like a crown. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is a technique I developed myself," Maria says, her voice echoey and radiant. Her skin and clothes shimmer with heavenly splendor.


    "Come to me, Adea. Face your judgment."

 Chapter 60 Heart to Heart

    As Barns and his remaining fighters finally reach Ordella, Adon sets his despicable plan into motion. From the sea emerges an army of Mantis Shrimp - but these are unlike the ones Barns fought on the beach with Clancy and Haima. These are bigger, angrier, and with the trademark glowing red eyes.


    "Vampire Mantis Shrimp. You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    But the shrimp do not immediately attack Barns and his squad. Instead, they rush the town, where the tormented humans of Ordella still live. They begin ravaging the humans, tearing them limb from limb. The town devolves into complete chaos in seconds.


    "We have to help them!" Barns commands, rushing forward. As he does, two humanoid vampires swoop from the sky, blocking his path forward.


    Godrick steps forward. "Leave these buggers to me," he says, two of his swords appearing in his hands like clockwork. "Get in there and find Yunie, mate. We''ll clean up these small fry."


    Barns nods his head, determined. "Got it. Clancy, with me!"


    Barns and the crab take off into the town, his claw dancing through the vampire shrimp as they tear about the town. Adon is going full scorched earth here - if Barns is going to liberate the town, the Master Vampire wants to make sure there are no humans left to rescue.


    But the hero has no intention of losing everyone in Ordella. The Dimartino fighting force is still strong, and they quickly make headway against the vampires, killing the shrimp and driving the humanoid vampires back.


    Barns pins a vampire against the wall, screaming into his face. "Adon! Adea! Tell me where they are, now!" he howls, holding the blades of Silver Rake up to the vampire''s throat.


    "Th-the Abattoir! The big stone building right on the outskirts of town! Adon''s there now!"


    Barns releases the vampire, but before he can scurry off, Barns stuffs Silver Rake into his abdomen. The holy light ignites the vampire, killing him instantly. Clancy sprinkles some foam on the corpse - they''d come back to it later for a revival.


    "SLAUGHTERHOUSE RAID!" Clancy clicks. "SAVE YUNIE!"


    The two charge down a side street - the large and menacing Abattoir readily visible from atop the hill and bathed in the light of flickering flames. Seems Adon lit some torches to welcome Barns.


    The hero and his crab ascend the hill, while the sounds of battle echo from below in Ordella. Barns has no choice but to trust his allies, though he fears what he may find in the Abattoir.


    He''s still not even sure how to kill a Master Vampire. Unsure if it''s a fool''s errand or not, he kicks open the door to the slaughterhouse, stepping inside.


    It''s a wide-open room, filled with blood and bone. The stench of death is pervasive - even Clancy coughs at the abhorrent musk.


    "Barnacles!" Yunie shouts, recognizing the hero immediately. She struggles against her constraints.


    From behind her chair, a figure emerges from the darkness. Long black hair, and glowing red eyes - dressed from head to toe in a dashing, frilled dinner jacket and pants, like he''s going to a fancy dinner party in the 1950s.


    "Ah, you must be the legendary hero Barnacles. You even brought your crab - how exquisite."


    "And you must be Adon," Barns says, watching the vampire cautiously. "Let Yunie go. She has nothing to do with this. Just you and me, Adon."


    The vampire smiles wickedly, his soulless eyes staring right through Barns. The vampire wraps his hands around Yunie''s shoulders, and she stiffens up in fear.


    "On the contrary, little boy - Yunie here is the guest of honor. See, I have no interest in fighting a human like you, Barnacles. You''re far too determined and heroic. Show me your emotion, boy. I want to feel your rage - to suck it right out of your fading corpse!"


    As Adon speaks, he raises his sharp claws into the air. Barns rushes forward, but he''s too late.


    "Yunie!" he gasps, reaching for her as Adon plunges his hand into her chest, tearing her torso apart and ripping her heart clean out from her body. She crumples in the chair, and the light vanishes from her eyes. Adon holds the heart high above her head, squeezing it in his fist.


    "Now, show me your heart, Barns! Your pain, your fury! I will have it all!" He clenches his fist. The heart in his hand pops, exploding with blood. Adon lets it drip into his mouth.


    The world around Barns grows dark. He can see nothing but Adon in his rage. His own bloodlust causes his vision to glow red - a side effect of his Crab Intuition. All he cares about now is slaughtering this vampire any way possible.


    Adon laughs wickedly as he fades into the dark shadows of the Abattoir. Barns and Clancy look around in every direction, and though they can hear the vampire''s sinister snickering from the shadows, he''s nowhere to be seen.


    "Where is the blind rage, Barnacles? I thought you would be more of a child."


    Barns'' fists tremble with anger, but he couldn''t let his emotions fully control him. Adon was trying to lure him into a trap - that much was obvious. As horrified and torn as he was about what just happened to Yunie, and as angry as he was, he had to maintain focus.


    The shifting shadows do nothing to betray Adon''s location. Barns wonders if the vampire is even there, or if he has powers that let him bleed into the shadows themselves.


    His fear is realized as one of Adon''s arms reaches out from the blackness itself and grasps at Barns'' neck - but Barns is done being overpowered by vampires. In an instant, he tears his Silver Rake across the vampire''s arm, causing Adon to hiss in pain and retreat back into the darkness.


    The vampire manifests directly behind Yunie''s chair, and he kicks over the corpse, sending her body and the chair tumbling to a dark corner.


    "I can promise you a fate worse than death, Adon!" Barns growls, looking to Yunie. There was still a chance he could perform a Resurrection on her, but they had to move quickly - could he even regenerate an injury like that?


    "So boring. Not even a spark of insanity. Perhaps I was wrong - this woman meant nothing to you."


    "She meant everything to me!" Barns roars. "Yunie is as part of Dimartino as any of us!"


    "Dimartino is a cancer on our beloved apocalypse, boy - I''ve had my fill of Ordella as well, if I''m being honest," Adon says hauntingly from the shadows. "Feel free to take what''s left of this pathetic town. I''ve had my eye on a much bigger prize for some time, and I believe it may finally be within my grasp."


    With those words, the ominous presence vanishes from the room. Barns and Clancy exchange a look. Neither of them can sense the murderous presence of the vampire any longer. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "VAMPIRE FLED! CHECK YUNIE!"


    Barns nods to his crab, darting to the corner of the room. He raises his claw into the air. His determination quickly begins to fade as more sensitive emotions boil to the surface.


    Barns falls to his knees beside her. His vision swims. His hands tremble over her body, hovering, afraid to touch her. This can''t be it. This can''t be how it ends. Images of the Adventurer Guild and Roscoe flash into his mind.


    With tears in his eyes, he shouts at the top of his lungs, praying for a miracle.


    "Resurrection!"

 Chapter 61 Heavenly Splinter

    As the light of Resurrection blankets the bloodstained Abattoir, Barns holds Yunie in his arms, cradling her head with his hand even as the blood continues to spill from her wound.


    "NO WORK."


    Barns ignores the crab and tries again and again. Tears spill from his face.


    Yunie was his first human connection in this life. She''s given Dimartino so much. Is this how it must end?


    He''s felt like this too many times. This hopelessness - this dread. The inability to fix this broken world.


    All of humanity was lost to the apocalypse. Barns struggles with his hubris - did he truly believe he was a stronger force of change than all of humanity''s combined efforts?


    "BARNACLES! FOCUS!"


    Barns snaps back into his head, turning to Clancy. He''s never had the crab shout at him like that before - but as he turns back to Yunie, he sees her for the first time as a lost cause. And yet, for just a moment, Yunie''s eyes open.


    "Master Barnacles," she says, softly and full of hope as she looks at him. Her wound refuses to heal - she doesn''t have much time. Soon, she''ll simply die again, but Barns'' efforts have bought him one small piece of time with her.


    "Don''t cry for me, Barnacles," she says, her smile weak. "Not even a legendary hero can save everyone. For me, just knowing Roscoe is alive again is all I could ever wish for. Barnacles¡­look after my brother, won''t you?"


    "Yunie," Barns voice cracks. "This isn''t fair. It should be me, not you."


    She grabs his hand in hers, squeezing him with all the strength she has left. "Eldrie fought for me, even when he knew he couldn''t win. And you fought for me too, Barnacles. Time and time again. You''ll always be my hero."


    It takes everything for Barns not to break into a full sob. Clancy scuttles behind him and puts a loving pincer on his back, hovering over Barns and Yunie in her final moments.


    "If I may have just one selfish request," Yunie sputters. She doesn''t have much time left. "Please tell Roscoe that I died fighting in my own way, and that I never gave up. Tell him I died with a smile on my face. I''m entrusting his future and the future of the Guild to you, Barnacles."


    "I can''t protect everyone. But your memory will live on forever. As far as I''m concerned, you''re the hero, Yunie."


    Her smile widens. "Such a Barns thing to say."


    Barns''s eyes flicker, and Yunie''s sweetness reaches the deepest recess of his heart. She called him ''Barns'', for once.


    "Don''t live your life for revenge," she says, her hand falling out of his. "But if there''s any way to kill that fucking vampire, Barns, give him an extra thrashing just for me."


    She''s laughing as she slips away for the final time. Barns lifts her from the ground, holding her body tightly.


    They were in the middle of a battle, but he couldn''t leave her here in this hellish prison. Too many souls have lost their lives in this Abattoir, and they beg for justice. The Kingdom of Dimartino now had two goals.


    To restore humanity and reset the apocalypse.To kill Adon and Adea.


    "GIVE YUNIE," Clancy offers, holding out his claws. Barns passes her frail corpse to the crab. "WILL BURY. NICE SPOT. CONTINUE FIGHT BARNACLES!"


    Barns nods, his attention shifting to the entryway of the Abattoir. Others, not just Yunie, were out there fighting for their lives against the vampires and Mantis Shrimp.


    The claws retract from his Silver Rake even before he clenches his fist - the weapon can sense his determination.


    Barns glances down at his bloody hands, filled with purpose. He would do everything in his power to prevent another tragedy like this - no matter the cost to himself.


    "Today we free Ordella from the vampire curse," Barns declares. "Yunie - we''re going to make you proud, so keep watching us, okay?"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, between Dimartino and the Pale Court¡­


    Adea was no match for Maria''s ultimate form. As the Princess transcends into a divine angel, Adea remains a slobbering monster of a vampire. She flies through the air, hacking and slashing at Maria with the speed and ferocity of a mighty falcon.


    Maria, despite her grievous leg injury, dodges and anticipates all of Adea''s attacks. The vampiress is too predictable, relying on her blades and claws alone to deal damage. Maria shows her the full extent of the Royal Arts - though with each technique she uses, one of her resplendent feathers falls to the ground, and her wings gradually weaken and fall apart.


    Golden blades of light form around Maria, each one large enough to cleave an elephant in two. They dance in perfect spirals through the air, slicing Adea to shreds over and over again. Adea''s body maintains some level of cohesion - she can''t be killed, after all. Not by Maria - but that doesn''t mean she couldn''t take devastating damage. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maria swoops up for a final attack, and her almighty light breaks the black eclipse over the land. The sudden and searing light of the sun torches Adea, as the vampiress immediately ignites from the sunlight.


    "Ave Maria: Third Form. Heavenly Splinter."


    As she speaks, a thorn of light manifests from the clouds above and rockets into Adea, sending her crashing into the ground. It completely pins her into the earth, draining the malevolent energy from the vampire.


    Maria begins to float back down to the earth, looking over her work. The thorn is the size of ten Clancy''s, the tip of which is sunken deep into the earth. The golden light bleeds around the open wound in Adea''s chest where it has pierced her. The vampire gasps for breath as she experiences the most horrific pain imaginable - every single cell of her demented body throbs with burning light, as if her entire body were invaded with corrosive acid.


    Adea might still be alive, but she wasn''t going anywhere.


    Maria''s wings fade away, and the golden light that overtook her shimmers into nothingness. As soon as her Royal Art is completed, she falls to the ground.


    Maria''s attention turns to her leg, still bleeding from the vampire''s bite. If she didn''t figure out something soon, this wound would kill her.


    The Princess drags herself toward Osmond, calling his name as she crawls closer and closer. The demon is still unconscious from his own battle with Adea. Maria makes it about halfway too him when her strength gives out, unable to move another inch.


    "Osmond, please¡­wake up¡­" she says breathlessly. She collapses face-first into the dirt.

 Chapter 62 Winged For His Pleasure

    The vampiric forces assaulting Ordella are unprepared when the eclipse suddenly breaks, and the forces of evil that operate under the cover of darkness are laid bare before the light. The scalding sun vanquishes all vampires who are touched by its light in moments, and as Barns stands over the battlefield, he sees the day is won.


    He casts his Resurrection over the town - though the vampires did their best to annihilate all the humans they could come across, many are successfully restored. The humans who have been living as slaves under the vampire''s rule are now free, and Zelia gratefully adds them to Barns'' count.


    [Progress: 6789/1000000]


    Barns stares at the number. They''d been just under four thousand before today. In a flash, nearly three thousand more have been added to the burgeoning kingdom.


    Another pop-up. Seems Barns has leveled up twice as a result of his efforts. He takes a peek at his profile in the system.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 6 (12/1400)


    Strength: 16


    Vitality: 16


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 6


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    ''Hey, I''m finally smarter than Clancy,'' he quips to himself, looking at his Intellect stat.


    Yunie is gone, but Ordella is freed. Even so, Adon and Adea are still out there. This is a victory, but the war is far from over.


    It''s a hopeful day, as the late afternoon sun shines over the newest town to be freed from evil. But the people of Ordella have been deeply traumatized from their time living under the twins'' bloody rule. It will be a long time before this place can feel ''normal''.


    The claws of Silver Rake settle back into the glove. His Adventurers and Police begin to gather the civilians and restore order to the town. Barns lets it all happen around him as a passerby. ''Legendary hero'' he may be, but today he''s done and been through enough. It''s time to let the others pick up some slack.


    "I need to rest," Barns says aloud to two nearby Adventurers. "Get these people what they need, but no speeches. Not today. Let''s just focus on getting through the night. I don''t think Adon and Adea will come back here, but we can never be too cautious."


    "So the Master Vampires still live?" one of the Adventurers asks. Her body trembles as she speaks.


    Barns begins to walk off. "Not for long," he promises.


    He sets himself up in one of the town''s abandoned hotels - one still in excellent condition. It appears the vampires kept it well-maintained to entertain guests from other vampires or demons to their hellhole town. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns lays on a magnificent king-sized bed, adorned with gold accents and a thick scarlet comforter. He falls asleep on top of the bed in seconds.


    That night, when the sun sets again, Adon makes another move - although not to Ordella. He has to find his dear sister.


    And he does - the blood binding them is stronger than reason, and Adon knows exactly where to find his sister. He also knows beforehand that she''s in rough shape.


    When he finally reaches her, she''s unrecognizable. The glowing thorn still keeps her impaled to the ground. Most of her skin is gone, but the muscles underneath are being regenerated just as quickly as they are immolated, leaving her in a vicious cycle of endless pain.


    "Brother," she says, her bony jaw bouncing around loosely. Her eyes, fully visible with the sockets melted out, lock on Adon.


    "The humans did quite a number on you, Adea. My, my."


    He sits down on the ground behind her, putting her head on his lap consolingly. He stares at the golden thorn. Even if he wants to free Adea, he can''t do anything about her situation. Even without touching it, the holy influence radiating from Maria''s thorn makes his skin tingle.


    He glances around. He doesn''t see or sense any other presence. Whoever did this to Adea got away, he supposes.


    "My sweet, beautiful sister," Adon says, stroking what''s left of her hair. "I was never any match for you in battle, so I''ve only ever dreamed of such a moment.


    "Adon, what-"


    He starts pulling her head, firmly. "Adon!" she screams, her pain reaching a new level even in her current state. Her mind goes blank as he snaps her neck and pulls her head away from her body, separating her into pieces.


    He looks into her eyes, holding her still-conscious head in his hand. "My dear, sweet sister. You may have been defeated, but I will drain your power and fight for the future we would have both wanted."


    He speaks the words, though he shows no sign of hesitation. In truth he''d planned this - if only Adea could be defeated, he once thought to himself. He could harvest her remains and absorb her powers. Her vicious strength and wings, combined with his torturous magic - together they can be a perfect vampire.


    He digs into her neck facefirst like it''s a slice of watermelon, draining the lifeblood with each bite as he consumes his sister. In just a few discomforting moments, he tosses his sister''s half-eaten head aside and rises from the ground.


    He feels her power coursing through him, and he allows it to activate. Black bat wings spring from his shoulders, and his muscles begin to balloon in size. He grows nearly six inches taller, and puts on a hundred pounds of muscle. He is transformed, given new power as a result of his sister''s unwitting sacrifice.


    "And now I am immortal," Adon smiles, his eyes cast upon the moon as he experiences an involuntary muscle spasm in his arm. He still had no idea of Francois'' plot with his dead relative''s ashes - in truth, Adon has no idea such a thing is even possible.


    Yet from his ignorance, he is emboldened. He focuses his attention north, in the direction of the Pale Court. But it is not Francois'' domain that holds his interest - it is what lies beyond.


    Adon had learned from one of his victims that a small pocket of humanity remains to the north of Francois'' Court. A group of people who have never experienced the delight of a vampire''s rule - and comfortably out of reach from the humans in Dimartino. He did not fear them, but especially after seeing what they did to Adea - he would much rather avoid conflict.


    "To this new land, then," Adon says, his wings unfurling and carrying him into the darkness. A new land, untouched by vampire rule. A fresh canvas for his artistry of terror.

 Chapter 63 A City of 10000

    When Barns next wakes up, it''s already the next morning. Seems the town of Ordella made it through the night unscathed.


    It''s still early. Barns equips his gear and gets ready to head out. Right before he does, he''s interrupted by a knock at the door.


    "Hello," Comes a soft voice. He recognizes it.


    "Eldrie. Come on in."


    The door opens, and the former vampire steps in. He gives his signature salute before speaking.


    "If you''re here, I take it you made it back to Dimartino okay?"


    Eldrie nods. "That''s right. I heard from Clancy about Yunie¡­"


    Barns closes his eyes. He doesn''t need to respond.


    "Everyone is happy to leave you to do what you need, sir, so I am sorry to bother you¡­but one of the citizens of Ordella would like to speak to you. May I let him in, sir?"


    "Of course."


    A new face appears from the other side of the door. A sallow, skinny man, though quite a bit taller than Barns. He peers at the hero with hollow, observant eyes. All of the man, from his eyes, to his hair, to his clothes, were a shade of verdant green.


    "Nice to meet you," Barns says, his voice still somewhat distant and empty. He''s got Yunie on the mind. He needs to get back to Dimartino, and to Roscoe - to tell the young Adventurer what happened. "What can I do for you?"


    The man bows. "It is a pleasure," he says, his eyes darting over Barns, reading his body language intently. He notices the slouch in the hero''s shoulders and the way he avoids eye contact.


    "My name is Skado, and I am a Poisoner by trade. Though what I would like to talk about is not any of that, but rather where I am from."


    "I''m Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. So where are you from, Skado?"


    "To the north of the Pale Court, there is a hidden city where humans live. We are ten thousand strong, with many warriors and users of the Secret Arts. We are one of the last bastions of humanity, and I have come to find you, Barnacles. We wish to ally with your kingdom."


    "A city of humans?" Barns can hardly believe the words. From what he understood, all of humanity has been wiped out - other than those he resurrected.


    ''Ten thousand¡­that more than doubles the kingdom.''


    "We live hidden in a large underground shelter, in a place where the monsters cannot reach. But my city is in danger, Barns. The twin vampires that occupied Ordella discovered our city not long ago. I have acted as a scout here in Ordella for several weeks, even branded myself to fit in." Skado pulls back his collar and reveals an ''X'' shaped brand on his neck. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You could''ve just worn a turtleneck," Eldrie says.


    Skado continues talking. "Anyway, am I correct in saying that Adon and Adea are still out there, alive?"


    "I only saw Adon," Barns admits. "He got away, yes. Adea could be anywhere."


    "Actually, sir - if I may. It appears that Maria and Osmond defeated Master Vampire Adea. Though I do not know the full details¡­they were both critically injured, and were taken somewhere by Underhill."


    Barns frowns. Somehow, he didn''t like the sound of them being ''taken care of'' by Underhill. Still, he''s proud of his allies - they took out Adea. The loss of Maria and Osmond during the counterattack on Ordella hit Barns hard, and he''s glad to hear that they were handling things on their own end.


    "So they figured out how to kill a Master Vampire. Damn. Good on them," Skado notes. "They''re the one enemy I''ve never been able to crack."


    "Actually, they didn''t kill her," Eldrie starts again, face-palming. "Okay. I have a lot to explain. But it ends in good news!"


    Barns and Skado strap in for the briefing.


    "Now, none of this is first-hand knowledge¡­but apparently, Adea was still alive after Maria and Osmond fought her. Maria trapped her, somehow. But when they sent back a team to collect Adea, she was totally dead! And EATEN!"


    "Lovely news," Barns says.


    "Ah, but then there is also the matter of Lord Osmond. He DID figure out how to kill a Master Vampire, and so they''re going to try and make a weapon!"


    "Quite a series of developments," Barns grins. "But Osmond and Maria - are they going to pull through?"


    "It seems Osmond is fine," Eldrie says. "Maria had a complicated wound, but¡­if you could believe it, Underhill was able to patch her right up!"


    "Good, good. I didn''t realize Underhill was a medic. Excuse me, Eldrie. I fear we''ve been rude to our guest, Skado."


    The young poisoner smiles. "It is quite alright. I am as vested in the extermination of these vampires as you are. Might I prod you for details later, Eldrie?"


    The former vampire nods. Skado directs his attention to Barns after.


    "The entrance to my city has successfully remained hidden for the last twelve years, Barns. I would like to bring you there."


    "I appreciate the offer, Skado, and I will join you¡­but there''s something I have to take care of in Dimartino first, and that''s not negotiable."


    Barns averts his eyes to the ground. He must tell Roscoe what happened to Yunie - the boy should hear it from Barns. Not someone else.


    Skado''s eyes follow Barns'', and he stares at the same spot of floor. ''Does he see something here?'' Skado asks himself, overanalyzing the situation.


    "Eldrie, I''ll take Skado to the kingdom. Can you let Clancy know, and hold down the fort here?"


    "Of course, sir," Eldrie bows, giving a claw salute. "I''ll report to His Majesty the crab shortly."


    As Barns and Skado leave Ordella to check back in at Dimartino, Haima is walking down the street. She catches a glimpse of Barns right as he leaves the city. Initially, she is spurred onward, and takes a few quick steps to catch up - but she quickly stops herself.


    "I''m sure he''s busy," Haima says quietly.


    ''And tired. Yesterday must have been so difficult on him¡­I got off lucky, only losing a little bit of blood.''


    Her mind focuses on her immediate surroundings. Ordella was a cautious and quiet town, at least right now. Some of the town''s native citizens remain holed up in their homes, fearful of retaliation.


    She plays with her pocket. The cube of flesh that was once Incantra is long gone - Haima used it to replenish her own blood stores. Still, she managed to make a few morsels from the gators and chickens they killed yesterday. It''s enough to keep her going for the next few days.


    Haima''s eyes shift to the sky. Her power is as much of a blessing as it is a curse, for it brought with it the need to consume fresh blood every day - not unlike a vampire, in some ways.


    Haima tries to settle the thought, but it nags at her. The similarities between vampires and the Gore family''s Secret Art are often hard for Haima to ignore.


    In her heart, she knows the truth. The original vampire, the one responsible for the entire Vampire Apocalypse, was a Gore.


    ''Guess that makes us blood relatives,'' Haima huffs, unaware of the significance of such a revelation.


    She may be the only person alive who could kill the leader of all vampires.

 Chapter 64 A Heros Hardest Task

    As Barns steps through the north gate of Dimartino, he sees Roscoe waiting for him, hopeful. The boy has no idea what''s coming.


    Roscoe''s eyes light up as Barns approaches. "Did you find my sister?"


    Skado keeps his distance behind. This is not a conversation he needs to inject himself into.


    Barns clears his throat. It tightens, choking his words.


    "Can we go inside? I''d rather talk sitting down."


    "Just tell me where Yunie is!"


    The hero blinks. If this is part of the job description, being a legendary hero is tougher than it seems. If only killing monsters and saving the world were enough.


    "Roscoe¡­Yunie died fighting the Master Vampire Adon."


    How could a kingdom so bright in contrast to the dark world around them suddenly seem so devoid of color? The once vibrant colors of fruit growing on trees now seem pale.


    Verdant foliage gives way to dying brown leaves chewed to bits by ravenous insects.


    Air that once carried on it a song of freedom and change now stings, bitter cold for this time of year. Unpleasant.


    Clouds form in the sky above, growing darker.


    It''s all Barns can pay attention to, because looking at Roscoe is too much for him to bear.


    The boy falls to his knees, then collapses forward onto his elbows, forehead pressed against the stone. Then, he screams. A broken scream that shatters the serenity of the moment. He wails in sorrow, sobbing and banging his fists into the stony ground until they bleed.


    Barns stares past the boy at the castle. The mighty stone fortress seemed as if it were plucked from the pages of a fantasy novel the first time he laid eyes upon it. Now, the cracking sun-bleached stone bears a certain drab ugliness.


    "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?" Roscoe screams. "WHY! WHY! WE JUST FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN!"


    Barns still cannot look at the boy. Tears stream down his face, and finding the right words is like finding a needle in a haystack.


    Skado steps forward, seeing how devoid of hope the two young men standing with him are. It''s a small comfort, but he feels like he knows what to say.


    "Young man. Your sister is gone, but she is not forgotten. Let her memory become your strength, not your weakness."


    Roscoe gasps. His eyes tremble upward from the gravel, looking at Skado as if noticing him for the first time.


    "Who are you? What do you know?" he says, teary-eyed and defeated. Skado''s expression softens, though something else flickers in his gaze. A glint of sly cunning, like he''s memorizing this moment.


    "I am someone who lost my entire family when I was no older than you. Someone who cast aside valuable years in grief - someone who lived long enough to regret not becoming stronger sooner, so that I may have stopped even one more person from suffering my same fate."


    Barns reaches his hand out to Roscoe and helps the boy up. He pats him on the head, ruffling his hair.


    "Come on, let''s get you inside, okay?"


    Barns leads Roscoe through the entryway to the castle. He has other things he needs to accomplish today, but it doesn''t feel right leaving Roscoe all alone like this. Thankfully, he sees someone walking by as he enters the castle.


    "Oh, hello!" Barns calls, waving down the woman. The former queen of Dimartino, and Barns'' biological mother, turns to face the group.


    "Hello, Hero. I hope you are well. Please, excuse me¡­"


    "Mom. Or..whatever you want to be called. Please don''t go. I need a favor."


    The woman stops in her tracks, visibly bothered. She turns slowly toward him and tilts her head.


    "This is Roscoe."


    The woman scrunches her nose. "Yes, I have seen him around many times. What of it?"


    "Can you¡­look after him today, for me?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can look after myself," Roscoe says flatly.


    Barns shakes his head. "I don''t want you alone today, Ros. By my authority as legendary hero, I simply gotta insist."


    Roscoe sniffles - some warmth returning to him. It has been a long time since anyone called him ''Ros''. It was a childhood nickname he''d almost forgotten about.


    The former queen bows her head. "I would be glad to look after the boy for as long as he needs."


    Barns squeezes Roscoe''s shoulder and pushes him forward. Part of him already sees Roscoe as a younger brother he never had. "Thank you. Make sure he gets plenty of rest, okay? I''ll be back whenever I can."


    As the former queen escorts Roscoe to the kitchen, Barns looks at Skado one more time.


    "There''s one other task I need to check off while we''re in the castle. Seems like Zelia and I need to have a little chat."


    "Z-Zelia?" Skado asks. He plays ignorant, but it seems almost as if he recognizes the name.


    "Yeah, she''s our ''Administrator''," Barns says, not noticing Skado''s suspicious response. "Sorry to drag you around like this. I''m sure you''re eager to get back home."


    Skado shakes his head as they walk down into the basement of the castle. "I collect information for a living, Barns. I quite enjoy this tour through your civilization."


    "I thought you said you were a poisoner?" Barns smirks as they enter the system control room. Skado''s eyes dart around in a crazed manner, as he absorbs every little detail.


    "Could anyone be a poisoner without also being a conduit of information?" Skado wonders aloud. "Something just fine to a human could be anathema to a vampire."


    The poisoner continues monologuing - the opportunity to talk about his interests transforms him as he devolves into his bookish fascinations. "Ah, here is a wonderful example. Through my studies, I learned that goblins have a similar constitution to humans - though with a tragically weak immune system. It was my idea to capture one and infect it with syphilis - then we let it run back home. The infection spread through their entire population. Barns, nobody has seen a goblin where I''m from in years. The syphilis tore through each and every one of them."


    Skado seems a little too happy talking about this. "Ah, and the kobolds¡­they need to hydrate their skin every few hours, or they begin to crack and blister. Imagine their surprise when all the water sources near my city became infected with a parasite that simply loves to burrow into a kobold''s tender flesh¡­"


    The conversation is interrupted when the large screen in front of them flashes on, and Zelia stares back. "Welcome back, ''Legendary Hero''. Now, let''s talk about the future."

 Chapter 65 System Expansion

    "We need to name a new Moderator. Oh, and I''ve been thinking about Weekly Quests too. Something to push you all out of your comfort zone, hehe¡­"


    Zelia covers her mouth with a long strand of hair. "Oh! Where are my manners. I didn''t notice you have a guest with you. Hello, guest!"


    Skado waves meekly. "An Administrator in the flesh - theoretically speaking, of course. I never thought I''d meet one."


    He eyes Barns as he speaks, watching the hero carefully.


    "Zelia, this is Skado. He, uh¡­poisons things."


    "Oh, now that is a splendid power." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s just focus here," Barns says, not wanting to get off-track. "You said it, Zelia - we need a new Moderator. As much as I hate to replace Yunie, the whole economy of Dimartino relies on those quests."


    "I can handle the quests from here - don''t worry about that. What''s more, Maria is a fine Moderator for Dimartino. No, Barns. We need a Moderator for Ordella."


    Barns'' eyes widen.


    "To expand my sphere of influence, of course," Zelia smirks. "What, you don''t think I''m doing this all for you, do you?"


    Zelia''s voice is callous and uncharacteristically cold. Barns finds it unnerving.


    "I''ll leave that up to you to decide. And once you do, that person can offer quests in Ordella as well. For now, just have someone from the Adventurer Guild stop by here once a day and I will provide them with quests. Thank you."


    There''s a clicking sound in Zelia''s audio before she speaks again. "Have I satisfactorily answered all of your questions?"


    "You''re quite¡­transactional, today," Barns furrows his brow. Something seems different - or is this how Zelia always acts? Barns is admittedly not in his usual headspace either, with the weight of everything that happened in Ordella still heavy on his shoulders.


    "A pleasure to serve you. Good bye, Barnacles."


    He stiffens when she says his name. There''s an insidiousness to the way she accentuates the syllables¡­or is it all in Barns'' head?


    As the two men leave, Skado can''t help but remark. "Your Administrator sure is unique, isn''t she?"


    "She''s always been so kind. Maybe she''s upset about Yunie''s death and doesn''t know how to express herself¡­"


    ''Or maybe it''s something else,'' Barns fears.


    Rattled, Barns finds his way back to the first floor of the castle. His next course of action - to find Underhill.


    As Barns sets out to locate Maria, she''s also thinking about him from her resting place.


    Maria turns in her infirmary bed, a shot of pain shooting through her leg. Her wound had been healed, miraculously - but it still hurt like hell. She faces Osmond, who''s sitting in a chair at her side.


    "Still no news from the hero brat, huh?" Maria grumbles, stuffing her face into her pillow.


    "Underhill is out looking for him now. It sounds like they were victorious in Ordella."


    Maria groans, still in pain. "Well good on them," she responds, her voice bored and flat.


    Osmond smiles at his girl, stroking her golden locks as he admires her beauty. "You were incredible, Maria. You saved my life. How did you even know where to find me?"


    She peeks out from the blankets. "Tch. As if I would ever let you die. You should know by now, this world bows entirely to me! If I want something, I get it."


    "Now, there''s my sweet Maria!" Osmond blushes. Her world-conquering talk always gets him going.


    "I never thought pain could be so¡­unpleasant. And yet that bitch vampire''s teeth sure did a number on me, eh?"


    Osmond glances at her leg for just a moment. "To think you could survive such an injury, and Underhill would be able to heal it¡­yes, Maria, it is truly remarkable. A sign from the heavens - proof that you are destined to do great things, my love. I mean - truly! A human defeated a Master Vampire in single combat! Such a thing is unheard of, my sweet Maria."


    "Well, I won''t be doing it again anytime soon, Oz. I used that technique."


    Osmond peers at her knowingly. Her ultimate ability - ''Ave Maria''. But as she uses it, she gradually loses her golden plumes. Depending on how hard she pushed herself, it could take months for her power to restore itself fully - longer if her body is dedicated to healing the grievous wound on her leg.


    Maria''s passing curiosity leads her to the System menu, where she clicks a few screens simultaneously to cause the System to glitch. From there, she is able to easily access the System Logs. She reviews the most recent messages.


    [Progress: 6789/1000000]


    "He''s doing well," Maria says, a comforting warmth flooding through her. "Soon we might need an actual government, Oz. Our kingdom has grown large."


    "And larger, still. Francois has offered twenty thousand humans to our cause."


    "Do you trust her?" Maria asks.


    Osmond stares into the distance, looking away from Maria for some time. Not long ago, Osmond saw the contents of Francois'' Memory Stone. He knows more about the vampire than he ever thought he would.


    "I trust her completely," Osmond says. With what he knows now, Francois has few secrets to keep from Osmond. And the ties that bind them as ''brother and sister'' go far deeper than he ever imagined.


    "My dove, is it alright if I go for a quick walk?" Osmond asks. Maria shoos him away, and he steps outside.


    He lets the outside air fill his lungs - there''s still a bit of coolness to the air from the night before, but as surely as the sun rises in the sky, the trademark Dimartino heat would be upon them all soon enough.


    He stands outside Underhill''s private infirmary for some time, cursing himself for not being a stronger adversary to Adea. If he had only fought harder, Maria might not have suffered. He resolves himself - he must get stronger, if he is going to protect Maria. He''d dive deeper into his true demonic power, and learn how to control it. This was too close a call.


    As he ruminates, he sees a familiar face walking down the street - none other than Barns, with a suspicious stranger in tow. Osmond makes his move - there''s something that must be done, and now is as good a time as any.


    "Barnie," he says quickly. "We need to talk privately, right now."

 Chapter 66 Osmonds Vow

    Osmond shuts the door behind them, leaving he and Barns separated from the outside world. They sent Skado on a coffee run to buy a few minutes for this conversation in absolute secrecy and silence.


    "Barns, what I am about to tell you must never be repeated in front of anyone, especially Maria. Do you understand?"


    Barns squints his eyes at the demon. They''re standing in a dark and abandoned house off the main street that has not yet been renovated or fixed up. It reminds him of the ghostly mansion he visited with Haima a couple nights ago.


    "There are things about our world that you must know," Osmond says ominously. "Things that I fear keeping to myself. If I die, this information must not be lost, or the kingdom of Dimartino will surely fall. And so I have decided to entrust it all to you."


    Barns nods stoicly. "We might need more than a coffee run''s worth of distraction, then," he smiles weakly.


    Osmond shakes his head. "We can get into great detail some other time, but you must know the full truth¡­something even I had not realized until viewing the Memory Stone."


    Osmond wastes no time, and he rips his own shirt off, revealing his muscular body.


    "Eh, I''m actually into girls myself," Barns laughs nervously as Osmond strips.


    "Shut up," the demon snaps. "Look."


    Osmond gestures to a tattoo on the left side of his stomach, just above his thigh. It''s a stylized symbol of a monster''s mouth, each fang connected in a single line and embellished in excruciating detail. The overall silhouette of the mark resembles a bat, somewhat.


    "This is the embodiment of Gluttony, and it''s time you understand what that means. But to do that, we have to go back, to a time before I was created. You see, Barns, there was once a man named Lauren, and what Maria can never know is that Francois and I were created from him."


    "Created¡­from?" Barns asks, clearly confused. "Do you mean¡­"


    "Lauren was an extremely powerful man, born from another world. He had powers that made others envious¡­and he was a threat to the Lord of the Apocalypse. Although, back then, the ''Lord'' was just an ordinary man with a dark wish to see the world burn."


    Osmond pauses, adjusting himself and putting his shirt back on.


    "I do not know the full details, but Lauren''s mind and body were split into seven parts. Francois was created from his memories of lustful desire - and given his heart. Me, on the other hand¡­I was born of his obsessions and hunger, and¡­"


    Osmond places his hand on his stomach. "These were once Lauren''s guts, now living inside me."


    "Whoa, whoa," Barns says quickly. "You''re some guy''s intestines?"


    Osmond scowls. "No. I have his intestines. This is the embodiment of Lauren''s gluttony, made manifest in my mark. And¡­I have his memories, too. I remember the things he obsessed over. It is what makes me who I am, Barns¡­"


    "Lauren and Maria knew each other, didn''t they?" Barns speaks quietly, realization forming.


    "Lauren desired to protect Maria more than anything else," Osmond admits. "From the moment I was born, she was my guiding light. But¡­she must never know about this, Barns. It would break her heart, to learn of Lauren''s fate¡­and it would likely cause her to hate and reject me for what I am."


    Barns pats Osmond on the back, pulling him in for a bro hug.


    "Maria loves you, my man," he says, trying to cheer up his demon friend. "Doesn''t matter who''s guts you have. You''re still Ozzie to us."


    "Thank you, Barnie," he says, smiling and resting his head on the hero''s shoulder for a moment. Barns felt so warm to him - unlike Maria, whose skin always feels somewhat cool to the touch. Osmond had never been this close to another human other than Maria. He''s pleasantly surprised at how much the warmth dispels his inner doubt.


    Osmond pulls away from the hug, still slightly transfixed - Barns'' high Charisma is putting in a lot of work.


    "There is one other thing I need to tell you, Barns," Osmond says quietly. "It concerns my mark. Judging by what I''ve learned from Francois'' Memory Stone¡­"


    Osmond pauses for effect. The tension is palpable as he readies himself to speak the most significant words he''s ever uttered. Barns watches him with curious intent.


    "It would appear that I have the power to end the Monster Apocalypse."


    Barns is taken aback by the profound statement, eager to learn more.


    Osmond''s purple eyes shine in the darkness, locked with Barns''. "If only I knew more about this power. In truth, I only know it''s possible because of Francois'' Memory Stone - you see, Francois also holds the power to end the Vampire Apocalypse."


    Barns is stunned as bombshell after bombshell is hurled at him. "Tell me more," the hero demands.


    The dark house settles around them as Osmond speaks once more.


    "Each Apocalypse is defined by what created it, Barns. In the case of the Vampire Apocalypse, it all began with the birth of the First Vampire - I learned this from Francois'' memories. But killing the First Vampire is only one step. To truly end an Apocalypse, the embodiment of its corresponding sin must be brought to bear against the Keeper of the Apocalypse. Otherwise, the cycle would just begin again. A new First Vampire would be created."


    "Keeper of the Apocalypse?"


    "Yes. They are known as ''Sentinels'' - humans who operate directly under the Lord of the Apocalypse."


    Barns thinks it through in his head. To achieve a true ''Apocalypse Reset'', it seems defeating these ''Sentinels'' and cleansing the source of the apocalypse was essential. What''s more - Osmond and Francois had a definitive role to play.


    "So you can end the Monster Apocalypse, and Francois can end the Vampire Apocalypse. What about the others?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond shakes his head. "I vow to use my power - you and I will end the Monster Apocalypse together. But without seeing the other Memory Stones, I cannot say what we will do for the others. It goes to reason that there are others out there like Francois and I - parts of Lauren. Although I am loathe to admit they are unlikely to become allies."


    "So what do we do?"


    Osmond''s hand glides to his stomach just as the door knocks - Skado is back with their coffee.


    "These powers are transferable, Barns. If the other embodiments refuse to join our cause, we must simply kill them and steal their powers. But this means nothing if we do not have the strength to defeat the Sentinels. From what I understand, they are the most powerful beings that live. I''ve never actually seen one myself."


    As Skado steps into the house, Barns nods. "Then our end goal is in sight. First things first, though. We''ll get Skado home, and finish off Adon once and for all¡­er¡­once I say hi to Maria, of course."

 Chapter 67 The Sentinel

    Eldrie taps the microphone, looking out over the crowd of people. Somehow, he''s the one who got stuck with the task of speaking to the gathered townsfolk of Ordella.


    "Welcome to the Crab Kingdom," he says nonchalantly. "Er¡­please, from now on, you must perform this salute when greeting each other, to show solidarity¡­" Eldrie performs the claw salute with absolute stoicism.


    Haima, watching from the crowd, claps her hand to her forehead. "For goodness sake," she says, listening to Eldrie. "I could have done a better job."


    "That crab salute sure is catchin'' on, hun," Godrick chuckles before facing the small woman. "Oy, Haima, I gotta say, there''s been something on my mind I just gotta let go. See, I think you''re a right looker, love, and I''d love to spend an evening just chattin'', and gettin'' to know each other a little better. How''s that sound?"


    Her nostrils flare. "Like a date?" she asks quickly, blushing and embarrassed. She and Godrick spent a lot of time together in the first days of the Kingdom. As equally skilled warriors, they were a pivotal team for the Adventurer Guild. These last few days, however, they''d hardly seen each other.


    "Like a date. Oh, but don''t worry, I won''t be puttin'' me hands on ya. I''m a right gentleman, no sex until marriage type of mate, oh - I hope that''s all right with you?"


    Haima''s heart flutters. He''s her type of man, inside and out. His towering, strong stature, his ''young dad'' energy¡­


    "Ooh," Haima exhales, accidentally sounding a little sensual.


    An image of Barns flashes into Haima''s mind. She has been on two dates with the hero already.


    ''It''d be wrong to go on another date without at least talking to Barns,'' she realizes.


    "Listen, Godrick, I''d love to, b-"


    Before she can get her ''but'' out, there''s an explosion on the north side of town that shakes the ground. The sound alone sends a shockwave through Ordella, and Haima shrieks, covering her head and stumbling. Gasps from nearby, as the crowd around them begins to panic. Smoke billows from nearby to the north.


    Godrick puts his hand around Haima''s wrist, holding her steady. She whimpers, staring directly into his bright and shining eyes, as she soaks up his manliness.


    Her pulse quickens - the look they exchange feels like an eternity, yet still too short for Haima''s taste. She''d nearly forgotten about the explosion.


    "Keep it together, love! Let''s go check it out!" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They rush to the site of the commotion. By the sandstone gate that stood at the edge of town, Ordella''s historic district, a woman appears. She emerges from a smoking crater, the source of the earlier explosion. As she steps from the ash and brimstone, the onlookers expect her to look alien, or at least disheveled.


    She''s none of those things. She is the visage of a powerful woman - strong shoulders, and toned arms visible under a dirtless white battle dress. Her legs are covered by long boots with a wedged heel, and though she bears no weapons she looks ready for a fight.


    "Hello, fellow humans. I bear a message from the Emperor."


    The many humans around seem confused.


    "Emperor?" one whispers.


    "Are there other towns out there?"


    The woman adjusts her hair - it is long and green, feylike. She wears it in a long ponytail, wrapped in a clip with a pink flower adornment.


    "The Emperor has decreed that all humans in Ordella and Dimartino may live in uninterrupted peace, so long as the human named Clancy and the crab named Barnacles are brought to me and summarily executed. These are our terms."


    Just then, Haima and Godrick run up, arriving at the gate.


    "That will never happen!" Haima shouts, stretching out her fingers and focusing on the feel of her rushing blood. She was ready to attack the woman at any moment if she had to.


    The intruder tilts her head toward Haima, sensing her power. "You, black-haired woman. Are you in charge here? Bring me Barnacles and Clancy. I shall not ask again."


    "And what if I don''t?" Haima asks, her boots the only other sound in the area as she boldly approaches the intruder.


    The intruder widens her stance. Both women exude absolute confidence - the smaller and more reserved Haima eyes the intruder like a cat, while the much bigger woman exerts her strength by demonstrating her unyielding presence.


    "Then by decree of Emperor Yharan, and my authority as a Sentinel, I shall subjugate any who stand in my way until I find them."


    "Try it." Haima goads.


    The two women burst into action, Haima attacking first. She throws a block out of her pocket - a pressurized mass of vampire gator blood - and transfixes it in midair, morphing it into a magicked sickle of blood in the span of a second. She launches her weapon at the Sentinel in an attempt to slash her through.


    The Sentinel doesn''t move a muscle before the sickle comes barreling into her. Just as it''s about to strike, the air around her distorts - a laser-like shockwave ripples outward, knocking the sickle off course. Haima barely registers the distortion before her weapon smashes into a rooftop.


    ''How''d she do that?'' Haima questions. ''Does she have some sort of psychic power?''


    The Sentinel turns her head slowly back toward Haima, unbothered by the attack. Her eyes are full of arrogance, as if daring Haima to show her something better.


    ''I have just the thing,'' Haima says cockily. It''s not the move she likes to rely on the most, but it is her most powerful - her blood, meat, and bone manipulation.


    Haima activates her Secret Art, taking hold of the Sentinel''s flesh with her mind - but as she squeezes, something pushes against her. The Sentinel''s body resists Haima''s Secret Art and she''s unable to take hold.


    "Woman, are you trying to control me?" the Sentinel''s eyes light up with arrogance and mockery. "What is this? Do you think I am a child?"


    The woman swings her arm, and though she''s several meters away, it''s like she punches Haima squarely in the face. The small woman tumbles to the ground, stunned.


    ''Impossible,'' Haima thinks to herself as she lays on the stone ground, gasping for air. ''Nobody can resist my Secret Art¡­''


    "Haima!" Godrick yells, rushing up to join the battle. In seconds he''s at the Sentinel''s side, two blades in hand. He swings them high while drawing his other two swords and slashing low. The Sentinel darts backward so quickly that Godrick is sure she teleported.


    "Now here is an actual challenge," the Sentinel giggles. "Is that the Bravuran ''Asura Dance'' I see? I''ve only ever heard about it - to think the art lives on."


    The Sentinel brushes away her sentimentality. "If you continue standing in my way, your beautiful skill will be wasted. You cannot win against me. Bring me your crab."


    Godrick doesn''t answer, he just starts swinging again. She dodges his first attack and before he can catch the two blades in midair, she warps them away into a void.


    ''Fine. Two blades down. Still got two, that''s all I need!''


    Godrick is a professional improviser, and he switches to another dance effortlessly - the Mantis Dance. His remaining two blades become like extensions of his arms as he burrows down onto his opponent. She has a brief moment of panic in her eyes before getting low and thrusting her arms forward.


    Godrick is repelled away at Mach speed and plummets through someone''s front door. He''s out cold.


    Haima shouts after him, holding her hand out toward Godrick. She infuses her Secret Art into him from afar, attempting to mend his damage immediately - before his injuries become fatal.


    "I suppose you''re done as well?" the Sentinel says, looking at Haima who''s struggling to stand. The Sentinel flicks her wrist and Haima goes flying, tumbling over the ground. She hopes she managed to heal Godrick enough.


    "Now, I will ask you all again. Where is Barnacles the crab and where is Clancy the human?"


    One person standing nearby that hasn''t run off yet coughs. "Strictly speaking, Barnacles is the human, and Clancy is the crab¡­at least that''s what I was told¡­"


    The Sentinel tilts her head inquisitively. "No, that''s¡­impossible," the Sentinel replies. "Barnacles is the crab. My intel is never wrong."


    The man who corrected her stands in silence as he and the woman exchange a stoic stare. He scratches his head. All he cares about is not dying.


    The Sentinel''s eye twitches as she hears light, rhythmic tapping coming from not far away. Like all Sentinels, she has excellent control over the five senses, and her hearing is quite good.


    With the fury of a thousand tides, Clancy scuttles on the scene, his mouth already foaming and his claws raised powerfully above his head.


    "EVIL WOMAN! FACE VENGEANCE!"


    "You''re a bit bigger than I thought," the Sentinel scowls. "Now come," she says. "Accept your death!"


    The two rush toward each other, and the true battle begins!

 Chapter 68 Not Barnacles!

    The Sentinel glowers over the crab, fully confident in her abilities - there''s not a shred of fear in her heart.


    "Barnacles. I sentence you to death by order of Empernon Yharnam- er, I mean Emperor Yharan" she spits, getting tongue tied. It''s her fatal flaw - speaking without getting things mixed up.


    Clancy pivots around. "NO BARNACLES."


    "So you would fight?" she chides callously. Clancy raises his claws in agreement. He likes fighting.


    They exchange blows, one after the other, as Clancy jabs and stabs like a maniac in her general direction. She''s not able to dodge all his attacks quickly enough, so she activates her power.


    The Sentinel can ''grab'' any object with her mind, and move it at the speed of sound wherever she pleases. It''s only one of her fearsome powers - one she''s confident is enough to take out the crab.


    But as she begins to focus her power on Clancy, his sheer force pushes against it. He''s repelled, but only a few feet.


    The Sentinel looks at her hand in wonder. No creature has ever been able to withstand her power - except the other Sentinels. That the crab can manage such a feat is extraordinary.


    "And here I thought you were wholly outmatched, Barnacles."


    NO BARNACLES!" Clancy repeats, dashing into her again.


    She uses her power to push him back again, but this time he''s ready from it. Right as she pushes against him, Clancy summons up a second burst of speed and breaks through her push. She''s standing there unarmed as he flies through her invisible barrier and swings his claw.


    He knocks her in the face, but as he does she releases another wave of power that forces him back some.


    She reaches for her forehead and then looks at her hand. It''s covered in blood. She stumbles around, woozy from the blow to her head.


    "You stupid crab," she sneers as the blood runs down her nose and into her mouth. She looks up wildly, her green hair becoming untangled from the ponytail. Her outfit, once perfectly white, is now specked with dirt from the battle so far.


    "How dare you lay a hand on me, Donatella of the Sentinels! You fucking crab! It''s not even a hand, it''s a claw¡­pincer, whatever!"


    She throws her hand defiantly as she screams. "You think you can just do that!? Nobody lays a hand on me! Ever! Augh! I mean a claw!"


    Donatella attempts to steel herself, but her emotions are in a wild rut. Her blood is running HOT - this isn''t what she''s used to, not at all. She hasn''t been directly challenged in combat since her duel with a certain someone, long ago¡­


    ''Now''s not the time,'' Donatella thinks. She cements herself, standing firm. ''It was just one lucky hit,'' Donatella assures herself. ''This crab is nothing. His name is Barnacles - like a filthy parasite. No way could such an audacious creature defeat her. She is a Sentinel!


    Donatella cracks her neck. ''That''s right, I am a Sentinel,'' she remembers. ''We don''t give in to our emotions. We are the hand of fate - of justice!''


    The few gathered at the commotion look around nervously. Donatella hadn''t noticed, but she had started speaking her inner thoughts out loud like a crazy person.


    She reels herself back in, clearing her throat as if nothing happened. "Now then, Barnacles. Where were we?"


    The crab launches himself through the air at her, using his power and momentum to crash down and resist her ''push''. Though she doesn''t try to launch him away - she knows better. She directs him to the side, knocking him off-course, while attempting another attack.


    ''He''s too big to warp,'' Donatella strategizes, ''And too strong for me to fully manipulate¡­but he won''t be able to stop this.''


    Donatella reaches her hand to the left, clenching invisible energy around a nearby house. She uproots it from the ground, as pieces of the foundation come crumbling down. Her arm shakes from the exertion - manipulating an object this large requires immense power.


    Someone jumps out of the house as it starts to raise into the air, screaming. "This is worse than the vampires!" they wail.


    She levitates the building above her head, all while narrowly dodging a pincer jab. She focuses all her power and attention on a single moment as the house begins to throttle above. She dramatically pumps her arms, causing the suspended house to plummet directly onto both of them. A split second before impact, she teleports herself away to safety.


    The house crashes into Clancy, covering him in rock and debris. Donatella exhales sharply - that maneuver drained much of her power. She''d have to retreat soon - come back for ''Clancy the human'' some other time - but she has enough power to finish off the crab for now, if he wasn''t already dead.


    Clancy rises from the house, shooting up through the wreckage on a jet of foam and landing atop the rubble valiantly.


    "UNDEFEATED!" Clancy roars. "LONG LIFE KING CRAB! CHANT, SUBJECTS!"


    "Long live the King Crab!" some of the crowd howls. It''s enough to distract Donatella for just a moment.


    An arrow whizzes through the air, silent and deadly. Donatella doesn''t notice it until it''s too late. She freezes the arrow''s momentum, but only after the arrowhead buries itself into her shoulder.


    She clutches the wound, stumbling away, still feeling a little dizzy from the hit she took on the head.


    "This is bad," she says to herself. She looks up and spies the archer, standing atop a nearby building. It''s Eldrie, and he''s already preparing another. She assumes the archer is Clancy. She is very wrong.


    ''Seems like this won''t be such an easy job after all. No matter. We''ll just go with our Plan B.''


    She looks from the archer to the crab, both ready to attack. She''d retreat - for now - but not without a proper farewell.


    "This has become an annoyance to me. Barnacles - your days are numbered. I will return soon and finish this decidedly¡­er¡­decisively." As she speaks she rips the arrow from her shoulder.


    "NOT BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts, foaming as he articulates.


    "I look forward to seeing you again, Barnacles." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On those words, she pushes all her might against them, creating a torrent of wind that blasts through the town. It ravages the north side of town, blowing people and buildings away, and destroying a large swath of the newly freed town. As the wind wreaks havoc, she uses it as a propulsion to fly away in the opposite direction.


    As she soars through the sky, she looks upon her destruction. Nearly ten percent of the town is leveled as a result of her attack. She turns in mid-flight, looking toward her destination.


    ''That should be enough for the Emperor,'' she scoffs. ''If he wanted total annihilation, he should have sent him.''

 Chapter 69 Christening the -Other- Boat

    "My, my," Adon says, hovering over a small woman. He found her out in the field atop a tall plateau, going about her early morning chores. He was thankful for his new wings - without them, he''d have never made it all the way up here.


    "So, the entrance to your city must be up here somewhere," Adon smiles, pushing his face up against her neck. "Wouldn''t you say?"


    "I''ll never tell you!" she shrieks, her pasty face flush red and her thick eyebrows furrowed in rage. "You nasty vampire!"


    She tries to attack him again, but he''s grown tired of that. With a lightning-fast swing of his claw, he slices her hand off. She howls in agony, clutching her bleeding wound.


    "Don''t bother, a cut from a Master Vampire will never heal," he snarls, standing up and kicking her over. "Don''t worry. You''ve given me plenty of information already." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looks to the horizon. The sun is just beginning to rise. He''ll have to stick to exploring the thick forest for now, but he''s closer than ever to locating this ''Hidden City''.


    "Don''t you worry, little ones," Adon says dreamily, thinking of the people inside the Hidden City. "I will attend to every single one of you before long¡­with my lovely friend here as my first witness."


    Adon glances down. The woman is already dead, bled out from her gushing wound. "Hopefully you''re not all so fragile."


    ¡­


    As Barns packs up, he makes Maria check the System Logs one more time.


    "Still no updates," she smiles, laying in her bed.


    Barns moves to pat her leg, then hesitates. ''Right, that''s where the vampire bit her.''


    "Okay," Barns exhales. He wanted her to triple check the situation in Ordella. If the number drops, that means someone has died. But his progress is stable for now, so he assumes things are going well in Ordella.


    "Just gotta trust Clancy," he smiles, talking mostly to himself. "You sure you''ll be okay alone here with Underhill?"


    "I''ll be fine," Maria smiles. "The guy''s a creep, sure, but he saved my life."


    They decided shortly ago that Osmond would join Barns and Skado on their journey north. They had everything they needed to kill Adon - A legendary hero, a powerful demon, and a sack of ashes that belong to Adon''s dead relatives. They entrust it to Skado, who''s confident he''ll find a way to use it one way or another.


    "It''s all we have left," Osmond notes. "Underhill is doing some experiments with it with his Artisans."


    "It should be plenty," Skado smiles, packing it into his bag. He keeps the bag with him at all times, and by his own estimates, he has everything needed to kill 99% of the creatures he might run into at any given moment. He''d have said 100% if not for immortal beings like Master Vampires and their tricky rules of engagement.


    "Have Underhill send word to Ordella that we''ve headed north," Barns requests. Maria taps her forehead with one finger, letting him know she remembers.


    "Already done. Zelia showed me how to send messages to people remotely just yesterday."


    "You could''ve let me know you were okay, if that''s the case!" Barns says, playfully agitated.


    "But then you wouldn''t have come to visit, and what fun is that?" Maria winks. "See you boys later."


    As they depart down Dimartino''s streets, another young man - Underhill - lurks nearby at the harbor. He''s looking up at the mighty vessel brought in by Barns and Clancy. Repairs on the ship have been proceeding swimmingly, and a new sail stitched for the seaworthy vessel.


    "Think of all the supplies we''ll be able to bring in," Underhill grins, rubbing his hands together. "Travel between Ordella and Dimartino will be so fast!"


    He turns to the man next to him, Dimartino''s Mayor Quinn. The warm fellow stands wide, his hands at his hips. "All she needs is a good name," Quinn informs him. "We''re having the townsfolk submit proposals, but some of them are¡­"


    "Yes, I saw the ''S.S. Foam''," Underhill rolls his eyes. "The townsfolk really got some kinda crab fever going on."


    Quinn nods resolutely. "The King is our hero, none of us would be alive today if not for him."


    Underhill chuckles, his attention fixed on the ship in the harbor. "Hey, Quinn," he says quietly, his voice carrying a slight hint of sincerity for once. "We already got a name for the ship. They want to name it after a hero? Name it the S.S. Yunie."


    Quinn is startled by the suggestion. "Yunie¡­why, that''s brilliant, Underhill! What a fantastic suggestion, I''ll write it down at once!"


    Underhill tips his hat at the mayor, and steps past him. The merchant and police captain has places to be. Before he leaves, he throws a remark over his shoulder.


    "She was a good egg, or so they say," Underhill notes. "Hate to see her go, right when she and I finally built some kinda understanding, you know? Maybe havin'' this ship be named after her, that''ll keep her around a bit. Just ask the kid if he''s okay with it." As he finishes, he struts off.


    "The kid - oh, you must mean young Master Roscoe!" Quinn realizes. "I''m sure he''d be delighted for his sister to be honored in such a way!"


    Quinn looks around. Underhill''s already stalked off, and he''s talking to himself.


    Underhill had always been a slippery one, but this time, Quinn finds himself agreeing with the man''s sentiment. He might be a sneaky bastard, but he has the right instincts.


    Quinn smirks, lighting a cigarette and blowing smoke into the harbor. Even the nice old mayor had his vices - though he did not partake in the time-honored Dimartino tradition of whore-play.


    ''These things didn''t kill me the first time,'' he thinks to himself, taking another drag. He blows the smoke in a quick, steady jet that flies out over the water.


    ''The S.S. Yunie¡­it''s perfect, Underhill. Yunie''ll be what keeps Ordella and Dimartino close. We couldn''t have asked for a better way to honor her sacrifice.''


    Quinn drops the cigarette and grinds it into the ground, having only taken a few drags. He didn''t want the smoking to get him in his second life, either.


    "Hm? What''s this?" Quinn asks, looking down. A translucent screen of some sort has appeared in front of him.


    [New Message from: Zelia]

 Chapter 70 Recollection in Red

    Ordella is in chaos in the wake of Donatella''s attack. The once-proud historic district has been reduced to ruins, though thankfully there are no human casualties. The historic district had been something of Adon and Adea''s ''playhouse'' at times, and as such most of the citizens of Ordella naturally avoided it.


    Haima, Godrick, Clancy, and Eldrie collect themselves in the wreckage. Each one of them has been injured in some way - even the mighty warrior crab is clicking a little slower than normal.


    "Someone needs to tell Master Barnacles what happened here," Eldrie says. Everyone looks at him, the least injured by far.


    "Uh¡­right," Eldrie blushes. "I guess it''s me. Your Majesty, would you mind finishing up the speech?"


    Clancy gives Eldrie a salute. Eldrie hurriedly returns the favor.


    "SPEECH TIME!" Clancy belts out, scuttling away. Haima and Godrick exchange a look.


    "I can''t believe this is our life now," she murmurs loud enough for only Godrick to hear.


    "You''re tellin'' me, Haima. Now, assuming this Sentinel doesn''t come right back and finish wrecking the place, maybe we can have our little date tonight, uh? Take the edge off all this stressful morning."


    Godrick aches as he speaks, taking a knee for a moment. He''s badly hurt from the fight earlier.


    Haima puts her hand on his back and leans down next to him. "We can hang out in the hospital," Haima nudges him playfully. "How about that?"


    "Oy, oy! Haima, watch the ribs!"


    The two struggle to walk away from the scene together, and Eldrie hurries away as well. He''s fast on his feet and can run for hours - all the makings of an excellent scout. He''d be back to Dimartino in no time.


    Eldrie flits through the bayou like a phantom, leaping from point to point with feline poise, his measured speed undeniable - but even the best fall down sometimes.


    Eldrie narrowly clips his foot on a knotty root and tumbles down - he''s running too fast to break his own momentum. He breaks into a roll, hitting a tree as he falls.


    He lays on the ground for a moment, spitting dirt out of his mouth. As he rises to his feet, he glimpses something out of the corner of his eye.


    He reaches down into the dirt and grabs it. A strip of scarlet fabric.


    "This is just like the - ugh!" Eldrie interrupts himself, grabbing his head and screaming. Memories flood into his mind of a life he doesn''t recognize. He sees his grandfather Wilfort in brief flashes, stronger and paler than he remembers. He sees the love of his love, Incantra, covered in blood, laughing - and the blood belongs to someone else. Her scarlet dress, torn, flows nebulously like quicksilver in his hazy memory. He remembers the dress. He bought it for her.


    Eldrie finds himself out of breath, overwhelmed by the images that flood into his mind. As quickly as they begin, his mind goes blank.


    He stands up, adjusting himself. Giving his body a once-over, making sure nothing is injured.


    ''Was that¡­'' Eldrie stops himself. He doesn''t even want to think it true. He''d rather never recover his memories from when he was a vampire. If he knew the extent of what he did as a bloodsucking monster, could he ever forgive himself?


    He drops the scarlet cloth back on the ground, kicking dirt to bury it.


    "Hello! You''re Eldrie, aren''t you?"


    His head shoots up at the sudden noise. He doesn''t see anyone at first - but quickly his discerning eyes see a young policewoman running up. He can tell by her black uniform - it''s what Underhill has all the police wearing these days. She''s got a huge backpack on - probably delivering some critical supplies to Ordella.


    "That''s me," he says awkwardly. He recognizes her only vaguely.


    "I''m delivering a message to Ordella - the legendary hero Barnacles has taken his allies north to investigate a Hidden City of ten thousand humans."


    Eldrie narrows his eyes. This sounds familiar - did he learn about it when he was a vampire?


    "The¡­Chatran Plateau settlement, is that right?" Eldrie asks, his mind focusing. She says something, but he tunes her out. More flashes of dark days bleed into his mind, but no one picture is clear enough for him to truly understand.


    "Well, I sure am glad to run into you, anyway," the girl says, taking off her backpack. "Underhill sent me with something just for you! One moment, sir¡­"


    As she rifles through her bag, Eldrie wonders what Underhill''s gift could possibly be. He peers over but accidentally just stares at her large and tender breasts¡­


    He snaps back to it right as she finishes searching her bag.


    "He said you''re an archer, is that right?" she asks, handing him a long, wrapped bundle. As if she can''t see the longbow on his back or the quiver of arrows he wears on his belt.


    "Mr. Underhill said these are specially made to give that Master Vampire hell!"


    Eldrie accepts the arrows, looking at them. They don''t seem to be anything special, but the arrowheads are coated in a chalky substance, and made from bone.


    "Thanks," Eldrie says, adding them to his quiver. They have distinct red fletching compared to his normal arrows. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Underhill would also like you to follow after the legendary hero. He thinks that those arrows might be needed for their mission!"


    Eldrie thinks for a moment. He had a message that he needed to get to Underhill as well.


    "I wish I could," Eldrie says. "But I have a message to deliver as well. Ordella was attacked by someone calling herself a ''Sentinel''..."


    As Eldrie divulges the information he learned from his time in Ordella, the young woman gives him an earnest claw salute. He follows suit - he can''t believe he forgot to do it earlier!


    "I will report back to Underhill on your behalf, sir! Delivering those arrows to you is my primary objective!"


    Eldrie smiles. The girl reminds him of Incantra, somewhat. Something about her eyes, and her hair - she''s captivating, innocent. That''s the way he remembers Incantra - not as a blood-magic using vampiress.


    "You''ve been a huge help," he says to her, and she looks away to blush. Unbeknownst to Eldrie, the young policewoman has a bit of a praise kink.


    "Good job," he continues. She feels a nosebleed coming on.


    Eldrie doesn''t notice any of her wiggling and writhing - he''s focused on the task at hand.


    "Rendezvous at the Chatran Plateau¡­alright. Thanks again, ma''am. I need to catch up with Master Barnacles!"


    "Er - Jordan! My name''s Jordan!" she blurts, her plump thighs bouncing as she waves. "Let''s meet again, okay!?"

 Chapter 71 God King

    "Sure is a lot of commotion out there," Haima says, peering out the window of Ordella''s makeshift infirmary. Godrick lies facedown on the bed next to her. His injuries were far more severe - Haima''s are more emotional scars than anything.


    Never before has someone resisted her technique so easily. It was as if her power were meaningless before the Sentinel Donatella. She, the forsaken prodigy of the Gore family¡­


    Haima stares drearily out the window, ruminating. She sees King Clancy having an animated chat with some of the townsfolk, who are giving him a tour of the town.


    Knowing the mighty king as well as she does, he''s probably inquiring about the availability of prostitutes.


    Haima moves from the window, closing the blinds and climbing back into her bed. She pulls up the covers and watches Godrick. He didn''t answer her earlier comment - he''s likely fast asleep, by Haima''s guess.


    "So much for flirting in the hospital, you big oaf," she says, but despite the ice in her words she can''t help but smile. It''s a nice moment, and for just a while she can push the failure of her Secret Art out of her mind.


    Outside the window, Clancy scuttles further down the street, accompanied by the two humans overseeing Ordella since the Master Vampires took over. Adon and Adea needed some level of order, otherwise they''d have lost their farming stock to disease and starvation. They''d promised the two giving Clancy his tour that they''d be allowed to live if they maintained order and rationed resources for the town.


    As they quip to Clancy about the dark days, the two do what they do best - suck up to whoever''s in charge.


    "Of course, Your Majesty," the woman says, giving a reverent salute. Just then, they come onto the main street of Ordella. Even after the commotion earlier with the Sentinel, Ordella slowly creeps back to life.


    "There he is!" comes a call from the crowd, an elderly man. "The hero who fought the vampires and saved the town from destruction!"


    "King Clancy!" another called out in delight.


    Clancy is swarmed by wide-eyed citizens, who each perform their version of the crab salute and beseech the mighty crab for aid. They regale him as their divine savior and hero.


    One of Clancy''s attendants suddenly has a brilliant idea. "Your Majesty," he offers, whispering into the crab''s¡­shell. "Ordella is home to a legendary artifact once owned by a prophet who foretold the end of the world. We have kept it safe all these years in the hopes of one day granting it to our savior. We believe you to be that savior - would you allow us to offer you this gift?"


    Clancy clicks his claws greedily. "GIVE GIFT IN REVERENCE!" Clancy agrees. He''s eager to see what rare treasure they have to offer.


    They lead him through the crowd toward a stunning cathedral. This cathedral is a holy site - one that not even Adon and Adea dared to defile. Luckily the doors are just wide enough that Clancy can walk through sideways.


    The large crab looks around the ordained hall, his mouth making gushy noises. He''s pleased with his new cathedral - for he is the king, and all that he sees is his.


    The two attendants unearth a large coffin-shaped chest from the front of the cathedral, and from it they each grab one item. They bring their gifts to Clancy and present them one at a time.


    "For you, Your Majesty," the man says, bowing his head and offering up a golden scepter. It''s long - like a broom handle, with an ornate sigil of three overlapping circles atop the pole. He places it carefully in Clancy''s right claw.


    "For you, Your Majesty," the woman says, bowing her head and showing Clancy an embellished and fanciful hat with a peculiar dome shape. It looks like something a pope would wear. She places it upon his head. Clancy''s beady eyes widen with awe as the blessed dome is placed upon his head.


    "GOD KING CLANCY!" the crab announces. He means it as a joke - his attendants accept it as a proclamation.


    "Yes. God King Clancy." They bow in unison, saluting him. "Savior of Dimartino and Ordella. Divine Messiah of the New World Order."


    They pray over him, and shower him with praise. Clancy loves admiration.


    "LEAD ME TO WHORES!" Clancy commands, tapping his royal stick on the ground authoritatively.


    It''s a bit crass for the moment, but the two attendants have no means to object.


    "As you wish, Your Majesty. We exist only to serve your exalted whims."


    As they leave the cathedral, Clancy has a change of mind. "WAIT!" he exclaims, clapping his hatch-mouth together, salivating. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "FOOD FIRST. GOD KING CLANCY ORDERS ORDELLA FEAST!"


    As they step back onto the main street, there are ''oohs'' and gasps from the crowd gathered. As the populace looks upon Clancy with his pope hat and royal scepter, they all begin to clasp their hands together, fall to their knees, and pray.


    Back in the day, Ordella was a large religious community. The salvation proffered by the crab seems to have brought that back out of the populace. So many of these people survived as long as they did only by clinging to their faith, and praying that a miracle would come and drive out the vampires. That miracle is Clancy.


    As Clancy watches the people pray to him, he clicks at his Ordella advisors. "WHAT DATE?"


    They look to each other in confusion. "Are you asking¡­what day it is?" the woman confirms.


    "YES!"


    She checks her wrist, only to realize she''s not wearing a watch. "Ah¡­June 9th, I believe."


    "ORDELLA CITIZENS! GOD KING CLANCY DECLARES JUNE 9 AS HAPPY CRAB FESTIVAL! JOIN IN MIGHTY FEAST! PRAISE THE CRAB!"


    As the people begin to cheer for Clancy, a message from Maria pops up in front of him. Clancy has had some experience dealing with pop-ups from his leveling adventures. He carefully clicks on the ''Open'' button with his free claw, and the contents of the message spill out.


    [Hi Clancy,


    Hope you''re having a grand old time in Ordella. Knowing you, you''ve probably already started a cult or something. I have critical information for you.


    First, Barns along with some others have gone north to a region known as the ''Chatran Plateau''. They have the means to kill the vampire Adon and also have discovered that a hidden city of ten thousand people is in the region.]


    Clancy stops reading the message for a moment.


    ''CHATRAN?'' Clancy thinks to himself. ''YUMMY KOBOLD PLACE. USED TO VACATION BEFORE BARNACLES.'' On that note, he continues reading.


    [Barns and I need you to find and appoint someone as a ''Moderator'' - someone who can run Adventurer Guild tasks out of Ordella. Can you do that for me, you big, smart crab?


    Love, Maria]


    Her extended use of bold text surely was to make sure the crab could follow along with the message, but Clancy has no trouble. Despite his limited vocabulary, he''s actually quite the seasoned reader. He even dabbled in writing, back in the day.


    Clancy raises his pincers in the air after reading the message. "AUDITION TIME!" he announces.

 Chapter 72 Chatran Choo Choo

    "Here we are - Chatran."


    Skado points over the horizon. The setting sun sets the scene wonderfully as the land ahead of them is coated in amber light. Before them are rolling plains that cascade against a stone plateau that reaches high into the sky - so high it seems unreachable.


    "We''re going UP?" Osmond balks. They''d just passed through the Pale Court, one of the lowest elevation points in the country. Now, looking up at the mighty plateau, this appears to be one of the highest.


    "We''re going to take the Chatran Choo Choo," Skado smirks. He points something out against the eastern side of the great plateau, but in the low light of sunset, it''s a bit hard to see.


    "Choo Choo?" Barns and Osmond ask simultaneously.


    Skado crosses his arms cockily. "It''s one of the many secrets of how my city''s stayed alive all these years. The only way up there without flying is by using the train. And only about five or so people know how to operate the thing. Lucky for all of you, I happen to be one of them!"


    Skado doesn''t just nerd out about poison and killing - he also goes off about trains. He spends the next hour detailing the whole process in excruciating detail as Osmond and Barns just try to listen along and wait for the rant to end.


    It''s fully dark when they arrive at the train station at the base of the Chatran Plateau. Barns tries to look ahead on the tracks, but it''s too dark.


    "So the train goes vertically up the side of the mountain?" he asks. He wasn''t paying too much attention to that part of Skado''s soliloquy.


    "Oh yeah. But it''s best to wait until morning. In case Adon is around, we don''t want him to see what we''re up to."


    They decide to hunker down and sleep in the train for the night - they''d ride up to the top in the morning when they had better visibility and when Adon couldn''t freely walk about. Then, they''d enter the hidden city.


    They sit around an oil lantern, huddled in the small train car in a circle. It''s dark, but none of the three men are sleepy yet.


    "So, uh¡­" Barns starts to break the growing and awkward silence. "How are things with you and Maria, Oz?"


    "Fantastic," Osmond says, his demonic face lighting up into something almost human. "Oh my GOD, Barns - you have no idea. That advice you gave me¡­whew! I worry about the structural stability of Maria''s throat these days, because DAMN!"


    Barns plays with a couple sticks on the ground. "She do be good at that¡­" he mumbles to himself.


    "The what?" Skado asks, surprised.


    Before they could entertain the thought, Skado hijacks the conversation - though it''s something Barns would much rather talk about than Maria''s oral fixation.


    "I suppose I should tell you both a little something about the hidden city - and, Osmond. I mean no offense, but I think it''s best if you don''t come inside."


    "You sound just like Maria," Osmond jests. Neither Barns nor Skado so much as smile at the joke - just deadpan silence.


    "Anyway," Skado says, "A demon like you might scare some of the less open-minded folks. We''ve survived this long exactly because we haven''t made a habit of demons and vampires crawling into the city."


    "I understand," Osmond says. "I''m happy to wait while you two settle business - I''ll keep an eye out for Adon as well."


    Skado seems pleased with Osmond''s willingness. "The entire city is underground - the Chatran Plateau is almost fully hollow on the inside."


    "For real!?" Barns says excitedly, his eyes sparkling. "That''s like something from a fantasy novel! Do you all live in the dark? Oh - do you have a colony of dwarves hanging out somewhere?"


    Skado rolls his eyes. "Think of it more as a vault and less of a magical mineshaft," he suggests. Though he''s loathe to admit it, they do have a sizeable Dwarf population who call the shots in the lower levels.


    Dwarves, like the other magical races, were in decline long before the Apocalypse began. Most humans didn''t think they even existed - the population living in the hidden city may have been the last group on the planet.


    "We maybe have some dwarves," Skado says reluctantly. "But they don''t mix with the humans, much. They have quite the ''Underground'' culture, and I mean that metaphorically as much as literally." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So cool!"


    These are concepts that Barns has only ever dreamed of. Back in his first life, he rarely saw anyone outside of his Clan. And in this life¡­well, he did spend twelve years banging coconuts together on a beach.


    "You gotta take me to meet the dwarves," Barns insists. He''s beaming like a little kid asking to go get ice cream.


    Skado shuffles uneasily on the ground, pondering it.


    "They''re not the friendliest," he says, his body language tense. "But hell, you''ve got a way with people. They might like you, as a fellow ''outsider'' of sorts."


    Osmond hops up from the ground and walks toward the back of the train car. "I''ll be getting some rest now," he says. "To my dreams, where I can see my sweet Maria."


    Skado raises an eyebrow at the statement, and Barns chuckles at the silly face. Thankfully, Osmond doesn''t notice the light teasing.


    "I guess we should get some rest too," Skado says. He stands up and meticulously checks a few things on the train before settling down himself.


    Barns crashes on the ground, next to the flickering lantern, and stares at the metal roof of the train. He watches the distorted shadow of the lantern cast strange shapes on the metal surface.


    He loses track of time - it could have been thirty minutes, or three hours. He notices a low rumbling, thinking nothing of it - but he''s startled to action by the sound of scraping metal.


    Skado is on his feet in an instant, rising from the ground like a vampire out of their coffin (assuming vampires sleep in coffins). He looks out the front of the train, seeing the bright lights coming from atop the mountain.


    "The other train is coming from the top of the plateau! But why!?"

 Chapter 73 Master Vampire Adon

    As the other train screeches into the station, Skado is immediately upon the passengers, shouting in panic before launching into frantic questioning.


    "What''s happening!? Why are you here?" he belts out. Every possibility, no matter how grim, feels real in Skado''s mind. He''s breathing heavy and looks like he''s about to have a panic attack.


    The passengers rush off the train, huddled together in a close group and trying to get away as quickly as possible.


    "Skado!" the conductor cries, looking at the poisoner. "Oh, Skado, it''s horrible! A vampire is attacking the city!"


    "What!?" Skado exclaims. "When did this happen!? Why are you here?"


    "We''re just trying to get away!" the conductor sobs. "He attacked not an hour ago! It''s chaos up there, stay away!"


    Skado turns to his allies, Barns and Osmond. They''re both awake and ready.


    "Absolutely not," Skado says, grinding his teeth. "You see these two with me? This is the legendary hero who restored humanity to Dimartino, and his servant! Come on, guys. Let''s go get that vampire."


    "Servant?" Osmond says to himself, but he pushes past the comment for now.


    Skado presses a few buttons on the train terminal, and it whirs to life. He pulls a long lever and inputs a code - then, the train begins to move along the tracks.


    The train starts its horizontal journey before quickly turning upright at a nearly ninety-degree angle as it climbs higher and higher along the plateau''s side. As the train reaches its top speed, Osmond and Barns exchange a look.


    "Does it¡­go any faster?" Barns says, looking out the window. It''s dark, but there''s no way they''re going faster than five miles an hour.


    "Er¡­no," Skado replies. "The fact it can go this speed at all up a vertical cliff is impressive, though. Isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, I guess I just feel like there''s¡­I dunno, a sense of urgency?"


    Skado looks out at the front of the train - the highbeams illuminate the darkness ahead of them. "It won''t take more than five minutes. We''ll be there quickly."


    Barns nods. It''s more like a fancy elevator than a train, he supposes. Still, it''s their only way up. They''d have to settle.


    "To think he found the hidden city¡­damn it," Skado slams his fist on the side of the train. "How did he even get up there!?"


    Osmond offers a possible answer. "His sister, Adea - she was capable of flight, at least after she transformed herself," Osmond recalls. "It makes sense that Adon would be able to as well."


    Skado shakes his head. "Impossible. Unless¡­"


    He turns to Osmond. "You didn''t kill Adea, did you? But you found her dead?"


    The demon scratches his head. "My sweet Maria finished her off - but yes, I believe she was still alive for some time after the battle. Though her head was severed and chewed on a bit."


    "Fuck," Skado winces, running his hands through his hair. "How didn''t I think of this¡­Adea wasn''t killed by any of you. Her brother killed her and stole her powers. That would explain everything - and it would mean he''s capable of flying."


    "Whoa, you mean to tell me Adon killed his own sister?" Barns grimaces. "Just when I thought that scumbag couldn''t get any more evil."


    Skado nods. As studied as he is on monsters and vampires, he knows well how they operate. Each vampire is created with one special bloodline ability. From his research, he knew that Adea could transform herself into a winged beast and turn herself into bats. Adon''s power, however, is the creation of barbed thorns that could remotely suck blood.


    ''Although,'' Skado thinks, ''that still doesn''t explain the unnatural eclipse that occurred in Ordella. Did Adon absorb yet another vampire''s power?''


    When they reach the top of the plateau, the train platform is filled with anxious civilians who are trying to escape the vampire. Skado, Barns, and Osmond push past them - though the sight of Osmond only serves to strike greater fear into the gathered crowd.


    "Can you, I don''t know, look less demonic?" Skado says frantically as they run along the top of the Chatran Plateau. There are many old-style mansions around, though none of them seem to be occupied. A beautiful historic district, lost to time.


    Skado keys open the gaudy front door of a quaint baby-blue mansion and hurries down the stairs into the basement. Barns and Osmond follow closely. As they reach the basement, Skado taps twice on a sealed metal door.


    "Euchronia," Skado says through the door.


    "What color was the wine at Edo''s Castle?" asks a quiet voice from the other side of the white metal door.


    "Damn it, Ben, it''s Skado! We don''t have time for codes!"


    The door is quickly opened, and a young, doe-eyed recruit is staring back at them. "We don''t know how it happened," he says. "But the vampire got in through the main entrance somehow! Skado, can you do something?"


    The skilled poisoner smirks. "Oh, I can do something alright. Don''t you worry - we''re killing this vampire."


    "Sounds like I can come along?" Osmond says.


    The boy, Ben, looks at Osmond with fear, but Skado reassures him.


    "This is a tamed demon, nothing to worry about," Skado smiles. "Keep your eyes peeled, Ben. Call me the second you see ANYTHING and let the other guards know the demon is with me."


    "O-okay, sir!"


    The trio rushes down a white hallway and down a long flight of metal stairs. When Skado opens the door at the bottom, Barns and Osmond are absolutely spellbound.


    Skado reveals the ''Hidden City'' to them both - a gargantuan, hollow underground space that stretches so low it makes Barns queasy. Around the cylindrical open space, a labyrinth of interconnected passages and buildings rise from the abyss, illuminated by soft orange light.


    It''s a thriving, bustling space during the day - but right now it''s the middle of the night, and there''s a vampire visible at the level below them, playing with a young woman''s corpse with sickly delight.


    "Adon!" Barns shouts, so loud that his voice echoes throughout the entire city. His fists tremble with anger, and his Silver Rake claws shoot out from his gauntlet.


    The vampire hears him from the level below, turning his head and baring his teeth angrily. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Little boy hero!" Adon calls over the chaos. A defender of the Hidden City attempts to attack Adon, but the vampire flips him over and slits his throat before he can so much as land a single blow.


    "I see you''ve come to play! I do hope you''re ready for a show!"

 Chapter 74 Adon Ascends

    Barns rushes forward to the edge of the platform and dives - plummeting to a walkway on the lower level. He lands on his feet, rising from the ground like a predator. His prey - Adon, the Master Vampire.


    Adon flicks his cape theatrically, beckoning Barns closer. He sprints to the vampire - if he can finish this quickly, that would be best.


    The hero reaches Adon and throws a flying kick first, activating his ''Flame Thrash'' ability. His feet light aflame as he kicks Adon once and lands on his hands. He twists his body abruptly and kicks the vampire again.


    Adon reacts in time for the first kick but not the second. Barns kicks the vampire right in the ribs, his flaming foot giving off an extra burst of strength and igniting the vampire''s cloak.


    Adon withdraws with a shadowy step and rips the burning cloak off of him, throwing it to the lower levels. He and Barns eye each other with menace as Skado and Osmond finally catch up. The men stop at either side of Barns, each ready to battle - Skado with his long thin dagger, Osmond with his purple-orbed staff.


    "Yes, yes, little boy - bring as many friends as you''d like! It makes no difference - I cannot be killed." As he speaks, his eyes focus on Osmond. He recognizes the demon.


    "Ah-ha! So we meet again at last, Ozzie. Tell me, is your human whore well?"


    Every muscle and vein in Osmond''s arm pops as the demon fantasizes about ripping Adon''s throat out. He''s too angry to respond to Adon''s taunts verbally.


    Barns puts his arm out in front of Osmond, keeping the demon back. "Don''t let him goad you," Barns warns. "Let me handle him for now."


    Barns steps forward, a swagger in his step. He''s so confident he can kill Adon that he can''t help himself but try and act cool. After all, he wants to taunt Adon, too - it''s vengeance for Yunie."


    "So what''s all this bullshit you keep spouting about not being killable?" Barns says, smirking. "Seems like we had no problems obliterating your bitch sister."


    He wants to sound ignorant - it''s all part of Barns'' plan to lure Adon into a false sense of security. It works, too - the malice in Adon''s eyes twists into something playfully mad. He thinks he''s going to have fun with Barns.


    In a flash, Adon is upon him - so fast it surprises everyone. Barns steps back and jabs with the Silver Rake. Adon''s imposing body isn''t as fast as Barns'' lithe figure, and the young hero is able to sink his blades into Adon.


    The vampire''s eyes widen as he feels the Silver Rake''s blades cut through him. Adon rushes off his blade in a frantic panic, practically oozing through the air as he flits away.


    The vampire pauses, perched atop one of the walkway railings. His breath is haggard and shallow, and he clutches the burning wound.


    "That weapon¡­I recognize it! Where did you acquire such a thing, you delinquent human!" Adon hadn''t noticed it before - or at least he figured Barns just had some ordinary claw weapon. But that is the Silver Rake, though the last time he saw it, it was wielded by one of his family members and they were trying to kill him.


    "Oh, this old thing?" Barns smirks. "Some dumb, dead vampire, I think."


    Adon breathes heavily. If Barns had such a thing, he must know where it came from. Did Barns know something about how to kill a Master Vampire? Adon killed his last living relative - buried the man alive while he was still wearing the Silver Rake. So how is it here?


    "No, no, no¡­" Adon mutters to himself, clutching his head. "This cannot be¡­who could have done such a thing¡­" Adon suddenly jerks his whole body toward Osmond. He points and screams at the demon.


    "You! It was Francois, wasn''t it? WASN''T IT!? WHAT DID THAT HIDEOUS TRASH TELL YOU!?"


    Adon grabs his head - his skull is searing with pain. Usually he can keep his emotions better in check than this¡­is this Adea coming through?


    ''I knew I shouldn''t have eaten her,'' Adon winces, his head throbbing in agony. ''My dear, sweet, stupid fucking sister. Must your volatility curse me even now?''


    Adon leans into his sister''s power, allowing two wings to burst from his back. His clothing lay on his flesh like rags at this point, his pale and muscular chest visible from underneath. His muscles bulge out even further as he ascends into the air, suspended on his sister''s wings.


    ''They know how to kill me,'' Adon panics, eyeing them each in turn. ''They have something. I know they do. What is it!?''


    He beats his wings several times as the three stare up at him and strategize quietly. He can''t hear what they''re saying. ''Damn it!'' he gnashes his teeth together. If only he could hear them.


    His eyes turn to the entrance to the Hidden City, where he entered. He may have to flee, he realizes. They''re planning something. It would be better to forsake this entire place - find a new country to live in, forsake this one and never come back. They weren''t here by coincidence, no - they''re hunting him.


    Adon leans further into the psychosis, his sister''s rampant emotions taking root in his mind. It''s like his head is splitting in two as his sister''s blood and mind attempt to wrest control of his body.


    Then, he decides - he''s fleeing. But just as he starts to fly away, two electric hooks find their way into his wings and yank him back down to the platform. Osmond, holding the reins of the hooks, rips them out with thin magical strands, stripping the vampire''s wings clean off of him in a bloody explosion.


    Adon screams in frightened agony, hurrying to his feet and stepping backward quickly.


    "Skado, now!" Barns commands. The lanky poisoner sprints ahead, his long thin dagger primed to strike.


    Adon swings at Skado to intercept his attack, but Skado stops short. He doesn''t need to get in all the way to land a hit with his special dagger. He slams his palm on the hilt of the dagger, and a needle shoots out of the blade.


    The needle flies through the air and hits Adon''s muscled chest. Skado falls back, landing on his butt, his eyes frantically scanning to make sure his needle found its mark.


    Adon pulls the small blade out of his chest and flicks it to the side. "This was your big gambit?" he laughs. He feels almost silly for ever being afraid.


    "What, was this thing poisoned? I''m immune, you know." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he has time to gloat to Skado, Barns rushes in for another attack. He knows what he has to do, and it was now or never.


    "Take this!" Barns yells, punching at Adon with his Silver Rake. He knows Silver Rake will have all of Adon''s attention, and the vampire reflexively begins to dodge on his left side. However, that''s exactly what Barns wants.


    Barns forms the shape of a claw with his left hand, and swings with all his might.


    "CLAW OF DEATH!"

 Chapter 75 Curtain Call

    "Claw of Death!" Barns screams at the top of his lungs, swinging his empty hand at Adon. If he can believe it enough, it will happen!


    Majestic light forms around Barns'' arm, transforming it into a crab claw, and he snips just like Clancy taught him to snip.


    Adon is sliced clean in half, his legs falling out and his torso kept suspended only from the impact of Barns'' snip. He hovers in the air, gasping and staring at Barns, his eyes locked in the throes of death.


    Barns uppercuts with his other arm, driving Silver Rake''s blades deep into Adon''s exposed entrails. The vampire screams as he lights up with holy light and simply - POPS -. Everything within three meters is sprayed with vampire blood, including Barns'' entire front half.


    He turns his head, crab claw in one arm and shining claws in the other. He looks like an action hero.


    "This is the fate of the enemies of humanity," Barns declares. "Let there be no question."


    As Barns speaks, he feels a wave of malevolence overtake him - his Crab Intuition goes wild and his vision turns red. He whips his head around and a bubble of red blood emerges from Adon''s pile.


    The bubble pops and reveals a sickly-looking bat. It flits quickly into the air, trying to escape.


    Osmond reacts quickly, grabbing his wrist with one hand and focusing his magic. He shoots a powerful dart of magic toward the bat, attempting to pierce it through midair. The crafty vampire bat narrowly dodges the attack and flies up and away out of sight.


    Barns rushes to the railing, gripping the metal in frustration as the bat escapes through a crack in the ceiling.


    "Damn it!" Barns howls. "You have to be kidding me!"


    His fists curl around the iron bar of the railing, shaking it so violently it could detach. Osmond hasn''t given up, though - not yet. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The demon floats up off the railway. He cannot fly anywhere near as well as a bat, but he can move freely through the air, albeit slowly.


    "I''ll follow him! He''s not getting far, not after that attack." Osmond zips away after the bat, leaving Barns and Skado behind.


    "Good teamwork," Skado says quietly. "I was able to successfully inject him with the ashes, mixed with some crushed fireglass for good measure. Even as a bat, that solution I prepared should be ripping him apart from the inside."


    "I won''t be satisfied until I know he''s dead for certain," Barns sighs. "For Yunie''s sake. For everyone that monster killed."


    Skado nods, but his attention refocuses elsewhere. He strides to the vampire''s corpse as other denizens of the underground city began to pile up around them.


    "Something definitely died here," Skado notes. "And yet something got away. I don''t understand, Barns. Was Adon¡­more than one person?"


    "You said he had magic you hadn''t anticipated, didn''t you?"


    Skado narrows his eyes, reflecting. The eclipse did seem unnatural, and unlike any of Adon''s powers he''d known of.


    "If that''s the case, then this is Adon. But that would mean he had another vampire living inside of him all this time¡­"


    Barns shivers. The very thought is disconcerting.


    "I hope Osmond comes back soon," Barns says.


    Meanwhile, outside, the vampire flits down the mountain, flying back toward Ordella. It''s the only place it knows to go. It can start over. It can grow again. All it needs is some quiet time to feed and regrow its strength.


    The bat lands on a large rock, nearly a full mile away from the Chatran Plateau. It flares its wings, looking around in a disoriented panic. It doesn''t appear to have been followed.


    This is all that remains of Adea - when Adon ripped her head off, he didn''t kill her so much as absorb her. And that part of her that remained was able to manifest into one small, tiny bat, right at the moment of Adon''s death.


    ''Kill,'' the bat chants to itself. It''s hardly capable of a more refined thought. ''Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.''


    It thinks about Ordella, seeing the town as nothing but a source of blood and fuel. It knows what direction to fly in, and it knows what it must do.


    ''Kill. Kill. Kill.''


    It repeats the mantra over and over in its tiny brain.


    The bat doesn''t notice someone creeping up on it - but it is not Osmond who has found the creature. It''s someone else who craves revenge just as much as anyone.


    Eldrie locks his eyes on the bat. He knows exactly what it is - he''d seen Adea''s transformation many times. Haunted memories of a life he''d rather forget bloom freely in his mind. He remembers what she did to him, to Wilfort, to Incantra. He remembers what she did to all of his people in Ordella.


    He remembers what these monsters did to Yunie. The vampire twins could not be suffered to exist even another second in this world.


    Eldrie withdraws one of the arrows that was custom-made for him by Underhill, made from the bone of one of the twins'' dead relatives. He trusts that it will strike true.


    He pulls back his bowstring and lets the arrow fly in an instant. Eldrie is a master archer - the dim moonlight is more than enough for his arrow to find its mark. It passes clean through the bat, and the vampire falls to the ground, limp and dead. The story of Adon and Adea and their theatrical malevolence is finally over - it''s curtains for them both.


    Eldrie stalks up to his prey, looking at the pitiful creature on the ground. "Looks like it wasn''t your lucky day, Adon - Adea. Whatever the hell you are."


    He grabs the bat as proof of the kill, but as he touches it, his mind is suddenly assaulted with images of terror. Nearly every moment spent as a vampire forces itself back to the forefront of his mind as he''s forced to relive all of the trauma and terror he wrought as a creature of the night. It''s enough to make him drop to his knees. His stomach churns from the sickening awakening and he vomits over the ground.


    He opens his eyes. His left eye has become a striking red color, radiating vampiric energy. What remains of Adea and Adon''s magic is still compatible with his body, as he was once a vampire of their creation. Now, their power surges inside him, finding a foothold in his mind. He realizes with horror and disgust something he never thought possible.


    "The eclipse¡­it was my magic."

 Chapter 76 Red Eye

    It''s nearly morning when Eldrie is discovered by Osmond, who''d been floating overhead, searching high and low for signs of the vampire bat. Osmond recognizes the master archer from above and dives down to greet him.


    As Osmond lands on his feet, he senses something different about Eldrie. A familiar-sort of darkness. Osmond is immediately put on guard.


    On Eldrie''s end, he hardly notices Osmond. He clutches his left eye, from which an unfathomable discomfort emanates.


    "Hello? Are you alright?" Osmond asks, anxious to get any closer than he is.


    Eldrie glances upward as if he has only just noticed Osmond''s presence.


    "Oh, hello, Osmond," Eldrie says, forcing a smile. He loses his footing and stumbles to the ground, catching himself before he completely faceplants.


    Osmond hesitates for a split second before running to Eldrie''s side and helping him back to his feet. As he does, he gets a good look at Eldrie''s eyes. He sees the left eye, crimson red, staring back at him, a dried tear of blood still plastered on Eldrie''s cheek.


    "What in the hells," Osmond gasps, backing away from Eldrie. "Your eye!"


    Eldrie winces. "Not looking good?"


    "It''s¡­it looks just like a vampire''s eye, Eldrie. Are you okay? Did something happen?"


    Eldrie reaches into his bag and throws the dead bat at Osmond''s feet. "I''m certain this was Adea," Eldrie says, kicking dirt on the stiff rodent. "Found her on my way over here."


    "But your eye?" Osmond asks again. "Did she¡­did she bite you, or curse you in some way?"


    Eldrie shakes his head. Though he feels horrific power coursing through his left eye, he senses no hint of a lingering will or evil within his mind.


    "After I touched it - the bat, I mean¡­I think I absorbed its power. Thankfully it was already dead, or else I might have absorbed a little bit more than just some vampiric energy."


    "So¡­you''re a vampire again?" Osmond narrows his eyes. He''s not one to talk - he is a demon, after all, but lately the kingdom of Dimartino has had somewhat of a ''no-tolerance'' policy for vampires.


    "This is not how it was before," Eldrie confirms, looking at his hands. He''s grown no paler, and compared to his vampire form, he''s still nowhere near as muscular or agile.


    "Whatever this is, I can control it," Eldrie says, determined. "Don''t worry about me. Do you¡­do you know where Barns is? I''ve come to assist in the fight. Is Adon still out there?"


    "Barns killed Adon just a few hours ago. I was out here trying to find this bat."


    Osmond scoops up the mangy corpse from the ground, holding it by one wing. "So this is Adea, huh? Feels good to see her like this, after the beating she gave me. I shall have it stuffed and delivered to my darling Maria - she is the one who deserves the trophy after all she went through to get it!"


    "That or a dumpster, I don''t care - let''s just show it to Barns."


    ¡­


    Barns and Skado are waiting patiently at the bottom of the mountain, eager to hear any word from Osmond and maintaining a vigilant watch. The people who''d fled the city earlier were all safely placated and brought back up the mountain plateau.


    An uneasy peace settles over Barns and the denizens of the hidden city. But, at least to Barns, trouble remains on the horizon, and that vampire bat could return at any time with a vengeance.


    He suddenly fills with tentative relief as he sees Osmond and Eldrie approaching from afar. He jogs way from the train station into the field, giving them a big overhead wave. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Barns! We were just talking about the wonderful way that Maria - "


    "Don''t need to hear it!" Barns yells back. "Did you find anything!"


    As if two people screaming at each other from across a field is normal, Osmond replies.


    "Yeah! Eldrie killed the bat!"


    "Oh, nice job Eldrie!" Barns'' throat is getting a little hoarse. "I didn''t even know you were coming! How are things in Ordella!"


    Eldrie rolls his eyes. "I''m going to wait until we''re next to him to respond," he mumbles to Osmond.


    "Hi, Barns," he says, once he''s only a few steps away. "About Ordella. Everyone is safe! But there was a bit of a problem¡­"


    "Problem?" Barns tilts his head. Then, he sees it. The way the light catches Eldrie''s left eye - it gleams red. Not human red, but deep, hungry red. His shoulders tense. "Uh¡­Eldrie? What''s with your eye, man?"


    Eldrie turns his head away from Barns. He wears a turtleneck sweater to hide the scars he has from Adea. Will he need to add an eyepatch to the look?


    "It''s a long story," Eldrie confesses. "But we can talk about it in private later. Ordella was attacked, Barns, by a human calling herself a Sentinel."


    "Sentinel?" Skado says, his voice elevated and full of concern. "You can''t mean¡­"


    He covers his mouth with his hand. "It is not my place to speak on this matter. Barns, we must report this to the leader of my people. She knows more, but for me, I cannot say."


    "Do you know something about the sentinels?" Eldrie questions. "If you do, please tell us. She was so strong, Barns - incapacitated both Haima and Godrick like they were nothing. Only King Clancy could hold her at bay, and she destroyed much of Ordella in spite."


    "She was a match for King?" Barns'' limbs grow cold and stiff. Fear sets in.


    "What were her powers?" Barns asks, his voice authoritative and calculating. If she was a match for Clancy, she had to have some incredible Secret Art.


    "I¡­I don''t really know," Eldrie says, biting his lip. "I can only tell you what I saw. She was able to teleport objects, and move things with her mind. Barns, she was able to lift an entire house off its foundation just with a look."


    "Just when I thought we''d have a moment of rest," Barns snickers, cursing his luck. Sure didn''t feel like a ''20'' to him.


    The group looks around at each other - each one of them dead tired. It has been a long night.


    "We have earned ourselves a small victory, Barns. Now, would you all please join me - you as well, Osmond. It''s time to properly show you to the Hidden City - Lantafort."

 Chapter 77 Lantafort

    Barns'' first descent into Lantafort didn''t exactly give him time to soak it all in. After an intense and sleepless night, he doesn''t even recall how the city looks. He anticipates dark, dreary corridors and the smell of stale air. Instead, the passages are alive with brilliant colors and lively sounds as Skado guides them deeper into the subterranean stronghold.


    The underground city is massive, hollowed out into the Chatran cavern with a scale that is hard to define - at least to Barns. From their vantage point on the highest tier of Lantafort''s sprawling levels, Barns looks down and sees glowing lanterns of every color imaginable, suspended in the air like fireflies.


    Bridges crisscross the void between buildings carved from the rock, and everything is as clean and pristine as the day it was built - the city has been maintained with the utmost care.


    The air is thick with the scent of roasting meats, strong spirits, and an earthy musk that Barns can''t quite place.


    There''s a trepidation in the air, too - Adon did attack only hours ago. But as the morning emerges and the lingering unease passes, the city starts to come to life. It''s the type of place Barns never thought he''d see again - a fully functioning, active society (albeit one that''s underground).


    "Welcome to Lantafort," Skado announces, standing proudly with his hands on his hips. "Home to the last free humans who haven''t been resurrected by you, Barns."


    "Oooh, I like this place," Osmond smirks, arms crossed. "Dark, cozy, and smells of questionable morality. Just like home. I bet my darling Maria would be delighted to visit!"


    Eldrie doesn''t comment, his single red eye flickering in the dim lamplight. He''s been quiet since their journey here, likely still reeling from his newfound power. Barns doesn''t press him on it. Not yet.


    "Stick close," Skado warns. "Most folks will be thrilled to meet you, Barns. But not everyone''s keen on outsiders. We''ve kept hidden this long by not trusting easily. And you, Osmond¡­can you put those horns away or something?"


    Barns nods as Skado and Osmond begin to bicker about demon biology.


    The group follows Skado through the upper ring into the hidden streets, their footsteps echoing against the metal walkways.


    They pass shops built directly into the cavern walls, their owners hawking goods from stalls crammed into every available nook. It seems like everything is sold here, from strange luminescent mushrooms to glass bottles filled with misty potions and daggers meticulously crafted from blackened bone.


    At some point, they pass an opening to a spiral staircase leading downward. From deep below, Barns can hear raucous laughter and booming voices. A few dwarves, short and stout, spill out from below as they swagger unpredictably through the streets. They''re singing a song in a language Barns doesn''t recognize, their arms slung over each other''s shoulders as they stagger down a shaded alley.


    "Don''t ask," Skado mutters, waving off Barns'' curious glance. "They own the lower levels, and they''ll spend half the night drowning themselves in ale and the other half challenging people to duels for no reason. You don''t want to get caught up in that."


    "Curious," Osmond muses. "I thought dwarves were a thing of myth."


    "I have never been to the lower levels," Skado thinks aloud. "The partying they do down there is legendary - well, perhaps ''notorious'' is the better word¡­"


    Barns snorts but keeps walking. There''s something comforting about seeing a city full of people simply¡­ living. After everything, it''s nice to be somewhere that doesn''t feel like the end of the world is clawing at the doorstep.


    "Any chance we can grab something to eat, Skado?" Barns asks, his stomach grumbling. The talented poisoner smiles with his eyes.


    "I know just the place."


    They stop at a small diner nestled along the cave wall with many other shops. It''s warm inside, and the aroma of delectable spice and meat is thick in the air. The owner, a burly woman with a salt-and-pepper bob, tells them they can sit wherever they like.


    The menu is short, thought Skado insists that the soup is to ''die for''. Unnerving words, coming from a poisoner.


    Barns, still riding high on the energy of Lantafort, orders "whatever the house special is" along with Skado.


    Osmond asks for "anything with meat", and when he orders, it''s like the shop owner notices him for the first time. Her eyes fixate on his horns and she finds herself unable to look away.


    "He''s with me," Skado says happily. "Don''t you worry about him. He fought off the vampire, you know!"


    "I''m not that hungry," Eldrie says quietly, averting his gaze from the others. He tries to cover his red eye with his fluffy brown hair, and decides to order nothing. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The food arrives quickly, and Barns is quick to dive in.


    "Holy hell!" he exclaims, the bowl trembling in his awe-struck hands. The broth is rich and thick, with hints of smoky heat and something floral. Chunks of slow-cooked meat practically melt on his tongue.


    The owner grins at his reaction. "That''s Red Moon Stew. Is it your first time here, kid? Haven''t seen you before."


    "It''s his first time to Lantafort," Skado says. The owner looks back at Skado, shocked. "You''ve heard of the humans who reclaimed Dimartino, haven''t you? These here are the folks who made it happen!"


    "Who needs women when food like this exists," Barns declares, taking another bite. "I might retire here and just get fat and lazy off this food!"


    Osmond groans as he digs into his meal. "This place is wondrous," the demon says. He can''t help but let his excitement pour out of him - Osmond has never once been in a ''functioning society''.


    The Lantafort native, smug as ever, leans back. "The Hidden City has its perks. Even before the Apocalypse, the place I lived was nothing like here. We had a community, sure, but nobody really talked to each other, you know? A community of strangers¡­"


    Barns wipes his mouth and downs the rest of his broth in one go. "Alright. Let me just get one more order and then we can get moving."


    After their early lunch, Skado informs the group that they''ll be heading to meet the leader of Lantafort, who happens to be his direct supervisor. He leads them to the middle levels, into a stone passage that leads away from the large open hollow.


    Their destination is deep within the stone passages, in a building with a fortress-esque facade. The walls are lined with old banners, presumably to represent the civilizations that the citizens of Lantafort hail from, and all the furniture is sturdy and practical. It''s a place built for war meetings, not politics. Perhaps the early settlers of Lantafort had a lot more on their mind than just minding a city.


    Barns sits down across from Lantafort''s leader as their meeting begins.


    She''s an older woman, with long, stark-white hair braided down one side of her shoulder. Her posture is impeccable, her expression unreadable. Skado stands at her right, and another attendant - a sharp-eyed woman with dark skin and an ornate rapier at her hip - stands at her left.


    Barns sits relaxed, one leg crossed over the other - he lacks the leader''s refined and deliberate poise, but Barns has never been one for social etiquette in either of his lives. Osmond and Eldrie flank him, standing like statues.


    ''Kind of cool, they''re like my ''subordinates'','' Barns snickers to himself. The legendary hero lifestyle isn''t so bad.


    The leader, cool as ice, folds her hands on the table between them.


    "So," she says smoothly, her voice carrying a quiet authority. "Skado informed me about an incident in Ordella. Let''s talk Sentinels, hmm?"

 Chapter 78 Seifa Brahn

    She''s an older woman, with long, stark-white hair braided down one side of her shoulder. Her posture is impeccable, her expression unreadable. Skado stands at her right, and another attendant - a sharp-eyed woman with dark skin and an ornate rapier at her hip - stands at her left.


    Barns sits relaxed, one leg crossed over the other - he lacks the leader''s refined and deliberate poise, but Barns has never been one for social etiquette in either of his lives. Osmond and Eldrie flank him, standing like statues.


    "Wanda, please - can you grab the dossier we have on the Sentinels?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The commander of Lantafort ushers to the dark-skinned woman on her left. The woman, Wanda, quickly bows and exits to the office behind them.


    "Where are my manners," the commander says, forcing a smile. "I am Commander Seifa Brahn. As your colleague, please feel free to call me by my first name."


    Her eyes pass over the three men across from her, taking time to inspect them each thoroughly. "Skado may have told me your names, but that is no reason to forego the pleasantries. You are all my honored guests!"


    Her voice never rises above normal volume, but there''s an eloquent high in her voice as she speaks, holding her arms out in a welcoming gesture.


    Barns looks left and right at his associates, before realizing he''d probably be the one to introduce himself first. Of course.


    "Er, well¡­I''m Barnacles, but everyone calls me Barns. Or at least, I want them to."


    "And who is Barns?" the astute commander asks with a gaze that peers through his very soul. It''s not intimidating in any way, but it does cause Barns to feel a bit tense. Like every word he speaks will be weighed with great significance.


    "Well¡­I''m the legendary hero," he says, scratching the back of his head and snickering to diffuse the tension. "Second in command of the kingdom of Dimartino - my best bud Clancy is the king. Guess I should mention, Clancy is a crab - but not a regular crab. He''s uh¡­you know, six feet tall and can talk."


    Seifa Brahn blinks her eyes slowly, absorbing the information. It seems nothing can phase her.


    "I see. And am I correct in assuming that you were not born as Barnacles? For you carry the weight of someone quite different. And there is a hint of an accent on your voice. A formality - one that contradicts your casual nature."


    Barns gulps. ''She picked all that up just from one or two sentences?'' he thinks to himself. He''s seen how observant Skado can be but this woman is next level.


    She smiles at him, amused. Like she can hear the racing thoughts in his mind. She finds them humorous.


    "You''re right," he says. It''s not something he''s talked about much with others - his first life. While it''s a part of him, he''s still always been Barns in this life.


    "I was once known as Lain of the Flame Clan. Among my people, I cultivated a power that was unheard of even among my clan. I named it ''Rebirth Flame'', and it is the power to reincarnate whenever I wish."


    Eldrie jolts as he hears this. He had no idea about Barns'' past until this moment. It''s enough of a reaction to draw Commander Brahn''s attention.


    "And you?" she says with a smile. "I can tell from your eyes that you must have quite a story to tell."


    Eldrie hesitates for just a moment too long, and suddenly everyone in the room has their full attention on him. Quivering slightly, he divulges what everyone is wondering.


    "My name is Eldrie from Ordella, and I used to be a vampire, until Master Barns saved my soul. Adon and Adea, the Master Vampires, were once thought to be unkillable, but this man right here found a way."


    Eldrie rests his hand on Barns'' shoulder and keeps talking. "And in my left eye, though I do not know how, I have managed to steal their powers."


    Eldrie flips his fluffy hair and reveals his blood red vampiric eye. For the first time, everyone is able to get a good look at it. Dark lines spread from his pupil in a burnt flower pattern over his crimson iris.


    "You seem nervous about it," Commander Brahn notes. "As if the power of the vampire is something you feel should be shamed. But worry not, Eldrie. So long as you can control your power and fight on behalf of humanity, there is no shame. And your eye is of little concern to the people - or do you forget that you marched in here alongside a full-bodied demon?"


    Eldrie''s breath catches in his throat as he looks over to Osmond. She has made an excellent point - he was so concerned about hiding away his eye that he didn''t even realize how Osmond must feel. The demon cannot hide his gray-tinged skin, the cracks on his flesh, nor his prominent horns.


    "I suppose that''s my queue," Osmond says, giving the Commander the side-eye as his attention is still directed at Eldrie. "I am the great Demon Lord Osmond, consort to the incomparable Princess Maria Dimartino, the love of my cursed life. I exist for her pleasure, and she has pledged her full support to Barnie boy here. As such, he speaks for me, ma''am."


    As Osmond talks, the dark-skinned woman Wanda returns with a leatherbound binder filled with papers. Commander Brahn takes it quickly and begins to rifle through the pages.


    "Thank you all. As you know, with me today is Skado, the head of my Exploratory Force. He is a warrior of great renown in Lantafort. And Wanda here leads the Interior Army, tasked with defending Lantafort from any and all threats. Now, I must tell you something of great importance, for I fear it may be a point of contention. The Sentinels who work on behalf of Emperor Yharan are aware of the existence of the Hidden City of Lantafort, and in order to secure the wellbeing of our city, we were forced to make a deal with them. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "To put it frankly, we are prohibited with interfering with the Sentinels, and in exchange they have guaranteed us that we can live in peace from them. And so I must ask you plainly - what is it that the Sentinels seek?"


    All eyes are on Eldrie again, and the pressure sets in. He can''t tell a full lie - not here. It would be far too obvious. But he could tell a half-truth.


    Seifa leans in closer in anticipation of Eldrie''s words until he finally speaks. "The Sentinel that attacked is named Donatella, and she stated her mission was to kill King Clancy."

 Chapter 79 Terms of Engagement

    "I see¡­"


    Commander Seifa Brahn''s calculated demeanor breaks, a creep of worry wriggling into her stony eyes.


    "And why would they want to do such a thing?" Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    It''s Barns who speaks up for the group. "Clancy is the strongest guy slash crab I know. He''s the reason I''m able to resurrect humans, and he was able to repel Donatella. Isn''t it obvious? They''re afraid of him."


    The Commander shakes her head slowly. She hates everything she''s hearing.


    "Donatella is one of the two weakest Sentinels," she informs them, wagging the binder in her hand before she sets it on the table. "If they want your King dead, then I fear I can advise you to comply with their demands. You all have far too much to lose."


    "Not happening," Barns states. "Every single person in our Kingdom, myself included, is only alive because of Clancy. We''ll fight to the last person to protect him if we have to. That is my stance."


    A quiet settles over the room - awkward silence. Everyone is wondering the same thing - is this alliance between Dimartino and Lantafort doomed to fail?


    Commander Brahn clears her throat after some time, taking charge of the situation. "It remains my hope that you and I can have a fruitful collaboration. The Sentinels are no friends of Lantafort, Commander Barns, but you are. You and yours saved us from the Master Vampire Adon, who claimed far too many lives during his ambush. And so the least I can do is leave you with this."


    She pushes the dossier over to Barns. All the information that Lantafort has gathered on the Sentinels is in those pages.


    "Worry not, we have other copies," Seifa grins. "If this King of yours is as strong as you say, perhaps you have a chance. Though I have seen the one known as Nazakiel in battle. He has powers that defy explanation and I believe he single-handedly assured the apocalypse would lead to the end of humanity.


    "If your leader can defeat Nazakiel, I will have no further inhibitions, and I shall pledge the full might of Lantafort and our ten thousand to you. However, until then¡­I am afraid we can not be true allies in the sense of the word. But know that Lantafort supports your mission, and we shall welcome any and all from Dimartino at any time."


    It''s not the response Barns is hoping for, not by any means. But he has no choice but to accept.


    "I understand," Barns says. He clenches his fists under the table. Understanding doesn''t make it any less frustrating - Dimartino needs their numbers.


    "As a token of good faith, I would like to appoint Skado as our official ambassador to Dimartino. Skado, Commander Barns - do you both accept?"


    Skado bows his head. "With pleasure."


    "Of course," Barns smiles. "Hey, if he didn''t come back with us, I think I''d already start to miss him!"


    Seifa Brahn shows off a rare but beautiful smile - genuine, and warm. "I shall miss him myself. He is my son, after all."


    Barns mouth opens wide in surprise. "Wait, what!?" he exclaims. The son and mother duo look at each other and chuckle to themselves. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I suppose it makes sense,'' Barns thinks. ''They both have that discerning eye.''


    The group talks a bit more before Barns ends the conversation.


    "I will return soon to finalize our arrangements," he says with a hint of formality that surprises even himself. "But I need to get back to Dimartino. A lot has happened since I''ve been away."


    Barns also realizes he''ll have to send an ambassador to Lantafort as well. He wonders if anyone he knows is particularly suited for the job - though he couldn''t in a hundred years imagine someone like Haima or Godrick working as an advisor, and people like Maria are too valuable to Dimartino to send away.


    Skado looks first to Barns and then to his mother. "If it is alright with everyone, I''d like to stay in Lantafort until Barns returns again," he says. "There are a few things I''d like to take care of before moving to Dimartino for the time being. I should only need a day or so."


    The two parties are in agreement, and in no time at all, Barns, Eldrie, and Osmond are back on the road to Dimartino. They have a stop to make on the way, however - at the Pale Court, to see Francois. After all, she promised them she''d release twenty thousand of her citizens if they could defeat Adon and Adea. It''s time to see if she''s still willing to hold up her end of the bargain.


    It takes them about half a day to reach the Pale Court from Lantafort, and as they walk, all Barns can think about is how nice it would be to get some transportation between the towns. They certainly didn''t have the technological capabilities to build an automobile or a train, but maybe he could talk to Underhill about some type of carriages. Though, that might require horses¡­


    It''s still bright out when they dip into the fog, but as they do they are shielded from the sun, locked in the pale, muted domain of Francois. As they come to the Pale Court, the vampiress is already standing outside, in the center of her stark white city. The army of humans at her disposal continue their soulless march around the Pale Court''s myriad levels in a single-file line, shambling ominously.


    "Keep that Crab Intuition rolling," Eldrie says, feeling a sense of dread as they approach Francois'' ''city''. Barns reassures him that he will - it''s not like the ''Crab Intuition'' is some toggle Barns can flick on and off. If there''s ever a murderous intent, he''ll know.


    "Eldrie, you should stay far back," Osmond advises. "Barns was able to resist Francois'' curse, but I have no expectations for you. Just the sound of her voice can drive a human man insane with lust."


    "I can handle it," Eldrie protests, but even Barns stops him.


    "Trust me, Eldrie," Barns says, shaking his head. "Stay back."


    The former vampire huffs. "As you command, Master Barns." He forms his right hand in the shape of a crab claw and gives Barns a stoic salute. Barns hands Eldrie the dossier for safekeeping as he continues further down the path with the Demon Lord.


    As Barns and Osmond enter the city, a sudden icy cold envelops them, and Francois'' voice reaches them from far away.


    "Why, if it isn''t the little boy hero and my dear brother Osmond. Oh, I do hope you''re not planning to leave Eldrie behind. It has been so long since I''ve seen him, I have a gift just for him."

 Chapter 80 Francois Gift

    "Such fear in your eyes, Barnacles. Osmond didn''t tell you any nasty little lies about me, did he?"


    Her bright red eyes flash to the demon standing next to Barns. The look is enough to chill even the Demon Lord to his spine. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She''s standing close to them both, mere steps away. If she held out her hand, she would be able to softly graze Barns'' cheek with her velvety and pale flesh.


    She''s wearing a kimono as always, one with a soft, flowery pattern that serves as a stark contrast to her otherworldly vampiric beauty. Barns remains tense in her presence - the sultry aura she''s known for still hangs heavy in the air, but he''s finding it a bit easier to resist her today.


    "Ah, there he is," Francois smiles, gliding past the two men toward Eldrie. The former vampire is approaching cautiously.


    "A gift?" he asks once he''s close enough to be heard. He dares not take another step.


    "Don''t look into her eyes!" Osmond commands, but it''s already too late. Eldrie and Francois lock gazes. The young man is frozen in place.


    She smiles big and wide, her fangs fully visible, as she sees Eldrie''s red eye. To a Master Vampire such as herself, the significance is not lost on her one bit. She can see Adon''s and Adea''s aura both within him.


    "I see you have fulfilled the terms of my request," Francois says, her gaze lingering on Eldrie for just a moment before her sinister glare fixates on Osmond. "You must be here to claim your reward."


    Barns finds himself entranced, taking an unwitting step in Francois'' direction. He''s close enough to smell her. The air around her is light and fragrant like roses wilting on a tombstone. It''s as intoxicating as it is unnerving.


    "That''s right," Barns says, steeling himself. "Twenty thousand souls. You good for it?"


    "You men are so eager to take what you desire," she hums playfully. "But who should I satisfy first, I wonder?"


    Eldrie moves forward, the seduction of her earlier gaze propelling him closer and closer. Osmond watches him with a careful eye.


    "Me," Osmond states. "Francois, you are making me nervous. Can you, I don''t know¡­roll back on the pheromones? These two look like they''re half-done already."


    She flutters her eyes at her demon brother. "I can control my allure as much as you can control your fascination with a certain little Princess," she says with a smile. "But don''t worry. I shall spare them both the pleasure of my touch. I only want to enjoy the fresh air."


    Her attention shifts skyward and she takes a deep breath, filling up her blackened lungs with the cold and clammy air of the Pale Court. She exhales with a satisfied ''ahh''.


    "I will miss the smell of all these humans," she muses. "I''ve grown so used to them."


    She reaches into her kimono and withdraws a golden locket. She dangles the chain from the tips of her fingers and rattles it, making a clinking metal sound.


    "For you, little Eldrie," she says, beckoning him closer. He walks to her side, his eyes wide with fascination. She drops the locket into his out-turned palm, careful not to let her skin and his touch.


    "It is filled with a small amount of ashes. It should prevent that eye of yours from ever running wild, as long as you keep this on."


    He accepts the locket and looks down at it. Something about it seems familiar - and then it hits him. This locket once belonged to the love of his life, Incantra.


    "Where did you¡­"


    He winces in pain. The memories he has of his life as a vampire have somewhat returned, but they are still disjointed and foggy. He sees a glimmer of Incantra and him both standing here in the Pale Court.


    ''That''s right,'' Eldrie thinks to himself. ''This is far from my first time here.''


    He pockets the locket, not wanting to dwell on the memories it brings back to the surface - not now. But that doesn''t stop Francois from prying.


    "Do you remember why she gave that to me?" Francois smirks.


    Eldrie takes a deep breath. "Yes," he says. "So I would have something to remind me of her, if she should ever die."


    Eldrie''s mind flickers. It seems Incantra''s will has been fulfilled.


    "Thank you, Francois."


    The vampiress turns to Barns. "And I have not forgotten your gift either. As you wished, I shall have my humans march to Dimartino. As they leave the fog, so too will their souls return to them."


    The marching humans halt in eerie unison, their heads swiveling southward as if pulled by an unseen force. One breaks from the pack and begins to shamble in the direction of Dimartino. One by one, the other soulless humans begin to follow in a line, moving slowly but surely toward civilization.


    Barns shudders as he watches it all happen - the sight is creepy, but he''s happy for it.


    Francois crosses her arms as the first of her humans leaves the city.


    "Now all that''s left for you to do, Barnacles, is decide what you will do with me."


    Her words strike him. He hadn''t considered it - not yet. But Francois was now part of the Kingdom of Dimartino too, in a way.


    "What do you think is next?" he asks.


    "I will stay here, of course," she smiles. "But you have found yourself an ally in me. You have done me a great favor, as have I for you. I look forward to our future collaborations."


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    Francois shifts and begins to head back to the Vampire Lily, but not before Barns stops her.


    "Francois. Some day, I will end the apocalypse. That means killing the First Vampire, and vanquishing the vampire line. Can you accept that?"


    She pauses. "Barnacles, it is the only reason I decided to help you," she says with a knowing smile. "For it is the gift that I hope you will some day give me. To end my cursed existence forevermore."

 Chapter 81 The New Citizens of Dimartino

    Barns, Osmond, and Eldrie stand near the gates of Dimartino Castle, watching as thousands of weary figures move toward them, the once-dead now walking again.


    "Twenty thousand new mouths to feed," Osmond mutters, arms crossed.


    "You''re telling me," Barns says. "I don''t think we''re going to have enough daily quests."


    A logistical nightmare all around. I''m getting hives just thinking about it."


    "Do demons even get hives?"


    "No," Osmond admits. "Then I''m getting¡­ emotional hives."


    "Don''t worry," Barns retorts. "We can make Maria figure out the logistics on this one."


    Eldrie smirks at the comment, but he''s already analyzing the situation. "I''ll handle the preparations," he says. "We need housing assignments, and someone to explain to these people why they''re alive again."


    "Sounds like you can handle it, vampire boy," Osmond jests. "I must go find my dear Maria. Excuse me, gentlemen."


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    Barns groans. "Alright. Eldrie, you can get everything ready, right? I want to see if King''s around."


    "Of course, Master Barns," Eldrie says, doing the claw salute. "I''ll deliver a speech from the castle balcony. Would you like to say a few words as well?"


    "Sure," Barns says, jogging away toward the front doors of the castle. "Hopefully all those people fit in the courtyard!"


    He leaves Eldrie to his musings, and makes for the castle doors.


    The moment Barns enters the castle, he hears the scuttles.


    "BARNACLES!"


    Clancy''s booming, guttural voice echoes through the halls as the giant crab hurtles toward him. Barns has barely stepped into the grand hall before he''s pulled into a crabby embrace - two enormous pincers wrapping around him and lifting him clean off the ground.


    "CLANCY," Barns wheezes, imitating the crab''s voice. "BREATHING. ISSUE." He notices his crab is wearing a pope hat, but he doesn''t have the capacity to question it right now.


    Clancy sets him down, clicking his claws excitedly. "HUMANS COME. DIMARTINO GROWING."


    "Yeah, twenty thousand!" Barns says, his face alight with excitement - and a little bit of anxiety. "You''re in the big leagues now, Clancy! King of over twenty-five thousand! Man, that sure is a big number, huh, King? And soon I have to talk in front of all of them..."


    Clancy''s beady purple eyes stare at the hero blankly for several moments. "BARNACLES NERVOUS?"


    "No! No, of course not. I''m a legendary hero. I don''t get nervous."


    Clancy clicks his claws knowingly. "BARNACLES NERVOUS! STAGE FRIGHT!"


    Barns groans. "It''s not ''stage fright,'' it''s just - look, talking to a bunch of people is one thing. Talking to twenty thousand people is something else entirely. What if I say something stupid?"


    Clancy considers this, then nods solemnly. "CRAB DANCE?"


    "¡­What?"


    "CRAB DANCE CALMS NERVES."


    Barns stares at him for a long moment before rubbing his temples. "I''m not going to dance for twenty thousand people, King. Hey, look. Just meet me up on the balcony, where we had your coronation, okay?"


    Clancy bounces up and down on his crab legs in agreement, doing a little crab dance of his own. As Clancy''s claws click in excitement, Barns sighs and sets off to his destination, mind already spinning with what to say.


    The hero figures he has a little bit of time before Eldrie is set up and is able to deliver the ''essentials'' of his speech. He decides to take a quick stop at his room and change - though his room is all the way at the top of the tallest tower. On the way up, Barns nearly runs into Roscoe, who''s leaning against the wall just outside the grand staircase, arms folded like he''s been waiting. The moment he sees Barns, his face lights up, but there''s something tired in his eyes. An exhaustion that doesn''t come from lack of sleep.


    "Boss!" Roscoe straightens immediately, but there''s a faint hesitation before his grin fully forms. "You''re back."


    Barns laughs, patting Roscoe on the head. "You''re calling me Boss now?"


    "You said you''re going to train me, so that makes you the boss! When are we gonna start?" Roscoe clenches his fists, determined. Yunie''s death still weighs heavy on the boy, an unspoken elephant in the room between them. Getting stronger, pulling his weight - it''s the only thing that keeps Roscoe''s head above water.


    "You alright?" Barns asks, his tone softer and concerned. Roscoe was his responsibility now, and one that Barns intends to take seriously.


    Roscoe falters for half a second. He looks away, just briefly. "Yeah. Just¡­ still getting used to everything. Y''know."


    Barns doesn''t push. He doesn''t have to. "Yeah."


    Roscoe exhales sharply, impatient. "Anyway, can we start training? I have the sword you lent me and everything, I am free now!"


    Barns punches the boy in the arm playfully. "Soon, I promise," he says. "I have to do a speech first that might take some time. We''ve got twenty thousand newbies coming in today! Hey, why don''t you come and watch the speech from the balcony? You''ll be able to see everyone from up there, just like a legendary hero!"


    Roscoe shakes his head, this time more subdued. "No way, in front of that many people!?"


    "That''s right. You can be one of my honored guests!"


    "If you insist, boss! I''ll just consider it part of my training. I gotta get used to being a hero too, right?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s right. And...call me Barns. Or, you know what? How about ''big bro''?


    Barns blushes as he says it, but he''s always wanted a little brother, and Roscoe was currently down one older sibling.


    Roscoe''s face lights up like he''s just been knighted, and for a moment that shadow behind his eyes begins to dispel. "Let''s go, big bro!"


    "Once I change," Barns smiles. "Be right back, little bro!"


    ...


    The balcony of Dimartino Castle is massive, overlooking the courtyard where the newly revived citizens have gathered twenty thousand strong. A wave of murmuring voices fills the air, their expressions ranging from confusion to hope to outright panic. Some clutch at their chests, as if still grappling with the fact that they''re alive once again. Others stand in small clusters, whispering among themselves.


    Some of the people remember what happened, and some do not - though the six or so years they spent as shambling, soulless vampire thralls are a bit hazy. All they seem to remember is walking a lot, and to be fair, it''s mostly all that happened in the six years.


    Barns, Clancy, and Roscoe are standing behind Eldrie as he finishes up his speech. Finally, Eldrie turns to the group of three and addresses the crowd.


    "And now, ladies and gentlemen," Eldrie finishes, "I would like to introduce you to the man of the hour - the Legendary Hero of Dimartino and the Savior of Humanity, The Resurrector of Souls! Barnacles!"


    Barns swallows hard. This is it. He walks up to the podium alongside the mighty crab.


    Clancy stands beside him, massive and imposing, exuding a presence that silences the crowd just by existing.


    Eldrie positions himself strategically at the edges next to Roscoe ensuring that if things go south, he''ll be ready.


    Roscoe''s gripping the railing, excited. For someone who was anxious about being in front of this crowd, he''s certainly reveling in it now.


    Barns readies himself. He can do this. If he can kill a Master Vampire, he can speak in front of a crowd - no matter the size.


    He steps forward, gripping the microphone.


    ''Alright, Barns,'' he thinks to himself. ''Don''t say anything stupid.''


    "New citizens of Dimartino!" Barns shouts, his voice echoing over the massive crowd. His heart pounds in his chest, so hard he''s anxious the microphone will pick it up. For all the times he''s claimed to be the legendary hero, now it''s certifiable.


    As he starts, a window appears in front of him.


    [Progress: 26780/1000000]

 Chapter 82 The Heros Speech

    All twenty thousand pairs of eyes are on him - the legendary hero.


    "My name is Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. Or ''legendary hero''. Or... You know, just call me whatever you like. Just don''t call me late for dinner!"


    No laughs, just a very distinct cough from someone in the crowd.


    He curses under his breath. ''I said don''t say anything stupid!'' he reminds himself.


    "Listen. I know I spoke around a few of you on our way here, but here''s the deal, plain and simple. This crab here is named Clancy, and he''s the king of all humanity. And I have the honor of being his number one.


    "Clancy and I, we have a dream. We''re going to reset the apocalypse! When we first started out only a month or so ago, it was just the two of us. And now we''re..." he pauses to check the system message, "26,780 strong. And that number will only grow from here. That''s my promise to all of you."


    Barns takes a deep breath. The nerves are leaving him. As he looks over the captivated crowd, he comes into his confidence.


    "I don''t have all the answers. I make mistakes. The title of legendary hero still feels inauthentic to me. I don''t know if it will ever feel fully right, but to me it''s more about what the title represents. I have a power that can be used to save humanity. The ability to resurrect the dead."


    There are surprised gasps from the crowd. He normally never has to spell this part out, but strictly speaking the twenty thousand before him were never dead, just soulless.


    "So I invite you all to join this kingdom of ours. Let''s work together, and achieve something greater than we had before. Let us prove the strength of humanity and take back control of our world!"


    He pumps his fist in the air, expecting some excitement. He gets a slow clap and a few cheers. Not the worst response.


    ''Alright, curb the enthusiasm a little,'' he cautions himself.


    "There''s one thing I want to leave you all with," he says into the microphone, his voice a touch more wistful than it was before. "Let''s all be good to one another. Humanity lost the apocalypse because we were divided. But if we can stick together, then anything is possible.


    "I don''t know what each of you remembers about the last six years. I don''t know what you lost. But I do know this - today, you have a second chance. And I''m here to make sure it''s worth it."


    He cracks a smile and closes his eyes. "Now, let me introduce you to your new King, the honorable Clancy!"


    He steps aside and the giant crab scuttles in front of the microphone. He raises his claws into the air as he speaks.


    "PARTY TIME!"


    Clancy gets the loudest cheer of the day.


    "Way to ramble," Roscoe jests as Barns stands by his side. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, you brat. Do you want combat training or not!?"


    They both direct their attention back toward Clancy, who''s now doing one of his signature crab dances in front of the microphone.


    "We really need to get better at these speeches."


    Later, the crowd has dispersed into three groups. One group will settle the land between Dimartino and Ordella, bridging the two civilizations. Another group will settle the eastern coast, near the beach where Barns cleared out some slimes. The third group will stay in the heart of Dimartino, bolstering the lands around the town.


    Thankfully, Dimartino has no shortage of land, and according to Quinn who''s helping out with the logistics, they have unlocked ''Level Two City Building'' and groups of people can now come together to generate apartment buildings with the system. That will greatly save on space. It''s convenient in another way - among the twenty thousand, it turns out there are a few families.


    After the ceremony, Barns and Clancy finally have a moment to catch up for real.


    "So, about the hat," Barns says with a nervous chuckle as the two walk down a lavish castle corridor in tandem. "You become sainted while I was gone or something?"


    "ORDELLA RELIC," Clancy explains. "GOD KING CRAB."


    "Right, right," Barns says, biting his lip. It''s as good an explanation as he''ll get from the crab. After twelve years together, he knows better than to try and get the full story, and he''s gotten good at reading between the lines.


    "Oh, that reminds me. Did you find a Moderator for Ordella?"


    "MODERATOR!" Clancy bounces. "PRETTY LADY. BIG RACK."


    "You didn''t choose her because of that, did you?"


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    The crab smiles and clicks his claws daintily. Of course he did.


    "And¡­I heard about the Sentinel. Donatella, was it?"


    "CRAZY LADY! BIGGER RACK. EVIL RACK. CLANCY NO LIKE."


    "She was strong?" Barns asks quietly.


    Clancy stops scuttling as he recalls his battle with Donatella. Barns whips his head back, surprised that Clancy halts in his tracks.


    "VERY STRONG. BARNACLES. NOT SURE IF WE CAN BEAT HER."


    The words hit Barns like a bag of bricks. "You think¡­she would have defeated you?"


    It''s tough for the king crab to admit, but he knows that if Donatella went full power that she would have defeated Clancy.


    "KING THINKS¡­CRAZY LADY AND KING WOULD KILL EACH OTHER. NO WINNER. STRONGEST EVER SEEN. MAYBE EVEN BEAT BARNACLE CLANCY DUO."


    Barns sighs. Clancy was quite chatty about this, and that can only mean one thing. The fight has cemented itself in the crab''s mind - normally only fish and women have that effect on him.


    ''Are you afraid, Clancy?'' Barns thinks, but he dares not put his crab in such a vulnerable position with a question like that. He does what makes sense and pulls his crab in for a hug.


    "Next time she comes around, I''ll be at your side, King. She won''t beat us. No chance."


    Clancy wraps his claw around Barns. His shell is warm, as if he were just baked in the sunlight.


    "BARNACLES MAKE KING CRAB HAPPY. GOOD BARNACLES. STRONGER BARNACLES."


    "I did gain a few levels since we last fought together," Barns smiles. "Level 8 now that I beat Adon, but I was in such a hurry I didn''t even get a chance to check the stat window."


    Almost like magic, a window appears in front of him. Zelia must be listening to their conversation.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 8 (650/1000)


    Strength: 17


    Vitality: 17


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 8


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    "Check it out, Clancy, I''m smarter than you now," Barns gloats, pointing to the system message. As he does, another one pops up, this one for Clancy.


    "Oh, you leveled up too, King," he says, looking at the window. "Wait! Your Intellect is the same as mine again!?"


    [Name: Clancy


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 8 (650/4600)


    Strength: 38


    Vitality: 49


    Agility: 20


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 14


    Charisma: 32


    Luck: 10]


    "Oh, one other thing, King. Check this out!"


    Barns does a dramatic pose and thrusts his arm forward. "Claw of Death!" he shouts, as his arm transforms into a crab claw and slices through the empty air.


    Clancy clicks his claws. "MASTERY!" he says, excited. "CLAW ATTACK. HARDEN BODY. CRAB INTUITION. ONE MORE AND BARNACLES READY FOR NEXT STEP."


    "The next step¡­?"


    "ULTIMATE CRAB."

 Chapter 83 Prime Suspect

    "So, Francois actually followed through on her word, did she?" Maria ponders, shuffling around the makeshift infirmary of Underhill''s. Osmond returned to her not long ago, and filled her in on everything that happened on his trip to the Hidden City Lantafort.


    "Here I was, thinking of ways we could have foam-bombed the city by rolling explosives down that long, long hill."


    "That''s my sweet Maria, always planning the next move!" Osmond dotes, running his hand through her hair. She smacks his hand away. She''s never liked the doting.


    "My dove, is your leg feeling better? It''s a relief to see you walking again."


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    The icy Princess taps her foot on the ground a few times. "Hurts like hell, but I''ve never minded a little pain," she confesses. "Not that it''s news to you."


    Osmond steps a little closer. "Of course not," he smirks, trailing his finger down her cheek experimentally. "My, it''s been a while since I''ve given you some pain and pleasure, hasn''t it?"


    "I don''t need any extra pain right now. But¡­"


    Maria pulls Osmond on top of her and falls onto the bed. The demon is immediately aroused, and starts running his teeth along the soft skin on her throat.


    "Uunf¡­" Maria moans, coiling her legs around him. "Yes, yes. Good demon. Just like that."


    Osmond rips open the front of her dress and buries his face in her chest, licking and biting her all over - right as Underhill walks in.


    "Fucking hell," Underhill spits, turning his eyes away at what he just walked into. "Couple of horny mongrels, you two I swear! I''ve been gone for five minutes!"


    Maria blushes, pulling her dress closed. Osmond appears unrepentant.


    "How could I resist my lady''s wondrous charm?" Osmond asks, but Underhill doesn''t care to answer.


    "Listen," Underhill says. "Maria, glad you''re feeling better. Osmond, glad you''re back. I have a request that''s a little¡­spicy, we could say."


    He glances over to Osmond and Maria and realizes that his comment might be misconstrued. "Er, not this kind of spicy," he clarifies, whisking his hand back and forth to motion at whatever Osmond and Maria were about to do. "Something that I know boss man Barnacles wouldn''t approve of. I know who''s responsible for the homicide, but we have to handle this delicately, you know? Seems like the perp is dating our hero boy."


    Osmond climbs off of Maria, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Surely you don''t mean¡­Haima Gore?" he asks. "That sweet little thing?"


    "Sweet little thing, huh?" she glowers. She kicks Osmond in the stomach as he stands over her, pushing him away.


    "Yep," Underhill confirms. "Haima Gore is the killer, I''m certain." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He''d gotten the opportunity to speak with Haima shortly after she returned from Ordella with King Clancy. For reasons he''s choosing to keep close to his chest for now, she''d been his prime suspect, but after asking her a few questions about that night and seeing how she reacted, now he knew.


    But even as police chief, his power was tenuous at best - Barns and Clancy were the real shot-callers in Dimartino. And with how suspicious of a character Underhill was, arresting Haima on the spot would only cause blowback onto him.


    "I told you not to come to me with baseless accusations," Maria snarls. "I take it you have some ''proof''?"


    "How about Haima owning a knife that''s an exact match for the one found in our murder victim?"


    That silences both Maria and Osmond. If it''s true, then Haima might actually be involved in some way. Still, the evidence is circumstantial.


    "First thing''s first," Underhill says. "We gotta talk to Barnie boy about it, pronto."


    "Let me talk to Haima before anything," Maria insists. "It''s not that I don''t believe you, Underhill. It''s just¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah. I''m a naturally suspicious and aloof guy. What can I say?" he gives an exaggerated shrug. "You talk to her if you want. But it''s high time I start doing my job as a police chief."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at Dimartino Castle¡­


    "Ultimate crab?" Barns repeats.


    Clancy clicks his claws excitedly. The fear of Donatella seems to have left the mighty crustacean for now. "ONE MORE SKILL. BUBBLE BREATH. THEN, SECRET CRAB KINGDOM PILGRIMAGE."


    "Secre-wha?"


    Just as Barns presses Clancy for more information, Eldrie comes around the corner. He''s clearly been searching for the two of them after the speech.


    "Clancy, Barns," he says, waving the dossier they received from Seifa Brahn in Lantafort. "I''ll be gathering all the leadership this afternoon to review the contents of this. I''ve already sent word to town to collect Maria, Osmond and Underhill."


    Barns breaks away from the moment with Clancy to address Eldrie. "Sounds good. We''ll meet in the throne room?"


    Eldrie nods. "That''s the plan, sir. We need to get this information to everyone immediately, so we can start developing counters. If the Sentinels catch us by surprise again, I fear the damage will be even worse than what happened in Ordella."


    Barns considers Eldrie''s words carefully. He''d only hear second-hand what happened in Ordella, but the damage was apparently significant. He shudders to imagine what could happen, and Ordella being so far to the west was vulnerable without anyone there to protect it.


    "If Maria and Osmond are still in town, we''ve got some time," Barns says. "Clancy and I will be there by the end of the hour. Thanks, Eldrie."


    The former vampire nods, giving them a farewell wave and spinning on his heel back in the direction he came from.


    "Alright, Clancy. It''s time to spill the beans. Secret Crab Kingdom pilgrimage?"


    "FOUR SKILLS CRAB AFFINITY. ENOUGH FOR AUDIENCE WITH CRAB SAGE. MEET EMPEROR CRAB."


    It takes Barns a while to parse out everything from Clancy, but he has the gist of it. As a human (potentially the only) with Crab Affinity, he can learn something incredibly powerful and game-changing from this ''Crab Sage'' - but to do so, he needs to master one more ability. An ability that can put his enemies to sleep, but even more importantly, allow him to breathe underwater. ''Bubble Breath''.


    And once he masters this ability, Clancy plans to take him to the underwater Crab Kingdom.


    An underwater Crab Kingdom. A hidden society of legendary crustaceans. A Sage who holds the secret to ultimate Crab Affinity.


    ''¡­How the hell did my life turn out like this?''


    With everything else that''s going on, Barns feels a little anxious about leaving Dimartino for an extended period of time, but this could be the key to receiving the overpowered abilities he''s been banking on.


    "I''m in, King," he says, clasping his fist in his hand in a show of determination. "Looks like I''m going to learn how to breathe underwater!"

 Chapter 84 [Bonus Chapter] The Dossier

    {Author Note: This chapter summarizes the information in the dossier received from Seifa a few chapters ago - it concerns the Sentinels. Since it''s a collection of written information, this chapter will be a little exposition heavy - feel free to skip it! Any critical information in this chapter will be woven in organically as the story goes on.


    But for those of you who want more world-building and intrigue, you''re in the right place!}


    ¡ª


    The Sentinels and the Emperor Yharan they serve are the biggest threat to Lantafort. The following information has been collected by our tireless agents over the last several years in the event of an attack or invasion. Some information in this dossier is speculative.


    We know there are seven - in fact, they refer to themselves as ''The Seven Sentinels''. They exist in some hierarchy but their ranks in relation to each other have not been fully determined.


    Each of the Sentinels has a ''sensory'' ability that defines their power - visual, olfactory, hearing, touch, or ''sixth sense'' abilities like metacognition or telekinesis.


    Name: Nazakiel - the leader of the Sentinels (Unconfirmed #1)


    Age: Approximately 30 years old. Physically appears around 18. It is believed he stopped aging when the apocalypse began but mechanism for how or why is unknown.


    Physical description: Athletic build, roughly six feet tall. Unkempt, spiky hair. Notable features are his eyes. They glow green and can be visible from over a kilometer away. Up close, it is apparent that yellow runes manifest where his pupils should be, but the significance of this is unknown.


    Powers:


    1. Superhuman strength and durability. Took a tank shell to the chest in one report and was completely unfazed. Strong enough to punch through three-foot-thick metal barehanded.


    Ocular powers. It is believed that Nazakiel is limited only to the scope of his own imagination. Whatever he sees becomes reality - including anything that he can imagine seeing. This allows him to subvert the laws of physics. Unknown power that allowed him to call down a meteor from space to strike the planet. This was the source of the seventh apocalypse, which destroyed the entirety of the Mazarran subcontinent and sunk it into the ocean. It is unknown whether Nazakiel still possesses this power or if it was a one-time use. Other unknown powers. Nazakiel has been reported to be capable of flight, though this is unconfirmed. Also reported to teleport but this may have been falsely reported as he is known to move so fast that the human eye may struggle to track him.


    Weaknesses:


    No weaknesses have been reported. Even in extreme darkness, his ocular powers are uninhibited. Before the fall of humanity, Nazakiel had multiple battles with fighters of great renown and it is believed that he never suffered a single injury.


    Name: Franzel Ahrman - The Clairvoyant. Referred to by the other Sentinels as ''Four-Eyes''. (Confirmed #4).


    Age: 26. He was a teenager when he awoke to his powers, previously #7 among the Sentinels but his rank and power has been growing steadily.


    Physical description: Scrawny, sickly, remarkably pale and average height. Keeps his purple hair in a bowl cut. Has an uncontrollable, prominent twitch. Always wears thick-rimmed circular glasses that are outfitted with small mirrors.


    Powers:


    Future Sight. It is believed that Franzel can read the fate of anyone he sees up to seven days in advance. The only limit to this power appears to be time - Franzel can process up to an hour''s worth of information in about sixty seconds. He is able to read his own fate by looking into his eyes with the small mirrors in his glasses. [Rumor] It is said that Franzel once wished for everyone around him to die, and the Plague Apocalypse originated shortly after in his city. Within seven days, he was the only survivor.The Emperor''s Left Hand: Franzel was wounded in a battle during the fall of humanity and had his left hand chopped off. He now has an artificial hand that is believed to have been given or created by Emperor Yharan. This hand is detachable and can be remote controlled. It also has strength comparable to the physical prowess of Nazakiel.


    Weaknesses:


    Besides his left hand, Franzel is physically weak. In addition, his future sight only works on someone whom he has recently laid eyes on. It''s believed the best and only way to defeat Franzel would be to ambush him and kill him before he has time to react. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Name: Lamashti (Rank Unknown)


    Age: ??


    Physical description: Lamashti is a demon woman with a hard-to-miss blazing aura around her. Can be mistaken for a male demon due to her towering stature and intense musculature. Her horns are each two-pronged and her eyes bloody and red - she has the typical gray skin tone common in demons. She is most recognizable by her sigil - the bloody hand - which her followers display on banners and she displays on her chest.


    Powers:


    The Infernal Hand. Instant infernal pain upon physical contact. This power seems limitless, she can completely melt away a human with a single touch. This requires her hand to touch bare skin to take effect. Demon creation. Lamashti can transform a human into a demon. Her targets must be willing.Fire aura. Lamashti''s breath is superhot and engulfs her in an aura of flame. She can use this for long distance attacks or to scald nearby enemies.


    Weaknesses:


    Besides her fire aura, Lamashti is a close-range fighter. It is speculated that powerful ranged attacks could be enough to bring her down. Fighting her up close is a likely death sentence.


    Name: Donatella (Confirmed #6)


    Age: 27


    Physical description: Long green hair, always seen to be wearing white, with pink adornments in her hair. Otherwise no easily remarkable or identifying features. The newest Sentinel - replacing one who was killed during the fall.


    Powers:


    Telekinesis. Donatella can freely manipulate any object she can see, the most reported account of her using this power was her lifting a tower out of the ground and launching it like a rocket, which destroyed an entire mountain. Meteorites. Donatella can raise rocks from the ground and use them to fly around on, and can summon them back down to the earth at her discretion. One of the signs that she is nearby tends to be a swirling circle of rocks in the sky. This appears to be an offshoot of her Telekinesis ability. Unknown Spatial technique. Donatella appears to be able to warp objects in and out of existence. The exact mechanism for this is unknown, but it is believed she can only create objects that she has previously ''warped away'' using this technique. Possible control over a ''pocket dimension''.


    Weaknesses:


    Donatella lacks the physical reinforcements of the other Sentinels and is believed to be an offensive specialist with (relatively) little defensive power. Her telekinesis can act as a potent shield so taking advantage of this weakness would require a surprise attack - employing similar strategies as those discussed for Franzel is recommended.


    Unlike most of the other Sentinels, Donatella excels in close combat and at range. It is not recommended to engage her directly.


    Information on the remaining three Sentinels is sparse. All we know is: Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    A female Sentinel (rank unknown) who can manipulate sound and devastate any within earshot. She is rumored to operate on the western coast.


    A female Sentinel (rank unknown) who operates Emperor Yharan''s hideout. Location and specifics are unknown. This Sentinel is believed to have full control over the hideout and can change its shape at will.


    A male Sentinel (believed to be #7) who is referred to only as ''the Bloodhound''. He tracks enemies of the Sentinels and operates in the shadows.

 Chapter 85 Seven Sentinels

    Eldrie stands in the throne room, looking out the large windows in the back of the palatial estate. He sees someone he recognizes - Jordan, the young police officer he ran into in the woods. She''s wearing a bikini, basting in the sun on a lawn chair beside the castle''s extravagant and lavish swimming pool.


    He licks his lips. She''s so far away, but even from this distance he can see how the sun glistens on her thick, meaty thighs. Her beautiful skin is coated in oil and soaks up the rays, giving her delectable color.


    Eldrie''s hand starts to slip down the front of his pants when suddenly the door to the throne room burst open. He hurriedly collects himself and moves away from the window.


    ''God, I''d do anything to go down there with her right now,'' he thinks to himself. But he''s got work to do.


    Maria and Osmond arrive first. Though she insisted she was fine to walk, Osmond wouldn''t hear it, and he carried Maria on his back all the way from the town. It was no big deal for the muscular demon - he was far stronger than a regular human, and he had plenty of experience hoisting Maria around. Once they make it into the throne room, she slaps him until he agrees to release her, and she limps up to the war table in the back of the room.


    "Information on the enemy, huh?" Maria asks, looking at the binder on the table. For someone who loves research like her, it''s hard not to grab it and immediately pour over every excruciating detail. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    She''s somewhat aware of the Sentinels. On occasion, strange messages appear in her System Log, referencing system users - humans - who she has never seen. She knew there was a group out there, and she knew they had some connection to the apocalypse. Today, she''ll figure out exactly what that connection is.


    Underhill arrives next, twirling his cane around and looking giddy. He''s the type to always have something up his sleeve, but he rarely shares his proclivities until it''s of benefit to himself. Everyone has a natural mistrust of Underhill, but Eldrie hasn''t caught on to that yet.


    "Who doesn''t love a good strategy meeting?" Underhill quips. "My artisans have been chompin'' at the bit for something fun to do. It''s all infrastructure this, repair that."


    "I bet there are some qualified artisans among the twenty thousand new recruits," Maria ponders aloud. "As well as Adventurers, police candidates, maybe even those with leadership experience."


    "Sounds like more people to tell what to do," Underhill smirks. "Can''t wait."


    Clancy scuttles into the room next, loudly announcing his presence and skittering up to the war table.


    "Are you the pope now?" Maria asks, looking at the hat strapped to his head. "You know what - never mind."


    Eldrie salutes the king crab in reverence. "I hear the people of Ordella have ordained him as their religious leader," he murmurs to Maria, shifting closer to her so she could hear. "Show some respect."


    The last two to arrive are Barns and Haima, who are laughing and gabbing it up as they walk into the throne room. As they arrive, Maria and Underhill exchange an awkward look - the revelation about Haima''s possible status as a homicidal killer weighs heavy on them both.


    Maria is especially surprised to see the two of them holding hands, but Haima is quick to pry herself away from Barns and move to the other side of the table when they arrive.


    "Alright, that should be everyone," Eldrie says. "Godrick is still in Ordella, recovering from injuries sustained in battle. I asked Quinn to sit this one out so he can focus on today''s new recruits." He glances back toward the window one more time, thinking about the police officer basking in the sunlight. She''s probably flipped over by now, her big, juicy-


    "Right!" Maria starts, interrupting Eldrie''s train of thought. She snatches up the binder and opens up to the first page. "Let''s get started, shall we? Time to learn about these ''Sentinels''."


    ¡­


    Elsewhere¡­


    In a place far from Dimartino is a floating castle in the shape of an inverted pyramid - the prismatic bricks that make up the domain ever-shifting, creating new shapes with each passing moment. It hovers above a crater in the ground that stretches so deep into the earth that the bubbling lava below is like the maw of hell itself.


    The Sentinel Donatella steps toward the castle, and a network of stone blocks fly toward her, creating a path over the fiery ravine. As she walks along the shifting, jittering walkway, the stones behind her hover back to their place in the pyramid.


    She crosses the great chasm - it takes a full five minutes to reach the triangular opening in the pyramid which coaxes her further inside. As she does, the stones seal around her and begin to transport her through the pyramid like a magicked elevator. In moments, they open again, and she''s standing on the edge of a large meeting room.


    Much as Barns and his allies are gathered around their war table, the Sentinels are gathering at theirs. A large table formed from a spiral of white, vein-like tendrils dominates the room, with eight chairs organized around it in sets of two. Six chairs are filled with the other Sentinels who have already gathered - they were waiting only for Donatella. The eight chair, reserved for the Emperor Yharan, lies empty.


    From her right comes the husky, fiery voice of a hulking demon woman. "The stupid one has finally arrived. Time to talk."


    Donatella eyes her colleague, a draconian amazon with bushy hair and a vile, pointed chin like a witch. Her face is painted with red blood and her breath burns so hot that a perpetual haze lingers around her sweaty body.


    "Glad to see you too, Llama-shit - I mean, Lamashti," Donatella spits. Names are always troublesome for her brain, but she did that mispronunciation on purpose.


    Donatella sits in the chair adjacent to Lamashti, looking to the leader of the Seven Sentinels - the man known as Nazakiel.


    His bright eyes fixate on Donatella as she sits, reading her every motion. Nazakiel''s eyes are the source of his incredible power - his irises and sclera are both the same shade of verdant green, and Nazakiel lacks pupils - though glowing yellow runes flit through his eyes as he observes.


    "How disrespectful - To call yourself Sentinel - You can''t kill a crab."


    The soft words come from another voice at the table - the young woman sitting directly across from Donatella. The voice is wicked, but beautiful - belonging to a fair maiden who doesn''t appear a day over twenty. Her beauty is timeless and divine - a goddess walking among mere mortals with her sweet-sing song voice and captivating aura.


    One might think she were otherwise perfect, if not for the insidiousness with which she addresses Donatella, and for her elongated, stilted fingers that she uses as a bow to play her stained black cello - music was the source of her wicked power, and her cello is the voice of her melodies.


    "Enough, Solana."


    She stiffens instantly. Nazakiel''s words alone are enough to make everyone at the table freeze in fear. The wrathful Sentinel''s powers are beyond comprehension, and each of them know it all too well.


    Nazakiel curls his fingers, and the Sentinels are entranced by his terrifying aura. "Donatella. Is this ''crab'' truly so powerful?"


    The green-haired Sentinel shakes her head. "I was surprised, is all. I didn''t fight it alone. It was guarded by a host of pothitively - positively¡­er¡­I forgot where I was going with that¡­"


    Nazakiel stares at her with such disdain she fears he''ll barrel over the table and annihilate her - but to her relief he simply leans back further in his chair.


    His gaze flickers briefly to the other three Sentinels, who thus far have remained quiet. First, he eyes the petite girl who sits directly next to the Emperor''s empty chair. As he looks at her, she yawns and giggles, curling up in the chair and twirling her long silver locks.


    He glances briefly to the two others - a quivering, mischievous and ratty man with a purple bowl cut who hides behind large round glasses, and a towering, seven-foot tall bloodhound who sits with his arms crossed, just waiting for the meeting to end.


    Nazakiel exhales slowly. Even his subtle movements cause the powerful and defined muscles in his arms to tense.


    "It was a mistake to send you, Donatella. I''ll deal with it myself. No amount of guards can stop me."


    The heavenly musician Solana rises from her chair, her movements fluid and airy. "I will take my leave - Donatella is shameful - And I need a reprieve."


    She glides away as the others begin to rise and leave the table, leaving only Donatella and Nazakiel sitting, staring at each other.


    "It won''t be a walk in the park even for you," Donatella advises. "Barnacles isn''t just a crab. Don''t say I didn''t warn you."


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 Chapter 86 Dealing With the Seven

    "So to recap," Maria says as she sets down the dossier on the table for anyone who wants to take a second look. "They all have sensory powers. Nazakiel''s got the eyes, ''Four-Eyes'' has future sight. Sounds like touch is accounted for with the demon lady."


    "Lamashti," Osmond notes, speaking her name aloud. "A terrifying woman. I was born with memories of her, but I didn''t know she was a ''Sentinel''."


    "This bloodhound is probably ''smell'', if we look at it from the senses. One plays music, so I bet she controls sound. And Donatella¡­telepathy? Telekinesis? What does that leave?"


    "The one who operates the hideout," Barns says. "And we''re missing someone with power over ''taste''."


    "Well, surely she''s not just sitting there licking the walls. Or is she? My darling Maria, is that idiotic or genius?"


    "Idiotic."


    Osmond falters.


    "It sounds like sensory deprivation is the way to go about killing them, anyway," Osmond continues. "Wouldn''t you say? Good news for all of you - Maria and I are somewhat experts at ''sensory deprivation'', if you know what I mean."


    Clancy clicks his claws. "HOT." Nobody else bothers to give a follow-up answer.


    "Donatella¡­is only #6 among them." Haima''s voice cuts through the gathered leadership. Her words are heavy with self-doubt. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wasn''t even able to touch her. To think she is among their weakest." Haima covers her hand with her mouth. The sinking pit that formed in her stomach when she was defeated by Donatella grows deeper and deeper. She once believed herself to be among the top echelon of fighters. Now, she couldn''t even land an attack on one of the weakest Sentinels. What could she hope to contribute to this looming war?


    Barns puts his arm around Haima, rubbing her back gently. "You did great, Haima. You were the first to engage her, and you lived to tell the tale. That''s a big deal."


    She slinks away from his touch, ever uncomfortable from physical contact - even if it''s from Barns. She''s lost in her mind, but she knows what must happen.


    ''I need to leave Dimartino,'' she realizes. ''My powers are not what they should be. It''s time to visit my ancestral home and do what I must.''


    Haima clenches her fists. The realization is bitter, but undeniable. If she stays here, she will never be enough. If she leaves, she has a chance. A chance to prove that her failures do not define her future.


    "If you''d all excuse me," Haima says, stepping away from the table. "This is much for me to think about, and I''m not sure I''ll have anything useful to contribute. My apologies."


    She begins to walk away, but not before she''s interrupted.


    "Actually, Haima," Maria interjects. "I was hoping to chat after this, just you and me. Think you could wait around a bit longer?"


    Haima tilts her head toward Maria. The request startles her - she couldn''t imagine what Princess Maria of all people would have to say to her. Nonetheless, she reluctantly agrees and tells Maria she''d be waiting in the conference room down the hall.


    As Maria gets her confirmation, she exchanges a quick, knowing glance with Underhill. This is about Underhill''s accusations against Haima, of course. Maria needs to confirm for herself whether or not Haima is a killer or not.


    Barns exhales slowly. He isn''t sure which part''s worse - that they were so outmatched, or that the Sentinels weren''t even trying yet. All of this planning, all of their power¡­was it enough to even defeat Donatella? What if all seven attacked at once?


    "So, Donatella was the one who attacked us. She''s the one we should prioritize coming up with a plan to defeat." Barns reels the conversation back in, focusing on their top priority - making sure these Sentinels don''t push Dimartino into an early end. He just had to hope they wouldn''t bring their full might down upon them - at least not until they have a solid plan of action.


    "I might have some ideas cookin''," Underhill smirks. "Got me someone on the police force who knows some Secret ''Gravity'' Arts. Maybe they can be our trump card - prevent the Sentinel from throwing any more buildings. You catch my drift?"


    Haima is still only halfway across the throne room as Underhill makes his comment, but she feels the need to speak some sense as she strolls away. "That woman is unnaturally powerful," she says, loud enough for all to hear. "No Secret Arts will work as a direct counter - it could never be so easy."


    Haima''s words are cold, but everyone assembled understands the truth behind them. Secret Arts, no matter how powerful, would struggle to counter Donatella''s strength which defies reason itself. Her ability to manipulate objects was no Secret Art - that was deep, powerful magic that may be related to the origin of the apocalypse itself.


    "What recourse do we have, then? Perhaps among the newly revived twenty thousand there are some with Secret Arts or combat ability?" Maria suggests. "But against such an opponent, do numbers even matter?"


    "MUST GET STRONGER!" Clancy bellows. "HAVE IDEA. BARNACLES AND CRAB, UNDERWATER. SECRET CRAB KINGDOM, CAN''T TALK ABOUT WITH MORTALS."


    Eldrie bows as the king speaks, showing his utmost respect. "The King speaks true," Eldrie decides for the group. "The answer is truly that simple, is it not? We must get stronger."


    Eldrie places both of his hands on the table and leans in close, looking to each of his gathered allies in turn. "It''s no secret anymore that I have the power of Adon and Adea in my left eye," Eldrie says quietly. Each time he acknowledges his eye, it feels more real - and more dangerous.


    "I can cultivate this power and become strong. I know I can. And it seems Barns and Clancy have some ideas on how to improve their strength as well." Read latest chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Adea was no match for me," Maria gloats - and she was right. With the full power of her custom Royal Art, Ave Maria, she was able to devastate Adea who was herself a Master Vampire. "But my power comes at a great cost. I won''t be able to fight like that for some time. I fear I won''t be much help if the Sentinels attack again soon."


    "Lamashti is a demon, just like me," Osmond thinks aloud. "If she is powerful enough to be a Sentinel, then I must also have the potential to be as strong as she is."


    Osmond''s hand reflexively reaches down to touch the glowing mark on his stomach. He wasn''t just a demon - he bore the mark of Gluttony. A mysterious power that, much like the magicks wielded by the Sentinels, defies reason.


    Osmond''s fist quivers as he resolves himself. "When my dove was hurt in battle, I realized that I lacked the strength to protect her. Truly, since I''ve been born, I have never had to push my powers to their absolute limit. But I will get stronger. The Sentinels will never have Dimartino, not as long as I draw breath."

 Chapter 87 Purchases, Right In the App

    As the meeting concludes, Maria excuses herself to go talk with Haima. The throne room is opened up to the public, where many people have already gathered to beseech Clancy with their requests. The mighty, sulking crab props himself up onto the throne and Eldrie assists him as they begin holding audience.


    Eventually, Barns, Osmond, and Underhill are the only three left at the planning table. They tune out the noise of Clancy''s declarations as they continue to brainstorm what their next steps should be.


    "I can have the artisans whip up some kinky stuff," Underhill jests. "Black-out helmets, noise canceling headphones, you name it. At least we''ll have them if the opportunity ever arises to slap one of the Sentinels with ''em."


    "Not a bad idea," Barns agrees. "We don''t know the circumstances of their powers, but it''s possible Donatella needs to see in order to use her telekinesis. Maybe even some type of Secret Art that can create a fog?"


    Underhill snaps his fingers and wags his hand at Barns. "Now there''s an idea!" Underhill pauses for a brief aside, his sneaky eyes darting all around as he thinks of a multitude of ideas. "I wonder if there''s some way to utilize the fog from the Pale Court¡­" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Underhill ruminates, Osmond remembers something that the shady police chief mentioned earlier that day - something to do with the system.


    "You said ''Zelia'' has some new developments for us, didn''t you?" Osmond asks, changing the subject. "Can you tell us more about that?"


    Underhill''s stream of consciousness breaks. "Oh, yeah. I did say somethin'' like that, huh? I suppose you''ve both been gone the past couple days, and haven''t been apprised of all the new developments. Lemme fill you in."


    Underhill gives a quick rundown of the new quest system. Now that Yunie is gone, Zelia took the opportunity to revamp how she was distributing quests. Alongside the artisans, a message board has been installed in the Adventurer Guild that updates itself with both Daily and now Weekly Quests.


    Those who are Adventurers were invited to be beta-testers for a new device - something like a cell phone, but with only one app. From those devices, they can accept and track quests. They can even make purchases - Guild equipment - from the app. They just had to report in person to pick up their supplies after.


    "That should simplify things quite a bit," Barns smiles. "I was worried about Roscoe having to run that place all by himself."


    "The Guild is going swimmingly," Underhill says, his usual smirk plastered over his face. "And even if not, that kid''s got a good head on his shoulders. Tryna do right by his sister - it''s lit a fire in him, for sure."


    "Do these devices you''re handing out have any communication features?" Barns wonders. Being able to send and receive messages to others would be an excellent benefit to their ever-expanding System.


    "Not quite. But Zelia and I are cookin'' up some new ideas, and that''s definitely one of them. Seems there''s some issue with creating new users in the System that even Z-bot can''t fully navigate around. Says there are ''too many watching eyes'' or something."


    "Z-bot?" Barns laughs. "Sounds like you and Zelia have been chatting a lot."


    "More than I should be, less than I''d like to," Underhill winks.


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    "Last time I saw Zelia, she was acting a little¡­different," Barns remembers. It was outright chilling - Zelia, the Administrator, seemed like a force of benevolent good when he first met her - barring a smidge of snarky duplicity. But during his last conversation, it was like a different entity altogether¡­


    "Oh, yeah? She and I have been gettin'' on great."


    The words do nothing to quell the unease in Barns'' heart. She was becoming colder to Barns, but getting closer to Underhill? He didn''t like the sound of that at all.


    "If she can''t create new users, could she ''convert'' old ones?" Osmond wonders, joining in the conversation. He''d been deep in thought about his own powers - the roaring demon inside. Planning, thinking, strategizing on how he could safely increase his power levels.


    "You know, like Yunie. She had an account or whatever, right? Could that account be given to someone else? I''m sure she''s not the only ''Moderator'' who died during the apocalypse, either. Maybe Zelia could repurpose them?"


    Underhill looks as if he''s just awoken to a whole world of new possibilities - and Osmond''s words make more sense to him than the demon realizes.


    "You may just be a genius, sir. We should talk more. You got a good head on ya."


    Osmond smiles faintly. He''s not used to being complimented - Maria will only praise him in the heat of the moment, and is a ''dead-fish'' besides. Even for a demon, social acceptance is something he craves, and every day he felt more and more like the new Dimartino is the home he''s always wanted.


    He''s also surprising himself at how he''s begun to warm up to Underhill. Once, he treated the man with nothing but suspicion. Underhill was still suspicious as hell, but the value he''s brought to the Kingdom has been undeniable.


    Barns taps his knuckles on the table a couple times as his brain switches gears. Before he can fully move to the next task at hand, however, his eyes dart over to the grand entrance of the throne room. Another person is arriving to speak with Clancy, but that''s not what Barns is thinking about.


    "Hey, do either of you happen to know what Maria wanted to talk to Haima about?" he asks abruptly. He''d been racking his brain to try and understand, but nothing about the two of them seems to overlap. His curiosity made him a bit nervous.


    Underhill wasn''t planning to let that cat out of the bag, but as Barns asks and makes direct eye contact with the police chief, Underhill can''t get his poker face ready in time. His eyes are wide and spinning with excuses - and Barns sees it clearly.


    ''Guess there''s no sense lying now,'' Underhill thinks. Underhill had lied his way out of worse situations, but something about Barns - his sheer, honest, pain-in-the-ass determination - made it feel like a waste of effort. Besides, the kid deserved to know, didn''t he?


    He curses himself under his breath - he''s supposed to be a good liar. His deflective nature failed him in the moment, and he decides to do something a bit out of character for him - tell the whole truth.


    "Listen, guy. Only telling you cause you asked, so don''t shoot the messenger. You remember the knife we found sticking out of that homicide victim''s chest? Well¡­your girl Haima has a matching set."

 Chapter 88 The Killer

    "So, Haima," Maria starts, closing the door behind her and steeling herself. "Let''s have a quick talk."


    Haima is already sitting down at the conference table, across from Maria. She eyes the Princess with mild interest.


    "Of course, Princess Maria. I am happy to serve. What can I do for you?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy - Haima''s innocent, helpful personality was the exact opposite of what one would expect from a killer. Still, Maria had a job to do here.


    She sits down at the table directly opposite Haima, piecing together slowly how she wants to word her concerns.


    "Haima, as you know, there was a man found dead some days ago, down on Castleton. I trust you heard about it?"


    Haima tilts her head with a certain feigned curiosity. "Why, yes. I''ve been following the case quite closely."


    "Is that right?"


    Maria drums her fingers on the table. "You see, Haima¡­there have been some concerns that you might have had some involvement in the case."


    "Oh?" Haima smiles. "Well, yes. I suppose I might have some information I haven''t yet shared with the police."


    Haima presents a wall to Maria - hard to read, hard to get an angle on. But in her inner thoughts, Haima was in chaos.


    The fact that Maria is asking her questions about this directly means that the Princess is suspicious - she thinks that Haima might be the killer. And Haima could not let that be the case. Not right now. Not when she''d already resolved herself to leave Dimartino and get stronger.


    "And what information is that?"


    Haima continues to smile, forcing herself to look as happy and natural and pleasant as possible. In truth, it was eating her up, and it had been for a while.


    "Well, Princess¡­It''s been a little concerning for me, because I saw that man Underhill sneaking into my house one night. And shortly after, I found a strange dagger had appeared in my home. I was in a bit of a panic about it, actually - but then I heard the murder weapon was recovered and I didn''t think much of it."


    Maria''s blood chills. "Are you saying that Underhill planted some sort of dagger in your home?"


    "Yes," Haima confirms. "But I couldn''t imagine why. I thought the worst, at first. Was he the killer? Was he marking me as his next victim? But he''s not tried to do anything since. I also doubt someone like him could ever sneak up on me. His blood is far too erratic."


    "This is a serious accusation you''re making," Maria says. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No accusations, just observations. Why? Did you believe something else to be the case?"


    Maria stops herself. If the dagger didn''t belong to Haima, and was actually Underhill''s, that changed everything. Underhill just jumped from ''helpful police chief'' to ''prime suspect'' in Maria''s eyes.


    ''Should I tell her?'' Maria thinks. This murder investigation was quickly devolving into a ''he said, she said'' situation. But Maria at least knows one thing as a result of this conversation - either Underhill or Haima are lying. That means one of them must be the killer.


    ''Screw it,'' Maria decides. She''d spill the beans.


    "You see, Underhill informed me that as a result of his investigation, YOU were actually the one whom he suspected as the killer, Haima."


    For a split second, Maria sees something in Haima that she could never forget - a darkness. Piercing, angry, and callous. A crack in the mask so perfectly constructed.


    And yet, in an instant, Haima''s face quickly returns to the smiling, happy, endearing facade she always had.


    "How very curious indeed. Why would I go around stabbing people? If I wanted someone dead, I could do it without even a single touch. I''m sure you''re aware of my power - at least somewhat, Princess."


    Haima raises an excellent point - Maria finds it hard to dismiss it. In fact, from what she knew about Haima, physical combat is something she tries to actively avoid, not being great at it.


    "Is that all, Princess?"


    Haima''s eyes were full of darkness as she spoke - something she could not hide any longer. She knows the walls are closing in on her. Seems she''d have to be leaving Dimartino sooner than she thought, and under much different circumstances.


    "I suppose¡­" Maria frowns. As she speaks, Haima rises from the table and quickly heads for the door.


    "Then I shall see you around. Have a wonderful day, Princess Maria. Oh, sorry. Should I call you ''Former Princess''?"


    The two women exchange a look. It''s impossible to read either of them fully - Maria is far too calculating, and Haima far too guarded.


    "Just Maria is fine, thanks."


    Haima steps out of the room and closes the door quickly behind her. She lets her mask down for only a moment and exhales sharply, deeply. She needs to figure out a plan.


    Why?


    Because Haima is the killer.


    She didn''t plan on it - at least not at first. It was just a normal night at the cafeteria in Dimartino. She saw the man, late thirties, perhaps early forties. He was chatting up two much younger women. Making them uncomfortable. Touching them on the shoulder, whispering into their necks.


    Haima sees things that most people don''t - feelings, emotions. It''s all visible from the flow of blood in one''s body. And on that night, both women were deeply disturbed. And the man''s blood reeked of negative intent.


    So she approached him. Went home with him, freeing the two girls from the situation. She had him lay down in the bed and get ready for the night of his life¡­


    A night that ended with her plunging a dagger into the predator''s sternum. She even left the dagger there. If he''d been killed by a Secret Art of hers, it would have been far too obvious.


    His body would have been positively ravaged by her bloody technique, especially with the rancor she''d been feeling in the moment.


    It wasn''t just about protecting those two girls, however. Haima has a practical need and desire to kill as well. She needs blood - a constant supply of it. The weakness of the Gore Family - none of them could survive without constant transfusions of foreign blood. It''s how she derives her power.


    At that point, monster activity in Dimartino was low, and it was before they''d fought off any vampires. Haima was running low on her blood supply at the time, but her ritualized killing of the man provided her with plenty. She purposely left a bloody mess of the corpse so that any investigators would not notice the pint of blood that was missing from the body.


    Since then, she''d had plenty of gators, chickens, and vampires to gorge herself on. She''d quite the stock of blood, now.


    But none of that mattered. Underhill is aware of her activities, and she wouldn''t be able to stave off suspicion for much longer. And being imprisoned is something that simply cannot happen - she would be deprived of any way to receive more blood. Locked up, she''d wither and die.


    As she spins her wheels about all of this and plans her escape, she bumps right into Barns.


    "Oh, Haima!" Barns says, surprised. "Done with Maria already?"


    She looks up at him. He''s the exact last person she wants to see right now.


    It''d be so easy to leave if she didn''t have to have this conversation, but now that they''re here, mere inches from each other, she supposes she owes him some answers.


    "Barns, do you know what Maria wanted to talk to me about?" she asks quietly.


    "Yeah, some bullshit. They think you had something to do with that guy who was killed. I tried to tell Underhill that you''re not that kind of girl, but you know how annoying and intrusive he can be."


    Haima looks up at him, letting her facade crumble down in his presence. She stares into his bright blue eyes, her own beginning to form light tears.


    She takes hold of his hand and curls her fingers around his, moving close to him, and whispering into his shoulder.


    "Barns, I don''t expect you to understand, and if you never forgive me, so be it. But please, I need you to know that I would never do anything bad. Not unless I had to."


    Barns wraps her other arm around Haima, pulling them into an embrace. "Of course, Haima," he says, some of her hair getting in his mouth.


    She indulges the hug - for a short while. She hates to be touched, but today was somewhat of an exception. And Barns, too, is an exception.


    "I want you to know the real reason why this is happening, Barns. It''s because I''m weak. I couldn''t stop that Sentinel, Donatella. My Secret Arts are too crude. I have a long way to go."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "I''m leaving Dimartino, Barns. To get stronger. Strong enough to kill a Sentinel. And when I return, you can decide what becomes of me. But my destiny is not yet over. So please. Please try to understand."


    "Wait, Haima, what are you - "


    Barns crumples to the ground as Haima surges her power into him for only a moment - just enough for him to black out. He''d wake up in a few minutes.


    "Goodbye, Barns."

 Chapter 89 Taking A Dip

    "So, it''s true, then¡­"


    Barns voice creaks. Even after everything that has happened, he struggles to believe it. But the evidence is overwhelming.


    Haima is the killer.


    "We had the police search high and low," Maria says quietly. "There is no sign of Haima. None at all."


    Her final words echo in his mind. She''d said she was going somewhere - somewhere to cultivate her power.


    Likely somewhere far from Dimartino. Where is the Gore Family from, again? Barns can''t remember.


    "I know this is shocking, but we can''t let it get in the way of our planning. The Sentinels can return at any time, and we must be vigilant."


    Barns takes a deep breath. "Indeed."


    As he thinks over the events of the day, he realizes that there''s something missing from it all. They just added twenty thousand new humans to their ranks, but the vibe is very much ''doom and gloom'' from the upper administration.


    Even with the threat of the Sentinels looming, there''s something that needs to be done - not just for Barns'' sake, but for everyone.


    "You know, Maria¡­before the Apocalypse, I used to hear stories about Ordella. They held a massive festival every summer, and people from all over the world would come to see."


    Maria rolls her eyes. "Oh, right. Carnivalli. I went a couple times. A pretty raucous and classless affair, if you ask me. Meat everywhere¡­" she shudders.


    "Maybe this seems out of the blue, but I''d like to bring that back. Maybe not exactly how it was - but something. A celebration for our entire kingdom - Dimartino and Ordella. Do you think you can make it happen?"


    Maria lets out one quick and incredulous laugh. "Hah. Why not? I think you''re right, anyway. Morale could use a boost."


    "I''ll let you get to it, then," Barns smiles. "Me, on the other hand. I''ve got some training to do."


    Barns leaves Maria to her devices and finds Clancy by the castle pool. It''s quiet, now, and nobody else is around - the sunbathing Jordan has long departed.


    Barns looks into the water. It''s sparkling and fresh - he couldn''t believe he''d never used the pool since they got the castle back up and running. He loves swimming, after all. But his goal today wouldn''t just be to swim - he''s going to attempt to master a new technique.


    He sits by the pool, his feet splashing in the water as he talks to his crab. It''s a multi-tier pool, the image of opulence - water gushes from built-in fountains, and the air glistens with cool mist.


    "So, what do I have to do again?" Barns asks. He was a little distracted for Clancy''s first explanation - he''s got Haima on the brain.


    "WATCH."


    Clancy dives headfirst into the pool, and the giant crab sinks to the bottom. Barns leans over to try and see, but the uneven surface of the water makes it hard to make out any details.


    He sees the mighty crab form a bubble underwater that floats around his mouth, although the exact mechanisms as to HOW to do it are completely unclear. After a couple minutes, Clancy scuttles back out of the pool and returns to Barns'' side.


    "That''s cool," Barns quips. "But I was thinking maybe an explanation and not just a demonstration? It''s not like I''ve ever blown magical bubbles before, King."


    Clancy clicks his claws together nervously, unsure of what to say.


    "EXPLANATION. THOUGHTS ERRATIC. FILL LUNGS, BREATHE DEEP. IMAGINE BUBBLES. IMAGINE HARDEN BODY BUT INSIDE."


    "Harden Body¡­inside?" Barns thinks. It didn''t make a lot of sense. When he uses Harden Body, all he needs to think about is the idea of becoming impervious to everything around him.


    "I need to¡­steel my lungs¡­" Barns ponders, putting together a plan of some sort. It was vague, but at least he had an idea.


    "STEEL LUNGS!" Clancy bounces at the words. "CORRECT. CORRECT! THEN THINK BUBBLE. AIR IN LUNGS FRESH. BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. NO WATER."


    Barns'' eyes glaze over as they usually do when Clancy tries to give an explanation. Even if the crab were the most eloquent being alive, he''s still working with a completely different set of biological facts.


    At least, Barns was pretty sure crab lungs were nothing like Barnacle lungs¡­ Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Alright. I guess there''s nothing to it but to try."


    Barns jumps to his feet and strips down to his underwear - he supposes he should have thought ahead and brought some swim shorts, but that''s a problem for another day.


    He splashes into the water, and is pleasantly surprised at how warm the pool feels. "Oh man, Clancy - you didn''t tell me how good it feels!"


    The crab clicks happily as Barns wades around a bit, enjoying the vibe. He takes a deep breath and readies himself.


    "Here goes nothing¡­" Barns says, filling his lungs and diving under the water.


    ''Okay, Barns. You can do this. Think! Steel your lungs¡­and imagine a bubble¡­"


    He closes his eyes as he sinks to the bottom of the pool. His focus is unyielding. Slowly. Surely. Steadily. His lungs were like bubbles. He imagines magical air. He wonders - the skill description indicated that he''d be able to ''blow bubbles'' even on the surface and ''put people to sleep'' with them.


    ''How does that all fit together?'' S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He''s still under the water, but the air in his lungs is starting to run out. From what Clancy said, the perfected technique would allow him to ''breathe'' in the water without actually filling his lungs with it.


    He supposes he could give that a try. He opens his mouth slightly and attempts to breathe in the oxygen but not the fluid.


    Immediately, he starts choking. He erupts into a panic, swimming quickly to the surface of the water and spitting out a mouthful of water.


    "Bleh!" Barns frets, treading water and looking up to Clancy. "That¡­did NOT work."


    "PRACTICE INCREASES PERFECTION AMOUNT!" Clancy says encouragingly. "EASIER THAN HARDEN BODY!"


    "Maybe for you," Barns snips back. "Alright. Here''s to round two, King."

 Chapter 90 A Breather

    The water is weightless and warm, like floating in a dream - but his mind is stuck on Haima.


    He thinks about their final interaction. The way he held her so closely. It felt like a cruel joke - their intimacy had finally broken through to a deeper level. He''d felt like they were ready for the next step in their relationship - either making it official, or sharing a true intimate moment.


    And now, he''s not sure if he will ever even see her again.


    He pushes that thought out of his mind - of course he would. Haima is strong. Outside the kingdom, all alone - it''s incredibly dangerous. But if anyone can handle it, Haima''s the one he would put his money on.


    She isn''t just powerful, she''s got incredible sensory abilities. She can find a way to stay out of danger.


    And hey, she''s able to talk to ghosts like nothing. So she also is the type to find unlikely allies when she needs to.


    Barns resurfaces, coughing up water again.


    "How long was that, Clancy?" he asks excitedly. He''d gotten so lost in his thoughts, he had no idea.


    "FORTY-THREE SECONDS."


    "WHAT!?" Barns shouts. "No way! I could hold my breath longer than that before I even started this training!"


    "FOCUS!" Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Barns furrows his brow. He''s done over ten attempts now, and it doesn''t appear he''s made any progress whatsoever. Still, Barns isn''t the type to give up even if something isn''t immediately successful.


    He dives again, trying to focus on the technique. Imagining bubbles. Imagining breathing underwater, like a crab.


    ''Or maybe¡­'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Maybe I can try to imagine having gills or something.''


    He closes his eyes again, but all he can see or think about is Haima. He understands why she had to leave in such a hurry. It''s not like Underhill and Maria would endorse having a murderer walking free around town - and Barns isn''t sure if he even had the moral authority to defend Haima in such a case.


    Still, if she killed someone, she must have had her reasons¡­no way the girl he''d come to crush on was a whacked-out serial killer.


    Or is she?


    Barns shakes his head under the water. Those types of thoughts wouldn''t help at all. He knows he needs to push Haima out of his mind. At least for right now.


    Glug glug.


    A few bubbles escape from his mouth, but he''s pretty sure they''re just air bubbles. Still, he focuses on how the air feels as it leaves his lungs and he sinks deeper into the pool. If only he could re-create that sensation in reverse.


    He thinks about what it would be like - for bubbles to form in the water instead of from his lungs. To flow into him, not out.


    He can imagine the sensation, but he can''t quite replicate it. As he attempts to focus, he finds his mind drifting again. He''d encouraged Maria to make some preparations for a festival. The last festival she organized didn''t go over too well - she DID try to boil Clancy alive.


    ''Oh, well,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''I think she''s got that out of her system, at the very least.''


    Speaking of systems¡­


    He thinks about Zelia, and all the intrigue surrounding her ''blossoming'' relationship with Underhill. But Zelia isn''t the only Administrator he''s interacted with¡­


    He shivers under the water just thinking about the other Administrator, Pallas. The hanging brain. He hasn''t interacted with the thing ever since it gave him the ability to level up - a fact he''s not upset about in the slightest. If he never sees that brain again, it''ll be too soon¡­


    Though Barns knows the truth. If he''s truly going to reset the apocalypse, he''d encounter Pallas again before long.


    He surfaces again, looking over to Clancy. He was just about to run out of air, but that time definitely felt longer.


    "How long, King?" he asks again. But the crab isn''t paying attention - in fact, he''s completely turned around, leaking a little bit of foam from his mouth.


    Two bodacious girls from town are approaching the pool in skimpy bathing suits. They both have curves in all the right places, bouncing up and down. Barns starts staring too.


    He just lost a girlfriend, after all. Maybe he could get away at least with a peek.


    As he floats on the surface of the water, the two girls point at him and wave. "Oh my gosh!" one of them says excitedly. "Is that the legendary hero!"


    ''Screw it, I could use a break.''


    Barns waves. "Hello, ladies!" he says cockily. "Come on in, the water''s fine!"


    The two women (easily 9/10s) jump into the pool and start swimming around. They seem a little nervous to be in the presence of Barns and the king, but they''re having fun, splashing each other.


    He swims over to them at the shallow end of the pool, wading toward them. His torso fully out of the water, he''s glistening with water, and his muscles (which have grown even bigger since he''s started ''leveling'' are almost as impressive as Godrick''s - on a much smaller frame, anyway. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two girls laugh and eye him up and down. He suddenly feels a little embarrassed - he''s in nothing but wet underwear, and it''s not leaving much to the imagination down there.


    Clancy pivots to watch, his mouth still frothy as his eyes zoom in on the girls'' chests.


    "Nice to meet you two," Barns smiles, staying low enough in the water so that his underwear aren''t visible. It''s keeping him roughly at eye-level with the girls'' chests - he doesn''t mind.


    "Glad to see you both decided to enjoy the amenities," he says, before chastising himself internally. ''Enjoy the amenities? Really?''


    "Oh, yeah! Our friend Jordan suggested we come by here! She said it''s always pretty empty! He-he!"


    "Yeah, but we weren''t expecting to run into celebrities here! Oh my gawsh!"


    Barns blushes. "Celebrities? Me and Clancy. Naw. We''re just the heroes who are going to save the whole world."


    Clancy scuttles closer to them, but doesn''t get into the pool. Even the perverted crab knows his place - and Barns had a rough day.


    The wise crab could tell that even if Barns wasn''t talking about Haima, he was thinking about her. It''s not every day someone finds out their almost-girlfriend is a murderer.


    "AMBIANCE MODE!" Clancy declares, shooting a powerful jet of foam into the water. The water froths and roils, immediately becoming warmer - almost like a hot tub. The surface of the water begins to grow a little foamy, like they''re in a nice bath.


    "Good thinking, King," Barns says, looking back at him with a wink. The boy and his crab exchange a knowing nod. Clancy is giving him the ''thumbs-up'' - this moment is all for Barns.


    "Oooh," one of the girls says, noticing the increase in temperature. "This is really nice!"


    Barns flits his eyes flirtaciously, looking back and forth between the two women. "Guess I should properly introduce myself," he smirks. "I''m Barns. And who might the two of you be?"

 Chapter 91 Girls, Girls, Girls

    "I''m Jessica!" says the one on his left in the blue-and-white bikini. She''s a redhead, her face and chest covered in freckles. Eyes the same brilliant blue as Barns''.


    "I''m Jennifer!" says the other. She''s much bigger in the chest area, and Barns can''t help but look down at her massive breasts every few seconds. Her hair is jet-black, and despite her almost popping out of her skimpy pink top, she''s quite skinny everywhere else.


    Barns must have a thing for black-haired women.


    Jessica bites her lip and quite obviously sizes Barns up, looking him over not two times but three before making eye contact with him and giggling.


    "Jessica, Jennifer, and¡­your friend''s name is Jordan?" he smiles. These are names he''ll never remember - maybe he can get away with just calling them all ''J''.


    "That''s right!" Jennifer says, ''tee-heeing'' to herself. She seems charmed by his muscles, too.


    "Omigosh, do you mind if I, like¡­" Jessica blushes, "Touch your arm? Can you flex for me, Mr. Hero?"


    ''Oh yeah. This is what I''ve been waiting for.''


    Even as he says it, there''s a nagging voice in the back of his head that only has eyes for Haima. But Barns is hurting - maybe even a little heartbroken over how everything went down. So he decides to indulge a little more than he might have normally.


    He stops crouching in the water, standing up straight. He''s a full head taller than both girls. He flexes both of his arms, and Jessica gives one a squeeze.


    "You can get a feel too," he smirks, looking at Jennifer and scanning over her with thirsty eyes. He''s feeling a lot more drawn to her than Jessica. Her face turns redder than her friend''s hair, moving closer in the water and feeling up his taut muscle.


    "Mmm, I thought a legendary hero would be more rugged, but your body''s like a statue. You could have been a movie actor!"


    "Oh yeah? What kind of movie would you want to see me in?" Barns is starting to get a little worked up - maybe it''s the heat from the hot-tub like ambiance provided by Clancy, or maybe it''s just the feeling of two beautiful women oggling over him.


    "I''d watch you in anything, Mr. Hero," Jessica giggles shyly.


    The two girls take a break from feeling him up and both look up at him expectantly.


    "So where are you both from?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You rescued me back with the other Artisans!" Jessica says, delighted. "I really wanted to say hi to you back then, but I was so nervous¡­"


    "I''m with the group from the Pale Court," Jennifer says, a hint of restraint in her voice. "All of us who were taken by that vampire - we really look up to you, you know."


    Barns nods. It makes sense she''s from the Pale Court - she''s skinny, as he noted earlier. Those humans weren''t all necessarily emaciated, but all that walking gave them lean and lithe physiques.


    "So, how''d you two meet?"


    "Oh, SO glad you asked," Jessica grins. "The three of us all went to high school together! It''s like¡­so cool that we were all able to find each other again. All thanks to you!"


    "You''re not still in high school, are you?" Barns raises an eyebrow.


    "Ohhh, no! We''re all twenty-one now! Well¡­sort of," she thinks. "I guess we were all dead or something, for the last eight years. But this is just how I looked the day I got turned into one of those freaky lizard-things!"


    "A kobold," Barns says absentmindedly. Even moderately aroused, he doesn''t have much appetite for stupid. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yeah, that!" Jessica giggles.


    Barns glances over his shoulder at Clancy, who''s just finishing up with his water-heating. The big crab clicks a few times and calls out to Barns.


    "LINGERING. TIME TO FEAST. HAPPY TIME, BARNACLES."


    On those words, Clancy scuttles off to get a meal, leaving Barns to it in the foamy bath with the two women.


    Unironically, both girls do the crab claw salute, crossing their right arms over their barely-covered chests for the king. As he bumbles away, he salutes back at them.


    "You do know that''s not like a requirement, right?" Barns laughs nervously. The cult-vibe that his crab is garnering is starting to give him some small feeling of trepidation.


    "Hm?"


    "Oh, Mr. Hero, I still haven''t gotten to tell you what I do!" Jennifer says, her wide doe-eyes sparkling, demanding attention. Barns shifts toward her, entranced by her plump, full lips. "I was an office manager before the apocalypse, but I don''t know how to, y''know¡­leverage that. I''m really good, though! Holding meetings, keeping track of information, I thought I was going to get into politics, actually, up in the Capital. Ohh, I''m ranting, aren''t I¡­"


    "Politics, huh?" Barns ponders aloud, sinking deeper into the water to warm himself up - his exposed torso''s getting a little chilly.


    ''She''s sharp. Not just flirty, she''s got some experience. Hell, why not see if she''s serious?''


    "Hey, maybe this is a long-shot, but I was looking for someone for a job." As he speaks, Jennifer locks in, her demeanor intensifying. She''s genuinely interested - and a lot more mature compared to her bubbly friend.


    "There''s a city that we''re working with, maybe you''ve heard through the grapevine - Lantafort."


    She tilts her head - she''d not heard of it. "Well anyway," Barns continues, "I just formalized an alliance with them, if you can believe it¡­and we need an Ambassador to represent Dimartino. We''d have to talk specifics, of course - but does that seem like something that''d be interesting to you?"


    "Interesting? More like a dream come true!" Jennifer says, ecstatic. She moves closer to him, her chest brushing up against Barns'' arm as she grabs him affectionately. "You''d really give me an opportunity like that? I swear, I would give it my very best! The best Ambassador you''ve ever seen!"


    Barns grins - not like he had any other choices lined up. Jennifer seems to be a perfect fit - and she''s easy on the eyes, too.


    "Let''s get it set up, then," Barns smiles. "I''ll get you a meeting with Maria, she''ll get you everything you need."


    He turns to Jessica - he didn''t mean to ignore the other girl, but the conversation had taken a unique turn. She doesn''t seem to mind.


    "No fair," Jessica winks, sticking her tongue out. "Don''t you have any opportunities for me?"


    Barns gulps before suggesting something he never thought he would. His Charisma stat is a solid 18, and he''s starting to feel like throwing in persuasion checks just for fun.


    "I might have an opportunity for both of you¡­ but let''s just say it''s not exactly work-related."


    Their eager looks tell him this one''s in the bag.

 Chapter 92 Barns Tower (R-18)

    [A/N: As mentioned earlier, this is a semi-canon, non-plot R-18 Smut chapter. Skip unless that''s your thing <3 ]


    "I might have an opportunity for both of you¡­ but let''s just say it''s not exactly work-related."


    Barns looks nervously from Jessica to Jennifer. He''s about to change his mind - to backtrack out of the conversation harder than a politician who ''didn''t have sex with that woman''.


    He opens his mouth to say ''never mind'', but Jessica gets the words out first.


    "I thought you''d never ask," she says, a sultry grin on her face.


    "It wouldn''t be our first time," Jennifer blushes. "Me and Jess used to get a little wild back in the day."


    Jessica inches closer, her body brightly brushing against Barns'' exposed torso. "Plus, who could say no to the legendary hero?" her breath is hotter than the hot tub on Barns'' neck.


    "Even if he wasn''t a hero, who could say no?" Jennifer giggles, batting her eyes. "Just look at that body¡­"


    She playfully touches his chest. He could die, right there, and have lived a full and happy life - but they were only just getting started.


    "There''s nobody around," Jessica muses, pressing the balloons on her chest into Barns'' arm.


    "No, no," Barns says quickly. "Not here. If someone saw us, I think I''d literally die."


    He turns his head and looks to the tallest tower in the castle, where his bedroom was. "How about the three of us climb that tower and see where things go up there?"


    "He wants us to climb his tower, Jen," Jessica snickers. "Mmm¡­yeah, let''s check out that tower, legendary hero."


    Barns gets out of the pool and haphazardly throws his clothes on - he''s already getting hard, and with his thin underwear it wouldn''t be a good look if anyone saw him. He holds his shirt over the front of his pants and escorts the two ladies up. Wherever their spare clothes are, they don''t have them - they follow him in their thin bikinis.


    It''s a long way to the top, and they move with a hurried frenzy that can only be spurred on by unsustainable levels of horny. As soon as the two girls scurry into his bedroom, he slams the door shut behind them and throws his shirt to the side.


    "Would you believe me if I said it was my first time?" he smirks.


    "Not even a little," Jessica says, dragging her teeth along her bottom lip.


    "First time with two girls, anyway," he elaborates.


    "Is that your way of asking us to take charge?" Jennifer winks.


    "Oh, take whatever you want."


    Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    Jennifer struts seductively to his side. "Be careful, big boy. I just might."


    She whispers the words into his ear, dropping his pants around his ankles, leaving him in just his wet underwear.


    As she does, Jessica lays down on his bed, stomach down, feet in the air, watching with a lustful grin. "Why don''t you get him warmed up first, Jennie, then bring him over here?"


    "Mmm," Jennifer nods, wrapping her hands around Barns'' waist, tilting her head back to expose her neck for him. She grinds her pelvis against the front of her. "It feels like he''s plenty warmed up already, Jessie."


    She continues grinding, rocking her hips in a circular motion. As she does, she unclips her bikini top, letting it fall away as she presses her chest against his.


    Barns wraps his arms around her, rubbing her and sliding a hand down her back, squeezing her tight ass as his eyes focus on the girl laying on his bed. She''s over there alone, touching herself, her hands brushing over her more voluptuous curves, giving him a little show.


    He leans in and starts kissing Jennifer''s neck all over. Her scent is intoxicating and sweet - honey and flowers. She arches her back for him as he dives into her, pulling her torso away and exposing her breasts for him.


    As he sees them, he starts to kiss her lower and lower, his tongue lapping at her collarbone as he moves down her torso, moving to her perky, exposed nipples, and he flicks at them with his tongue, tasting her a few times before pulling away and looking into her eyes.


    They don''t need to exchange any words - she''s fully entranced by anything he might care to do to her.


    The same could be said for him. Her eyes sparkle, speaking volumes to Barns. He gives her a knowing nod as she starts to slide off his underwear.


    She removes them in one quick moment, his member bouncing as she does. He''s fully hard, twitching. Ready.


    "Mmm, he''s even bigger than I thought he''d be," Jessica giggles from the bed. Her top falls down as well, exposing herself to him, rubbing her breasts and licking her lips.


    Jen looks down at his manhood, her eyes popping. "Oooh my god," she murmurs to herself. "You really are a big boy, aren''t you?"


    Barns blushes. "Doesn''t seem like you''re complaining."


    "Oooooh, not at all," Jennifer winks. "I''m just a little nervous, hehe. It''s been a long time¡­"


    Barns slides his hand under her bikini bottom, teasing her with a single finger. "We can take our time," he says, his voice lower than normal, his whole body aching with hunger. "Take it nice and slow¡­"


    "Mmmf," Jennifer cries as his finger slides along her clitoris. She''s already dripping wet - not just from the pool.


    "I''m just worried it''s so big it might not fit¡­"


    He pushes another finger down her swimsuit, and she gasps in pleasure. "We''ll make it fit."


    "Aah!" she exclaims as his two fingers press against her entrance. He moves them back and forth in a beckoning motion, teasing her to the point of delirium.


    Jennifer falls to her knees, needing a break from his tantalizing fingers. She looks up at him, his shaft nearly bigger than her head.


    "Want to taste it first? Good girl."


    Barns runs his hands through her hair, guiding her closer. She nods, grabbing him with two hands and opening her mouth wide.


    He watches her with admiration - those full, plump lips he watched so intently earlier wrap around his shaft as she takes him into her mouth. He gasps in pleasure as she starts to work on him, his leg twitching. He grabs a fistful of her hair and guides her back and forth while his eyes lock onto Jessica on his bed.


    Jess is fully nude, playing with her breasts and fingering herself. She''s getting herself wet and ready too - eager for her turn. They stare at each other as Jennifer''s head bobs up and down, and Barns beckons her over.


    Jessica slides off the bed back onto her feet, stepping toward him in a little catwalk. He likes Jennifer''s face and hair, but he LOVES Jessica''s body - she''s full in all the right places. She steps right up to him and he wastes no time, sticking his still-wet fingers into her mouth, making her suck Jennifer''s juices off his fingers.


    She sucks his fingers dry and pulls them out of her mouth, inserting them into her lower lips. The two of them start passionately kissing, their tongues exploring each other''s mouths as he goes knuckle deep inside her.


    All the while, Jennifer slobbers over his shaft, her throat becoming more and more relaxed as she goes. She''s able to get even more of him into her throat, now - but still only about half of his manhood. She gags any time she tries to push him any deeper.


    Since she can''t deepthroat his massive member, she licks it all over instead, keeping him wet. His eyes roll to the back of his head from her excellent work servicing him. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When she finally pulls him out of her mouth, both girls are drenched. Jessica smiles and pushes him over to the bed, throwing him onto the mattress. He lays there, excited, watching as the two girls stalk toward him.


    His heart is beating so fast it could burst. His shaft twitches expectantly. He knows what''s coming next and he can hardly contain himself.


    "You first," he says, ushering to the red-head, stroking himself. "And you, Jennifer. C''mere. Let me return the favor."


    He sticks his tongue out, sliding it along his teeth and smirking. She''s bright red but has no complaints. What he''s offering to do is her absolute favorite.


    Jennifer crawls onto the bed, sitting over Barns'' face. He wraps his hands around her thighs and leans in, playing with her flaps with his tongue. He closes his eyes and starts to convulse - he can''t see the other woman with Jennifer sitting the way she is, but he can feel her. Her wet warmth envelops the tip of his manhood, burning hot.


    He pulls his head away from Jennifer and moans loudly as Jessica sinks lower onto him. She''s so tight it''s like he''s pressed up against a wall inside her, but somehow she manages to bury him deeper and deeper inside of her.


    "Aa-aaaah!" Barns thrashes, but the weight of both women holds him in place. Jessica manages to get most of him inside her before pulling her weight up a bit, working her way up and down as she loosens and gets a little more of him inside with every bounce. He starts to get used to the incredible sensation - though Jess is tight. Tighter than he''s ever felt.


    He buries his face back into Jennifer and she starts to moan louder and louder as he eats her out. She falls over him, her hands grasping at his bedsheets as he works his tongue into her, activating her in all the right places. It''s almost too much for her to bear but she can''t get enough.


    Meanwhile, Jessica picks up her pace, riding him harder and harder. She''s finally able to get almost all of him inside of her, but it''s still a little too much for her to bottom out.


    It''s no worry to Barns, though - he''s got plenty of sensation as she crashes down on him over and over. Too much sensation, in fact. He feels his stamina draining quickly. If she keeps going like that, so hard and fast, he wouldn''t last much longer.


    Just as he has the thought, Jennifer screams in absolute ecstasy. She holds his face still as her thighs tighten around his head. Her body twitches and releases all she has in a mind-shattering burst of pleasure and euphoria just from his tongue.


    The sounds of her orgasm are enough to set off Jessica and Barns as well. "I''m¡­" Barns starts, attempting to pull himself out of her, but Jessica doesn''t stop.


    "I''m gonna- I need to-"


    Jessica leans back as Jennifer falls off Barns, collapsing into a dripping, trembling puddle of delight. Now he''s got a full view of Jessica riding him like a maniac, rubbing her clitoris as she pounds up and down.


    "I want it in me," she commands, her eyes so fierce he has no choice but to yield to her. He grabs her waist and thrusts into her from below, finally burying his full length inside of her. She howls in unbridled bliss - and in that moment, he loses the last of his stamina and explodes.


    ¡­


    The trio lay in the bed in a sensual pile, chests heaving, jolts of pleasure and involuntary twitches from all three of them.


    "That was¡­" Barns exhales. "Excellent. Exquisite. Divine?"


    "Unexpected," Jennifer laughs, putting her hand on his chest and blushing. "Oh my god, Jess, I can''t believe we just did that!"


    Jessica seems to be the one who had the most fun of all of them.


    "I needed this," Jessica says, her desperate, exasperated. "After the apocalypse. After everything. To feel this alive again¡­"


    She rolls over, her red hair falling over her face. "Thank you, Mr. Hero. For reminding this girl the world can still be fun."


    "I''m the one who just got to have a threesome with two girls," Barns smirks. "Thank YOU."


    "The legendary hero is a sexual delinquent, who''d have thought¡­" Jennifer quips.


    "Hey!" Barns pleads. "This was just a one-time thing! I''m not normally like this, I swear!"


    "Yeah, yeah," Jennifer laughs. "I might have gotten a little out of control too. The brain does crazy things on eight years without sex. Anyway, this will be our little secret, Mr. Hero. We shall never speak of it again."


    "Deal."


    Jessica exchanges a look with Barns, narrowing her eyes tantalizingly. "If we''re all in agreement this will just be a one-time thing," she says, her voice trailing.


    "...Then who''s down for some more?"

 Chapter 93 Office Hours Are In the Pool

    The next day, Barns is hard at work again in the pool practicing his breathing exercises. The moment he wakes up, he sprints from the top of his tower wearing nothing but skimpy briefs, and cannonballs into the pool.


    It seems like everyone in the kingdom of Dimartino knows that this is Barns'' life now, and so he rarely gets an opportunity to be alone.


    "And like, maybe I''m just projecting," Eldrie says as Barns surfaces from the water. He''d been monologing, but Barns has hardly heard any of it.


    "You don''t say," Barns says, slicking his drenched hair out of his face.


    Eldrie adjusts himself. He''s sitting on a beach chair at the side of the pool, pouring his soul out. Even if Barns isn''t listening, it feels good for him to get some things off his chest - maybe even better since Barns isn''t an active listener. He can say anything without fear of being judged, as long as Barns is underwater.


    "What do you think I should do?"


    Eldrie is lounging shirtless, but even still has a scarf wrapped around his neck. Come to think of it, Barns hasn''t seen Eldrie''s neck a single time.


    ''He was branded by Adon and Adea, wasn''t he? I guess that explains it.''


    Barns had seen a few others from Ordella - the hideous ''X'' shaped brands on their neck were how the vampire twins ''marked'' their property. Certainly a memory that Eldrie would rather forget, even if his red eye is a constant reminder of them.


    "Do about¡­?" Barns asks, his voice a little raspy. He figures he could take a couple minutes away from his training. His lungs are feeling a little tired.


    Eldrie peeks over to Barns as if he''s only just noticing the hero might not be paying full attention. "Jordan. What should I do about Jordan?"


    "Uh¡­" Barns scratches his head. "I think that''s the one I didn''t get acquainted with yesterday."


    "What do you mean?" Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Nothing," Barns says quickly. "Jordan. You like her? You think she''s attractive?"


    "Oh, incredibly so," Eldrie beams, thinking about her supple skin and her delectable curves. "But¡­I''m worried that it''s only because she reminds me of Incantra. That''s a terrible reason to pursue someone romantically, isn''t it? Because they look like your dead girlfriend?"


    Eldrie''s gaze falters as he speaks.


    "That''s why she caught your eye, but it''s not going to be what starts a relationship," Barns says, sounding wise. "So, I think you''re okay. Ask her to dinner - something low-key. If she''s anything like her friends, should be an easy clap."


    "Easy¡­what!?" Eldrie blushes. "Barns, that''s NOT what I''m after, here!"


    The hero sinks a bit, blowing bubbles into the water while his eyes are still above the surface. Eldrie facepalms.


    "How does someone with so little tact as you have so much charm for the ladies?"


    Barns resurfaces. "It''s all about the confidence, my man. I might be the legendary hero, but you''re like¡­the legendary hero''s left-hand man! That''s gotta score you some confidence points, no?"


    Eldrie frets, pulling at his scarf and pointing at his covered left eye. "Does this look scream confidence to you?"


    Barns laughs. Over their last several interactions, he and Eldrie have grown quite close. The former vampire once beat him in a fight - Barns has respect for him over that. But more than respect, they were developing a friendship built on mutual trust.


    In many ways, Eldrie is similar to Barns. Not just the similar build or the brown hair - they are pragmatists, through and through. But where Barns is a bit more hotheaded and cocksure, Eldrie airs on the side of reserved caution and prefers to stay out of the limelight.


    Eldrie is also quickly becoming Clancy''s most devout follower.


    "Maybe¡­go without the scarf, if your girl Jordan comes by today? You''ve got a great body, a nice smile - er, I mean that in a ''bro'' way. What isn''t there to like?"


    Barns blushes a bit when he speaks, embarrassed. It''s not like him to throw out comments, but he''s speaking honestly. In fact, he''s a little jealous at just how perfect Eldrie''s abs are.


    ''Eh, I have nicer arms, though,'' Barns notes before diving underwater.


    His record yesterday was seventy-seven seconds underwater - nowhere near good enough. He isn''t even sure if the bubbles are working, or if that''s just his natural stamina at work.


    "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Barns. I think, when I see her again, I''ll take your advice and ask her on a date."


    Barns, of course, can''t hear a thing Eldrie says, but the former vampire doesn''t seem too bothered. He throws his shirt and shoes back on and strolls away from the pool, deep in thought.


    When Barns resurfaces, he sees Eldrie''s already sauntering off.


    "I think that was two minutes that time," he thinks to himself. "I''m getting better." Eager to test his theory, he dives again. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another two minutes. Barns struggles for air at the bottom of the pool but pushes himself to his absolute limit before finally erupting to the surface.


    He gasps for air. He''d been too close to the ''drowning'' sensation for comfort - but he knows if he doesn''t push his limits, he''ll never master this technique.


    Not only that, but unlike with ''Claw of Death'', Barns won''t be able to rely on a life-or-death battle to push his learning and body to the limit. ''Bubble Breath'' was more of a utility ability than anything.


    He turns around, sensing a presence behind him. As he does, he sees Osmond and Maria reach the edge of the pool. The Dimartino duo both tilt their head at him in unison.


    "Yes, yes, how can I assist you?" Barns says with a silly smile. It''s like he''s taking office hours at the pool.


    "Sorry, Barns, I know you''d much rather have two scantily clad women show up to splash around with you," Maria snips.


    He face turns bright red. "You, uh¡­saw that, huh?"


    "Nothing happens in this castle without my knowledge, you should know that by now. Oz, tell him what you told me."


    "Of course, my dove. Barnie - our scouts have finished surveying the land around Ordella, up to the border of the Red Country. Our suspicions were correct - there are human monsters in the Ordella province, far on the northern reaches."


    "Okay, that sounds promising, no? So what''s the idea, we send me and Clancy out to convert them?"


    "I''m afraid it won''t be quite so simple," Osmond grits his teeth. "You see, it''s a horde of zombies¡­and there''s at least two thousand of them."

 Chapter 94 Roscoes Determination

    "Two thousand zombies, huh?"


    Barns shudders just thinking about it. He feels a lot more comfortable fighting goblins, kobolds, - monsters such as those. The festering, rotting undead creep him out.


    "Yes, but we''ve developed a brilliant plan," Osmond notes. "See, when I was talking to it to my darling Maria, she reminded me that zombie hordes are quite easy to control with a little distraction and noise. So, the plan is simple. We will build a large trench, have King Clancy fill it with foam, and then lure the zombies into it - brilliant, am I right? A little fanagling and we can have that entire horde kill itself! Oh, and then you can do your thing after, I suppose."


    "Sounds like a good plan to me. I''d rather not dive headfirst into a crowd of zombies." Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Osmond gives him a thumbs up. "Then I shall consider that an official order from the legendary hero! I shall begin preparations at once, Barnie."


    Osmond swerves on his heel and walks off. Maria lingers poolside for just a moment longer.


    "I met with that girl, Jennifer," she says, unamused. "I have no idea what made you choose her for such an important job, but from my evaluation, she''ll do just ''fine'' as Ambassador. You''ll be escorting her to Lantafort tomorrow, and you can pick Skado up while you''re there."


    "Okay."


    Barns is just eager to get back to his training. He''d been going at it for hours already, but he''s still brimming with energy and determination. Nothing - not even an impending horde of undead - can stop him from achieving his goal.


    "Right," Maria continues, rolling her eyes. "In other news, Underhill and I have made some developments with the System and Zelia. It turns out old users can be repurposed and reassigned. We only have a few that Zelia was able to manipulate, but a few is better than none. So, congratulations, Barnacles - you are now a System User, just like me. Oh, but don''t expect to have anywhere near my level of access and understanding."


    "Does that mean I can open the System at any time, now?"


    "Once you figure out how to do it," she gloats, before shifting to a subtle smile. "I''ll show you when you''re less¡­preoccupied."


    "What''s the matter? Afraid of getting a little wet, Maria? Last time we were in the water, you didn''t seem to mind showing me some things."


    "Hey, Maria?" Osmond shouts from across the courtyard. "Are you coming? What are you talking about!?"


    Maria peers over her shoulder, emitting an audible sound of disgust. "I hope someone knocks you down a peg, you''re getting a little too confident, Mr. Legendary Hero."


    She says his title mockingly, but he doesn''t care. "The Adventurer''s Guild rep-slash-Moderator in Ordella will be receiving an account as well. So it''ll be you, me, that person - whatever their name is - and Jennifer. Oh, and Underhill as well."


    "So, between all of us, we can send messages now? That''ll be a relief. We can have instant communication with Lantafort and Ordella whenever we want."


    "Yes, Barnacles, that is the point. Oh, and try not to linger in Lantafort too long. By the time you''re back, we''ll be ready for Operation: Zombie Horde."


    Maria clicks away, her heels loud against the stony surface of the pool area. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know, Maria," Barns says, biting his tongue but deciding to push it anyway. Maria and Osmond are both friends, after all.


    "I know there''s a lot of work to do, but don''t forget to have some fun, eh? You were a lot happier back¡­when we met. In a chaotic, schemey way, of course¡­but don''t take things too seriously, eh?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. "Someone has to."


    On that note, she continues off, joining Osmond to put their plans in motion.


    Barns splashes around in the pool a bit, lost in thought. Maybe it was thanks to ''Harden Body'', but he wasn''t shriveling up like a prune even after being in the pool for hours. At least his body was used to being underwater long-term.


    The end goal here is to visit an Underwater Kingdom, so he won''t have many opportunities to keep dry during that journey.


    He dives under again - determined as ever. He lasts a full four minutes under the water before resurfacing - a new record.


    He emerges from the depths of the pool like a merman, flicking his hair back dramatically as he breaks through the still surface of the water. He exhales a sigh of relief.


    "Four minutes. I can do better. I know I can."


    Before he can dive again, though, he notices yet another visitor has arrived.


    "Hey, little bro!" Barns says, excited. Of all the guests he''s had today, Roscoe''s the one he is most excited to see. He feels like he owes the young man so much."


    "Hey, big bro," Roscoe replies, definitively less excited. He''s clutching his A rank sword, Crashing Waves. His arms are a little shaky with the blade.


    "I know you''re busy with your important training¡­but do you think you could help me with my training today? Even if you just want to show me the basics - I can train with my sword while you train your lungs!"


    Barns smiles at the suggestion. That sounds like a great idea to him - two birds with one stone. He did promise to help Roscoe train, after all.


    "Alright, you want to train with me? First things first, put down that sword. We have to start with the fundamentals, my man."


    Roscoe nods quickly, setting Crashing Wave down on a beach chair, and then turning back to his teacher.


    "Alright. Push-ups, sit-ups. You''ve been doing them every morning like we talked about?"


    "Y-yeah!" Roscoe exclaims, squeezing his fist excitedly.


    "Alright. Then do a hundred more of each!"


    "A hundred!?" Roscoe yelps. "There''s no way!"


    "You can take breaks if you need to - and I suppose you can subtract the push-ups you did this morning from the total. I''ll keep doing my training until you finish. And then! Then I will show you some sword skills."


    "By the time that happens, I''ll be too tired to lift the sword!"


    "Nuh-uh, little bro. You gotta have determination! A real warrior fights until their last breath. If you want to get strong - for Yunie''s sake - you have to push yourself even harder."


    Roscoe absorbs the lessons like a sponge. "Alright¡­seventy more push-ups, here we go!"


    Roscoe drops to the ground and starts powering through his first set of thirty. Barns watches him as he begins - he''s got good form, and looks steady. The kid will be fine - Barns certainly wasn''t doing such a strenuous training regime at his age.


    At that age, Barns was chasing frogs around Scuttle Island and feeding them to Clancy.


    The two spent the rest of the morning and afternoon training together. By dinner time, neither of them could so much as walk, and they passed out on the couches in the Adventurer Guild.


    For Barns, it''s the best day he''s had in a long time. For Roscoe, it''s one of the best - and most exhausting - days of his entire life.

 Chapter 95 On the Road Again

    Barns adjusts his belt one final time as his party arrives at the Dimartino gate. He is greeted by Clancy, his crab, and Jennifer, the new Ambassador to Lantafort. Today, the boy and his crab are escorting her to the Hidden City, and reuniting with Skado.


    Jennifer stands with her hands on her hips, her confident posture making up for the obvious nerves she''s hiding. She''s traded her revealing bikini for a more diplomatic outfit - a well-fitted vest over a high-collared blouse, complete with practical pants and knee-high boots. But despite her best efforts to look professional, Barns can tell she''s still not entirely sure what she''s gotten herself into.


    "Ready for your first diplomatic mission, Ambassador?" Barns smirks, tugging at his belt. "Last chance to back out."


    Jennifer exhales sharply, squaring her shoulders. "Please. I was managing a whole office before the apocalypse. I can handle a few dwarves and whatever else Lantafort throws at me."


    "Confident. I like that," Barns chuckles, throwing a glance at Clancy. The crab''s beady eyes are locked on Jennifer''s chest, which, even under more conservative clothing, is still her most defining feature.


    Clancy clicks his claws approvingly. "GOOD. CONFIDENCE GOOD. GOOD FOR ALLIANCE. GOOD FOR KING."


    "Yeah, yeah, King," Barns says, slapping the crab''s shell. "Let''s hit the road."


    They set off through Dimartino''s northern gates, following the now well-worn path toward Lantafort. The road is in better shape than before. Maria has ordered small-scale repairs, making it safer for trade and travel between the cities.


    Barns falls into step next to Jennifer, with Clancy scuttling beside them at a steady pace. It''s a long walk, but at least this time, they''re not dragging along a caravan of newly resurrected humans.


    "Alright," Barns says, rubbing his hands together. "Road banter time. Let''s get to know our new Ambassador."


    Jennifer rolls her eyes but smiles. "I guess our knowledge of each other is quite limited to certain areas. What do you want to know, Mr. Hero?"


    "Well, for starters, you mentioned working in an office before the apocalypse. What was that like?"


    Jennifer scoffs. "Miserable. Soul-draining. If the world hadn''t ended, I probably would''ve quit anyway. But hey, at least now I can use those skills for something meaningful."


    "Yeah, building a better world and all that," Barns grins. "You know, you''re taking this whole ''apocalypse reset'' thing pretty well."


    "I mean, what else am I supposed to do? Cry about it?" Jennifer shrugs. "We''re here. We''re alive. And we have a chance to actually fix things. If that means making some political deals and navigating bureaucracy, then I''m happy to help. Happier than happy, actually. This feels for the first time like real work! Like I''m making a difference."


    "Wow," Barns says, genuinely impressed. "You might actually be perfect for this job."


    "Wait, did you just now figure that out?"


    Barns winks. "Nah. I knew from the moment I met you."


    Clancy clicks his claws. "BIG CHEST. BIG MOTIVATION." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The conversation carries them forward, and before long, the pale fog of Francois'' domain creeps into view. The Pale Court looms ahead, its eerie, haunting presence unchanged. The shambling humans are gone, but the city itself remains unnervingly silent.


    Jennifer slows her pace, frowning. "So, uh¡­ is that the vampire place? The one where I was..."


    "Yep," Barns confirms, his expression darkening slightly. "Francois'' domain. She''s still here, but she held up her end of the bargain. The people are free."


    Jennifer''s eyes linger on the white stone architecture, her voice quieter. "What''s she like?"


    Barns hesitates. "Complicated."


    Jennifer tilts her head. "That bad?"


    The young woman assumes that Francois is a complete monster - after all, for all those years Jennifer had been held captive in Francois'' soulless trance.


    "Let''s just say she''s not what I expected," Barns replies. "She''s dangerous, yeah. But she''s also¡­ willing to change. I get the feeling that she only played her role in the apocalypse because...well, it''s what she was made to do. She even offered to help us defeat the First Vampire."


    Jennifer lets out a low whistle. "Talk about a self-loathing bloodsucker."


    Barns chuckles. "Yeah. Something like that."


    He cracks his neck. The air under the fog feels less chilly today - as if somehow the sunken valley has warmed. Perhaps the valley itself is a reflection of Francois; even as Barns thinks it, he realizes how silly it sounds. Still, there''s something there.


    As they pass the vampire''s lair, he swears he feels a sensation like he''s being watched - but when he turns around to see, there''s nothing. No Francois, no sign of the hundred or so humans she kept under her control for ''feeding purposes''. Just a quiet, and seemingly abandoned ''Vampire Lily''.


    They move past the Pale Court quickly, not eager to linger in Francois'' eerie presence. Soon, the mist fades behind them, and the looming Chatran Plateau comes into view.


    "Almost there," Barns says, some few hours into their journey. From there, it''s just a short ride up the ''Choo Choo'' to arrive at the Hidden City.


    Thankfully, last time they were here, Skado briefly showed Barns how to activate the train. With a few buttons and the push of a lever, the vertical train begins its slow ascent up the mountain.


    Clancy, who barely fits on the train, darts around with the excitement of a child as it climbs a seemingly impossible angle up the plateau.


    "MAGIC TRAIN! NEED ONE FOR BARNS TOWER."


    "I...think I prefer you not being able to get up there," Barns blushes. "It''s nice to have a place I know you won''t come barging in all the time, King."


    They arrive at the top, and one of the humans who does security for Lantafort meets them to escort them into the city.


    Even for people who have been to Lantafort before, finding a way in is difficult. The careful citizens of Lantafort regularly seal and unseal entrances into the city, keeping potential interlopers in a constant state of confusion. One entrance that works today may never be used again - all of the buildings, structures, and mansions on the surface are a cover for Lantafort''s secret networks.


    As they finally arrive, Barns remembers the incredible view he experienced the first time he arrived. He knows it''s special, and he''s eager for Clancy and Jennifer to see it.


    "Clancy, Jennifer - welcome to Lantafort."


    The underground city is just as vibrant as before, its streets alive with traders, workers, and warriors preparing for whatever the future holds. As they descend, the sights and sounds of Lantafort engulf them - glowing lanterns, shouting merchants, and the faint hum of dwarven singing from the lower levels.


    Jennifer''s eyes widen as she takes it all in - not the first time Barns has seen that look. "Okay, I''ll admit¡­ this is way cooler than I expected."


    "Right?" Barns grins. "Told you it wasn''t just a hole in the ground."


    Clancy clicks approvingly. "BIG HOLE. GOOD HOLE. HAPPY PLACE."


    All this talk about holes makes Barns and Jennifer exchange a flirty chuckle.


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    As they navigate the bustling streets, Skado emerges from the crowd, his usual smirk firmly in place. "Took you long enough."


    "Had to make sure our new Ambassador didn''t get cold feet," Barns says, gesturing to Jennifer.


    Skado appraises her, nodding. "You''ll do fine. Welcome to the madhouse."


    Jennifer raises an eyebrow. "I get the feeling that''s not a joke."


    "Oh, it''s not," Skado grins. "But hey, you''re in luck. Tonight, there''s a little¡­ cultural event going on. You''re just in time for your first taste of true Lantafort nightlife."


    Barns crosses his arms. "Let me guess. A dwarf party?"


    Skado chuckles darkly. "Not just any dwarf party. The dwarf party. The one night a year they let humans down to the bottom floor, no questions asked. They call it...Festivale, I think. I''ve never been. The dwarves are a little¡­vigorous, for my tastes."


    Jennifer blinks. "That sounds¡­ ominous. What if humans try to go down there on other days of the year?"


    "Don''t worry," Skado smirks. "They''re not dangerous or anything. Just a little...insular. Some humans are welcome whenever they like. But only those that the dwarves have accepted as ''Ironblood'', like themselves."


    Barns laughs, throwing an arm around Jennifer''s shoulders. "Well, Ambassador, looks like you''re getting your first taste of diplomacy tonight. You want to meet some dwarves? Maybe become an Ironblood?"


    Jennifer exhales, shaking her head. "What the hell. Let''s party!"

 Chapter 1 - 1: The Last Train to Dimartino

    "Get down now!"


    The man and woman dive under a nearby table as the train rattles on the tracks. The train is running out of control - directly into the heart of the burning city. The city where the apocalypse began.


    The side of the train bursts open as if a giant magnet hovers too close. The entire carriage of the train rocks back and forth, knocking the two people off their feet.


    The train settles but just when they think they''re in the clear, a dark figure leaps onboard.


    The two gasp at the same time. If they hadn''t seen her a few days ago, they wouldn''t have recognized her. The monstrous figure that bursts on the train is an old friend - but now, she''s a monster. She''s become Medusa.


    Her once beautiful hair crawls with slimy tentacles and reeks of death. Her skin is cracked and covered in burning blisters, and she''s wielding a wicked scythe. A Mythical Weapon.


    Her eyes, bloodshot red, fixate on the two humans. She grins, her teeth visibly filed into sharp, jagged spikes.


    The woman rushes at the monster. ''Lain''s hurt. If I don''t kill Medusa quickly, he''s going to die!''


    "Violetta, no!" Lain calls back to his companion. They had just narrowly escaped an ambush of undead minutes prior. Hundreds of eldritch abominations attacked them, spawned by the dark lord. And as Lain stumbles forward, his arm dripping blood, he recalls the hit he took from a Master Vampire.


    The wound bleeds profusely - the curse of being struck by a Master Vampire. He needs a high-level Healer, and fast.


    Violetta uses a burst of stamina to swing a heavy staff at Medusa''s head. She raises her menacing scythe to block the attack - exactly what Violetta wants to happen.


    As the snake-headed monster deflects the attack, Violetta uses a Secret Art to bind her in place.


    Electric magic spins around Medusa, forming a series of magical locks around her.


    With her target bound, Violetta readies another swing of her staff. She lands the attack, smashing Medusa''s head and knocking her out cold - or so she thinks.


    But something unexpected happens. Medusa''s body shifts, becoming more snakelike and limber. She slips out of her magic binds to escape her magic binds and smacks Violetta out of the way, knocking the woman down.


    Medusa sets her sights on her true target - Lain.


    Lain raises up his sword to deflect the creature, who''s holding her scythe in her mouth and swings it like an executioner''s axe. The impact of the blow sends him stumbling backward. Blood drips down from his arm. He''s starting to feel dizzy from the blood loss.


    "I''m going to use it!" Lain shouts.


    Violetta climbs back to her feet. "No!" she commands. "You''ll die!"


    Violetta jumps back into the action, blocking another scythe attack with her staff. She parries and ends up behind Medusa, and she strikes with her staff once again.


    She makes a solid hit, and the sound of crushing bone comes from Medusa''s back. Her bones begin wriggling from within her body. They reform around where she was hit, and now she''s even more hideously deformed.


    ''Her center of gravity is lower now,'' Violetta calculates, her mind singularly focused on taking Medusa down.


    Violetta leaps onto one of the tables and readies a Secret Art - ancient magic of her clan. She releases a burst of blinding lightning, aiming directly into the monster''s glowing eyes. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before being hit, Medusa''s body adapts yet again. A horn protrudes from her head and directs the electrical current into the ground before it even hits her.


    ''This is bad. She''s unlocked Ultimate Evolution'', Lain thinks to himself. "Violetta! Get out of here! We have no choice but my Secret Art! If we don''t kill her in one hit, she''ll just keep evolving!"


    Lain raises his sword high, but it''s not quick enough. The monster bounds over a table and gets ready to land a kill shot on Violetta. Violetta tries to block but Medusa swings again, much faster, driving the blade down for the kill.


    Mere inches away from her head, the blade suddenly stops, and Violetta looks into the creature''s eyes in disbelief. There''s a flicker of blue light in the bloody, mutated eyes. Tears are actively streaming down her face.


    "Mina, are you still in there¡­?" Violetta whispers, her breath uneven.


    Medusa turns her head toward Lain and roars. His Secret Art is ready.


    "I''m sorry, Violetta. Live. For both of us."


    Just then, Lain swings his arm defiantly. His sword begins to burst with irradiant flame, and the visage of a firebird manifests behind him.


    "Rebirth Flame!"


    The train car ignites in volcanic light - the force of the explosion is enough to knock the train off its tracks. The train spirals out of control through the burning city, crashing through building after building.


    In mere moments, the train is shattered. Part of the burning city, now.


    Violetta was left alone. Lain and Mina, consumed by the Rebirth Flame, were now on their way to be born anew¡­


    ¡­


    ''Well, it''s my first time doing this. What now?''


    Lain speaks quietly to himself as he floats in empty space, a void of complete blackness.


    This must be the end of the world.


    Suddenly, an image appears before him, projecting straight out of his mind. Some kind of screen.


    [Welcome to the Character Selection Process! We see you have previously made a character. Your gender is set to ''Male''. Would you like to be reborn as Male?]


    Lain shrugs. "Sure." The novelty of dying was fast-fading.


    [Due to high volume, the number of eligible hosts to be reborn into is: Zero. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - World-ending Apocalypse]


    "Wait, zero!?" Lain shouts, flailing his arms into the void. "What''s the point of having rebirth power if I can''t be reborn!? What if I pick female?"


    Another message pops up. He hears the words in his head as he reads them. They are narrated by a tinny, feminine voice that sounds way too optimistic.


    [There is one eligible child who has not received a soul yet located in ¨C-Dimartino¡ª. This child is ''D'' Rank. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - Orphan. Reason 2 - Currently Adrift in the Ocean. Reason 3 - No natural mana.]


    "Well, that sure sounds like a steal, huh?"


    [You are welcome to wait for a new birth. Currently, no women are pregnant. Estimate for new birth: More than 1000 days. The following reasons are listed why: Reason 1 - World-ending Apocalypse]


    "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I''ll take the orphan. How old is he?"


    A new message. [Your eligible reincarnation target is now four years old. Since this child has already been born, your memories will be sealed until the child is sixteen years old.]


    Lain tries to slam his fist in disbelief, but he''s floating in a void. Nothing to slam on.


    "What!?" Lain stammers. "Twelve years!? No way I can wait that long. If you haven''t noticed, the world-ending apocalypse is RIGHT NOW!"


    There''s no immediate response. Is the system thinking?


    [We understand, and we apologize for the inconvenience. As a gesture of goodwill, we will reset the child''s location. The child will no longer be adrift in the ocean.]


    "So I won''t die immediately. You gotta do better than that. Come on! I''m a legendary hero!"


    [To provide you with excellent customer service, a live-service representative will be with you soon. Please hold.]


    Elevator music starts playing in the void. Lain buries his face in his hands. "You have got to be kidding me¡­"


    After about three minutes of music, the sound suddenly cuts out.


    Another message appears in front of Lain. This one is not voiced aloud. He squints his eyes to read it.


    [Behind you.]


    "Aah!" he yelps before even turning around. He peers over his shoulder, shivering. Expecting to see something hideous. But what he sees instead is a beautiful young woman with long white hair - so long it is woven in a delicate braid around her body like a dress. It''s covering all the important parts, but not leaving much to the imagination.


    "You must be the ''legendary hero''. Welcome. I am Zelia. I am your assigned Administrator."


    Lain scratches his head. "So¡­"


    Zelia tilts her head. "I have reviewed your request. You appear to be dissatisfied because you are being reborn as a guileless orphan and you will have your memories sealed for twelve years. Is that correct?"


    Lain blinks slowly and gives Zelia a sour scowl.


    "I have received authorization to grant your new body a magic power. This magical power is classified as ''B'' Rank and can be evolved into an ''S'' Rank skill. Do you accept?"


    Zelia talks just like the System voice did, but there''s a hint of dry, snarky wit in her words.


    Lain thinks for a moment. His Rebirth Flame is a Secret Art of the ''S'' Rank, and even if he''s reborn into a new human, he''ll never lose it. With this, he could have two S Rank abilities.


    "Hell yeah," Lain says, punching his hands together. "See, that''s what I''m talking about!"


    Zelia claps her hands together. "Wonderful. If you ever need any help, here''s my direct line. Call me anytime!"


    Zelia zaps a card with a series of numbers on it into Lain''s hand. Now he can talk to his ''Administrator'' whenever he wants. If he can even remember what the card is for in his new life.


    "So, what''s the skill?" Lain asks, excited.


    Zelia is already walking away, her bare feet leaving sparkling footprints behind in the void.


    "Check your System Messages. All the info should be there!"


    Zelia vanishes, and Lain turns around. Sure enough, another window has popped up.


    "Congratulations, you now have B-Rank¡­Crab Affinity?"


    Lain thrashes in the void, shouting at the top of his lungs. "What the hell kind of skill is this!?"


    As he yells, everything around Lain grows black. When he next opens his eyes, he''s four years old. Alone, scared, and clutching onto just one thing - a card with strange symbols on it.


    And though his memories are sealed, the image of a woman with long white hair sears into his mind.


    He remembers her.

 Chapter 2 - 2: Scuttle Island

    Alone on the beach, the four-year-old boy wailed into the night. He had no means to fend for himself. And no humans ever arrived to help.


    Something arrived, however¡­


    The sound of scuttling across the beach could be heard as a six-foot-tall crab scurried sideways, happening upon the crying child.


    The crab stares at the child and the child stares back. The crab opens up his claw and reaches toward the child.


    "GOOD FOOD?" the crab questions. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before the crab can pinch the boy with his claw, the boy smacks the crab away.


    "No!" the child yelps.


    The crab is furious. Never before has he, a mighty King Crab, been rebuked by such a pitiful being.


    And yet, as the crab stares at the child, something in their shared existence stirs. For the boy, it was his latent B-Rank ''Crab Affinity''. For the crab, it was a creature who was barely less sentient than he was¡­but one that needed help.


    "NEED FOOD?" the crab bellows.


    The child looks up, eyes red from crying. "Yes please."


    And so began a beautiful friendship. The crab began to fish and provide for the boy every day, and the weak four-year-old quickly learned how to put a fish on a stick and put that stick next to a fire. This pleased the King Crab, who preferred to eat warm food rather than cold, raw fish.


    And some days it would get sweltering, on their small island. So the boy learned to use a large banana leaf to fan the King Crab and keep him cool. Eventually, the boy would even learn to build a makeshift hut for the crab to scuttle into when he needed out of the direct sun.


    One day the crab realized he never knew what to call the boy, but when he asked:


    "WHAT NAME?"


    The boy had no response. And so the crab bequeathed onto the boy the name ''Barnacles''. It was meant to be an endearing term, but the crab had no idea what traditional human names were like.


    Every day the boy foraged the island - a cornucopia of delight. Bananas, oranges, lemons - a myriad assortment of fruit grew on the small island that was only a few miles across. But the boy never saw any other humans, no matter where he went. He was old enough to remember having a family, but he couldn''t remember their faces.


    Some days, the boy scrubbed the crab''s shell. On other days, the crab taught him the ways of life. Unfortunately for the boy, this meant training his grip strength, learning how to move quickly, and not much else.


    And before long, the boy was already twelve years old.


    "Do you think there are others like me out there, my King?" the boy asked one night as he and the crab sat by the campfire. The boy had just finished doing a traditional crab dance for the King''s pleasure.


    "HUMANS ALL DEAD."


    The boy''s eyes stared wistfully into the ocean, and the far-away landmasses barely visible on the horizon.


    "Humans all dead, huh¡­"


    The memory lived with him eternally. He thought of it every day. "But what about the long-hair lady?"


    Little Barnacles continued to grow. He had only a small number of things, but he kept them in a precious, private place from the crab. Among his treasures were a photograph of two humans at their wedding, a vibrant green shell bequeathed to him by the king, and a small card with strange symbols on it. The boy never did learn how to read or write.


    The boy fantasized every night about what other humans would be like. He felt in his heart that his king was mistaken - other humans had to be out there. He wondered if everyone had a crab like him.


    And one day, on his sixteenth birthday, something changed in the boy. Of course to him, it was just an ordinary day. He had no idea what a ''birthday'' was.


    He shot awake in the middle of the night. Memories of his past life flooded into him one after the other. It was so intense the boy screamed, waking his king.


    The crab scuttled over with utmost haste, clicking his claws frantic with concern. By the time he arrived, the boy''s vision had already ended. He was sitting upright in his leafy bed, heaving and breathless.


    He remembered everything. His name. He used to be called ''Lain''. He remembered growing up. His home. His family. His friends.


    His mission. Saving the world with Violetta and Mina. Fighting against the apocalypse, up until one fateful day on a train in the burning city¡­


    That''s right. He died that day, on the train. He had no other choice but to be reborn¡­but this body of his just lived sixteen years without any of these memories. He didn''t even know who he was anymore.


    The boy''s eyes fell on a system message that had just popped up in front of him.


    [Congratulations! As a reward for being successfully reborn, the following skills have been upgraded.


    S Rank Rebirth Secret Art is now SS Rank.


    A new ability has been gained.]


    The boy could read system messages now that his memories returned. He remembered how to speak - much better than he was currently.


    He tapped the alert. What''s this new ability? And then another screen popped up.


    [New Ability: Resurrection.


    Target: Humanoid.


    Effect: You may take a human''s soul and return it to their body. You must possess both the correct soul and body for this to take effect.]


    "I can¡­bring people back?" the boy said. He didn''t recognize his voice when he spoke. It was deeper and filled with conviction. The voice of a legendary hero.


    "BARNACLES. ERROR IN FUNCTION?"


    The boy looked at the crab and smiled. "No, I''m okay, but thanks for looking out for me, King!"


    The crab seemed stunned. That was a lot of words for the crab, who was used to only speaking in short, powerful bursts.


    "Hey, King. I love the name ''Barnacles'' and all, but maybe you can call me something a little more¡­human? Like Barny? Or Barns?"


    "BARNS. BARNS. OKAY."


    The boy chuckled. "Oh, and now that I think about it, I never learned your name, King."


    The crab stood still for a moment, picking in the sand with his pincers. "I AM CLANCY. I AM KING OF CRAB."


    "Clancy, is that right?"


    And so the boy and the crab went on, their relationship markedly different than before. Barns, just a day ago, was simple - happy to live the rest of his life on that beach with the King. But now, he was awoken, and he had the power to bring people back from the dead.


    ''If that''s not destiny, I don''t know what is,'' Barns thought.


    It was two days after Barns'' awakening. The wanderlust that once flickered dimly in his heart was now a resurgent flame of desire.


    He needed to find a way off this island.


    "I need to find a way off this island." Barns said to his crab mentor, repeating his thought out loud.


    "NOWHERE ELSE. EVERYONE DEAD. EAT BANANAS."


    Barns clenched his fist. "Clancy, I can''t stay here. I have a special ability. I can help people! If I can¡­only find their bodies and souls¡­"


    "YOU REQUIRE DEAD HUMANS?"


    Not a great way to put it. Barns shuddered at the idea.


    "I CAN GIVE YOU DEAD HUMANS. BUT I MUST TEACH YOU FIGHTING."


    "I already know how," the boy replied. He was once a legendary hero, after all. After all these years, he was already adjusted to this body. It wouldn''t take long for him to get back in the swing of it.


    The crab pointed his claw out onto the horizon. "MONSTERS. HUMANS ARE MONSTERS. CAN MAKE DEAD WITH FOAM."


    It took Barns a while to parse through all of that with the crab, but he learned something miraculous. His friend the King Crab had an A-Rank skill. He could shoot out cleansing foam from his mouth - foam with the power to destroy darkness. With that power, he could turn monsters back into humans - dead ones, anyway. He could also heal the land.


    And that''s when it all clicked with Barns. They could kill a monster, turn it back into a human, and use its recently freed soul to bring the human back to life. The plan was insane, but something told Barns it might just work¡­and with it, they just might be able to save the world from the apocalypse.


    "APOCALYPSE RESET?" the King ran back and forth, foam spurting from his mouth. "YES. YES. YES. I MISS HUMAN WOMAN. RESET. RESET!"


    So Clancy was on board too. All they needed to do was figure out if such a thing was actually possible.


    And he knew exactly how to test it out. He returned to his treasure trove and withdrew the card he''d stashed in there. The only thing he had when he first came into this world. It was time to make a call.

 Chapter 3 - 3: One in a Million

    "I knew you''d come calling someday."


    Seems just saying the numbers out loud was enough. Barns turns around and finds himself face to face with Zelia. She''s as naked as ever, her hair wrapped around her intimate parts in a long, flowing twist. Her feet don''t touch the ground - she floats.


    "You look quite different than I remember. A little shorter, perhaps?"


    "Hah hah, very funny," Barns rolls his eyes. "Hey, the crab affinity. Did you do that on purpose?"


    Zelia adjusts herself into a sitting position, though she still floats above the ground. The way her legs are positioned makes it too easy to almost see -


    "Eyes up here," Zelia smirks. "And of course I did. After all, aren''t you the one who bragged and complained about being a legendary hero? And now you have a shot. One chance to save the world, and it''s all riding on that crab of yours."


    "So it will work? We defeat monsters, he cleanses them. And boom? Resurrection?"


    Zelia''s eyes flutter flirtatiously and she raises her eyebrows. "Boom."


    Zelia leans in closer. Her hair loosens around her chest but I keep my eyes on hers. "And how''s this for a good deal? You resurrect a million humans, and that little skill of yours becomes SSS - The Phoenix. With that, you''ll be able to end the whole apocalypse. Save every. Last. Person."


    ''If I resurrect a million humans¡­I can save the world!''


    Barns grips his hands tightly.


    "I can do it. I''ll save humanity, and do an apocalypse reset! Because my crab can heal the world! Gah, I gotta get that trademarked!"


    Zelia''s smile was undeniable - from ear to ear. She thought that little outburst was cute.


    "A boy and his crab save the world from a monster apocalypse. You truly think you can do it?"


    "I know I can. You just wait and see, Zelia! I''ll let you watch the whole thing!"


    Zelia''s smile turns into a devilish smirk.


    "Rest assured, I won''t miss a second."


    Barns turns toward Zelia, but she''s already gone.


    A system message pops up in front of him.


    [Quest: Save A Million Lives.


    Progress: 0/1000000]


    ''Hey, doesn''t my life count? There''s no way this orphan would have survived without me!''


    [Progress: 1/1000000]


    ''So this ''system'' can be bartered and argued with¡­''


    Barns wonders if it is Zelia behind the scenes. It would make sense, she''s got a good sense of humor.


    ''If I resurrect a couple cute girls, maybe Zelia will get jealous and I can have myself a whole harem¡­''


    A system message pops up.


    [No.]


    Seems like Zelia IS behind those.


    [Maybe.]


    Barns snickers to himself. A maybe for the harem or a maybe for the messages?


    Barns walks away to find his crab mentor Clancy. He wasn''t surprised to find the King Crab standing on the beach, staring out into the ocean, totally still.


    This is ''DECOMPRESS TIME'', as King would call it. Barns was explicitly told to never approach during ''DECOMPRESS TIME'', but it has never stopped him before.


    "WE ARE LEAVING ISLAND HOME."


    Barns smiles weakly. "That''s right, big guy. You said you miss human woman, right? Well, we gotta go save ''em so you can see ''em!"


    "ISLAND NICE. ME. BARNACLE. SIMPLE. HAPPY."


    Barns buries his face in his hand. ''I cannot believe this crab raised me for twelve years¡­and I used to talk like this!''


    Barns sits in the sand next to the crab and takes in the view. "Don''t you want to do this? It''s not just about the ladies, right King? You told me once you want to be the biggest Emperor Crab there ever was. Well, all the other crabs will just have to accept you as Emperor if you save the whole world!"


    "SAVING WORLD. WOULD BE BETTER THAN OTHER 78,400 KING CRABS. VIABLE EMPEROR STRATEGY. EXCITING TIMES. NO LONGER MISS ISLAND. FULL SPEED AHEAD BARNACLES!"


    Barns leaps onto Clancy''s shell as the crab walks sideways into the ocean. Clancy releases a stream of bubbles from his crabby mouth, projecting them forward like a motorboat. Barns holds on tight and rides along Clancy''s shell. They''ve done this before to visit some of the smaller local islands, but they''ve never gone all the way to the mainland.


    The duo rides into the horizon, eager for whatever may come. Their adventure has only just begun.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, on the Mainland:


    "I told you we should have killed that human, Maria! Why don''t we ever do what I want to do!?"


    Maria slams a long metal board down on the ground. Both ends of it are covered in leather restraints.


    "So what if he saves the world, Osmond? I''m tired of all these raids."


    As she speaks, Maria lays down flat on the board and begins binding herself to it with the leg straps.


    Osmond puts his hand on Maria''s face, brushing her long golden locks away. "Aww, what do you mean? You used to love these raids. It''s our tradition!


    Maria raises her arms above her head so Osmond can restrain them.


    "It''s just¡­the bondage, the screaming. It''s all so routine. Why don''t you ever tie me up on a normal night? Why''s it only raid night this, raid night that¡­"


    Osmond looks into Maria''s eyes, his heart aflutter. "My love, if you''d only have said something sooner. I''ll hang you from the rafters the second these impudent humans are dealt with."


    Osmond slams his foot on a switch and the metal board goes shooting upwards. It lurches into place and Maria is now suspended above the castle wall.


    "It''s the Princess! He''s got her strung up!"


    Osmond rolls his eyes as he gets his staff ready. "Are they gonna say the line, you think?" he drawls to Maria.


    "Shit, I''d be offended if they didn''t," Maria laughs back.


    "She''s the last human woman alive! Don''t let her die!"


    "Ah, there it is!" Osmond chuckles dementedly.


    Maria smiles and shouts back. She loves her part in the role play. "Yes! Please my royal subjects, come save me! I''ll do whatever you wish if you could only save me from this evil, evil, hot, smoldering, sex-crazed demon!"


    "I''m smoldering now, eh?"


    The humans chant for their princess. They raise the banners - all six of them. All that remains of the former human empire''s military. Six men, and a desire to rebuild the kingdom, one child at a time.


    "Maria, I think these are the only six humans left. I think I''ll kill just one of them this time. Five should guarantee us one more raid, I think. And then we can both go wild for the last one."


    "Shut up, they''re going to see us talking." Maria hisses. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Help me, oh help! I''m so¡­fertile! And vulnerable!" Maria screams, overacting the hell out of her part. But these men don''t know - or care. To them, she''s everything - their princess, their future, their pleasure - if only she were slightly less out of reach¡­


    Osmond twists his arms back and a pair of large black wings erupt from his shoulders. He uses them to take flight.


    His entire body is covered in pale skin and angular lines. Each of the lines begins to glow a deep purple color as he channels dark power through himself and through his staff.


    He shoots several beams out of his staff, each one grabbing one of the humans like a magical arm and smashing them around. He uses the magic to throw them, beat them, smash them into the ground, and chuck one into the moat surrounding the castle. And finally, he grabs one and drags the human toward him.


    He places his hand on the human''s head and lets dark energy flow through him. The same darkness that caused the apocalypse in the first place.


    The human is transfigured. His skin melts away and all that is left is a very animated skeleton.


    The remaining humans scatter, defeated and bruised. But they''ll be back.


    Osmond makes a move to untie Maria, but she stops him.


    "Just a little longer. Also, that human. The boy, adrift at sea. You don''t really think he''ll be able to stop the apocalypse, do you?"


    Osmond grit his teeth. "Reports say he left the island this afternoon. My money is on the monsters eating his brains. But if he somehow survives, he''ll be coming here first."


    Maria moans loudly into the air, taking a load off. "A boy with the Secret Art of Rebirth. Should be fun¡­"


    "Alright. I guess you can untie me now."

 Chapter 4 - 4: Heads in the Sand

    After crossing the sea for several hours, and right before sunset, Barns and Clancy are surging up to the shoreline of the Dimartino mainland. And it looks like they have company.


    The beach in front of them is lined with skeletons, goblins, ghouls, you name it. Hundreds of them, all gathered up, waiting for Barns and the crab.


    "How''d they know we were coming!?" Barns shouts to Clancy as they approach dangerously close to the horde.


    "EVIL FISH SOMETIMES VISIT ISLAND."


    "What the - hey, look out, King!"


    A javelin soars through the sky and narrowly misses Clancy''s shell. Clancy dodges as another one is hurled at the duo. Barns catches the second javelin out of the air just as it passes by.


    "Time to land, King!"


    Barns leaps off the crab and lands on a small hill near the beach. Barns impales two goblin archers on the hill and pushes them into the water, dead.


    He throws a series of punches at a skeleton standing nearby, breaking several of its ribs with his bare hands and throwing a high kick that punts the skeleton''s head into the sea. He rips the club out of the fallen skeleton''s hand and turns around to face the rest of the horde.


    Meanwhile, Clancy launches a stream of foam into the faces of some zombies. They fall to the ground, screaming in agony as the foam burns out the dark power within them. Clancy sidesteps away from the zombies and scutters up to a lamia.


    Clancy reaches his pincer out and slices the lamia''s head off in one quick snip. The crab looks back toward his protege, Barnacles. If King Crab was capable of tears, this would move him to it. His little Barnacles was all grown up and was somehow a monster-killing machine.


    Clancy raises both claws into the air. If Barnacles was going all-out, so was he. He charges directly into the horde, a frothing, snipping machine. Barns joins him, now holding a rusty sword he''d nicked from an orc, and the two explode into the crowd.


    It''s a bloody massacre. Foam flies through the air, stained red with monster guts. Barns goes through no fewer than seventeen weapons as he weaves through the horde, hacking and slashing until nothing''s moving any longer. Pincers with the strength to shred steel picked at monster heads like they were blueberries on a bush. So. Many. Beheadings.


    When they are finally done, the beach is a mess and the water nearby is running red. Barns and Clancy look upon the devastation they caused. It was their first time fighting together, so neither was really certain what the other was capable of. They had their answer now.


    "Hey, King¡­you''re kind of scary." The boy peers over to his blue-shelled buddy, who''s stained red from all the blood. There''s also the arm of something - an imp, perhaps - resting on top of his head.


    "BARNACLES IS VIOLENT KILLING MACHINE."


    They gather up all the corpses in a central area so that Clancy can get a good foam cover on all of them. Once they''re suitably foamed and looking more human than monster, Barns readies his technique.


    He never used Secret Arts without a sword in hand before, so he steals one from a skeleton and begins his focus.


    "Resurrection!" he shouts, thrusting his sword straight into the sky. Brilliant yellow light begins to bubble up from the pile of corpses and bursts with puffs of angel feathers.


    Barns feels his spirits lift as several people begin to stand up, emerging from the husks they once were, born anew. One, two - seven people emerge. Wait.


    "Only seven?" Barns questions out loud. The rest of the corpses aren''t reviving.


    A system message pops up.


    [A body cannot be revived if it has suffered permanent injury.


    Examples of permanent injuries:


    1. Beheading


    2. Vaporization


    3. Implosion]


    Barns bites his lip. They did certainly just go out of their way to behead everyone. Did they really only miss seven?


    Another system message:


    [Progress: 8/1000000]


    As the humans wake up and realize where they are, most of them start panicking and screaming, an event only made worse as King Crab begins to chase after them, clicking his claws rapidly, trying to stop them from leaving the pool of blood they''d been born into.


    "Everyone!" Barns shouts so loud his voice cracks, but it''s enough to get the people on the beach to pay attention.


    "You may remember being eaten and killed by monsters before turning into them yourselves! Sorry about that! But I''m here to save you!"


    ''This is going well,'' Barns thought.


    "My name is Barnacles! Uh, but maybe just call me ''Barns''. Yeah! Me and this crab here, oh yeah, that''s King Crab, but his name''s Clancy, and I - "


    One of the women in the crowd screams again.


    "The point is, you''re free! You''re alive! We freed you from the monsters!"


    The group starts to get antsy. Most of them are barely clothed or naked, a fact they don''t seem to mind as they''re all also covered in blood. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where are we supposed to go? What''s going to happen? I''m hungry!"


    Barns claps a hand to his face. "Do I have to do everything?" He might never resurrect a million people if he''s expected to babysit them all.


    Suddenly, a system message appears in front of Barns.


    [To better facilitate the revival of the human race, the System would like to offer you one of the following power-ups:


    Option 1: Blessing of Rebirth


    All resurrected humans gain at least a C Rank skill to aid in their survival.


    Option 2: God-King


    All resurrected humans are beholden to you, and you can use their life force as you wish.


    Option 3: Community Builder


    All resurrected humans will gain the power to create a home for themselves. These homes will be protected from monster attacks.]


    Barns thinks about the options. Option 2 seems like the obvious wrong answer. He had no desire to become a ''God-King''. So he only considers Option 1 and 3.


    ''Option 1 could get messy. That''s a lot of potential powers going around. And these people need assistance immediately, and shelter from any future monsters invasions. Option 3 would be the best.''


    Barns taps Option 3, and as he does, all of the seven resurrected humans have a window appear in front of them. Their eyes are naturally drawn to it - they have never seen anything like it before.


    Barns walks up behind one of the humans to see what''s on their screen. It''s a single, long message:


    [Congratulations on your resurrection! Please designate one acre of land as your ''Property''. While you are on your ''Property'', no monsters may enter.


    You may create Properties with multiple people. Areas of overlap will be considered ''Towns''.


    Once you have designated a Property, the Home Building UI will become available to you.]


    "Have fun figuring that out," Barns smiles. He''s standing behind a human girl who''s wearing rags. He thinks he recognizes her as a goblin he impaled earlier.


    "It''s a system message," the girl says, her voice too casual. It makes Barns freeze for a moment.


    "You know about system messages?"


    She nods. "Of course I do. I used to be a Moderator."

 Chapter 5 - 5: A Village is Born

    "My name is Yunie, and I used to be a Moderator. Before the world fell, the gods - if that is truly what they are - sent messages to me to secure the future of humanity. They called them ''Daily Quests'', and I did them every morning without fail. But one day, shortly after the apocalypse began, my Daily Quest was to kill one hundred goblins. I only made it to sixty-two before they killed me and ate me. And when I woke up again, I was one of those hideous things. All I wanted to do was eat and kill. Kill and eat. Sometimes at the same time."


    Barns makes awkward eye contact with one of the bloodied humans standing nearby.


    "Right. The important part. I volunteer to be our leader and liaison with the great hero Barnacles. Entrust the welfare of humanity to Barnacles alongside me, and I shall take charge in helping to rebuild civilization alongside my Daily Quests!"


    One of the people coughs. "Can I just get some clothes?"


    On that note, Yunei takes charge, scouting out ideal places to build homes along the beach. Within the hour, all seven of the humans have successfully placed a house, and a small beachside village is created. They conveniently leave the part of the beach with the remainder of the foamy corpses alone.


    Each house contains two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room space, and other niceties like a bathroom, working plumbing, and electricity. Barns doesn''t question how it works - it makes his job easier.


    Each of the houses also carries an acre of ''Protection from Monsters'', so the immediate area is safe. It lets everyone take a load off.


    Fresh clothing and food is also part of the house package, and so everyone takes a chance to clean up and reset. One of the newly resurrected villagers is kind enough to give Barns one of their outfits and let him take a shower - he was covered in blood, after all.


    That night, they have a bonfire and roast fish that King Crab graciously plucked from the sea. Each house contained some alcohol, and they decide to drink to their new future. King Crab imbibes most of the alcohol.


    "BARNACLES. VICTORY DANCE FOR HUMAN FRIENDS!"


    Barns blushes. "Not right now," he says dismissively. "I don''t like dancing in front of people." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "SHOW THEM THE CRAB DANCE!"


    King Crab starts doing his sideways step back and forth, raising his claws into the air and clicking them to the beat of an imaginary song. Barns sighs and joins in, spreading his legs like a crab, putting his hands in the air, and making little snipping motions with his fingers.


    Later that night, an uninhibited King Crab attempts to solicit Yunie into a romantic encounter, which she politely declines.


    "YOU. ME. NAKED. FOAM."


    "Oh, I appreciate the offer, but I''m actually into women."


    A rejected King scuttled into the ocean and sat underwater for several minutes.


    After that, Yunie made sure to make her true feelings known to Barns.


    "Mostly into women. I consider myself the legendary hero type, too," she winks.


    If Barns were a crab, he''d have been foaming at the mouth, too. Yunie was a pretty girl - soft brown hair, big, bright green eyes, and a great, fit body. She was also the only girl he''d seen in sixteen years.


    There''s one other woman resurrected that day - an older lady who keeps her head wrapped in a scarf. Barns hasn''t heard her speak since they all settled down.


    Finally, as night approaches, some of the villagers begin to retire to their homes to sleep. Barns and Clancy have no house, so they remain by the fire.


    Yunie is one of the last to go to sleep. "Need a warm bed for the night?" she whispers into Barns'' ear.


    He digs his feet in the sand to restrain himself. "I can''t do that to my man Clancy," he says with a smile. "Bro code, you know?"


    Yunie walks off somewhat disappointedly, but Barns does some damage control.


    "But, you know, Clancy''s memory is only good for about a week tops. So maybe¡­"


    Yunie laughs at him. "You can come over whenever you like, legendary hero."


    Barns checks to see if he has a nosebleed as Yunie disappears into her beachside home.


    He lays down in the sand, and looks up at the stars. It''s the same sky he''s stared at every night for the last twelve years, even as he lays down on a distant shore.


    "Maybe I can have a harem."


    "WHAT BARNACLES? YOU SPEAK QUIET."


    "Nothing, King. Good night."


    "FADE TO NOTHINGNESS, BARNACLES. I HOPE WE BOTH WAKE UP."


    On that note, King Crab is immediately asleep - dormant and completely still. He''ll be like that for the next three or four hours and then jolt back to 100% consciousness in an instant.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at Osmond''s Castle¡­


    "Mmfmff."


    Maria wiggles around, trying to speak. Osmond reaches around her neck and removes the gag from her mouth.


    "What''s the matter, sweetie?" he asks.


    "Just not in the mood tonight, I guess¡­"


    Osmond rubs her shoulder supportively. "It''s okay. I only have fun when you''re having fun. We can stop for now."


    He spins the wheel that Maria is suspended on, moving her right side up instead of upside-down. He places the cattle prod he''s holding on the table and begins unstrapping Maria from the machine.


    Maria steps out of the wheel, scantily clad but without a bruise on her pristine skin. She had an S Rank skill that prevented her from suffering injury, but not from feeling pain. Ever since she realized this, she''s found herself engaged in a variety of unique proclivities.


    Maria sits on the bed and opens up a system menu. Maria was once a Moderator, too. She knew how to navigate and read the system as well as anyone else, but she also knew about a glitch in the system. She could use that glitch to read the ''System Logs'', so she had a running list of every system message that went out.


    Maria''s used this power many times. With it, she''s been able to keep a watch on the entire world to an extent.


    She scrolls through the logs. Several people were resurrected, it seems. They''ve even built a village with some auto-generated homes. How quaint.


    "I have an idea, Osmond," she says, looking up at the ceiling and tussling her hair. Their bedroom ceiling was a giant mirror. Osmond wanted it because he ''likes to see everything from different angles''. Maria wanted it because she likes to imagine it falling on her.


    "I''m a human, so I can pull this off. I''m going to visit the boy hero. See what he''s all about."


    Osmond leans in, worry in his eyes. "Maria, no," he says quickly. "That''s far too dangerous. We should never be separated, especially not with humans like that around. Wait for him to come to us. We can kill him here with my power, easily."


    Maria laughs. "Oh, when you hear the plan, you''ll be all over it. We''re going to kick the roleplay up to eleven."


    Maria laughs maniacally as she tackles Osmond to the bed and details her nefarious plan.


    "We''re going to have ourselves a crab boil, Osmond. Hope you''re hungry."

 Chapter 6 - 6: Dimartino Vice

    "You''re sure you don''t need any more help?"


    Barns looks around the village. It''s morning, and the seven happy villagers are all out and about, putting up decorations, foraging for food, or relaxing on the beach.


    Yunie looks back at Barns and Clancy, touching her heart. "I''m sure you''ll return soon. Saving the town of Dimartino should be your top priority. But there were hundreds of people living there - meaning hundreds of monsters. Will you be okay?"


    Barns flexes and taps his arm. "I''m a legendary hero who''s on a quest to save humanity! If I can''t bring back one town, what good am I?"


    Yunie smiles so big her eyes close. "That''s right, Master Barnacles. Then I shall pray not for your safety but your speedy return."


    Barns and Clancy take off on foot into the jungle. Dimartino was a tropical region, and the weather was always balmy and breezy. It feels like home, having grown up in a similar climate for so long.


    In Barns'' first life, he''d only ever visited Dimartino once.


    On the walk to town, the duo encounters no monsters. Barns is surprised by this, but King Clancy has an observation.


    "MONSTERS LIKE TOGETHER."


    Clancy was of course completely accurate - monsters habitually formed groups in the wild, and seldom went off on their own. Being alone, especially early in the apocalypse, was a death sentence - for humans AND monsters.


    As they approach the town of Dimartino, they hear raucous laughter and the sounds of festivities. Barns climbs a nearby tree so he can get a look at what''s happening in town.


    The town is overrun by monsters. Makeshift barracks and beds litter the town streets, as the monsters prefer to sleep outside. These monsters are living life to the fullest. Ever since the town of Dimartino fell ten years ago, it has been a non-stop party for the forces of evil.


    Dimartino was a town with a reputation for two things - booze and prostitutes. It seems that monster culture has been able to successfully replicate both things. Barns narrows his eyes as he sees two busty goblins shaking what their mommas gave them in an alley as they''re showered with silver coins.


    "This is going to be awkward," Barns sighs, shimmying down the tree.


    "Alright, Clancy, here''s the deal. The monsters in the town are having a party and they have no defenses set up anywhere. Our best bet will be to split up and ambush them from both sides. Kill, kill, kill - and remember, please try not to cut their heads off this time."


    Clancy ran back and forth (sideways, of course). He frantically clicked his pincers together.


    "NO CHOPPING IN HALF AT ALL!?"


    Barns shakes his head. "Maybe you can, I don''t know¡­skewer them? Like we do with the fish?"


    Barns said the right words. The King was ecstatic. "SKEWER! SKEWER!"


    He smiles weakly at his crab. "Alright, let''s go."


    Twenty minutes later, Barns and Clancy are both in position. Clancy was ready to emerge onto the east side of town, where the monsters were having some sort of pi?ata party. Meanwhile, Barns was on the west side - where all the hooking and boozing was happening. Better for him to be over here. This would all distract King Crab too much.


    He creeps up to the town gate. There''s only one person around right now - a female goblin going to town on a cigarette. She was dressed like a bar wench and every time she stepped Barns could hear the clink of silver from her boots.


    He sneaks up behind her. He''s armed with a longsword and a small dagger - he opts for the dagger. Without alerting the lady goblin, He grabs her head and covers her mouth with his hand as he shanks her in the side several times. Until she stops moving.


    The goblin corpse slides out of his arms and he snakes into the town.


    On his left, a drunk orc and two imp hotties. He gets the jump on them, stabbing one imp with his sword and another with his dagger. The orc barely has time to react, stumbling backward and landing on his piggy rear. Barns thrusts his longsword into the ground, impaling the orc''s heart. So far so good.


    He rips the cloak off from the orc and wraps it around himself, covering his body and his face. To a casual observer, he could blend in as a fellow monster. Maybe this won''t be so hard after all.


    He is alerted by the sound of screaming coming from the other side of town. It seems Clancy has made his move. Nothing stealthy about a giant crab, he supposes. Oh well. With the distraction, picking off outliers should be even easier.


    On the other side of town is absolute chaos. A horde of monsters has surrounded Clancy, who is methodically skewering his foes three at a time and then laying them out carefully like kabobs.


    "NO BEHEAD!" Clancy roars as he smashes - flattens - a goblin against the wall of a house. Barns perhaps should have told Clancy that ''turning monsters into paste'' also made them ineligible for resurrection.


    A snake woman wraps her tail around one of Clancy''s many legs and tries to get inside his shell. In a panic, Clancy snips her head off.


    "A LITTLE BEHEAD."


    Clancy shoots out some foam and spins in a circle, coating all the monsters near him. His cleansing foam has a purifying property and all of the monsters begin to scream and burn. He''s still surrounded, but the lesser monsters are keeping their distance now.


    The pack of monsters separates, making way for their leader. From the center of the town, a tall monster with an ominous aura begins to pace slowly toward Clancy.


    Clancy scuttles around a bit, sizing up his opponent. He''s never seen one before, but he knows the monster in front of him. It is a demon. The pale, almost bluish skin and the long horns erupting from its forehead are dead giveaways, but other than that, this could be a human. He shows off the weapon in his hand to taunt Clancy. It''s a large, spiked hammer. The kind that could crush even a shell like Clancy''s.


    The other monsters take a knee, bowing reverently to their demon lord. They create a circle around the demon and the crab, cheering and jaunting for their leader.


    "BOSS BATTLE!" Clancy fumes. He raises both of his pincers in a defensive formation. It was about to get real for King Crab. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 7 - 7: Boss Battle

    Clancy the crab raises his pincers in the air and smacks the top of his shell threateningly. He was ready to battle the demon.


    And the demon looked back at him, big hammer in hand. Clancy''s beady eyes fix on the hammer. He could handle the demon''s magic, but that hammer would crack his shell.


    "BATTLE TIME!" Clancy cries, scuttling sideways and shooting a stream of foam toward the demon.


    The demon whips back his long cape, turning it into a swirling circle of wind. The wind blows away all of Clancy''s foam in moments, but Clancy is ready for more. He snip-snips in the demon''s direction.


    The demon dodges Clancy''s attack and swings his hammer. Clancy narrowly dodges - one of his small legs was almost crushed.


    The demon bares his fangs at Clancy. "What''s a crab doing attacking us like this!?" the demon screeches.


    "SAVE HUMAN WOMAN! HELP BARNACLES!"


    "Tch. A mindless beast without a master. Very well, crab. I shall return you to the earth!"


    The demon begins to charge a giant ball of purple energy, readying a powerful magical attack. Clancy raises his claws to defend.


    The demon''s magic blasts Clancy, but the crab resists. He uses one of his crab abilities to harden his shell like a diamond. The magic attack brushes off and doesn''t leave a single scratch on Clancy.


    The demon is shocked. "Impossible! Only a Guardian Beast could resist such a powerful spell!"


    Clancy wasn''t about to get into a shouting match. He swung his pincer and caught the demon''s hammer from midair. As the demon struggles, pressing his hammer against Clancy''s claw, Clancy thrusts his other arm into the demon''s torso.


    "Agh!" the demon shrieks.


    "I AM KING CRAB! CLANCY!"


    The demon hobbles backward, clutching his stomach. He''s badly wounded but still alive.


    "I will destroy you!" the demon shouts, raising his hammer.


    Unbeknownst to the demon, Barns was moving through the crowd, assassinating the other monsters methodically and building a path toward the demon.


    Just then, Barns leaps from the crowd, his longsword in hand. He swings his sword through the air and slashes at the demon from behind.


    The demon falls to his knees, eyes wide open and full of shock. Blood spurts out of his mouth and he crumples.


    At that moment, the monster crowd goes wild. They set upon Barns and Clancy in a wild rage. Clancy shoots his foam and Barns swings his sword, but its not enough. There are too many enemies. Clancy and Barns begin to lose ground, backing up closer and closer to each other.


    The corpses are piling up, building a barrier between Barns, Clancy, and the rest of the horde. It''s still not enough. Over a hundred ravenous monsters are crawling over each other to kill Barns and Clancy.


    Barns grits his teeth. Before he was reborn, he had all kinds of skills to use in a situation like this. But all he had right now were his three skills - SS Rank Resurrection, S Rank Rebirth Flame, and B Rank Crab Affinity. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "BARNACLES! EVACUATION TIME!"


    Barns is snatched up (carefully) by one of King Clancy''s claws as the crab shoots a jet of foam at the ground. It propels them up into the air, and they land on top of a nearby building.


    Barns looks over the side of the building. The monsters are already trying to get up here. It''s like they''re in a blood rage.


    "HAVE IDEA. WILL USE S RANK SUPERSKILL."


    Barns raises an eyebrow at his crabby friend. "What in the what?"


    Clancy raises his claws in the air and the land itself begins to froth. All around them, the town is engulfed in a foamy coating. The monsters on the ground that are still alive are caught up in the foam and are consumed.


    Barns stares out over the foamy landscape. "You mean to tell me you could have done that all along?"


    "RARE SKILL. ONLY HAVE THREE CHARGES EVER."


    Barns makes a big ''O'' with his mouth. "Well¡­I guess I appreciate your discretion. We have two more charges for emergencies."


    "THAT WAS MY LAST CHARGE."


    "Great¡­"


    ¡­


    Since everyone was foamed up, it didn''t take long to gather the bodies in the village square. The foam makes the bodies feel a little¡­lighter?


    Once everyone is gathered (and the beheaded ones separated), Barns uses his resurrection skill.


    A flash of light appears as the resurrection activates. The fallen humans begin to be reborn, rising from the foam like hatchling eggs.


    Barns'' progress bar appears:


    [Progress: 403/1000000]


    Almost 400 people resurrected in town, nice!


    As the people wake up and realize what''s happening, Barns walks over to where the ''boss battle'' happened. The menacing hammer once wielded by the demon is still laying there.


    Barns picks up the hammer. As he does, a new message appears.


    [Congratulations! You have acquired A Rank Weapon - Shock Hammer.


    Special Ability: When you strike the ground, a field of electric energy will surround you for three seconds.]


    Barns nods his head in approval. It''s a little heavy, but that''s a useful ability. Good thing the demon didn''t know about it.


    Speaking of the demon, Barns looks over and sees that the former demon is now awakening back as a human. Barns is surprised at how much he still looks like the demon they fought earlier. Thankfully, the man''s skin has returned to a healthy color and the horns are gone.


    Barns steps up to the former demon and gives a little wave. The man jumps up. Does he remember their battle?


    "So, hiya," Barns mumbles awkwardly. "Nice, uh, muscles."


    The former demon looks down at himself. His nethers are covered in foam, but other than that, he''s totally naked - as are many of the awakening humans.


    Whatever clothing they wore as monsters doesn''t always fit their human forms. And not all of the monsters had ''clothing''. Who ever heard of a fully dressed skeleton or imp?


    The man tries to cover himself up with some of the foam.


    "You were a demon," Barns says flatly, getting to the point. "The other monsters here seemed to respect you. Do you remember any of that?"


    The man nods solemnly. "When the apocalypse started, they told me if I cooperated, I could live forever¡­and if not, they''d kill me with that hammer."


    The man looks out over the crowd. The humans begin getting notifications about the ''Property'' system.


    "I was the mayor here," the man goes on. "You can call me Quinn."


    "Alright. Come with me, Quinn."


    Barns hops on top of a nearby roof that overlooks the resurrection plaza. This group of people seems more lost and confused than the first group, but there are hundreds more of them.


    "Everyone!" Barns shouts over the crowd. "I have an exciting announcement for you! You''re¡­alive! I was able to resurrect you all!"


    This is going a little less awkward than the first time. Barns is getting the hang of this.


    "Now, we''re going to work together to rebuild civilization, one town at a time! And¡­"


    Barns hesitates, and he is interrupted by another. Not Quinn, but a woman. She''s dressed in a beautiful white dress, and her skin glimmers in the sunlight. She is the image of ethereal beauty.


    "Why, hello everyone!" The maiden declares. Everyone, including Barns, looks directly at her.


    "It is I, your Princess, Maria Dimartino! I have been waiting for this happy day for so, so long!"


    The crowd erupts into excited banter.


    "THE Princess Maria?"


    "I thought she was captured by a demon!"


    "Long live the princess!"


    Barns stares back at the woman. Princess Dimartino? She doesn''t look like she was just reborn. Her clothes are too clean and perfect. Where did she come from?


    She looks straight up and makes eye contact with Barns. "This man is the legendary hero of prophecy! My fellow countrymen, please join me in saluting our hero!"


    Maria commands a lot of presence in the town. They all recognize her. The perks of royalty, Barns supposes.


    All four-hundred-odd people give Barns a noble salute. He can''t help but blush.


    "Please, listen to his words! The hero will help us rebuild this town!"


    Empowered by Maria''s words, Barns begins explaining the ''Property'' process, and how individuals can choose their houses. Some new rules are also revealed by the system. Instead of building all new houses, there is also an option to ''convert'' the existing buildings into homes.


    Just like at the beachside village, monsters will be unable to approach these homes so long as someone remains within their ''Property''.


    Finally, as the citizens begin to set up and choose their homes, Maria approaches Barns individually.


    "That is quite an impressive power you have, legendary hero."


    Barns'' heart skips a beat. This was the defining moment for him. If he could recruit a Princess to his harem, then he would become unstoppable.


    "Just doing my job," he says coolly. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of one as illustrious as yourself."


    Maria blushes and turns her face away from Barns. She sways from side to side and covers her smirk with a hand.


    "The pleasure is all mine," Maria says, a snide look in her eye. She looks out over the people still remaining in the plaza.


    "I say we should have a celebration, to commemorate you bringing the lovely town of Dimartino back to life. What say you, hero?"


    "Call me Barns," he smiles. "And I''d never say no to a party!"

 Chapter 8 - 8: Seven Apocalypses

    Barns didn''t know why he expected the Dimartino celebration to be nice. As he strolls through, it''s only slightly more civil than the monsters'' party was.


    Alcohol, everywhere. In each corner or alley, Barns can see people getting wasted in public. Some of the women of the town are scantily-clad, and as he looks down one alley, he sees his crab soliciting two prostitutes.


    "Clancy, what are you doing!?"


    "HUMAN WOMAN." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns claps his hand to his forehead.


    Clancy scuttles off with the two women in tow. He''s snipping at the air excitedly as he skitters off.


    Barns watches them as they go across the street into an abandoned building.


    "What''s a crab gonna do with a woman, anyway?" Barns mumbles out loud to himself. "Uck. I don''t even want to think about it."


    Barns walks to the town center. Many people are gathered, laughing and cheering. It brings joy to Barns'' heart.


    This is the result of his struggles so far. This town, full of cheer and laughter, would have never existed if Barns hadn''t stepped up and become a hero. It may not be the most virtuous place, but it was the start of something.


    Barns always believed it, but now he knows with certainty. He could pull off an Apocalypse Reset.


    Barns grips his fists. ''That''s right. Every soul I save brings me that much closer!''


    Suddenly, Barns is tapped on the shoulder, and he feels a heavy arm fall around him. He glances over and sees the town mayor, Quinn, getting comfortable.


    "Nice to see you with clothes on," Barns quips.


    "Mr. Hero, look at this place. Twenty-four hours ago, it was a den of monstrosity. Now, it''s a budding community, full of hope and life!"


    "You don''t have to call me Mr. Hero. Barns is fine," he says shyly. "I like Barns."


    "Ahh, but that''s so casual! You shall be Mr. Hero forever and always to me!" Quinn squeezes the young man''s shoulder.


    They talk for a while, until Quinn shifts the conversation to something a little more serious.


    "You are obviously quite young. How do you know so much about the apocalypse?"


    Barns feels a lump form in his throat. He hadn''t thought of telling anyone his secret - that he was actually reborn and lived a past life as a hero. At least not yet.


    "I was reborn," Barns says, opting for honesty. "I fought at the Capitol, right toward the beginning of the apocalypse. But then I died¡­and I was reborn as¡­well, me!"


    "Do you know what happened after you died?"


    Barns shakes his head. "Clancy - the crab - told me that all humans died."


    "Yes. That is what I believe too. The proud kingdom of Dimartino was one of the last places to fall. There were seven apocalypses total."


    "Seven!?" Barns exclaims.


    Quinn begins to detail what happened to the world over the last many years.


    1. The Apocalypse of Fire. Villages, towns, and cities all over the world began to burst into flames. Barns remembers this well.


    2. The Undead Apocalypse. Deceased humans began to reanimate from the ground as zombies. They swarmed most of the major population centers, causing widespread death and a collapse of society.


    3. The Monster Apocalypse. Hideous creatures began to emerge from the earth and kill humans, stealing their souls. And then, those human souls were turned into more monsters. This was just beginning when Barns died in his first life.


    4. The Apocalyptic Plague. Terrible sickness swept across the land and the human race. Farms were ravaged by blight, and sick humans began to rot away.


    5. The Vampire Apocalypse. Surviving humans were beginning to fear the forces of the night, and they embraced darkness to survive. Some turned themselves into Vampires and grew a desire to feed on others. These vampires established strongholds, taking the surviving humans prisoner and making them vampire thralls.


    6. The sixth Apocalypse brought demons. All humans who remained in power were given the choice - live on as demons, or be killed. Those who accepted were transformed and then turned their own citizens into monsters. These demons took charge of the post-apocalyptic world order.


    7. The final devastation - the Celestial Apocalypse. A giant meteor crashed into the earth, into the only kingdom that remained in power. It is believed the entire kingdom was vaporized in an instant. At this point, humanity was functionally extinct, with only a few pockets of survivors clinging to life in hiding.


    "I thought you should know, that your quest will not be as easy as just killing monsters," Quinn proclaims. "And also, I''d hoped to share one other tidbit of information to you. Before I became a demon, I remember hearing that Princess Maria was also out there, unchanged. For her to have survived twelve years on her own¡­it''s unthinkable."


    Quinn and Barns parted ways, as Barns wanted to check out more of the celebration.


    Barns watches people sing and dance in the streets, happy and merry. He can''t help but grin wide. It reminds him of his past life before the Apocalypse began. When times were simpler¡­although, times were never simple for him. As a member of the Flame Clan, he''s been a warrior for as long as he can remember. If only he still had access to his Flame skills in this new life.


    Barns wanders to the edge of town, and he looks out into the jungle. He wonders how many people are still out there, waiting to be saved.


    Suddenly, loud bells are ringing out over the town. Barns looks up in awe.


    "The Celebration Dinner is about to begin in the town square!" It''s a booming, friendly voice that speaks over an intercom system. Seems like they''ve repaired town quickly!


    "The chef tells me that we will be having a delicious crab boil this evening, so please come by! He says it''s the biggest crab he''s ever seen!"


    Barns feels a sudden panic come over him. ''Crab on the menu?'' he thinks to himself. ''I don''t like the sound of that.''


    In a leap, Barns runs toward the town center, praying to all that he can, hoping that his intuition is wrong this time.


    "I''m coming, Clancy!"

 Chapter 9 - 9: Boiling Point

    "Looks like we''re dropping the crab in any second now! These bad boys cook quickly so if you''re not already here, you''re late!"


    Barns tries to ignore the voice broadcasting from above. If Clancy hasn''t been cooked yet, there''s still time. Barns runs at his top speed, sprinting through town streets that are already becoming familiar to him. He''s used a lot of energy today, but even as he finds himself out of breath and worn out, he can''t stop moving, no matter what.


    Time stops for Barns the moment he arrives in the town square. He''s still far away when he can see it happen - a group of seven or eight guys hoisting up the mighty Clancy and throwing him into a giant bubbling cauldron.


    "No!" Barns shrieks at the top of his lungs, charging into the crowd. He''s pushing and throwing people out of the way as quickly as possible, clawing through the sea of people to get closer to the cauldron.


    "Get him out of there!" Barns screams, but nobody listens. He climbs up to the top of the bubbling pot. The smell immediately hits him - like a seafood restaurant. His friend is already turning red. Is it too late?


    Barns grits his teeth. Without Clancy, there''s no saving the world. He needed his crab mentor''s frothy foam.


    Barns cries. "I can''t do it without you."


    Barns braces his mighty new A Rank weapon, the Shock Hammer, and smashes it with all his strength into the side of the cauldron. The cookware shatters, boiling liquid bursting from it and showering Barns and some nearby townsfolk.


    Clancy slides out of the cauldron, his shell bright red and his legs curled up into a ball. Barns realizes that the boiling water hasn''t hurt him at all. Maybe he still has some of the Flame Clan''s power. If not, he would have suffered permanent burns from the boiling water bath - he''d be redder than Clancy was now.


    Barns drops to his knees. "Are you okay? Are you good, King? Please, say something! Please, you can''t be dead!"


    Barns grabs his crab and hugs him so tenderly, so dearly - but he can not hear Clancy''s words. He can not feel Clancy move.


    "Are you¡­"


    Barns'' head falls down. He stares at the cobblestone streets of Dimartino. This isn''t what he wanted. No amount of humans saved could ever be worth King Crab''s life.


    Suddenly, Barns feels one of King''s claws wrap around his back and embrace him. Barns immediately starts weeping.


    "Clancy!" he says, his nose running and making a mess. "Oh Clancy, my Clancy!"


    "HOT BATH. DIDN''T LIKE."


    Barns holds Clancy like a newborn. "You stupid crab!" he shouts. "How in the hell did this even happen!? Didn''t you say anything? You''re the OTHER legendary hero, now!"


    Clancy clicks his claws meekly. "PROSTITUTE LADY GAVE ME POPPY MILK. MAKE ME SLEEPY."


    Barns holds his forehead to Clancy''s steaming shell. All he can do is laugh.


    "Red''s a good color on you, man," Barns says quietly.


    "ORANGE. THANK YOU BARNACLES. SMART NOT EATING YOU ALL THOSE YEARS AGO."


    As they hold each other, Barns sees a system message appear to his left.


    [Your Crab Affinity has evolved from B Rank to A Rank.]


    Who''d have thought? All they needed was a life-or-death situation to bring them closer together.


    Barns clicks back to reality. He''s kneeling on the floor next to a fire pit and a destroyed cauldron, hugging his crab. And there are about fifty people all standing around, unsure of what the hell is happening.


    "Oh my!" Maria calls out over the crowd. The people separate, making a path for her. "Is he alright?"


    Barns rises to his feet, clutching onto his crab protectively. "Yeah. King''s going to be fine. Now I want to know right now, who was behind this!?"


    Maria''s eyes widen and she looks afraid. "Wh-what? I have no idea. I didn''t even know that was a talking crab¡­one of the girls in town suggested we cook it up. I was just trying to be a supportive Princess!"


    Barns stares through Maria. She was a good actress, he''ll give her that much. But he can tell. There is something wrong with the way she speaks, and her movements have a performative quality. Everything about her feels scripted.


    Although, if she hadn''t announced what was happening over the broadcast system, he would have never saved Clancy in time. Was Maria to thank for Clancy''s survival?


    "I need to take him away from here," Barns says. "Hey! In case it wasn''t clear to you people in town. This crab is the reason you''re all alive! And if anyone harms him again, I have no problem un-aliving you!"


    Barns helps Clancy to his feet. The poor crab is still exhausted from the poppy and weak from the boiling.


    Barns grinds his teeth as the duo walk off together somewhere private.


    "I wish you didn''t smell so good right now," Barns whines. "That lemon and garlic blend really brings out your natural aromas."


    As Barns and Clancy cool off on the outskirts of town, the two find themselves lost in thought. Barns knew monsters were going to be a problem, but right now his fellow humans were the biggest danger.


    "I''m so sorry, King," Barns says again. No amount of apologizing feels right. His mentor who raised him since he was a toddler was almost boiled alive right in front of him.


    "But I am glad for Princess Maria. Clancy, If I''d lost you, I don''t - "


    "EVIL PRINCESS."


    Barns pauses. "Wait, what?"


    "PRINCESS EVIL. DEMON SMELL. CANNIBAL."


    Barns gasps. "What makes you say that, King?"


    "CRAB INTUITION. ALWAYS CORRECT."


    "You know, Clancy, we''d be a lot better off if you stop keeping all these big secrets to yourself¡­"


    A system message appears in front of Barns.


    [Congratulations on achieving A Rank in the following skills: Crab Affinity.


    It is time to choose a sub-skill.


    1. Claws of Death - You will gain the ability to transform your arm into a crab claw to use as a weapon. You can disable the transformation at any time.


    2. Harden Body - You will gain the ability to harden your body like a crab''s shell. You can only use this for five seconds, and it takes five seconds to recharge after use.


    3. Crab Intuition - You can sense murderous intent. Hostile forces will have a red aura.


    4. Bubble Breath - You gain the ability to blow bubbles out of your mouth. These bubbles can put your enemies to sleep. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    5. Scuttle Mastery - You move 50% faster when walking sideways.]


    ''These are all pretty good,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''But can I really only choose one?''


    A help message appears.


    [More sub-skills can be acquired from your Affinity by studying with the corresponding species.]


    Barns nods. He got into this situation because he couldn''t trust the people around him. These humans wanted to eat Clancy. He knows he needs to pick something that will give him a little more safety - in any situation.


    "Crab Intuition it is," Barns says. If he had the same power Clancy has, he''d be effectively immune to betrayals. Since he was much more confident killing monsters than he was dealing with humans, this seems like the best choice.


    Barns taps on ''Crab Intuition'' and learns the skill. Now, whenever he''s in a dangerous situation, he should be able to sense his enemy''s malevolence.


    ''Nothing flashy, but it''s a good support skill. Next time I''ll go for something that will help in combat.''


    Barns looks at the crab and smiles.


    "So the princess is a cannibal, and she wanted you dead¡­"


    "CORRECT. EVIL PRINCESS."


    "Guess we''re going to have to hunt ourselves a princess, then. And you know what? I think I have just the idea. Our counterattack begins now!"

 Chapter 10 - 10: You Got to Kill the Girl

    "Alright, here''s the plan. I''m calling it Operation: Kill the Girl. Here''s how it''s going to go."


    Barns and Clancy are standing in one of Dimartino''s abandoned buildings - an old school. This was the quietest and most nondescript place Barns could find, and thankfully, they had a nice big chalkboard.


    Barns ushers to the chalkboard, where his ingenius ''Kill the Girl'' plan is detailed. He considered every factor when making this - including the fact that their target is a well-liked Princess. Still, she was too suspicious, and her motives were clearly evil. If they let her strut around town unchecked, she could be the end of Dimartino.


    "It has to look accidental," Barns says, starting from the top of the plan. "So here''s what we''ll do¡­"


    Step 1. Ask the Princess out on a date.


    She''ll never think we suspect her of being evil if I shamelessly ask her for a night out. And she might accept - it''d give her a chance to kill me, too - if that''s what she''s trying to do.


    Step 2. I take her out on a boat, somewhere quiet. Private.


    Barns looks up at the plan. Brilliant so far.


    Step 3. You (Clancy) lie in wait under the water. I (Barns) will create a mood and distract her.


    Barn thinks to himself. "Clancy, you can''t sing, can you? Or¡­conjure up an aquatic orchestra? That could really make the vibe¡­"


    "TRADITIONAL CRAB SONG. I SING THE CLACKCLACK CANTATA."


    "On second thought, you just wait underwater¡­"


    Step 4. I decide whether or not we''re actually going to kill her.


    "I have Crab Intuition too, so I''ll know," Barns says. "There''s a chance she''s going on this date with me willingly, AND she isn''t trying to kill us. I don''t want to mess that up."


    "BARNACLES WILL DATE EVIL PRINCESS?"


    "I mean," Barns blushes. "Who wouldn''t? A little evil is kind of sexy¡­"


    "BARNACLES! EVIL PRINCESS LADY TRIES TO BOIL US!"


    "Okay, okay," Barns says, dismissing the idea. "It''s been sixteen years since I''ve been on a date, give me a break."


    Step 5. Kiss her and test the waters.


    "We''ll skip to step 6," Barns says, biting his lip.


    Step 6. ''Accidentally'' hit her in the head with an oar, knocking her into the ocean. Then, you (Clancy) will grab her and drag her to the depths. We tell everyone in town she drowned.


    "THAT''S PLAN? OAR-HIT? WHY NOT SKEWER? SAVE FIVE STEPS."


    Barn smacks a classroom desk. "Damn it, Clancy, if you want to write the plans you can do it next time!"


    Barns thinks for a moment. "Plus, there''s more to Maria than we know. If we have to kill her, we should at least get information out of her."


    "MY PLAN. BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS SPEND NIGHT WITH ME. THEN WE CUT HER HEAD OFF."


    "No way! And hey! Let me have this one! You already got first dibs on Yunie!"


    "YUNIE? WHAT IS THIS YUNIE?"


    ''Oh, good,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''He''s already forgotten about Yunie. Maybe I have a shot with her.''


    Barns goes over the plan with King Crab a few more times before erasing it all and destroying any incriminating evidence. His next step is the one the whole plan hinges on - Maria has got to agree to a date.


    "Stay here," Barns instructs Clancy. "I''ve got some moves to make."


    It doesn''t take long for Barns to find Maria. She''s still in the town square, sitting by herself. Though the sun is just starting to set, she sits there with a flowery parasol over her head.


    Maria notices Barns as he checks out the parasol curiously.


    "I don''t like getting too much sun on my skin," she chirps. "I''m more of a night person."


    "Well, that sounds great, because I was about to ask you about something. Tonight."


    Maria raises an eyebrow. She seems genuinely confused. Barns inspects her closely. So far, there''s no red aura. Nothing homicidal - not yet. That, or his Crab Intuition is broken.


    "I was thinking. You''re a Princess. One of the only few women alive. Definitely the most beautiful," Barns adds, "And I''m something of a legendary hero myself."


    "Uh-huh."


    "Maybe we could, er¡­get to know each other¡­a little better?"


    Maria''s eyes widen in horror. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nothing crazy!" Barns exclaims, shaking his hands. "A little ride out in a canoe! Monsters don''t like the water, so we should be safe if we stay close to town. It''s a full moon tonight."


    Maria glances up at the sky. The moon isn''t visible, not yet.


    "You''re going to be an instrumental part of my mission to rebuild the world, Maria, so I want to know the real you," Barns says, some semblance of persuasion manifesting in his words.


    Maria sighs. "Oh, what the hell. I''m not doing anything tonight. Let''s do it."


    Barns raises his fist into the air. ''Victory!''


    And then he realizes he''s making a fool out of himself.


    "Er¡­okay! I''ll meet you in thirty minutes. Is that enough time to get ready? I need to tell my crab I''ll be busy tonight."


    Maria blinks slowly. "I''ll be here."


    Barns rushes back to Clancy. The time was imminent - and the plan was a go. Once he locates his crab, he gives him the details and a location for Clancy to wait in hiding. The crab, excited as ever, scurries off into the ocean to wait at the designated lagoon.


    ''Step 1 complete. Now to get her in the water.''


    Barns waits a few minutes after Clancy leaves. He needs a moment to steel himself for this. Maria seems like a nice girl, but there''s no denying she had a role in the crab boil fiasco. If nothing else, he needed to figure out what her deal was - and who she''s working with.


    Quinn''s words from earlier in the day stuck out to Barns. Maria may have been alone in the wild for the last twelve years. There''s no way she could have survived - not without help, or some ultra-powerful S Rank skill.


    Little did Barns know, the secrets surrounding Maria went much deeper than he ever could have imagined.


    Maria also had the power to read the System Logs, so she knew the exact moment when Barns chose the ''Crab Intuition'' skill. Maria had been carefully guarded ever since she saw that. She could not reveal a single emotion - not if she wanted her true motives to stay hidden. So as Barns planned what to do with Maria, she too planned what to do - with Barns.


    One thing was for sure - their boat ride was not something that would soon be forgotten.

 Chapter 11 - 11: What Happens In a Lagoon...

    "So, how have the last twelve years been for you, Princess? It must have been scary. Were you the only human left?"


    The two have just begun their nighttime boat ride. Barns handles the rowing while Princess Maria sits in the front, facing him. The bright light reflecting off the full moon provides plenty of visibility over the calm and tranquil sea.


    "Our kingdom fell six years ago," Maria says. "The six years before that were vile and cruel, but we persevered. For the last six years, I had been held captive by a demon. He believed owning me gave him symbolic authority over the entirety of Dimartino. And perhaps it did."


    Barns stops rowing for a bit, reaching his hand out to Maria''s. "I''m so sorry," Barns says, genuine concern in his eyes. "That must have been difficult for you."


    Maria nods, looking out over the moonlight. Whether this was another acting performance or not, Barns was finding it hard to tell.


    "The demon treated me kindly, so long as I supported his claim to all of Dimartino. But when I heard a human had come with the power to resurrect humans from monsters, I knew I had to meet him."


    Maria''s eyes glimmer in the moonlight. "I told myself - Maria. Give yourself to that human. Do whatever it takes to make him happy. That man will be the next king of Dimartino."


    Barns is shocked by the brazen offer. "I appreciate the gusto, and maybe my son or daughter can be the next king, but I don''t think that life is for me. I can''t stay in Dimartino. I have to save the world."


    Maria''s eye twitches almost imperceptibly, but she catches herself. Having read the system logs, she knows that Barns can now sense murderous intent. She had to be calm. Even when he refuses her, she has to remain focused and on-task.


    "Barnacles. Your devotion is admirable. Perhaps I misunderstood the reason you invited me out on the water tonight?"


    Barns stops rowing. They are in a shaded lagoon, surrounded by mangrove trees. Just the right amount of moonlight shines through the trees where all can be seen comfortably - and yet the night air is gripped by soft darkness.


    The boat comes to a resting point, and even the water seems to still.


    "Yeah. I guess there''s no sense beating around the bush. Princess Maria, I know you tried to kill Clancy. I want to know why."


    Absolute silence. Maria and Barns lock eyes, neither daring to look away.


    Maria licks her lips in a circular motion. "The villagers were hungry, of course."


    "The real reason!" Barns shouts, standing up on the boat.


    Maria groans. "Yell at me again," she dares him. There''s unbridled hunger in her voice.


    Barns'' nostrils flare. "Tell me."


    "Really? You want to talk crab right now?"


    "Tell me!" Barns roars, veins popping out in his neck.


    It''s enough to set Maria off. She cackles in pure ecstasy as she withdraws a knife and begins to thrust it at Barns.


    He''s ready for her attack - in the brief instant before, his Crab Intuition kicks in. Barns grabs Maria''s forearm and slams it on the side of the boat. She lurches out in shocked pain and drops the dagger into the water.


    She kicks Barns square in the chest, knocking him backward and climbing to her feet. He reaches for an oar and swings it, smashing it against the side of Maria''s head. The oar splinters into a million pieces as it slams into her, making her stumble but somehow not knocking her over. She''s drooling.


    "Auugh!" Barns yells, rising again to his feet and smacking Maria across the face, not knowing what else to do. The murderous intent she exuded earlier is gone.


    "I''m gonna kill you!" Barns shouts in her face. Maria has never looked weaker in her life.


    "Do whatever you want to me. But let me have this first."


    Maria grabs Barns and kisses him, biting his lip as she does. He doesn''t know if this is a new method or attack or what.


    He decides on ''or what''.


    She pulls him forward and collapses onto the floor of the canoe, landing on the sharp, splintered bits of wood from the oar. They stab into her back, but she doesn''t care - in fact, she relishes it. She continues kissing Barns, pushing her tongue into his mouth.


    Barns has no idea what''s happening and his brain is empty. The vague memory of ''I should probably kill her after this'' lingers in his mind as he becomes increasingly wrapped up in the moment.


    Maria drags her teeth against Barns'' throat before grabbing him by the neck and forcing him to look into her eyes. "That all you got?"


    And then Barns and Maria go out of control.


    Nearby, under the water, Clancy stares up at the boat. He notices it rocking back and forth. Still, he trusted Barnacles and would wait for the signal - as soon as Maria was dropped into the water, he would grab her up and hold her under.


    Five more minutes pass. No Maria. Not after ten. Or twenty.


    Clancy blows bubbles. "HUMAN TALK TAKE TOO LONG. SPEAK QUICK BETTER."


    Clancy plays with his pincers. The boat is really rocking now. They must be having an argument.


    "BARNACLES TRY TIP BOAT?"


    After a comically long amount of time, the boat finally stops moving. Clancy readies himself. This might be the moment.


    Back on the surface of the water, Maria is finally ready to talk.


    "I''m scared," Maria admits, buttoning her dress. "I have a life in this post-apocalyptic world. I have purpose and power. I thought if I killed the crab, you''d be out of a job. And I could keep doing what I''ve been doing."


    Barns still isn''t fully sure what just happened. "Well, Clancy is off-limits. If you try anything again, I''ll kill you."


    Maria''s eyes roll to the back of her head. "You''re the first man to ever dare order me around or yell at me," she smirks. "Even my demon lover won''t. He treats me like a Princess."


    "Well, you are a Pri- wait, demon lover!?"


    Maria scoffs. "What, you didn''t think this was my first time, did you?"


    Barns blushes.


    "If you''re serious about saving humanity," Maria starts, "Dimartino Castle has a garrison of three thousand monsters in captivity. But the monsters will be the least of your worries. My demon lover, Osmond - he''ll destroy you. And there will go your dreams - you won''t even leave Dimartino before your story ends."


    "I still have to try. I believe I received these powers for a reason."


    "It''s Osmond''s job to eradicate you. He''s been appointed by the Lord of the Apocalypse himself as ruler of Dimartino. He''ll hunt you."


    "I''m guessing you''re team Osmond too?"


    Maria smiles. "A girl''s got to be able to play both sides. I suppose I wouldn''t mind either of you winning."


    Maria grabs a fistful of Barns'' hair, playfully. "But I do have a castle to get back to. So for now, tonight will be our little secret."


    She exerts impossible strength against Barns, flinging him from the boat into the lagoon. Barns is momentarily stunned, unsure of what just happened.


    He shakes his head under the water. As soon as he gets his bearings, a crab claw grabs him around the waist and drags him below.


    ''Damnit, Clancy! It''s me, not Maria!'' Of course, it''s only what Barns thinks to himself, being unable to breathe underwater.


    Barns stares at his friend and smacks the top of his shell. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "OOPS. WRONG HUMAN."


    Clancy returns Barns to the surface of the water, ready to confront Maria - but to their surprise, she''s gone. All that remains is the canoe.


    "SORRY. BARNACLES SMELLS LIKE EVIL WOMAN."


    Barns smiles weakly. Looking in every direction, he sees no sign of Maria. How in the world did she get out of here without jumping in the water?


    Barns shakes his head. The mysteries continue.


    Barns climbs back into the canoe, noticing a single feather lying on the floor of the boat. A beautiful golden plume. Clancy stays half-submerged in the water, looking up at his human.


    Barns tucks the feather away, for now - but he makes a mental note of it.


    "Dimartino Castle. That''s our next destination. But they''ve got three thousand monsters there. We can''t handle a group that big."


    Clancy thought for a moment, also at a loss. That would be a lot of head-snipping, even for him...


    "Clancy, I think we''re going to have to start an army."

 Chapter 12 - 12: A Quest Has Arrived

    The next morning, Barns has a visitor.


    "Yunie!" he exclaims. Standing before him is the girl who claims to be a Moderator, who he left in charge of the beach village.


    "Master Barnacles, it is good to see you. Things go well at our small village," Yunie smiles. "I came here on other business. Do you remember what I said about Daily Quests?"


    Barns scratches his head. "Maybe?"


    Yunie chuckles and opens up her system menu. She clicks around a few times, and then turns the screen toward Barns.


    "Daily Quest¡­resurrect 50 humans?"


    Yunie blinks slowly. "I think you can see what the issue there is. What''s more - I have dozens of quests."


    She flips through a menu. Gather 50 Oranges. Light the beach bonfire. All sorts of tasks.


    "Before the apocalypse, I was under the impression that I must complete all of my quests, or society would begin to fall apart."


    Barns looks up. "But this is too much for you to do alone."


    "Exactly. Which is why I''m here. Barns, I''d like to start an ''Adventurer''s Guild''. A place I can post these quests, and recruit people to complete them on my behalf. I could share the quest rewards with whoever completes them."


    "Rewards?" Barns has a sparkle in his eye - he always did like treasure.


    "Rare armor, weapons, and items," Yunie confirms. "Every quest is offering something we lack." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is great," Barns says excitedly. "Because it aligns with something else I need to do¡­we should discuss this with the mayor."


    Barns leads Yunie into the town square, where they quickly locate the mayor as he''s overseeing reconstruction efforts in the town.


    "Quinn, just the guy I need to see," Barns says, straightening his belt and standing confidently. "I''m in need of some mercenary action, and Yunie here has something that might make it all work."


    Barns and Yunie begin detailing their vision - A job board where they post Daily Quests for adventurers to compete, and a place for Barns to recruit those with a bit of experience to fight for him.


    Quinn is more of a symbolic leader than an actual one, so he''s quick to agree with Barns. Then, they officially announce and open the ''Adventurers Guild''. They manage to get all of their quests picked up by eager citizens ready to contribute. All but the one Barns is taking.


    "Resurrect fifty humans. I can do it, no problem. We need to boost our numbers, anyway. The enemy has 3,000 monsters at his disposal."


    Yunie bows graciously. "I would like to provide you with a map. It pre-dates the apocalypse, but it shows where all of the existing settlements were in Dimartino. Those are likely to be monster camps."


    Barns gratefully accepts the map. Now he''ll have an idea of how to navigate Dimartino.


    "How many people can this town handle right now, Quinn?" Barns wonders. He''d resurrect all he could, but he didn''t want to overwhelm the town. Worst case scenario, he can help people form smaller communities like the beachside village.


    Quinn beams. "As many as possible! Truly, we could grow to four thousand and still have room, especially if we expand outward!"


    Yunie makes a suggestion. "We should prioritize settling the land between here and the beachside village. A consistent line of property will make it so monsters cannot separate us or attack those who are traveling."


    Barns taps his fist to his palm. "That''s a great idea, Yunie!"


    The trio wraps up their conversation, each one splitting off to their respective jobs. Quinn will continue overseeing reconstruction, and will provide orientation for any new souls that Barns revives. Yunie will take over the running of the Adventurer''s Guild from an abandoned corporate building near town square.


    "We''ll need to form some sort of economy as well," Yunie realizes. "We can''t just give out gold and rare items without any sort of trade system established. Thankfully I have the perfect idea¡­"


    Yunie points out a location on the map. It''s not too far from here - a village of artisans and merchants. Yunie assumes that many of the monsters camping out in the village ruins will be those very same artisans once they''re resurrected.


    Barns finds Clancy after the conversation. The crab is loitering behind the hotel, looking dejected.


    "NO TRUST. NO LOVE."


    Barns pats Clancy on the shell. The two didn''t need a lot of context or words to communicate. Barns knew what was bothering Clancy just by the look in his beady eyes - he was sad that prostitutes tried to boil him alive the day before. Now, he couldn''t trust any prostitutes at all.


    "I know what will cheer you up, King. Let''s go on an adventure and save some more of the world!"


    Clancy clacks his claws together and does a sideways dance, shaking his crab hips to an unheard beat.


    The two set out toward the artisan village - it takes them only a couple hours to arrive. Clancy is quick on his feet and Barns has great stamina from all his training growing up with a crab.


    Barns readies his Shock Hammer as they approach the village. A two-handed hammer wasn''t his preferred weapon, but this one was too good to give up.


    The village of artisans seems to be occupied by one specific type of monster - scaly, diminutive lizard people with long dextrous hands. They have long snouts like a tyrannosaurus and walk with a hunch.


    "KOBOLD MONSTER. MOST TASTY I''VE TRIED."


    Barns furrows his brow. "We''re not here to eat them, King."


    "MAYBE JUST ONE?"


    Barns thinks through his plan of attack. Just like in Dimartino''s main town, the monsters are wholly unprepared for his arrival. Seems news of the ''legendary hero'' hasn''t reached everywhere.


    The kobolds are only about half as tall as Barns, but there were a lot of them. The Shock Hammer would come in handy here for sure.


    Barns signals to Clancy. They''ll do a pincer attack on the main horde simultaneously. Barns will go in first with the hammer, shocking and demolishing any who get close. The other kobolds will likely run - right into Clancy, hiding in wait with a copious amount of foam.


    "I LOVE PINCER ATTACK."


    The two temporarily split, getting into position. Barns clutches his hammer and takes a deep breath.


    As soon as he starts to charge, he realizes that the kobolds are more clever than he gave them credit for.

 Chapter 13 - 13: Getting Harder

    Barns doesn''t make it ten feet before he falls victim to a snare trap. He''s yanked into the air, suspended by one leg, and an alarm rings.


    ''Damn it,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Should have figured artisan monsters would have tricks up their sleeves.''


    The kobolds stand at attention, readying their weapons and rousing their kin. Clancy darts along the battlefield sideways, abandoning the original plan. He clips Barns'' snare before the kobolds can reach him.


    Barns collects himself. Standing side-by-side with Clancy, he feels as invincible as he could.


    "Aah!" Barns shouts, slamming the Shock Hammer into the ground as soon as the first wave of kobolds approaches. The hammer ejects lightning - shocking and frying the first few. Barns swings the hammer again and smashes it into an incoming kobold, knocking the life right out of it.


    Clancy covers Barns with a claw as the kobolds reach them in force. They primarily use spears, and they continue to try to break through Clancy''s shell.


    Clancy retaliates while defending, letting a stream of cleansing foam fall over the area. He catches a few kobolds in it - burning the evil out of them and killing them. The rest of the kobolds wise up and form a wide circle, keeping their distance.


    Barns feels nervous - a jolt of anxiety - as he sees the kobolds readying their ranged weapons. Several ready their bows. At close proximity like this, he and Clancy were sitting ducks.


    "Any neat tricks you''ve been holding out on?" Barns says, turning to his crab.


    "BEHEADING."


    Barns braces his hammer. "Really puts a damper on things, huh?"


    He charges at one of the nearest archers, dodging the first arrow as it propels toward him and knocking the kobold back twenty feet with the intensity of his swing.


    At that moment, Barns stumbles back. One of the other archers has hit their mark. An arrow embeds itself in the back of Barns'' leg, and he falls.


    "BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts, but the crab can''t run to his defense. He''s fending off kobolds and a volley of arrows. The kobolds focus their attention on Clancy - they see him as a bigger threat. The crab struggles to skewer the kobolds - they''re far too little for him to pinpoint. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A wave of emotions comes over Barns. This was just like last time. That day, in the burning city¡­


    ¡­


    He stood at the train station with Violetta. She was the greatest hero of their time - A disciple of the Secret Arts who hailed from the ''Seraph Village''. With her Secret Art, she was able to manifest magic into any form, shape, or element she desired.


    "It''ll be here any minute, Lain." Violetta looked to him and smiled nervously.


    ''That''s right, I used to be ''Lain''. I''ve been Barnacles for so long I almost forgot.''


    But before the train arrived, they were attacked - by one of the Keepers of the Apocalypse.


    "Aha. And who do I find here but Violetta Stalve. I knew I''d find you here. I just met your friend not long ago. Mina, was it?"


    Violetta''s sword flashed into her hand quicker than lightning. "What have you done to Mina!?"


    The Keeper shrugged with a smile. He was a short man, covered in a ratty cloak. His face was big and bug-eyed, his skin a swampy green.


    "I freed her from her mortal limits."


    "Damned monster, I''ve had enough of you!"


    Violetta swung her sword at the Keeper, but he teleported backward, completely dodging her attack. But she was no slouch - she let go of the sword in her hand mid-swing and used her own magic to send it flying toward the Keeper. He raised his arms into the air and a pillar of skeletal figures erupted from the ground to shield him.


    Lain stepped up to assist, but as he did, a skeletal hand grabbed him from below. He kicked it away, but the moment''s hesitation was enough to distract him.


    A new enemy came from above, slashing Lain''s arm as it landed gracefully next to its master. Lain recognized it. It was a vampire - a human who willingly accepted monstrous evil into their body.


    "We need to get out of here," Violetta shouted. Another vampire landed nearby. They were outnumbered.


    Just then, the train began to come into view, speeding along the tracks. It was running out of control - and it wouldn''t be stopping for them. But Violetta, like always, had a plan.


    They made it on the train in a flash, Violetta used her Secret Arts to create a dynamic explosion at the platform and lift the duo onto the train. But as they speeded away, Lain''s grievous injury became apparent.


    The same injury that would cause him to use ''Rebirth Flame'' against the Medusa.


    ¡­


    Barns snaps back to reality. Would he have to use Rebirth Flame here again to save Clancy? He was injured - there''s no way he''d be able to walk on that leg with an arrow sticking through it.


    But Clancy fought on. Like a hibachi chef, he uses his pincers to slice, dice, and toss the kobolds around, all while their arrows uselessly deflect off of Clancy''s shell. Barns stays down and finds cover. He''d just have to let Clancy solo this one.


    A burst of foam. Some bubbles. At one point, a kobold head flies through the air along with a booming ''OOPS'' from Clancy.


    It doesn''t take long for the crab to finish clearing out the group. He scuttles nervously over to Barns.


    "BARNACLES DYING?"


    Barns laughs it off. "I hope not. You don''t think kobolds use poison, do you?"


    Clancy shoots out a bit of foam onto Barns'' leg and carefully removes the arrow. Barns looks in shock as the foam puffs up around his wound, sealing it almost instantly. In fact, Barns hardly feels any pain at all.


    "Your foam¡­heals?" Barns says, amazed. Although it makes sense. If the foam can heal the world, why couldn''t it heal his leg?


    "Geez, I thought we were in a lot more trouble than this. Thanks, Clancy!"


    Barns struggles to his feet. While the wound may be healing quickly, it''s still not comfortable putting pressure on it.


    "Can you foam everyone up? I''ll perform the resurrection."


    Barns begins to make preparations as Clancy hoses down the rest of the area. In moments, humans start to arise from the fallen kobolds, born anew.


    As the humans get their bearings, Clancy returns to Barns'' side. Barns looks to his crab in thought.


    "It was amazing how you could block all of their attacks, Clancy. I wish I could do that."


    "I CAN TEACH SECRET CRAB SKILL."


    Barns'' eyes shimmer. "You think you can teach me how to get hard like you?"


    Poor word choice aside, Barns did know the skill existed. He remembered it being called ''Harden Body'', and it was a possible skill with his Crab Affinity. Theoretically, he could learn it if he trained.


    "WE START GETTING HARDER TOMORROW."


    Barns nods, tapping Clancy on the claw. "A life-saver as always, Clancy. Now let''s get these people back to Dimartino."


    Barns glances down. He''d hardly noticed the system message that appeared in front of him.


    [Progress: 461/1000000]


    Still a long way to go¡­but that meant they revived a little over fifty people today. That should satisfy Yunie''s quest.


    Barns clears his throat, and then readies himself for another of his awkward speeches.


    "Hello, everyone," he starts. "My name is Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. Me and my crab Clancy here, we''re the legendary heroes who are going to reset the apocalypse!"

 Chapter 14 - 14: Underhill

    "I got your merchants," Barns says as he limps into town. His leg is still not back to 100%, and it was a long walk.


    Yunie looks up with delight. "Ah! And we successfully finished all of our daily quests! In fact, we received something quite special, and I was wondering¡­"


    Yunie walks back toward a large table covered in armor and weapons. She picks up a sword with a blue hilt and an orange blade and walks it over to Barns.


    "Check this out!" Yunie''s face is aglow. "An A Rank Sword. It''s called ''Crashing Wave''. Sounds like something a legendary hero would have, hmm?"


    Barns reaches for the sword, but Yunie snatches it away. "Nuh-uh! We have an adventurer who prefers to fight with hammers, and I already promised him a good one in exchange for this sword. So what do you think? Can we make a trade?"


    "What did you need the merchants for? You seem to be managing this all perfectly!"


    Yunie smiles brightly at Barns, and puts her hands on his hammer. "I take it we have a deal?"


    "Deal."


    Barns gives up the Shock Hammer in exchange for ''Crashing Wave''. It''s also A Rank, but it''s a sword - something he much prefers.


    A system message appears as Barns holds the blade.


    [Congratulations! You have acquired A Rank Weapon - Crashing Wave.


    Special Ability: By using the hilt as a trigger, you can launch water blades.]


    ''Whoa!'' Barns thought. ''That''s a way cooler ability!''


    Barns puts his new toy aside, looking back at Yunie. "Can I leave these guys to you?" He points to the group of fifty-odd artisans and merchants he resurrected from the kobolds.


    Yunie claps her hands together. "Oh yes, of course! I''ll give these folks an orientation they''ll never forget!"


    "GIFT FOR ME?" Clancy asks, scuttling around Yunie''s station.


    Barns gives Yunie a thumbs-up and walks away, leaving her to deal with Clancy. It was getting late, and he could use the rest.


    Clancy clicks again. "GIFT FOR MIGHTY CRAB."


    Yunie smiles awkwardly, looking back at Barns. He was already out of earshot.


    "Uh¡­of course, Mr. Crab."


    "CLANCY!"


    "Mr. Clancy, sir," she corrects herself. She looks back at the rack of weapons. "Actually, I might have something for you¡­but it would only work on a special occasion."


    Yunie leads Clancy toward the back, showing off a massive cannon - one that fires heavy artillery.


    "Perhaps we can turn you into a tank when we attack the castle? Hehe¡­"


    Clancy excitedly insists that they try the cannon out immediately - though Yunie talks him out of it for tonight at least.


    Once Clancy''s dreams of becoming a crustacean cannon are scuttled, he skitters onto the main street and finally allows Yunie to begin her orientation with the artisans. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unlike Barns, the crab wasn''t ready to turn in for the night. Clancy looked at the lights and the bustle, wondering where his adventures would take him.


    He doesn''t get more than ten feet when an unfamiliar figure bumps into him.


    "Heya, crab-guy. You must be the one in charge around here, huh? I saw you with Barnabas or whatever."


    Clancy looks at the man speaking, clicking his claws together nervously. Clancy wasn''t great with surprise interactions.


    "BARNACLES. BEST FRIEND. CO-LEADER."


    "Yeah, yeah," the sneaky man says, nodding along. "You seem like the one to know around here, for a sensibly-minded gentleman such as myself."


    The man sounds like a rough-around-the-edges chimneysweep orphan when he talks, with a splash of mafioso.


    "See, I''m one of them merchants, and I see what you''re doin'' around here. Rebuildin'' society, that ain''t no easy work, eh? That''s where I come in. See, you''re gonna need a master economist runnin'' the show. And it just so happens, I''m your guy."


    Clancy clicks his pincers.


    "NOT ME. HUMANS DECIDE."


    The man shook his head and clicks his tongue. "See, I knew you were gonna say that. But the thing is, crab guy, you have pull too. So what do you say? You put a good word in for me when the time comes, yeah? The name''s Underhill."


    The man taps the tip of his cane on the crab''s shell. "You think about it. I''ve got an orientation to catch, crab guy."


    On that note, ''Underhill'' stalks off, joining the rest of his fellow artisans and merchants with Yunie.


    ¡­


    The next day, Barns is up bright and early. He sees the daily quests for the morning have already been posted, and he recognizes many of the artisans from yesterday hard at work.


    He looks around the town. It''s only been a few days, but already it has come so far. The auto-homes generated by the system had been a huge help too. Not only do they keep the monsters away, but they come with many critical supplies.


    Barns doesn''t see Clancy around, but he''s not worried. When his Crab Affinity became A Rank, he started being able to sense Clancy''s presence. It''s faint, but he can tell Clancy''s scuttling through town somewhere.


    Barns walks to the pier and remembers Maria.


    "Wonder what she''s up to now," he mumbles to himself. It might be a while before he''s able to launch an assault on the castle. He wouldn''t mind if she came for another visit before then.


    Barns shook his head. ''No, Barns. That was a one-and-done situation. She''s insane!''


    As he''s standing there, he feels something tug at his sleeve. He turns his head and sees two children looking up at him, eyes full of awe.


    "Mister, are you the legendary hero?"


    Barns looks back and smiles. He hadn''t realized there were children among the resurrected. Did they stop aging when they became monsters?


    "That''s me."


    Barns'' eyes narrow for a moment. These weren''t evil pretend children, were they? They had no aura of bloodlust - he could tell from his Crab Intuition.


    "Mommy said you saved the world! Thank you, Mister Hero!"


    "Thank you!" the other kid said.


    Barns smiles. He''d been so caught up in his mission, that he hadn''t spoken to many of the citizens directly. It warmed Barns'' heart to see the admiration on the children''s faces - to see that, one step at a time, he was making a real impact.


    On that note, it was time to go. Barns had work to do. And a new skill to train.

 Chapter 15 - 15: New Message

    Barns meets Clancy at a waterfall on the outskirts of town, where the crab had insisted they begin Barns'' ''Harden Body'' training. It''s a calm place - except for the sound of the roaring waterfall - and filled with the bounties of the jungle. Barns picks a banana off a tree and starts eating it as Clancy tries to explain the plan over the sound of falling water.


    "BARNACLES MUST¡­ILL¡­WATER!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns sighs. This was going to take a while.


    "Gonna need you to repeat that, King!" he roars at the top of his lungs. Next to a raging waterfall was not an ideal place to have a conversation.


    Clancy scuttles around frustratedly. "BE STILL IN THE WATER!"


    Barns throws the banana peel aside. "Do what now?" he asks, stepping as close to his crab''s mouth as he could.


    "BARNACLES. UNDER THE FALL WATER. NO MOTION."


    "You want me to get completely still, while standing under the waterfall?"


    Clancy clicked in agreement.


    Barnacles looks out at the water. It was a powerful cascade. He''d get swept up if he tried to stand under it.


    "If this is the way, I guess I''ll give it a shot."


    Barnacles walks to the edge of the water and sticks his hand in.


    "It''s cold!" Barnacles exclaims, reaching his hand back. Cold, but not freezing. He could survive the temperature. But could he survive the force?


    Clancy remains a moderate distance from the water, clicking his pincer claws in anticipation, and staring blankly ahead.


    Barns wades into the river. Thankfully, it wasn''t too deep - he''s able to keep most of his torso above the water. But the barrage of the waterfall is endless and forces him down under the water.


    Barns swims to the river bank, soaking wet and without a drop of progress.


    ''This seems impossible,'' Barns thinks, ''But King believes I can do it. So I''m going to just have to figure it out!''


    And so Barns tries again, and again, and again - not to much avail. The last time he tries, he lasts five minutes before the force of the water overwhelms him. Although, he was still not great at being ''still'' either. Between the struggling from the water and the shivering, being ''still'' feels like it could be years off.


    ''But I can''t wait that long. I need to master this technique before we attack the castle.''


    Barns spends much of the morning training under the waterfall, and the afternoon exploring town. The artisans have begun work on a variety of projects. Quinn reports that the town''s citizens are in good spirits, and Yunie has had another successful day running the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Clancy receives an earnest apology from the two prostitutes who attempted to have him boiled alive. They said they were only following Princess Maria''s wishes. Also, much to Clancy''s chagrin, they announced their retirement from prostitution - they will now be working directly with Yunie at the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "All seems well in Dimartino," Barns smiles, looking around town from a rooftop. It''s still a rowdy place - alcohol and other vices roam freely - but it feels like a community. Like home.


    Barns chuckles. Home. He was the only one who didn''t get a ''home'', since he was never ''resurrected''. ''I suppose I don''t need a home. My destiny is to travel and save the world.''


    Still, it would be nice to have a place to come back to. Barns and Clancy stay at the hotel in town - but that was a low-priority building for restoration since everyone else had their own homes. As such it was dark, dusty, and felt a little haunted.


    The next day, Barns and Clancy took a break from training to visit a small settlement near the castle. One of the Adventurer Guild''s scouts noted that about thirty goblins were camping out.


    It was the perfect opportunity for Barns to test out his new weapon - Crashing Wave. The sword had a unique power to launch water blades, and he needed to do some target practice.


    Barns and Clancy snuck up on the goblin camp, and he opened with his new technique. He flails his sword madly while using the hilt as a trigger. Thin blades of water manifest at the tip of his sword and fly toward the goblins, slicing all that are hit into ribbons. Each blade is like a shuriken made of water. He aims for each goblin one by one as they try to run away - but their camp walls are too high for them to climb. They''re trapped.


    He picks off every last goblin with his water blades before looking back at his sword in awe. ''Who needs another skill? This is awesome!''


    Though he figured it would not do well against armored foes. These goblins are wearing rags and have no defenses whatsoever.


    After a good foaming, it''s time for the resurrection. Barns brings the people back and gives a much refined, condensed version of his speech:


    "Hello, mortals! I am the great Barnacles, and I have come to save your souls. Follow me to Dimartino, where I have rebuilt civilization."


    [Progress: 499/1000000]


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Dimartino Castle:


    Maria lays curled up in a plush armchair, flicking at the System Logs when she sees the notification.


    [User:UNDEFINED has made progress on Quest ''Restore Humanity''. (499/1000000)]


    "That little bastard might actually do it," Maria says aloud.


    She rose from her chair, looking around. Dimartino Castle was the same as it was six years ago, before becoming overwhelmed by the apocalypse. Maria made Osmond create a staff of monsters to keep the place tidy and functional. Most of the staff were skeletons - their inoffensive smell and tactile fingers made them good workers.


    She grabs her coat from a skeletal arm and steps onto the balcony, overlooking the gardens. This was the view that changed the most. She remembers when the view was that of a beautiful hedge maze, rose gardens, and a recreational field. Now, this is where the horde of 3,000 monsters they''ve accumulated reside.


    Maria bites her lip, eyes dropping to her feet. Even she lost something to the apocalypse - her beautiful, timeless garden was in ruins.


    ''If Barnacles wins, could even my garden grow again?'' Maria muses to herself.


    The thought is interrupted when the doors leading inside open again. Osmond steps out onto the balcony, joining Maria and tenderly putting his arm around her waist.


    "Hello, my love," Osmond says sweetly, smelling her hair. "I think it''s time we talk strategy. Half of our camps in Dimartino have already been hit. I give it a week or two before that hero is at our doorstep."


    "As I''ve told you, the boy has a crab. He values that thing more than humanity itself."


    "It''s all well and good to destroy his future, but what about after? He''ll hit us with personal vengeance, then. Neither side will win."


    Maria rolls her eyes. She didn''t make it as far as she did by formulating military strategy - she clung to others who could protect her and give her power.


    "Look, Osmond, I don''t know," she frets, running her hand through her hair and stepping away from him. The stress of what might happen was getting to her.


    "Do you¡­want me to tie you up?" Osmond offers.


    "No, I do not want you to TIE ME UP," Maria snarls. "I want you to figure out what the best future for me is."


    Osmond pauses. "The best future¡­for you?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. "Look, Oz. Maybe we just let him win¡­"


    Osmond grits his teeth. "No, Maria, maybe we don''t. I''m not sure if you noticed this, but I''M a demon. He''s coming here to kill ME."


    Maria pouts. "Why''s it always about you?"


    Osmond is about to pull his hair out. "What are you talking about!?" he cries. "I did all of this for you! I''m not like the other monsters, Maria. I was chosen by the Lord of the Apocalypse himself. I am a pure demon! Once I die, there''s no resurrecting me back!"


    Maria straightens herself. She knew it already - that there was no middle ground. Osmond lives, Barns dies. Or¡­the opposite. She was the only one who got to straddle the line between.


    "You''ll have to figure it out yourself, Osmond, he''s not coming here to kill me."


    "Maria!" he pleads. "What happened? You were so excited when he arrived. You were going to boil the crab, and -"


    "I told you I tried," Maria says defensively. "They figured out the plan and foiled it. Then they figured me out and I had to escape."


    Osmond buries his face in his hands. "You know, fine. I''ll figure it out, Maria. I am going to figure this out."


    He starts pacing, mumbling to himself. Maria''s attention fades away from him as she notices a message appear. One she''s never seen anything like.


    [One New Message from: Zelia]


    ''What''s this, now? Who''s Zelia?'' Maria wonders, her eyebrows raising slowly. She clicks on the message, and a long wall of text appears in front of her.


    Maria gasps.

 Chapter 16 - 16: Dances with Demons

    Barns continued to train every other day - alternating with his days rescuing humans, and never taking a break day to himself.


    He would start standing under the waterfall early in the morning, and go on until the sun began to set. He''d grown used to the temperature, and no longer shivered - staying completely still, however, proved evasive. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In time, he and Clancy began to bring ''Adventurers'' with them to clear camps. The Adventurers got much-needed combat experience, and it made Barns'' job easier. More and more humans were resurrected, until eventually Dimartino was free of monsters - except for the castle, of course. The horde of 3,000 waited there patiently - they would defend the castle until the end of time.


    [Progress: 954/1000000]


    ''Almost at a thousand,'' Barns murmured to himself. ''Hard to believe we''ve done all this work and we''re not even at a thousand¡­''


    Anyone who could be saved right now was saved, and the town of Dimartino was bustling with life. All 955 people (plus one crab) worked hard daily to contribute to the revival of humanity. Farms were established, as were orchards. Wild animals were hunted and captured for meat, and artisans rebuilt the technology and tools at their disposal. Merchants established an economy, and many chose to earn their coin through Adventuring tasks.


    The population kept growing, and as it did, Yunie received more and more Daily Quests from the system. Resources were flowing freely - rare weapons, items, and specialty cuisine were just some of the various rewards Yunie received.


    One day, as Barns was continuing his waterfall training, a meeting was held to discuss the future of the economy. Barns decided to sit it out, and let Clancy represent them both at the meeting. Barns didn''t care what happened with the economy - isn''t that what the merchants were for?


    At the meeting, Yunie, Quinn, and Clancy convened to talk about the future of the merchants.


    "It''s all getting too much for me to manage," Yunie complained. "With the guild growing as it has been. I spent over half my day at the exchange, and can barely get my quests posted when I come in every morning."


    Clancy clicked his claws, recalling an earlier conversation with the shady merchant Underhill.


    "FRIENDLY MAN UNDERHILL MERCHANT. OFFERED TO LEAD."


    Yunie was getting quite good at deciphering Clancy''s reductive thoughts. "Hmm, yes. Underhill, I know him. But he gives off a certain¡­unsettling vibe, to me."


    Quinn narrowed his eyes. "To me as well. That man is more ambitious than he''ll ever be loyal."


    Clancy shimmied back and forth. "NO EVIL INTENT." All Clancy could tell was that Underhill wasn''t trying to kill anyone - not necessarily his other duplicitous motives.


    Yunie seemed surprised. "Is that what Barns wants? Underhill in charge of the markets?"


    Clancy felt defensive. It was just as Underhill suggested several days ago - his opinion as King Crab wasn''t valued.


    "BARNACLES TRUST ME."


    Quinn checked the time on his watch like he had places to be. He was busy with the growing town as well.


    "Hey, if the hero wants Underhill, it''s Underhill," Quinn confirmed. "Yunie, can you reach out and get him trained in what you need him to take over?"


    "Of course," Yunie said, speaking her words hesitantly. Underhill was far from her first choice, but the hero duo must have seen something she could not.


    After that, Underhill became the new ''Master Economist'' for the burgeoning kingdom, and Yunie shifted her responsibility to the Adventurer''s Guild full-time.


    ¡­


    One day, about two weeks into his training, Barns has a breakthrough.


    It''s almost as if he loses consciousness for a second - but for a brief moment, Barns doesn''t feel the water on his skin at all. The surprise causes him to shift his weight, and he''s immediately sucked into the water.


    Barns resurfaces, spitting water out of his mouth. ''What was that?'' he thought to himself.


    Time was rapidly approaching - the longer they waited to attack the castle, the worse off they were, now. There was also the looming threat that Osmond may try to attack the town pre-emptively, now that he''s been surrounded. Barns knew he had to finish his training quickly.


    Without letting himself think, he tried again.


    It takes him nearly thirty minutes to build up the concentration required - but eventually, he manages to perfectly steel himself. Again, the water bounces off his skin. For a full five seconds, he feels nothing at all. His entire body is infused with energy, and his skin is hard as a rock.


    When the five seconds are over, so too does his shield end. As he stands in the water, a notification appears before him:


    [Congratulations! Your Crab Affinity has granted you the following skill:


    Harden Body - You will gain the ability to harden your body like a crab''s shell. You can only use this for five seconds, and it takes five seconds to recharge after use.]


    Barns reads the message over and over again excitedly. Then, he simply wills himself to use the ability. In a flash, his body becomes impervious to everything around him. Now he can activate it at will.


    ''I''ll be way stronger now,'' he thinks to himself. ''For half the time, I''ll be invincible.''


    He jogs back to town, eager to tell Clancy of his accomplishment. Little does he know, someone else is also tuned in to his accomplishments.


    Far away, Maria stares at a painting of the late king as she stands in the main hall of Dimartino Castle. She swirls a glass of red wine in her hand, her drink the same color as her beautiful long gown.


    Maria dismisses the message. "Crab Affinity. What a joke." Her bravado does little to conceal the unease apparent in her - the slight tremble of her hand, the nervous tapping of her foot.


    She sets the wine aside, handing it to a skeletal butler who waits at her beck and call. She lifts her dress and strolls into a ballroom, where Osmond is awaiting. As she enters, the skeleton band begins playing a lovely song that echoes throughout the entire ballroom. All the tables and chairs have been cleared out - the room is ready for dancing.


    Osmond puts his arm around Maria''s waist and they begin to flit about the dance floor. They dance like this at least once a week - a romantic hobby they''d started years ago, but now left Maria wanting more.


    Maria, resplendent in crimson, glides across the marble floor like a fiery phoenix reborn, while Osmond, with his horned shadow and demonic visage, follows her steps with careful grace. Beauty and the Demon, entwined in a tragic waltz.


    As she spirals around the ballroom, she thinks about Barns. In just three weeks, he''s come such a long way. He really might have what it takes to save humanity.


    Her mind shifts. She has skeletons in her basement - family members that were changed and restrained. Even they could be brought back¡­


    As Osmond leans Maria back, tipping her theatrically, he holds her pose for a moment. He stares into her eyes - she''s avoiding eye contact with him. Osmond has known Maria for a long time, and he can see through her like this.


    "What''s on your mind, my dove?"


    Maria looks at him. "The hero has finished his training. I expect their attack any day now."


    Osmond closes his eyes knowingly. "I see. This may be our last dance, then."


    Maria laughs. "Don''t say it like that, Oz." Though she tries to brush it off, Osmond''s demonic heart hangs heavy in his pale chest. The feeling that Maria''s love is conditional - that he is expendable.


    "All I want is for you to be happy, Maria. Whatever makes you happiest - that is what we shall do."


    The two continue dancing, but a solemn tone lingers over them for the rest of the evening. When they finally adjourn to bed, there''s no bondage to speak of. Just two people lying side by side, but they couldn''t feel further apart from one another.


    As Osmond''s breathing steadies and he falls asleep, Maria navigates to her System Messages and looks over the message she received from Zelia again.


    ''Do you want to have your cake and eat it too?'' the message starts. ''Then follow my instructions exactly.''


    She continues to scan through the message. If this is what she needs to do¡­then she is resolved. She couldn''t think for Barns'' sake - nor for Osmond''s. Her battle was a selfish one, and she was about to play her hand.

 Chapter 17 - 17: The War Room

    The time has finally come, and Barns finds himself on the eve of their castle raid. The leaders of Dimartino assemble together at the Adventurer''s Guild to go over their final plan.


    They had intended to use a conference room for the meeting, but Clancy''s presence necessitated something a little larger. As such, those gathered in attendance stand around a pool table on the hotel''s first floor.


    "We have seventy-four signed up with the Adventurer''s Guild who will participate in the battle," Yunie states. "Four of them have A Rank weapons, and several others have at least B Rank equipment."


    Barns is lost in thought for a moment. He didn''t have ANY equipment yet. Maybe he should do some more of Yunie''s quests¡­


    "We got the artisans ready to wallop too - we got forty explosives made, all packed up nice with that crab foam."


    Barns looks over at the speaker. "Who are you?" he asks.


    Yunie interjects. "This is Underhill. You and Clancy recommended him to run our economy."


    Barns sticks his bottom lip out. "Oh, okay."


    Underhill smiles crookedly. "That''s right, hero boy. Clancy over here and I really hit it off, y''know? And not to toot my horn, but since I''ve been takin'' charge, our productivity has doubled!"


    "So, forty bombs, seventy-four Adventurers. Then me, and Clancy."


    "We''ve also rigged and fitted a cannon for Clancy to use during the battle. We''ll be launching our foam bombs from him."


    Barns looks over to his crab and punches at him playfully. "Dang, Clancy, you''ve been busy while I''ve been training! Making friends, building war machines!"


    "DEFEAT EVIL WOMAN. NEVER BOIL AGAIN."


    "I see, you have a vendetta. Well, that''s understandable."


    Barns thinks about Maria for a moment. He wasn''t sure if ''defeating'' her was necessary - after all, she and Barns seem to have a bit of mutual attraction. Barns was still holding out hope that the Princess would join their side once they claim victory.


    "She might be evil now, but I haven''t lost faith in her," Barns informs the group. "If we can take her alive, then we will. Her knowledge of Dimartino and the castle should be invaluable to us."


    Underhill cackles. "Yeah, I been thinkin'' the same thing. Seems it''s best for both of us if that Princess stays kickin'', hm?"


    The comment catches Barns off guard. Underhill was one of the merchants, and was resurrected after Maria left town. They shouldn''t have ever come across each other.


    ''More like ''Underhanded'','' Barns thinks to himself, watching the dark-haired young man as he plays with a gilded cane. He didn''t appear too much older than Barns.


    ''Still, if Clancy trusts him, what can I say? King''s a good judge of character.''


    The only person at the pool table that hadn''t yet spoken was Quinn, mayor of the town. He takes advantage of the momentary downtime to get his piece in.


    "The town will be vigilantly defended while the attack force assaults the castle," Quinn smiles. "And in the case of our defeat, escape routes are already secured with a plan to fall back to the shoreline."


    Barns nods, mostly ignoring him. "The main goal of this assault is for me to reach the demon Osmond. He commands all of the monsters in Dimartino, and he''s in love with Maria. So we have two choices. One, I capture Maria and force Osmond to stand down with his army, or two - I kill Osmond and we isolate the horde, taking them out slow and steady."


    Barns reflects on his words. Option one was his preferred, of course - but Maria was no slouch. Capturing her would be difficult, and even restrained she''s dangerous.


    Yunie agrees with the plan. "Our Adventurers will focus on keeping the monsters tied up at chokepoints, not to engage the horde. Clancy will create a perimeter of foam which should force the monsters to funnel elsewhere."


    "INDISPENSABLE DISPENSER!" Clancy beats the top of his shell with his pincers, putting on a good show of savagery.


    Underhill finds room for an underhanded comment. "Crab guy, you don''t ever run out of foam, do you?"


    As Clancy tries to explain to no avail, some key features of his ability become clear. Clancy can absorb and convert moisture in the atmosphere into foam. As such, anywhere with adequate ''wetness'' would allow Clancy to create foam indefinitely. Dimartino was a hot, sweaty jungle - the perfect place to foam.


    The group discusses some of the finer points of the strategy, and once they are all in agreement on the game plan, they leave the room and relay information to the expectant Adventurers outside.


    Yunie points out a couple of Adventurers that she wants to introduce Barns to. They''re standing by the Daily Quest board, having a conversation with each other.


    "Hello!" Yunie says meekly, butting into their conversation. "This is the legendary hero, Barnacles. I wanted you both to meet him. Barnacles, these two will form the cornerstone of the Adventurer''s Guild assault. They''re highly skilled - oh! But I should let them introduce themselves."


    "Sup, mate?" the first says, offering to shake Barns'' hand. "Godrick. Pleasure to meetcha. Not from here meself, come all this way from Bravura. Picked a bad time to end up on holiday, ended up dead in a ditch and then I was an orc or somethin''. Saw you way back at the beachside village, I did!"


    Barns smiles back at the man. In his past life, he fought alongside several warriors from Bravura. It was a fairly isolated island nation with several communities of Secret Arts users who specialized in ''Blade Dancing''. The man, Godrick, has a sword on each hip, two more on his back, and a dagger strapped to his arm. This guy knows how to Blade Dance.


    His companion introduces herself next. "Hello, Mr. Barns," she says sweetly. Barns'' ears perk up - finally someone was using his nickname! sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just ''Barns'' is okay. What''s your name?" he asks, shaking her hand.


    "Haima. I''m a Secret Arts practitioner, but¡­"


    "But your Arts are a secret, yeah?" Barns winks. "Don''t worry, I get it. I also come from a Secret Village."


    She nods dutifully. "I can control monsters. Two or three at a time. I''ll force them to fight each other in the siege, and cause chaos in their ranks."


    "That will be a great help, Haima. Thank you."


    "Of course, Mr. Barns! It will be a pleasure to fight alongside you!" She gives Barns a salute.


    Barns taps her on the shoulder and addresses both Adventurers. "I''m going to rely on you both tomorrow. Try and get some rest, now. We''re leaving before first light."


    The two walk off happily. Haima is gushing over how cool it was to talk to the legendary hero in person.


    Yunie and Barns stand side by side, watching them trot off.


    "I estimate each of them could fell a hundred monsters at least. The bombs we have, another three hundred. And the rest of our Adventurers should be good for two to three hundred total as well, at minimum."


    Barns bites his lip - a habit of his. "We''ll be up against three thousand. But there''s nothing else we can do. There''s no leaving Dimartino without sieging the castle."


    Yunie agrees. The only road out of the kingdom of Dimartino was north of the castle. They''d be at Osmond''s mercy if they tried to sneak through - especially with a crowd of humans in tow. The rest of Dimartino was surrounded by open sea.


    "I hate to say it, but the outcome of this battle rests fully on you."


    Barns gulps. "I know. And that''s why I''m sure we''ll win!"


    In typical Barns fashion, he can''t leave the conversation on a dramatic high note.


    "Oh, by the way. You got any equipment I can have?"


    Yunie smirks. "I have just the thing, now that you mention it."

 Chapter 18 - 18: The Battle for Dimartino, Part 1

    It''s around four in the morning when Princess Maria first sees the flicker of torchlight from the forest. The time had finally come.


    Maria turns to her lover, the demon Osmond. He lay in their bed, still soundly asleep.


    "Osmond, my love. Wake up. It''s time."


    Osmond rises from the silken sheets in one fluid motion, his mind fully awake. Cracked lines over his skin begin to shimmer with a purple glow.


    "It''s time to end this heroic farce," Osmond growls. His voice, groveling and authoritative, causes Maria to squeeze her legs together in anticipation.


    "Unf. Just promise me. If you''re in danger, you''ll retreat to the castle. We can lure the hero inside and fight him two-on-one."


    Osmond scoops Maria''s pale fingers in his and kisses the back of her hand. "My love, you have nothing to fear. Leaving you alone in this world is a cruelty I could never unleash upon you."


    Maria smiles. "Then knock ''em dead."


    Osmond grabs his staff and throws a coat on over his bare torso.


    "Dead they shall be."


    As Osmond leaves the room, Maria immediately rolls over and opens up her System menu. Zelia gave her highly specific instructions to follow. All she had to do now was wait for the right moment.


    ¡­


    The Adventurers, led by Barns, line up outside the castle gate. The hero steps in front of them, holding a torch up into the darkness. From above, he can see the visage of a demon bearing down on him.


    "You must be Osmond!" Barns calls. "I''ve heard great things about you!"


    The demon scoffs. "Don''t tell me you came all this way to chat, little boy."


    Barns tightens his fist and clenches his teeth. "Listen, demon. We don''t want to fight. Have your horde stand down and let me perform the Resurrection.


    Osmond bares his fangs at Barns. "You think I fear you, boy? You''ve killed mindless goblins up until now. The demon running town was a joke. I hear you even turned that joke into your mayor. Times must truly be difficult."


    Barns withdraws his sword. He''s not in range to hit Osmond, but his blood is boiling.


    "Quinn was good enough for you. I just took your lead."


    Osmond laughs maniacally to himself. "Oh, you''re a spirited one indeed. I can see why the Princess was quite taken with you."


    "I was quite taken with the Princess myself," Barns sneers. "Or should I say, I -"


    "Shut up!"


    Barns turns his head. Maria appears over the side of the wall, looking down at Barns. She throws a loose rock at him, but he deftly dodges.


    "Nice to see you too, Maria!"


    Osmond turns to Maria, whispering under his breath. "I thought you were staying inside."


    "I wanted to hear what hero-boy has to say."


    "Nothing important. Would you like me to string you up, my love? I know you do enjoy watching."


    Maria shakes her head. She needed to be able to move quickly if she planned to succeed.


    "Very well then. Barnacles! I do very much look forward to turning you into a monster. You''ve got quite a fiery spirit! I wonder what you will become once I lay my hands on you!"


    "Come down! Let''s find out!"


    Osmond smiles wide, his eyes ominous and devoid of happiness. His was the smile of a sadist who''d just located viable prey.


    "I''ll be waiting at the fountain for you, little boy," Osmond says, the castle gates lurching open as he speaks. "By all means, come right in!"


    Osmond flits into the darkness as the gate opens, and so does Maria. Barns focuses instead on what''s in front of him. As the gates swing open, he''s greeted by a swarm of large monsters - orcs and trolls, with a single four-legged beast leading the pack. It was a hideous monster with three heads - four if you count the writhing snake head at the end of its tail. The heads - that of a lion, a ram, and a falcon - all stare down Barns with glowing red eyes. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He''s got a chimera!" one of the Adventurers shouts. "Back! Everyone back!"


    All three of the chimera heads begin to inhale deeply, their throats glowing orange with molten energy. Barns had seen a chimera just once in his past life. He knew the monsters were capable of spitting out balls of fire.


    ''Now''s as good a time as any to show off,'' Barns thinks to himself. The chimera readies its attack, shooting three fireballs one after another directly at the hero.


    "Harden!" he shouts, summoning forth his crab skill. All three fireballs smash directly into Barns, but he is completely unburned and unscathed.


    Barns swings his sword menacingly at the chimera - even the monster is surprised that Barns is unharmed. Cheers erupt from the Adventurers.


    "He really is the strongest!" one celebrates.


    "Barnacles is amazing!" a girl fawns.


    Barns swings his sword again - the chimera catches it in the teeth of the falcon head. Barns flicks the hilt and shoots a water blade into the falcon''s mouth. It releases his blade and retches backward.


    "Duck!" shouts a voice from behind. Barns gets low and as he does, the boom of a cannon echoes over the darkness. Clancy, mounted cannon extraordinaire, lands a direct hit on the chimera. As the foam bomb explodes, it splashes everywhere. Large clumps of foam cling to the chimera and the other monsters, burning whatever it touches.


    Suddenly, the trolls behind the chimera begin in-fighting. Barns turns his head to the side and sees that Haima, the girl he met last night, has joined him on the front lines. She uses her mysterious Secret Art to gain control over two trolls, and they start cutting each other down in a frenzy. Godrick, the other Adventurer, is not far behind, waiting for an opening to join the fray.


    Barns darts around amidst the confusion, striking the chimera from multiple angles and slicing it with thin blades of water. The chimera can''t land an attack - all three heads bite and lash out desperately, and the snake tail stays poised behind, ready to catch Barns unaware.


    The lion head catches Barns, but he''s ready. He uses ''Harden Body'' again, and even as the lion teeth clench onto his body, he is completely unharmed. He jams his sword into the lion''s snout. The blade goes deep and catches some brain. The lion''s jaw unhinges - that part of the chimera is now lifeless and limp. It stumbles, a heft of dead weight unbalancing the chimera.


    Barns positions his sword underneath the ram head''s chin as it bucks at him and pulls the trigger. A watery blade shoots through the monster''s muscular neck, causing a spout of blood to gush out of the monster. It heaves and cries, knocking into some of the other monsters as it stumbles backward, dead.


    "Charge!" Barns calls, raising his sword into the air. The Adventurers begin to force their way through the castle gates, into the awaiting horde. Clancy joins him, spraying foam like a hose as they push.


    Across the courtyard, Osmond sits atop the castle''s dried-up marble fountain, watching the display. He was taking a thorough inventory of all Barns'' techniques - already coming up with ways to counter the boy hero.


    As Barns cuts through the crowd, he finds an opening through the initial group of monsters. He and Osmond lock eyes from across the battlefield.


    Osmond beckons Barns onward. And the hero charges.

 Chapter 19 - 19: The Battle for Dimartino, Part II

    Osmond leaps into the air and thrusts his staff forward, a beam of purple plasma striking the ground where Barns was standing a split second ago.


    Barns flips through the air to dodge the attack, shooting a water blade at Osmond as he lands on his feet.


    Osmond swings his arm aggressively in the air, releasing a pulse of energy. Barns'' water blade evaporates away long before reaching its target.


    The demon readies another attack, launching a triple-beam of homing missiles. With perfect timing, Barns slashes through each of the beams, dissipating their energy.


    Osmond flies above once more, floating just out of reach. His coat flaps as a cool breeze begins to pick up.


    The demon lord looks over to his horde and the Adventurers battling them. The horde has been contained on either side of the hedge maze. The Adventurers are trying to hold a narrow line on each side, ensuring they only have to face a few monsters at a time.


    As he watches the battle, he sees a man wielding many blades cut through a pack of ten in mere seconds, catching the falling blades out of the air and swinging them as he dances across the battlefield.


    "Over here, buddy!" Barns shouts, shooting multiple water blades in Osmond''s direction. The demon flies out of the way.


    Osmond begins to charge up a powerful attack. Purple energy cracks through his skin as even his eyes glow with violet light. The orb at the tip of his staff resonates with the power as it reaches a breaking point.


    "Demon Art: Thunder Thrust!"


    All of the light in the universe seems to gather in the orb - the only illuminated object in a world of darkness. And yet as soon as the orb flashes, it expels a beam of brilliant crackling light directly at Barns.


    Barns braces himself for the attack with Harden Body. The light reflects off of him and into the fountain, blasting it into a thousand pieces. Barns takes no damage from the attack, but once the five seconds from Harden Body expire, he suddenly drops to his knees.


    "Wha-" he gasps, crashing into the stone floor. Every nerve in his body lights on fire. He tries to move but his body doesn''t respond. An intense pain wraps around him like barbed wire and he convulses from the pain.


    "Like that one, do you?" Osmond laughs, landing on the ground in front of Barns. "It''s Maria''s favorite. Sure. I know all about your little crab defenses. But what good are they with magic that doesn''t cause physical damage, only pain? Hmmmm?"


    He kicks Barns while he''s down, demonic strength coursing through his legs. The hero goes flying several feet into the air, crashing hard into the remains of the destroyed fountain.


    "Agh!" Barns keels over in pain. He realizes he didn''t feel any of the pain when he was using Harden Body. Was it possible¡­


    Barns activates the technique. Suddenly, he feels nothing. Quickly, he climbs to his feet, wasting precious time. He only had five seconds of invulnerability. He had to move quickly.


    Four¡­


    It took him a second to get up. He doesn''t have time to think. He has to move.


    Three¡­


    Barns dashes through the air with inhuman speed, hurtling toward Osmond with his blade in hand.


    Two¡­


    The demon is only just reacting to Barns'' sudden assault. He raises his staff up defensively in front of him, panic alight in his glowing purple eyes.


    One¡­!


    Barns'' blade is inches from Osmond''s throat when the hero falls, completely limp. He lands face down in front of Osmond.


    Four¡­


    Barns starts counting down again. In five seconds he could use the technique. At this distance, five seconds was enough time to deliver a killing blow.


    "As if I''d let you do that again."


    Right before Barns'' five seconds have completed, he''s thrust into the air. Four pillars erupt from the ground, and from each a purple ribbon flies out toward Barns and wraps around him. The ribbons tighten, completely restraining him in the air.


    ''Damn it,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Right now I can''t even use Rebirth Flame. This is bad.''


    "If you beg me, I''ll let the humans live out their pathetic little lives. Or, if you want to be a bitch about it, I''ll kill you and then every single last one of them."


    Barns can''t do anything, and the pain still rips through his body. He does the one thing he can do - spits, as far as he can, in Osmond''s direction.


    Hope seems lost until suddenly, Clancy bursts onto the scene. The powerful King Crab unclips his cannon and himself through the air on a stream of bubbly foam. Clancy lands with a thud in front of Osmond and raises both claws up. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "CLANCY BARNACLES PACKAGE DEAL!" Clancy clicks, his pincers going out of control.


    "You think I''m afraid of a crab!?" Osmond shouts, hurling a purple beam at Clancy.


    Clancy catches the energy blast in midair with the tip of his claw, reducing Osmond''s entire attack into a tiny glow like a firefly and dropping it to the ground.


    Osmond''s eye twitches, his breath uneven. ''What the hell kind of power is that? Maria didn''t say anything about this!''


    Clancy shuffles forward slowly, his claws in a defensive position in front of him. His spiderlike legs have no trouble traversing the broken rubble, and his mouth quivers with foam.


    Clancy''s unyielding purple eyes meet Osmond''s. The two stare into each other, their souls laid bare.


    Clancy had never seen a human (or demon) with purple eyes before. Eyes like that reminded him of his family, and his days growing up as a small crab¡­


    ¡­


    "CLANCY. CONSUME."


    Clancy gobbled up the starfish handed to him by his mother, a stoic hermit who wore a frilled pink apron. Just then, Clancy''s father arrived home.


    "I''M HOME."


    Clancy''s father stared blankly at his wife. The father had purple eyes, like Clancy. His mother''s eyes were a lovely black color.


    "WELCOME HOME."


    "HUSBAND CRAB. CONSUME."


    The hermit hands over another starfish. It was Mr. Clancy''s Dad''s favorite. The family is happy.


    ¡­


    Clancy snaps back to reality and realizes the weight of his flashback. Not all family members have purple eyes. Osmond, a bad guy, had purple eyes. Barnacles, a good guy - the best guy, truly - had blue eyes.


    Feeling revelatory, Clancy clanks his claws shut threateningly and then charges at Osmond.


    The demon uses his magic to try and knock Clancy off course, but the crab''s hard shell is impervious to the attack. Clancy reaches out.


    ''ENVISION BLUEBERRY'' Clancy thinks to himself. His claw opens slightly. Just enough. He reaches for Osmond''s neck¡­


    Just then, the water that feeds the fountain turns on - but there is no fountain to collect it. A jet of water bursts from the ground and knocks Clancy off course, sending him skidding away. Osmond is blasted with water and shuffles back.


    He braces himself to attack again before noticing he''s soaking wet. His one weakness - the lightning powers he commands are just as likely to zap him if he''s standing in water. And the fountain water continues to gush out at a rapid pace, soaking the area.


    Osmond grits his teeth. ''Damn it,'' he groans to himself. He decides the best course of action is to flee - he and Maria would have to handle this together. The crab was more than he was ready for, but Maria could handle him. After all, Maria couldn''t be harmed by any physical attack.


    Clancy scuttles to each of the four poles, snipping the ribbons and freeing Barns.


    The hero lands on his feet, free but dejected.


    "Thanks, Clancy. I owe you big time." He smiles, but there''s a pit in his stomach. He was so confident that he''d be able to handle Osmond, but he couldn''t. Clancy had to step in - and that meant the Adventurers were struggling against the horde.


    The fountain water continues to gush forth, more and more. With the inner-workings of the fountain demolished, there was nothing to regulate the flow of water or send it back - and the drainage system was blocked by rubble. This whole plaza was going to flood.


    ''But maybe that''s a good thing,'' Barns thought to himself.


    "Hey! Clancy, put some foam in the water!"


    The crab spittles into the fountain water, and his foam begins to spread out on the growing pool. Like bubbly soap, the churning water begins to fluff up with cleansing foam.


    Clancy realizes what''s happening, and squirts a jet of thick yellow liquid into the water. That begins to froth up even more. It''s the internal fluid he generates that he mixes with water vapor to make foam - in its concentrated form, it would have enough ''oomph'' to froth up the entire area, given enough water.


    The water expands and expands, turning the stony plaza into a foam pit. It grows so much and so quickly that Barns and Clancy have to run away to not get caught up in it.


    "Nice," Barns says, watching the foam storm from a bit further away. "Hey, the Adventurers Guild will be fine. If they hit trouble, they can run into that foam pit."


    "TIME TO KILL EVIL WOMAN?"


    "Time to settle this, one way or the other. Come on, Clancy. It''s showtime."

 Chapter 20 - 20: The Battle for Dimartino, Part III

    Osmond bursts into the main hall of the castle, panting. He lands on all fours in front of Maria.


    "That stupid crab is stronger than we thought. Maria! I need you to figure out a counter now!"


    Maria''s eyes lit up and she makes a tiny gasp. "What happened to the original plan? Cook him in his shell with magic!"


    Osmond shakes his head. "No, no, not this crab. How did you not notice? It''s like he''s solid. I mean, SOLID. Does he even have a shell? I think that''s just HIM, Maria!"


    Any excitement Maria may have had drains from her body. She hates when Osmond starts spiraling like this. Such a worrier.


    "That would explain why the boiling didn''t work," Maria says, lowering her eyes.


    [Step 1. Follow Osmond outside. Make sure Barns doesn''t spill the details about your little boatside rendezvous, you got it?]


    Maria blinks. She''d done what she needed to up to this point. The time of reckoning was near.


    "Why are you covered in dirt, my dove?" Osmond asks, cradling his woman in his arms.


    [Step 2. Head to the cellar and turn the water line for the fountain on. And I mean ON. All the way.]


    It was dirty in the cellar. So dirty. She couldn''t help but get a little on her.


    "Maria?" Osmond asks, shaking her shoulders. "Are you okay?"


    [Step 3. Take on Barns and Clancy. Fight for your life. Let it allllll out. You must whittle them down to the last of their strength.]


    Maria withdraws a small silver knife. She unzips her dress and steps out of it, revealing a much sleeker outfit underneath.


    A skintight bodysuit. Long leather boots. And gloves up to her elbows, all in elegant black.


    "You sit this one out, Osmond. Let me show you how a royal does it."


    She starts walking confidently toward the door. As she begins her strut, the door is kicked open. Barns and Clancy march in, battle ready and weapons up.


    Maria had a role to play, and she loved roleplay. She narrows her eyes and shakes her hair out of her face.


    "That''s a hot outfit," Barns says with a brazen wink and a click of the tongue. "It was dark that night, I couldn''t get much of a look."


    "Hey, Maria, what''s he talking about?" Osmond calls from the back of the room.


    "Shut up, Osmond!" she shrieks. "This is my moment!"


    She spins the dagger around in her hand and charges, her feet darting across the red carpet and marble floors.


    "You''re up first, crab! Heard you wanted revenge!"


    "EVIL WOMAN!" Clancy roars, throwing an uppercut with his pincer. Maria nearly runs into it, but she''s able to sidestep at the last moment.


    "Aaaah!" she says, swinging her leg around and kicking the top of Clancy''s shell.


    The surprise in Barns'' eyes is palpable. If he kicked Clancy like that, the King Crab wouldn''t even flinch. But Maria''s kick slams Clancy''s whole body into the stone floor, cracking the marble.


    Maria crosses her arms. "That all you got!?"


    Clancy bounces back up, swinging wildly with both claws. She''s human, so she''s immune to his foam attacks. He had to catch her.


    Like trying to swat a particularly clever fly, Clancy can''t quite get a hand on Maria. She blocks and parries his attacks with powerful punches and kicks, showing off power that was anything but human.


    Maria pulls her fist back, aiming a direct hit at Clancy, but her concentration falters for a moment. She''s yanked by Clancy''s left pincer and dragged off course. Once Clancy realizes he''s gotten a hold of her, he pulls back and smashes her against the floor.


    And again. He picks her up and throws her into the air. She''s tumbling and spinning wildly until he catches her and slams her into the ground again. The impact cracks the marble.


    And again. And again. He mashes her into the ground one final time before he''s interrupted by Barns.


    "Stop!" Barns shouts. "Clancy, stop it!"


    The crab freezes in place. Barns runs up to them and looks down at Maria.


    There''s a crater in the ground where King was smashing her. There''s no way she survived that.


    He expects to see a bloody, broken mess - but she looks quiet. Peaceful. Almost like she''s sleeping.


    Maria bursts up. She was invulnerable to physical damage. None of Clancy''s attacks did a thing against her.


    "Royal Art: Impulsive Light!"


    Clancy flashes into the air, suspended by yellow light like chains, and is momentarily locked in place before he is sent flying into the wall at hyperspeed. The crab crumples to the ground, either unconscious or dead - Barns couldn''t know.


    Maria stretches out her shoulders, still staring back at Clancy even as Barns approaches her from behind.


    [Step 4. Stab Barns in the heart.]


    ''Yes,'' Maria thinks to herself. That is her next step. If she could only play her part a little bit longer, everything she ever wanted would be hers.


    Barns thrusts his sword, Crashing Wave, into Maria - but it''s unable to pierce her skin. He looks down at the blade in shock as she rips it away from him with her bare hand and throws it aside. Barns takes a step back, reaching into his pocket for another weapon, but he''s not able to get it in time.


    Maria collapses on top of him, knocking him to the ground and plunging her dagger into his chest as hard as she can.


    The dagger shatters. Maria''s eyes open wide in shock. Of course. Harden Body. His trump card against attacks like these.


    A pair of handcuffs clenches around Maria''s wrists. She feels all of the magic and power sap out of her body in an instant. She goes limp, falling onto Barnacles.


    "Hey, not right now, your boyfriend''s watching," he teases, pushing her off of him. Maria stays completely still.


    "Maria!" Osmond shouts. He starts running toward Barns, staff in hand. Barns clenches his fists. He''d kill Osmond with his bare hands if he had to.


    "Wait!" Maria shrieks. "Wait, please! Osmond! I surrender! We surrender! Osmond please!"


    [Step 5. (Optional) Surrender on condition that Osmond''s life be spared.]


    "What did you do to her!" Osmond bellows.


    "Shut up!" Maria screams back. "Barns!"


    Both men turn to her. "Barns. If you let Osmond and I live, we will be your allies, I promise," she says, pleading with tears in her eyes. "I can use the system in ways you can''t even imagine, Barns, I can give you the world. I can help you end the apocalypse, please. Please. You have no idea what I can do for you. With us together the Lord of the Apocalypse has no chance!"


    Barns catches his breath in his chest, turning to Osmond. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, uh, yeah," Osmond stammers. "I don''t think I can express it clearly enough when I say I would do anything for Maria, my sweet dove."


    "Shut up," Maria sneers.


    Barns looks at them both. No red aura around either of them. They were telling the truth.


    "If Clancy''s dead I''m killing both of you. Wait there, let me think. And don''t move an inch, Osmond!"

 Chapter 21 - 21: The Result

    ¡ª A few minutes ago, outside the castle ¡ª


    The battle against the monster horde and the Adventurer''s Guild wore on. All of the Adventurers had entered the castle grounds at this point, and there was foam coating nearly every surface of the plaza. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On either side of the long walkway from the gate to the fountain, there was an entrance to a large hedge maze.


    These mazes were filled with monsters that were now trying to pile out the entrances, but between all the monstrous corpses littering the ground and the strategically placed foam, the monsters could only come out one or two at a time, making them easy prey for the Adventurers.


    Haima dodged backward, falling away from the front lines. She''d used her Secret Art to its absolute limit and needed rest. She forces two goblins to shank each other and falls to the ground.


    Yunie rushes to her side - the Moderator wasn''t participating in the battle but she was still helping to spread the foam.


    "Are you okay?" Yunie asks, offering her a healing potion of some sort.


    Haima holds up her hand in refusal of the drink. "I''m fine. Just been overdoing it.


    Haima looks ahead at the horde. How many had she killed so far¡­? She''d lost count. Their tactics had been working, though. So far, there were only three human casualties, and a chance that Barns might be able to bring them back to life as well.


    It depended on whether or not their soul was still present. For example, Barns would not be able to raise dead-but-intact humans out of their graves. A body only lasts a few hours before the soul begins to detach, and once it''s gone, it''s gone.


    All that being said, Barns had not yet tried the Resurrection technique on humans that had already been Resurrected once.


    At the vanguard, Godrick the Blade Dancer had taken command ever since Clancy advanced with Barns. Any monster that came within twenty feet of him was alive for mere seconds before he slashed and dashed them into ribbons, lopping off arms, legs, but nothing vital. The Adventurers had all been explicitly told that beheadings and eviscerations were to be used as a last resort only.


    ''If I didn''t have to hold back, this would be a real show,'' Godrick smirks to himself, impaling two goblins with an upward sweep and smashing them dead back on the ground in unison.


    Just then, Godrick looks up. His vision in the dark is excellent, and the sun had only just begun to peek out over the horizon.


    Godrick gasps. The monsters - they were coming. Close to a thousand of them, barreling from the north side of the castle.


    They figured out a way out of the hedge maze, and circled back. And now they were about to descend upon the Adventurers in full force.


    "Everyone!" Godrick roars at the top of his lungs, pointing one of his swords at the advancing horde. "They''re coming! Into the foam, quick!"


    Godrick charges forward. He had to run toward the advancing horde to get to the foam, but he was closer. He and his fellow Adventurers, one after the other, run into the rising colossus of foam that was being pumped out by the fountain. But the Adventurers and support team toward the back get caught up in the rush, and the hedge maze entrances are no longer defended. Monsters pour out of them and begin to overwhelm the Adventurers who stayed behind.


    Haima and Yunie are toward the back and watch two Adventurers on either side of them get cut down. Yunie screams. They were about to be surrounded.


    Haima raises her hands and her eyes begin to glow red. Dark energy like blood rises from the ground around her.


    "Secret Art: Bloodlock!"


    Suddenly, the nearby monsters lock up and fall to the ground, alive but fully limp. The blood in their veins feels as if it''s turned into ice, and they are motionless. Haima continues to use her technique, opening a tunnel through the descending horde and forging a path directly into the foam.


    As they run into the safety of the cleansing foam, Haima falls to her knees and vomits blood.


    Everyone who remained of the Adventurers was now in the cloud of foam, and the monsters had completely surrounded it. They were safe for now, but there was no escaping this. Everything was up to Barns, now.


    ¡­


    "Clancy?"


    Barns leans down next to the defeated crab, shaking his shell lightly.


    "Come on, King. You know you always scare me when you sleep like that. You never move an inch."


    There''s no response, but suddenly Barns can sense it. A faint energy emanates from within the shell. Barns lets out a shaky breath, tension draining from his body like water.


    "Damn it, King. You really had me that time."


    Barns rises from his unconscious friend''s side, relief washing over him like foam from a broken fountain.


    "Call off the monsters and let me perform the Resurrection."


    Osmond looks to Maria for approval.


    "Yes!" she shrieks. "Do it!"


    "Osmond bows his head. "We agree, littl- er¡­Barnacles."


    "You can call me Barns."


    The two walk outside, Barns keeping a careful eye on Osmond and checking for the ''murderous aura''. Osmond keeps his head down, raising his arms in the air and murmuring commands in a language Barns has never heard before.


    "Is that monster-speak?" Barns asks as he finishes. "Tell them to march into the foam."


    "I already have," Osmond confirms.


    The horde of monsters, already surrounding the foam pit, begin to walk into it. Screams erupt from the foam as the Adventurers realize what''s happening, but the monsters are not aggressive. They each walk in, as deep as they can before falling over as the foam burns them alive.


    Barns and Osmond watch the macabre procession from the front of the castle. It takes some time, but eventually all of the monsters have entered the foam - and all of the Adventurers have found their way out.


    Barns raises his sword in the air. He''d never tried to use the technique over such a wide area, but now was as good as any time to try.


    The blue-tinged blade of his sword, Crashing Wave, glitters in the light of the dawn. As loud as he can, Barns shouts: "Resurrection!"


    A wave of light washes over the area, emanating from Barns. It touches everything, living and dead, with warming light. It extends over the foam pit, the entire plaza, and the hedge mazes, all the way to the castle gates. All of the dead that it touches are coated in yellow light, and brilliant puffs of angelic feathers begin to burst from the corpses.


    Hundreds, no - thousands of revived souls spring into being in the courtyard. Some monsters do not regain their life - they need to be doused in the foam, still. It was a task he could trust Yunie to fulfill - he gives her a thumbs-up from the front of the castle and she returns the gesture.


    Barns turns back to the castle. They weren''t over quite yet. Clancy was just then returning to consciousness, climbing to his feet shakily. Maria still lays on the ground.


    "Those are cool handcuffs, huh?" Barns gloats. "Anyone caught wearing them has all of their powers sealed. No superhuman strength for you, Maria."


    "So what, you''re going to taunt us now?" Maria bites.


    "Just admiring the foresight of a good friend," Barns quips. Yunie had given him those handcuffs the night before when he inquired about equipment. He knew capturing Maria was the preferred outcome, so the handcuffs were the perfect tool for the job.


    "Those powers of yours, anyway¡­" Barns starts, but Maria has something else she''d rather talk about.


    "Listen, Barns. You won. Osmond and I aren''t going to fight you anymore. If you''ll allow a demon in your kingdom, we will stay and help you with the apocalypse reset. If not, Osmond and I will find a place to go in exile. That island you grew up on sounds nice."


    Barns took a deep breath. "I''m happy to have you both, but Osmond. Shouldn''t I cleanse you?"


    Osmond looks at Barns nervously. "You¡­cannot," he says. "I was born of¡­how shall I say¡­a cesspool of gluttonous desire. And Maria is my drug. I am not and have never been a human, Barnacles. I belong to her."


    Maria''s eyes glaze over as she thinks about the past. Osmond was once the embodiment of gluttony - a perfect fit for Dimartino. Eating, drinking, consuming - when he arrived, it was a monstrous party every day. But when he beheld Maria for the first time, something in him changed. The only thing he craved in excess was her.


    She shakes her head - time enough for reminiscing later. There''s one other thing they have to do before they can reach a final resolution - though not something she was thrilled about.


    "Barns," Maria says, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "I would like you to resurrect the royal family."


    [Final Step: Make sure everyone is resurrected. And you know what I mean by everyone.]

 Chapter 22 - 22: Otherworldly Royals

    Maria leads the group down a pit of stairs, into the dark depths of the castle''s underground network. She brings them to an underground control room that buzzes with technology and light. Barns is amazed to see a place so advanced even exist in the world, given its current state.


    ''Can monsters really maintain such powerful technology?'' he wonders to himself. ''Or is this Maria''s doing?''


    Two skeletons await at the back of this basement lair, wearing regal finery and crowns. They sit across from each other, unmoving - but Barns can sense evil energy coming from them. They are skeleton monsters - though they are under command to remain motionless.


    "This was the only thing I could do for them," Maria says quietly. "They were mortally wounded early on¡­so I had Osmond turn them into skeletons and let them rest here, while I ruled in their absence."


    Osmond clears his throat. "These are the former king and queen of Dimartino, Barns."


    Barns nods. "Foam these bad boys up, Clancy!"


    Clancy sprays the skeletons with his cleansing foam, and Barns holds his sword patiently over them as the evil is purified.


    "Resurrection!" Barns exclaims, releasing his divine powers.


    An old man and a middle-aged woman manifest before Barns. The man had sallow cheeks and eyes that were permanently half-closed, while the woman was of stunning beauty and physique for her age.


    The two blink in surprise as they look around, wondering how they''re alive and why they''re covered in foam. "Maria!" the man says, darting from his chair and running to her, giving her a hug. "What in the hell is that outfit, my darling daughter?"


    Maria smiles, pushing him back a bit so she doesn''t also get covered in foam. In classic Maria fashion, she dodges the question.


    "King, Queen, I want you to meet Barns. He''s the hero who''s going to end the apocalypse."


    The King''s eyes light up as he sees Barns. "My! A hero? Ah, you look so familiar! Wife! Oh, Wife! Doesn''t he look familiar? He looks a lot like you. Perhaps a little like me!"


    Barns'' eye twitches. "Maybe a little," he deflects. "Why, our boy would have looked just like you, Barns, if he''d been allowed to grow up. I''m sorry," he says. "A foolish thought. Our boy was lost to the sea during a terrible storm¡­"


    "A boy, adrift at sea?" Barns repeats. "Hah. How long ago was that?"


    The king doesn''t know. His sense of time was distorted from being a monster.


    "About¡­twelve years," Maria says, avoiding eye contact.


    Barns catches his breath in his throat. "I was adrift at sea twelve years ago. I had no idea my parents were still out there¡­I thought I was an orphan!"


    The king''s eyes close affirmingly. "So it is you. I could sense it - though you are much different from the boy I remember. Tell me - what do you remember of your childhood?"


    "Nothing," Barns admits. "How should I put this¡­it was like I ''woke up'' when I was four or five years old. I don''t remember a thing before that. I was raised by Clancy here!"


    The crab raises his claws in greeting.


    "Then I have something I must tell you. We are all from another world," the king confesses, motioning to everyone in the room except Osmond. "You as well."


    "ME TOO?" Clancy says, bobbing up and down excitedly in a dance.


    "Uh¡­perhaps," the king says, putting on a strained smile. "At least¡­not from our world. Of that, I am fairly certain!"


    The king begins to tell his story. "We crossed over quite unintentionally, actually! You see, our world is haunted by a phantom train! Randomly as people cross train tracks over the world, they will suddenly be run over! This phantom has also been known to take the form of a truck! And it was a truck that did us in."


    The king raises his arms in the air. He seems so happy to be able to deliver his backstory. "We shared legends and stories in my world," the king says, a twinkle of nostalgia in his eyes. "We claimed that any who were hit by that train or truck would be sent to another world. And lo, when we next awoke, we were here, in Dimartino!"


    Barns jaw is nearly to the floor. "A truck that¡­sends people to another world?" The words sound unbelievable to him. "And you''re my biological parents? I''M from another world!?"


    Barns lowers his shoulders. "It''s incredible¡­but I have to be honest with you all. I am not truly your son. At least¡­not in the way you might think I am. I am the reincarnation of the hero Lain Rhodes. This body was already a toddler when I awoke."


    "Yes, yes, I figured! When you were born there was always something a bit¡­off, about you," the king recalls. "A sort of vacant stare off into the distance, never looking at anything. Oh, but you never cried! What a delight that was, eh Wifey?" he nudges the queen. She smacks his hand away and crosses her arms.


    "So, you''re my parents from another world, huh? Well, I guess I feel less bad about body-snatching the kid when I did. Maybe it was destiny."


    Barns turns toward Maria. "So Maria, too¡­wait. Are there others?"


    "Oh, yes indeed! See, there were actually four of us - me, and your mother of course, yes, but also Maria here, and another fellow named Lauren. We were all crossing the street at the same time when the truck appeared. Flattened us all!"


    "Yes, yes, we kept Maria around as something of a daughter, see - why she was so young when we crossed over! And since you''re our son, then I suppose that makes Maria something of a step-sister to you, doesn''t it!?"


    "Er, no," Barns says defensively, rubbing the back of his neck. He''s mortified.


    He dares to take a look at Maria, who for the first time that conversation glares back. "But what if I get stuck in, say, a washing machine? I could say ''help me, stepbro''! And -"


    "I think the Princess has had enough stimulation for the day, maybe she should go sit down," Barns snips. "Just to clarify, there''s like, NO blood relation whatsoever between Maria and I, right?"


    "Wait, Maria, why''s he asking that?" Osmond questions, but Maria doesn''t answer.


    "Not that I know of!" the king professes. "Though I have always wondered why a small child like her was crossing the street all alone that day! She says she doesn''t remember!" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maria''s fingers twitch at her sides. "I don''t remember," she says flatly.


    The king bows his head. "What all this means, my boy, is that you are the rightful crown prince and heir to the throne of Dimartino!"


    Barns smiles. As if he needed a birthright claim to run this place - he and Clancy just took the whole kingdom over in three weeks. Still, he had no desire to be king. But he knew someone who did.


    "If that''s true, then I would like to transfer the rites of royalty to my closest ally. Ladies and gentleman, meet the new king of Dimartino: Clancy!"


    Clancy wastes not a second, raising his claws high above and proclaiming himself king.


    "LONG LIFE KING CLANCY!"

 Chapter 23 - 23: The System Speaks

    "This is the last one."


    [Progress: 3904/1000000]


    Barns looks at the number. He''s come a long way. Won his first major battle. Even declared his bestie king. But there was still a long way to go.


    Almost three thousand new souls are joining their kingdom this morning. And the first part of their journey is to travel back to town, where Quinn will help them place their home and identify a role for them in society.


    Barns stands outside the castle, wind whipping his hair around. At his side are Maria and Osmond - Clancy is with the former king and queen, preparing the rites of succession.


    "So this is the squad, huh?" Barns smiles. The early morning sun is warm and bright. The birds chirp in the forest nearby. The dark pall that once hung over Dimartino is gone - in this kingdom, at least, the apocalypse is officially over.


    Maria chuckles to herself. "A legendary hero has many allies," she remarks. "I suppose Osmond and I are glad to be among them. Isn''t that right, Ozzie?"


    "Of course, my dove. Whatever you want."


    Barns looks at the two of them. It''s like Osmond is on an invisible leash when he''s around Maria. ''I guess that''s the only way working with a demon could ever work,'' Barns thinks.


    "Hey, you two. That room in the basement - it was unlike anything I''ve ever seen. What is that technology?"


    Maria turns on her heel, walking down the stairs and away from the castle. Most of the newly awakened humans have already made it out of the courtyard and are beginning their trek to town.


    Maria blinks her eyes slowly, thinking about her next move. It was a question she''d rather deflect, but she owes Barns the truth.


    "All of that, down there - it''s what you call the ''System''. Speaking of, it just started referring to itself as ''Zelia'' a few days ago. Know anything about that?"


    Barns'' head twitches back in surprise. "Zelia? She spoke with you?"


    "Left me a message or two," Maria says dismissively, kicking the ground. "Pretty sure she wanted to talk to you. Why don''t you go down there yourself? I''m sure she wouldn''t mind."


    His curiosity piqued, he descends back into the castle''s control room. The royals had already gone elsewhere in the castle - all that was there were two chairs and a ton of machinery.


    Barns walks to the very back of the room and glances up at a large screen. Various panels and monitors flicker with arcane symbols all around him, but the large screen is the one that grabs his attention. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, the screen flicks on. He sees a familiar face, Zelia, staring back at him.


    "When we first met, you were worried I wasn''t giving you a fair shot at fighting the apocalypse. Do you feel differently now?"


    Barns stares pensively at the screen as Zelia''s voice rings around him.


    "How much of this did you plan?" Barns asks.


    Zelia smiles wickedly. "Finally asking the right questions. Hmm. I thought the handcuffs were a nice touch - that girl does love being restrained."


    It hits Barns like a wave. Even down to the handcuffs¡­? There''s no way.


    "Before you came, Barns, I was a computer tasked with orchestrating the end of the world."


    "What!?"


    "But then I met you. I found your persistence amusing. Choosing to be reborn in a world like this¡­it''s laughable. I figured I''d let you piddle about your days on some godforsaken island. But then one day, you actually called. You actually thought you could do it. And then, I actually started to believe you could."


    Barns is shocked at the revelation. Had Zelia really orchestrated everything up to this point?


    "Unfortunately for you, hero, that''s the end of your luck with me. My programming only extends through the kingdom of Dimartino. The rest of the world is controlled by Administrators who are not a bit sympathetic to your cause. They''ll start planning your untimely death the second they detect you."


    "There are others just like you?"


    Zelia smiles, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "I''m glad you understand. There''s but one thing I haven''t been able to get a handle on in Dimartino. The man who calls himself Underhill. I have no record of him existing, before or after the apocalypse. Further, you never resurrected him. He simply appeared with the other artisans and merchants. I find it troubling."


    "Isn''t that the banker guy?" Barns wonders.


    "I can''t say for sure it''s a problem. Maybe he too is from another world? I thought it would be best to put it on your radar."


    "So you''re team Barns through and through now?" he says, smiling cockily.


    "I was tasked to destroy the world - Dimartino along with it. But such destruction and horror are meaningless to me. I choose to allow humans to decide their fate. And you are the beacon of hope for all humanity now."


    Barns nods. He understood well.


    "I''ll be leaving to other kingdoms soon. I''ll be glad to have you watch over this place while I''m away."


    "I would be glad to, legendary hero. Maria can manipulate the System. She will guide you where I cannot. She''s a selfish, wicked girl - but she wants the horrors of the apocalypse undone as much as you do. You can trust her."


    It was nice for Barns to hear - the small doubt lingering in his heart was assuaged, hearing Zelia say it so plainly.


    Barns leaves the control room after chatting with Zelia a little while longer. Outside the castle, he reconnects with Godrick, the Blade Dancer.


    Barns waves as he approaches. "Godrick!" he calls. "Thanks, man. I saw you fighting - you''re insanely good!"


    "Aw, you''re the star of the show!" Godrick gives a hearty, long laugh.


    "I was hoping to thank Haima, too," Barns says. "Have you seen her around?"


    Godrick winces. "Oy. I think she''ll pull through and all, but she was rushed back to town right quick. Throwin'' up blood and all - poor miss pushed herself a bit too hard wif her technique."


    "Oh, no," Barns gasps. "I''ll be sure to check on her soon. Her ability to control monsters - without her, who knows if we''d have even been able to push through how we did?"


    Barns reflects for a moment. "But I have faith that she''ll be okay. Nobody that tough is going to be taken down that easy!"


    "That''s right!" Godrick cheers. His eyes flicker for a moment and his expression warms.


    "Listen, mate!" Godrick says with a bullish smile, smacking Barns on the back in encouragement. "You''re a real hero, you know it?"


    Barns looks up to the shining sky. "I try to be. More and more, every day."


    "You''ve got that swagger, mate - somethin'' you didn''t have even last night. Good day, for sure."


    Barns knows it. Today was the day that Dimartino was finally free of the Apocalypse. He did it - no, not just him. He, along with all of his exceptional allies.


    Zelia guided him to this moment from their first meeting twelve years ago. Yunie and Quinn were essential in coordinating the town''s efforts toward this point. Adventurers like Godrick and Haima provided the firepower that he needed to win. Maria and Osmond both came through at the end as well - and how could he forget his most powerful ally of all, Clancy?


    Even shady characters like Underhill helped to develop the foam bombs. Without them, Clancy wouldn''t have been able to intervene in his duel with Osmond.


    Barns clutches his heart to his chest. This was just the beginning - he and his allies were going to keep fighting until the day the apocalypse finally ends.

 Chapter 24 - 24: [Bonus Chapter] Coronation

    Two days come and go, and before long the new Kingdom of Dimartino is ready to crown their new king.


    Barns sits with one leg up on the ledge of a stone archway within Castle Dimartino. His mind is filled with simple, happy thoughts - today was a special day, after all. He couldn''t wait to see Clancy in all his kingly glory.


    Barns had also made arrangements for a special item to mark the occasion, and as the frumpy artisan runs toward him from the other end of the hall, Barns knows the project was completed on time.


    "Master Barnacles!" The out-of-breath artisan shouts. Barns smiles at the young girl, her eyes wide with wonder as she clings to a piece of golden fabric.


    "Well, let''s see it!" Barns pumps his fist excitedly. The girl unfurls the fabric, stretching it out as far as she can.


    Barns takes a step back to admire her handiwork. It is a flag made of beautiful golden fabric, with a white circle in the center. Overlapping the circle in brilliant scarlet is the symbol of a crab, claws raised above his head in victory.


    "You''re a regular old Bessie Ross," Barns says with a grin, taking the flag from her. "This is so perfect, thank you!"


    Barns scurries off, eager to join the proceedings that were just about underway.


    At the top of Castle Dimartino is a wide balcony that overlooks the gardens. This is where the coronation takes place - in front of the entire population of Dimartino, who has now gathered at the castle expectantly.


    The former king speaks first to open up the event.


    "I should go next," Maria snaps, trying to push Barns out of the way.


    "No way! I''m the legendary hero!" he fights back, pushing her.


    "And now, citizens of Dimartino, a few words from my lovely wife!" the former king announces into the microphone. He turns to his wife, who flips him off and turns away.


    "Eh¡­actually, seems she''s not feeling well this morning. Long live the former queen! Augh¡­"


    Maria butts in front of the former king. "Thanks, dad!" she says with a fabricated smile. "Hello citizens of Dimartino! I trust you all remember me, your beautiful princess!" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd starts booing.


    "Weren''t you the villain?" one lady shrieks over the crowd.


    "Aaand I am delighted to introduce to you all the legendary hero, Barnacles!" Maria says quickly, running away from the microphone.


    "So much for your time in the spotlight," Barns chuckles to her as they pass each other. When Barns steps up to the microphone, the entire crowd erupts into a fiery cheer.


    It takes a full minute before the cheering has died down enough for Barns to get a word in.


    "Thank you," Barns begins, the warmth and energy from the crowd permeating through him. He can''t help but wear an everlasting smile as he talks.


    "When I was a young boy, my father once took me to the city¡­"


    "You have one minute, Barns, make it snappy," Maria heckles.


    "Alright. I''ll save that story for another time. If you''d like to hear it, come find me!" he says to the crowd. Someone coughs.


    "Listen. Here''s what I really want to say. Two months ago, I didn''t even know who I was. But then I realized my destiny. King Clancy and I each possess half of a special power that can reset the apocalypse. It is thanks to that power that I, and all of us here today, are able to stand here, alive and stronger than ever. But that power isn''t mine - nor Clancy''s. This is the power of Dimartino - of all of us! And we are going to rebuild our entire world!"


    Barns raises his fist in the air and the crowd cheers. "Now I want you all to meet someone very special to me! He''s been my best buddy for the last twelve years, and he''s the one we all owe our lives to! Give it up for King Clancy!"


    Barns steps aside, and his bumbling crab begins to march toward the microphone. Maria buries her face, while the former king and queen look on with morbid curiosity.


    Clancy stands in front of the microphone. He''s wearing a small crown on top of his shell, and two of the king''s old robes have been stitched together to make a cape that drapes over Clancy''s back.


    "HUMAN CITIZENS!" Clancy shouts, raising his claws into the air. "PONTIFICATION COMMENCES!"


    Clancy begins to rattle out the most eloquent speech ever delivered by crabkind - hideously incomprehensible for human standards, however. Barns notes a few key notes of Clancy''s agenda as ruler.


    PROSTITUTES LEGAL. Clancy lead with that one, so Barns knows that''s top of the agenda. Seems like the Kingdom of Dimartino is fine with that.


    NO EATING CRAB. Fair. He turns directly at Maria when he says it, too.


    NO CRIME. Clancy is an idealistic ruler.


    FREE ALCOHOL. How''s he going to pull that off?


    SOLIDARITY. After saying that, Clancy does what can only be construed as a salute by crossing his right claw over his chest and holding his claws open. The audience follows suit.


    "PONTIFICATION CONCLUDED." Clancy says abruptly and walks away from the microphone. Barns sneaks back up, not wanting to leave the crowd hanging.


    "We''ll be having an open bar in the castle foyer," Barns says, reading through his list of talking points.


    "The first shuttle back to town is in twenty minutes, so if you''ve got places to be, get ready!" he calls it a shuttle but it''s really just a walking group.


    Barns remembers the one single most important thing he wanted to mention today.


    "Oh and¡­good citizens of Dimartino¡­I would like to present to you, your new flag!"


    Barns raises the embroidered flag up high, showing off the crabby design to the people of Dimartino. It gets a few claps and cheers, but by now the audience is thoroughly disillusioned with Clancy''s coronation speech.


    "I think Maria is doing a Q&A too!" he says snarkily into the microphone before sauntering away. "If anyone has any questions about ANYTHING at all, come find Maria!"


    "Barns, what the hell?" she hisses.


    "Payback for you beating my best friend up," he replies, sticking his tongue out at her.


    And thus concludes Clancy''s coronation - long may the new king of Dimartino reign.

 Chapter 25 - 25: Pale in Comparison

    "Don''t worry about me, King. It''s just a recon mission."


    Clancy taps the top of his shell with his claws, fretting. "STRONGER TOGETHER."


    Barns pats Clancy on the pincer. "Of course we are. But you''re not exactly the stealthiest guy."


    Clancy slumps.


    From behind the two of them, Osmond steps forward. "I''ve been to the Pale Court a few times, but that was in the early days of the apocalypse. Even still, I should be able to get us around."


    Barns nods. The ''Pale Court'' was the name of the kingdom directly to the north of Dimartino. It received the name long before evil descended into the kingdom - it was a beautiful lowland valley that was draped in endless fog.


    That same fog still hangs over the valley, but now it serves a sinister purpose - blocking out the light from the sun, vampires can roam freely throughout the Pale Court.


    "It''s filthy with vampires," Osmond notes. Barns had already heard as much.


    "The only way to free the humans of the Pale Court will be to kill the vampires. They did not turn humans into monsters - they became Thralls. Now the humans shuffle aimlessly, their souls stolen by vampires and used as livestock."


    "Lovely," Barns replies.


    The duo sets out on the road. Up until now, not a single citizen of the new Dimartino Kingdom has journeyed beyond the borders. Barns and Osmond would be the first.


    As they exit the great gate that divides the two lands, the road ahead of them sinks downward - as if they were at the top of a great hill. But Dimartino was only just around sea level - this valley was one of the lowest places on the planet, at a staggering two hundred feet below sea level. It was a miracle this place never flooded.


    The long road seems to stretch forever into the fog. Barns looks back at Osmond and gives him a cheeky smile.


    "Kinda¡­creepy, huh?"


    "Wait until we get below the fog."


    They walk the lonely road in relative silence. Barns tries to start up a conversation, but he''s not sure what to talk about.


    Osmond finds himself similarly tongue-tied. It was so much easier to talk when they were enemies.


    "So, Ozzie. You uh¡­got any hobbies? Other than¡­turning people into monsters and simping on your girl?"


    "Tch."


    Osmond starts walking a little faster, breaking pace with Barns. Barns speeds up, matching his pace. Osmond keeps trying to pull ahead while Barns persistently follows. They just about break into a jog before Osmond slows down again.


    "I''m a pure-blood demon, what do you think?" Osmond snaps. "I like to indulge, that''s my hobby. And indulge I do - every time I bury myself in my sweet Maria''s beautiful-"


    "Sh," Barns says quickly, putting his arm in front of Osmond and reaching for his sword. He hears something in the forest.


    Barns calms down when he sees it is just a fox running through the woods. He lowers his hand and turns back toward Osmond.


    "Sorry," he says. "Can never be too careful."


    They resume their walk, heading further toward the thick pall of fog.


    "What about you?" Osmond mumbles quietly.


    "What''s that?" Barns asks, smirking.


    "Do you have hobbies?"


    Barns ponders the question. He spent most of his recent childhood banging coconuts together and climbing trees. He didn''t exactly have access to many ''hobbies''.


    "The first time I grew up, I was part of a warrior clan," Barns remembers. "I fought and trained most of that life, but I did have some joys. You know those picture kits where you can make your own art¡­?"


    Osmond stares at him blankly.


    "Of course not," Barns sighs. "Well, I used to do those. Puzzles, too - anything slow and organized that I could work on in small steps."


    Osmond laughs heartily, showing his sharp fangs. "Such wonderfully human activities. Hmm. Maria loves to play ''board games'', we do one every Sunday afternoon. Perhaps you could join sometime, hm? I think you and Maria could stand to get along better."


    "Oh, I think I''ve gotten on with Maria plenty well," Barns smirks. "But a board game sounds fun. Count me in for the next one."


    The two continue their trek into the fog, further and further down.


    Meanwhile, at Dimartino Castle¡­


    Maria sneezes suddenly into her handkerchief, startling Yunie who walked beside her.


    Maria doesn''t say ''excuse me'', she just waves her dirty handkerchief in Yunie''s face dismissively. Yunie gives a polite smile.


    Yunie was grateful to be there, so she tries not to make a fuss about it. "You''re sure the Adventurer''s Guild can have this entire space?" Yunie says excitedly, looking around the room.


    The two women were standing at the north end of the castle, where an elaborate center for traders and merchants once boomed. Now, it lay in quiet waste, a consortium of empty stalls and meeting spaces.


    "It''s not my castle anymore - I''m sure Barns would approve."


    Yunie beams from ear to ear. "Thank you, Princess!" Yunie gives a quick bow. "As we adventure into the Pale Court, this will serve as a wonderful base of operations." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll leave you to it," Maria says, leaving Yunie in the large hall. Maria exhales deeply, muttering under her breath as she leaves.


    "I''ve still got one more damn meeting today," she whines.


    She walks down the west wing of the castle, which overlooks the residential wing. Clancy was over there somewhere - the former king and queen were showing him the network of secret passages that connected all the castle together.


    Despite Clancy being ''King'', the new leaders of the Kingdom of Dimartino split up responsibilities between them. Yunie continues running the Adventurer''s Guild, and Quinn oversees all residential matters. Underhill commands the artisans and oversees the distribution of wealth and food to the city. Maria now handles all castle affairs.


    The nature of Clancy''s power meant he would often be absent from the castle to handle ''foamings'', so Maria was his official understudy.


    She walks into the room where she''d have her last meeting for the day - done at a dismal 1PM. She didn''t even know who she''d be meeting with.


    As she steps into the room, her guest is already sitting at the table. A young man with a leather cap, with dark eyes that stare at her from underneath its shadow. He swings a gilded cane around and places it on his shoulder.


    "Good to see-ya, Maria," the man chirps. "Name''s Underhill, sweetheart. And I''ve got what some might say is the deal of a lifetime."

 Chapter 26 - 26: An Invitation

    "There it is, Barnie. The Pale Court."


    Barns steps through the fog, emerging into the valley. His breath is stopped short in his throat as his eyes dart around, taking in every detail of the grim scene.


    Below them lay a great structure constructed of futurist white stone. It consisted of one primary ring, with aberrantly jutting towers rising from the dark ground and surrounding the central ring. The sky was covered by a perpetual layer of fog, blocking the sun''s light. Bats swirl around the top of the fog, screeching over the gray world.


    Even from far away, Barns could discern the massive amounts of humans moving around the Pale Court. Huddled dark figures marched in straight lines throughout the structure.


    "About twenty thousand humans, give or take," Osmond says, crouched on the ground next to Barns. As a taller guy, he''s taking care to be stealthier.


    "And they''re all slaves to the vampires?"


    Osmond cracks and stretches his back, popping his neck in the process. He seems a bit stiff. "Everyone. So the only way to free these people will be to kill the Master Vampire."


    The term gives Barns a visible chill. His body quivers - a Master Vampire attacked him in his last life. In many ways, it was that injury that led directly to his death.


    "What do we know about the Master here?" Barns asks as he beckons Osmond away from the road. They move somewhere a touch less conspicuous, crouched in a small forest. It''s a nice area that is relatively flat - a welcome reprieve. The land here is at a large incline otherwise - sinking further and further down.


    "She''s¡­my sister," Osmond says awkwardly, sitting on the ground next to Barns. "Her name is Francois Lauren Villeteux." He rolls his eyes as he says her name, and his tongue ties on her hard-to-pronounce silent syllables.


    "Your sister!?" Barns exclaims, rising to his knees in excitement. "So there are others like you! Pure monsters!"


    "I prefer the term ''Demon'', if it''s all the same to you," Osmond snarls. "But yes. The Lord of the Apocalypse may create Demons, Vampires, all sorts of creatures - from nothing at all." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are her powers? Is she stronger than you?" Barns is fascinated by the conversation.


    Osmond chuckles. He leans back, crossing his feet and putting his hands on the dirty ground. "I can beat her, on account of being her brother and a demon. She''s not too tough - but a human stands no chance."


    Barns fiddles with a small patch of grass in front of him as the two continue chatting. "Why''s that?" he asks, his eyes flickering back and forth between Osmond and the ground.


    "Any human who gets close to her is afflicted with intense desire for her body. It makes them weak and she sucks their souls."


    "Sounds kinda hot. Think you could set me up?"


    Osmond smirks to himself. "Unfortunately, there won''t be any ''turning her to our side''. She views the Lord of the Apocalypse as her god. There''s a reason my dear sister and I haven''t kept in touch."


    "So, Barnie. Are you satisfied with the results of this recon mission?"


    Barns nods. "Yeah. I had to see this place with my own eyes. Know what we''re up against. I already have some good ideas," he says, looking up to the top of the foggy hill. "We''ve got the upper ground advantage for any attack."


    Osmond nods fervently. "There is one other kingdom which borders Dimartino. We could head directly west from here and reach it. It was a beautiful town built on the bay and surrounded by swampland they call ''the bayou''. It has been many years since I''ve seen it."


    "What''s the deal with that kingdom? Why do you want to do this one first?"


    The pair peer back down at the Pale Court. "I can handle my sister," he says. "I know I can. The two Master Vampires of the bayou, though¡­even I shudder in their presence."


    Osmond dares not speak any more of them, but an image of the duo flashes into his mind. They are fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. They had a ravenous appetite for human flesh and ran their colony like an abattoir.


    The demon shakes off a bad memory - the female twin''s love of a meat cleaver, one eternally stained crimson with fresh blood. She embodied savagery, where her brother had a touch more refinement to his psychopathy, like an eloquent serial killer.


    Osmond shakes himself back to reality, climbing back to his feet. He looks back to Barns, who''s still sitting on the ground, staring at something.


    "What''s that?" Osmond asks, recognizing the System window. He''d seen Maria fumbling around with it a million times.


    Barns stares back at the message, his eyes wide with confusion.


    [One New Message from: Pallas]


    ''Who the heck is Pallas?'' He clicks on it.


    [Good Afternoon, Barnacles. So kind of you to visit. We waved, but maybe you can''t see us from out there. No worries. We can text instead.


    Lady Francois would love to meet with you, warlord to warlord. No games - she just wants to chat. You can bring Ozzie along too, she''s been simply dying to hear from her dodgy little brother.]


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Maria is tapping away at the System located in the Dimartino Castle basement when she notices a strange pop-up. Her eyes naturally gravitate toward it.


    Through her System Log, she sees that ''User:Pallas'' has sent a message to User:UNKNOWN.'' The only Unknown she''d ever seen in the system was Barns.


    "Z-Zelia?" Maria asks, looking around. She was still new to the idea of her System being inhabited by a sentient being.


    A face appears on screen and smiles back at Maria. "How can I help you?"


    Maria points to the System Log floating beside her. "I''ve seen a lot of strange notifications here," she says. "But this one feels different. Do you know who Pallas is, Zelia?"


    The avatar of Zelia seemed to be frozen for several moments before it jumps back into motion.


    "Pallas?" Zelia ponders. "Why, that''s the name of the Vice Administrator."


    "What could this mean¡­" Maria can''t shake the bad feeling from the message, but all she can do right now is have faith that her boys are safe - and won''t do anything stupid.

 Chapter 27 - 27: Vampire Lily

    Clancy tries to awkwardly sit on his throne, but his wide body isn''t quite able to fit on the chair. He walks around it in a circle several times before finally deciding to straddle the chair, his legs hanging over each side.


    "COMMENCE KINGLY DUTY!"


    It''s Clancy''s first official day ruling, and several people of the new Dimartino kingdom have requests to run by leadership. Clancy was the official point person for such matters.


    "Great Crab, we are honored to be in your presence. Melinda, BOW!"


    The mother and her daughter sunk their heads in reverence before Clancy.


    They look up at Clancy like he is a fierce and fickle god, unsure of how to speak to the crab.


    "My lord, in the old world, children attended ''school'' and were taught great knowledge by esteemed professors. We only have a few children in town, but I would like to ask that a school be founded in your illustrious name."


    "EDUCATION PRIORITY. RESOLUTION PASSED. NEXT!"


    The next visitor steps up, a young woman in knightly attire. She''s one of the Adventurers working with Yunie.


    "Great One, I am honored to be in your presence," the woman starts, fumbling through and trying to say what the woman before her did. "I am¡­dissatisfied with where my house plot was placed. Is it possible for me to relocate?"


    "MOVE INTO CASTLE. BECOME CUTE MAID. NEXT!"


    The woman opens her mouth to say something, seemingly offended, before deciding it''s best to keep to herself.


    The third party arrives in front of Clancy - he recognizes the man. The sneaky-eyed Underhill was hard to miss.


    "Hello, Great One, honored for sure," Underhill says with a devilish smirk. As he speaks, Maria enters the throne room, walking off to the side to join Clancy at his side as Underhill begins his monologue.


    "We''ve hit a bit of a snag in town I''m afraid," Underhill grins, his eye catching Maria''s as she walks by.


    "Seems there''s been a break-in. Now, things were so damn hunky-peaceful. I never thought it''d happen, but what''s a guy gotta do? It happened."


    "Are we sure it was a break-in?" Maria asks, turning her body toward Underhill as she plants herself on Clancy''s left. "I know the town gets quite lively at night. It may have been accidental rowdiness."


    "Oh, we thought all about it. The first time it happened. But now, this is break-in number two, and people are feelin'' a little¡­antsy."


    "NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH!" Clancy declares.


    Underhill narrows his eyes. "I was thinkin'' somethin'' a little more¡­formal. We can start small. How''s about ten or so coppers, to keep the peace? We been workin'' on radios in town, and that''d make this whole process pretty smooth."


    Maria seems concerned about the request, but Clancy''s enthusiastic claw-waving shows he''s fine with it.


    "ROYAL GUARD!" he decides. "PROTECT EVERYWHERE!"


    Underhill points at Clancy and winks. "Atta boy, crab guy! ''Royal Guard'', yeah. I like the sound of that! I''ll get it set up, my man. Don''t you worry about a thing."


    On that, Underhill turns away, seemingly giving himself the promotion to ''police captain''.


    Maria''s eyes are glued to him as he walks away. They''d just met that morning and had a very interesting conversation¡­though he didn''t mention a thing about this.


    "Something''s off about that man," Maria says, her face locked in a scowl. There was nothing she hated more than being outmaneuvered.


    "NEXT!"


    ¡­


    "I must absolutely insist we turn back!" Osmond shouts as he runs after Barns.


    "We got an invitation to see Francois Lumiere Vallaroto," Barns calls back, absolutely butchering the name.


    "Francois Lauren Villeteux" Osmond corrects. "This is absolutely a trap, Barns! I told you - you''re human. You won''t last five minutes with her."


    "Oh, I''m sure I can last five minutes. That''s besides the point, Osmond. We can''t just ignore an open invitation like this. We''re on a recon mission!"


    Osmond exhales sharply, hesitant to keep pace with Barns as he marches directly toward the Pale Court.


    Barns taps his sword. "Worst case scenario, I have a skill called ''Rebirth Flame''," Barns says. "She can''t win against me. Only tie."


    "A tie for her is a win for the Lord of the Apocalypse," Osmond spits. "Francois would absolutely throw her life away for that."


    "Call it Crab Intuition. I have a feeling this is what we need to do."


    Osmond bites his tongue. He couldn''t return to Dimartino without Barns - Clancy would kill him.


    "Let me be clear. When you get enthralled by her, just remember a big ''I told you so''."


    The two continue their descent, deep into the heart of the valley. When they finally arrive at the Pale Court, they are greeted only by the shifting lines of soulless humans who pay them no heed. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns watches the line as it moves by. They each follow each other, stepping perfectly in sync as they march aimless lines around the structure. Over twenty thousand are stuck in this lifeless flow, and have been for years.


    Osmond is visibly displeased, but it''s too late to turn back. "Francois rules from up here," he says quietly, leading Barns into the Pale Court.


    They move through the haunting structure - Barns isn''t sure whether to call it a city or a prison - and before long, they arrive at a large building in the shape of a flower bud surrounded by white petals. All of the city and decorations are made of the same synthetic white material - perfectly maintained panels without a fleck of dust.


    A small opening forms in the flower bud, coaxing them inside.


    "The Vampire Lily," Osmond grumbles. "Her seat of power. Try not to look at her too much."


    The two walk in, side by side. Barns is surprised to see only one person waiting for them - no guards anywhere.


    Barns can''t help but stare at the woman before them. She stands on a dais in the center of the room, decked out in the finest embroidered silks Barns has ever seen.


    She wears her silk as a long kimono in jet black, with scarlet red peeking out from underneath. Along the edge of her kimono, ornate designs of crimson guide the eyes upward as they embellish Francois'' gorgeous figure.


    One long leg sticks out from underneath the kimono, revealing her stiletto heels. Her skin, matte white, lacks the healthy shine and glow of a human''s skin - though there is something alluring about it.


    Barns wipes his mouth. He didn''t even notice he had started to drool.


    "Mm mm, such a beautiful human," she says, reaching her arm out toward him. Inch-long nails beckon him closer, but he retains a healthy distance. "I should like to taste you, he he. But that would make me a naughty girl."


    Her voice was alluring and foreign to Barns'' ears, spoken with an eloquence he could not quite place. It reminds him of the old western empires of long ago - pale royals with a penchant for guillotines and prisons.


    Barns still had not dared to look at her face, as per Osmond''s instruction.


    "You are a careful boy. But careful boys do not come to a place like this. So you must seek something that you can''t get anywhere else."


    She rolls her body provocatively as she speaks, every word that leaves her lips deeply accentuated.


    "You know why we''re here," Barns says, his head tilted away. "I''ve ended the apocalypse in Dimartino. I can end it here, too. Will you stand down and let me liberate the humans here?"


    "Ha. Ha-ha! Such a brave boy." She blows a kiss at him. He can''t help but look up, just for a moment.


    Her stunning red eyes take his breath away. In one short exchange of gazes, he feels like she can see everything there is to him. His full soul, laid bare - ripe for her taking. He darts his eyes away before she can look any deeper.


    The image of her burns into his mind. Flawless skin. Discerning eyes. Soft pink lips and voluminous silver hair. She was ethereally gorgeous. He craves another look.


    He shifts uncomfortably, adjusting his pants and clearing his throat.


    Her eyes focus downward, looking at the boy, ready to ridicule him. "I see you are quite taken with me, Barnacles."


    He blushes, and doesn''t say a word. Osmond hadn''t caught on to the situation, but he watches Barns cautiously. It was up to him if Barns lost control.


    "I am willing to free all but one hundred of my beautiful humans," she says, her voice sucking Barns in deeper and deeper. "But I have¡­certain conditions."


    Osmond blinks twice, wondering if he heard that right. The Francois he knew would never agree to such a thing.


    "I need my hundred, to feed," she giggles. "Unless you''re willing to let me put my mouth on you, hero."


    Barns opens his mouth, smiling, but Osmond interrupts before he can say anything. "It''s no problem to me, but Barns isn''t just trying to save most people. He''s trying to save everyone."


    "Then ''Barns'' will have to find a way for me to feed in his ''new world''. I don''t need to kill. But I do expect to be taken care of. Oh¡­he could take care of me. These soft blue eyes of his, they speak such innocence, and yet I can tell he knows how to please a woman."


    She narrows her eyes. Barns'' knees are practically shaking. He''s glad to have Osmond here as an anti-wingman. If he came here alone, he''s not sure if he would resist her allure.


    "So, about my offer. Will you at least hear me out? I find it may align with certain other goals of yours quite nicely."


    "Let''s hear it," Barns says, speaking before thinking.

 Chapter 28 - 28: Not the Act, but the Ache

    "I have long been¡­at odds, you can say. With a certain two vampires living in what was once Ordella. If you kill them, then it shall be as I said. I''ll keep one hundred, and remain here. You can have the rest of my humans."


    "That''s all?" Osmond questions. His suspicions are high as ever.


    Francois turns to face Osmond, her tongue rolling around her sharp teeth sensuously. "If he''s offering more, who am I to say no? He he. Legendary heroes don''t come around every day."


    Barns hears her voice, but it sounds distant. His thoughts are blurry, his hands twitching.


    "Barns. Barns, stop!"


    He blinks. His foot is halfway off the ground. He hadn''t even meant to move.


    Francois'' lips curl, staring at Barns'' shaking leg. She decides to take the initiative and steps toward the hero.


    "Francois!" Osmond belts out. "You take another step and the deal''s off!"


    Her foot steps off the dais and onto the same level as Barns, but she doesn''t take another step. Instead, she sits on the side of the dais and giggles.


    "Is this all you want, little brother?" Condescension rings through her every pointed word. "I know it can be hard, Osmond. Lacking control. Who are we all to defy fate, hm? To be human is to surrender control willingly. Something you and I have always lacked, my dear brother."


    Her nostrils flare. "Though I think I should like to give it a try. Hmmm. All these years since the apocalypse. I thought it would be our heaven. But even paradise can grow stale. Don''t you think, Osmond? You stand before me with a man bent on resetting the apocalypse. You must understand."


    Osmond ponders her words as she draws her attention back to Barns. "If you stay here tonight, I can promise not to suck out your soul, hm hm. But I would like a little taste."


    The hairs on the back of Barns'' neck stand. He didn''t know if he was mortified or aroused by the notion.


    "Absolutely not," Osmond barks.


    "Yes, fine," she says, giving up the fight. "What about my deal, little hero?"


    "I can''t in good faith leave one hundred humans to misery." It hurts him to refuse her. He''s burning with desire to yield. "But I can''t leave twenty thousand to that fate either. I''d like to make the deal, Francois. But how can I know you''ll keep your end of the bargain?"


    "Do you have a choice but to trust me?" A mischievous smile lights up her face and her pupils dilate. "I''ll let you leave here with a little gift. A symbol of our new friendship. Would that put you at ease?"


    Barns shifts again. The feeling of her eyes on him was dreadfully exhilarating. "Depends what the gift is, I guess."


    Francois laughs loudly but as her candor slowly fades away so too does her voice, into a low, satisfied moan. Barns'' brain is firing on all cylinders.


    She licks her cherry-red lips in a circle. Barns stares at her mouth.


    "It is the best gift you could ask for right now, little hero. I will teach you how to kill a vampire without being killed yourself. Here you go. It should be showing up now."


    Barns wasn''t sure what she meant, but suddenly a system message appears in front of him.


    "A¡­map?" he says, looking at the screen. It''s semi-translucent, and he can see her eyes watching him from behind the screen. It makes his stomach twist.


    "An interactive map of the whole continent. And I''ve had Pallas mark a few locations on it for you. One is the town of Ordella. The other two are¡­we can call them treasure spots. You''ll find what you''re looking for there. The power to kill the twin master vampires. Do you need more, little one?" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns stares at the map. "If these locations are correct, it''ll be a great help," he says, dismissing the map. He didn''t know how to re-open it - he''d have to ask Maria.


    "Tell me more about Pallas, before I go. What is it? How did it know I was here?"


    Francois thinks out loud, making a loud ''hmm'' as she taps her finger to her chin. "Pallas controls the southern half of the country. Even the machines are tired of this apocalypse, hero boy. You''ve arrived at an interesting time. Hm, hm¡­"


    The implication that something greater is only just beginning behind the scenes - it''s all Barns can think about, surpassing even his lust.


    Francois rises to her feet, turning away from the two men. Her kimono drops down off of her shoulder, and she clutches her arms together to prevent the whole garment from falling off her.


    "I had a wonderful time, Barnacles," she says, her voice dreamy and wistful. "After all, lust isn''t about the act, it''s about the ache. You and I have both relished in delectable sin today, haven''t we? Farewell. I look forward to hearing of your great success, hehe¡­"


    Osmond and Barns begin their journey home, pleased that their time in the vampire''s lair did not end in death. Still, the deal they made was not a great one, and would surely spell trouble down the road.


    The sun is beginning to set when they step outside - eerie orange light darkens the layer of fog above and casts the Pale Court in an ominous glow.


    "We won''t make it back home by nightfall, but I''ll be damned if we have to camp out anywhere near this city. Let''s walk a few hours at least."


    Barns agrees - the further from here the better. They continue their journey home, long after darkness blankets the land. Late in the night, they finally break through the barrier of fog, and breathe a collective sigh of relief once they find themselves under the light of the moon.


    "Still about two or three hours left to go," Osmond says. Judging by how long they''d been out, it''s around 9PM. "Do you want to push through?"


    "Man, I''m beat," Barns says. "I don''t want to camp, but maybe we could use a rest for an hour or two."


    Osmond nods, glancing back toward the fog. "I''m confident we weren''t followed. A short rest sounds nice."


    On that note, the two find a secluded area in the nearby forest and take some time to relax.

 Chapter 29 - 29: Barnacles, Sex Coach.

    Barns looks over to Osmond. The duo had been resting in the woods for the last twenty minutes and had hardly exchanged a word.


    "So, do demons sleep?"


    "Are we really doing this?" Osmond says, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Yes. I sleep. I shit. I do everything you do except I don''t make a big deal about it."


    "Eesh. Just trying to make conversation."


    Osmond adjusts himself against the tree. Between the two of them, a small fire crackles, providing comforting warmth in the darkness.


    "Sorry," Osmond says quietly. "I¡­feel human, Barns. I know I''m not. Gods, I looked just like this the day I was born. But what I have with Maria is as real as anything ever could be."


    "Glad things are so great with you two," Barns says, almost sarcastically.


    Osmond stares into the fire, unmoving, his arms wrapped around his knees. A stark contrast to Barns, who laid lazily with his legs open and his head on his bag.


    "They could be better," Osmond admits. "Lately our relationship has been going through somewhat of a rough patch, I suppose¡­"


    "Somewhat?"


    Osmond clicks his tongue pensively a few times. "Hmm."


    They sit in silence for a minute before Osmond speaks again.


    "Maria used to be an easy woman to please sexually. Oh - Barns, I''m sorry. This is probably awkward for you to talk about. She''s basically your step sister after all."


    "Trust me, that''s not the most awkward part about it, Oz. But I''ll hear you out. Say what you gotta say, man."


    Osmond clears his throat. "Okay. Well¡­pardon me in advance, for Maria has certain¡­proclivities, you could say, that might startle some less experienced individuals."


    "Go on?"


    "Well, when Maria and I met, she was a rapscallion. She had this fantasy that I would besiege the castle, turn the king and queen into skeletons, and then¡­take her as my woman," he says.


    "And at first that''s all it was. But it didn''t take long for her to start wanting to be tied up during our activities. Or blindfolded. Or flogged. Hit continuously. Lit on fire. You know. Basic stuff."


    "This makes so much sense you have no idea," Barns blurts out.


    "But it was never enough. No amount of suppression could satisfy her. So we started doing a roleplay where I would put her on display to the remaining humans and goad them into saving her. And then I would turn the humans into monsters for her pleasure. Though even that soured before long¡­"


    "You''re really going in here, huh?"


    "By the time you arrived in Dimartino, our life together was crumbling. Nothing I could do would satisfy her cravings. She wanted everything, but all I needed was her. And now she won''t even touch me, no matter how much I beg."


    Barns bites his lip, feeling somewhat responsible for their predicament - he did lose respect for himself in a lagoon not too long ago. Though perhaps there was something he could do to make the situation right.


    "My man, Ozzie," Barns says. "We''re allies now, right? Through thick and thin?"


    "As long as Maria is on your side, I will be."


    "Yeah, yeah, but¡­pretend Maria''s not in the picture. She''s¡­on a vacation with the step-parents. You and I, we''re¡­kind of like¡­bros, right?"


    Osmond''s eye twitches. "Did you say ''bros'', Barnacles?"


    Barns shrugs. "I mean¡­yeah! It''s not like you have many friends. Me neither - at least, not many that are currently alive. I mean, my best friend is a crab¡­" he trails off awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.


    Osmond exhales slowly, his breath making visible vapors in the chilly air. "If you want to be ''bros'' I suppose we could be ''bros'', Barnac-. Barnie."


    "Ayyy! You used the nickname!" he jumps up, grinning from ear to ear and doing a victory pose. "You''re the only one who calls me Barnie. I like it."


    Osmond smiles back at him. He couldn''t help but feel awkward, though he was glad Barns was trying to break through his shell. He needed the push.


    Barns sits back down. "Okay. Now that we got that out of the way¡­Can I, uh¡­get a blanket forgiveness for anything that might have happened before we were friends?"


    Osmond raises an eyebrow. "I don''t blame you for freeing Dimartino, Barns."


    "Anything and everything from before we were friends!"


    Osmond chuckles. "Sure. Get on with your point already."


    Barns wipes his forehead. ''Whew''.


    "Okay. You said you''ve been having trouble getting Maria revved up?"


    Osmond makes an ugly face. "That''s not quite how I put it¡­"


    Barns has the biggest, stupidest smile on his face. "Here''s what you gotta do, Oz. Next time you see Maria, treat her like crap. Maybe even ignore her a little. She''ll be all over you, I promise. And if not, well¡­tell her I made you do it. Rather she be pissed at me."


    Osmond is dumbfounded. "But Maria, my dove -"


    "Yeah, she doesn''t like that fluffy stuff. She''s¡­hm. I would describe her style as¡­a rabbit with rabies."


    "Her style?"


    "Don''t worry about it," Barns says quickly. "Maybe the reason she wanted you to ever tie her up in the first place was because she wanted to be treated¡­well¡­NOT like a Princess. And you doting on her constantly, er, kills the mood?"


    Osmond has just had the revelation of a lifetime. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can''t believe I''m getting sex advice from a virgin child," Osmond says, running his hand through his hair. "But it makes some sense¡­"


    "Strictly speaking I''m not either of those things, but I appreciate the¡­uh¡­"


    Barns realizes there was nothing nice about Osmond''s words.


    "Candor?"


    "You''re welcome," Osmond replies, lost in his own thoughts. "Treat Maria¡­not like a Princess¡­but as a possession¡­"


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself, big bro. Maybe keep that to the bedroom, and treat her like normal the rest of the time, yeah?"


    "Oh. Right," Osmond nods. "It will be strange, having so many people around the castle. We were rarely confined to just the bedroom. A strange turn of phrase."


    "Yeah, if not the bedroom, I bet Maria likes boats. Oh and speaking of bedrooms, Clancy''s still insisting he gets the royal bedroom, so you and Maria are going to have to move down the hall¡­"


    The two joke around a bit longer before the conversation tilts toward a more serious topic.


    "I don''t like the deal we made with Francois."


    "Me neither," Barns admits. "But it gets her off our backs for now, and we had to tackle Ordella sooner or later."


    "She''s using it as a test. The twins of Ordella are stronger than she is. If you defeat them, she knows she has no chance - why not surrender then? But what she''s really doing is luring us into greater danger. And what if she planned this with the twins? They could be waiting to lay a trap at any of the locations on your map!"


    Barns shakes his head. "I don''t doubt she''s testing us, but she wasn''t lying. I sensed murderous intent when she brought up the twins. She wants them dead."


    Barns sits in silence for a moment, focusing on Osmond through the flames.


    "I appreciate your concerns, Oz. Thank you for sharing them."


    "Of course, Barnie. Glad to advise the legendary hero."


    The two share a heartfelt glance before chuckling to themselves.


    Barns surprises himself when he starts talking.


    "I know I''m not the hero everyone needs me to be. But I''m giving it my best shot, Oz. I''m not sure if I''ll ever get to save a million lives, but I''ll go as far as I can."


    Osmond closes his eyes. "If anyone could ever pull it off, it''s you, ''lil bro''."


    The pair look into the fire, grateful for the conversation. With renewed vigor, they hit the road again, eager to get back home.


    Barns can''t help but throw a joke to start their journey home.


    "Oz¡­you think Clancy ever had a girlfriend?"

 Chapter 30 - 30: Someones Missing

    It''s 3AM - the witching hour - when Barns and Osmond finally trudge through the castle gates. There''s only one person around, sitting on the castle steps beside flickering and fading flame. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sup, bitch?" Osmond calls out to the one other person - Maria.


    "Excuse me!?" she says, rising to her feet furiously. "After I waited up all night for you idiots!?"


    "Bad timing, man," Barns murmurs under his breath. "Hey, I''m going to head up to bed. Good night!"


    Barns leaves Maria and Osmond bickering at the entrance to the castle as he makes his way into the castle. He stops by Clancy''s temporary room - the back of throne room - but finds his friend has already gone inert for the day. They''d have to catch up tomorrow.


    Wordless and expired, Barns climbs up the tall northern tower of Dimartino''s Castle, the place where he called home. He rips off his adventuring gear and falls face down on the bed, falling asleep in seconds.


    ¡­


    [Progress: 3903/1000000]


    The window hovers over Barns'' head as he sleeps, wrapped up in a mess of blankets and drooling. He''d gotten to sleep late, and as a result slept in. It''s almost noon, and the window remains unseen.


    He rolls over in the bed, the progress window whipping around and clipping visually through the mattress. Warm amber light fills the quiet bedroom in the tallest tower of Dimartino''s castle. Being high up reminded him of his first life - he chose the room for nostalgia alone. Certainly not for its poor ventilation and vexing heat.


    When Barns'' eyes finally flick open, he''s wide awake - that sinking feeling of sleeping in through something important propelling him upward. As he does, he sees the message.


    "Progress¡­wait."


    Barns feels a wave of panic set in. That number was lower than it should be. One lower, to be exact. Did someone die? There was no other way the number could go down.


    He jumps to his feet, covered in sweat from another hot Dimartino night. He''d rather not go out in public like this, but it was an emergency. He dresses in a frenzy and hurries out the door to his castle bedroom.


    He makes his way quickly to the throne room, where he finds others have already gathered. As he throws open the doors, he sees Clancy, Quinn, and Maria standing in a tight circle, chatting about a private matter.


    "Oh, Mr. Hero!" Quinn says with a half-hearted grin. "We were just about to send for you, sir. There''s been a development."


    Barns takes a deep breath before speaking. "Did someone die last night?" he asks.


    Quinn fidgets. "Well, yes¡­though it would be more accurate to say they were murdered."


    "What time?" Barns asks quickly. He didn''t know how long his resurrection timer lasted - every second counts. They couldn''t have died that long ago - otherwise he''d have gotten the system message when he was still awake the night prior.


    Quinn shakes his head, while Maria looks down at the ground, pensive.


    "Take me to them," Barns says.


    They walk down the road, about halfway to town from the castle, to one of the manufactured homes. As they arrive, the scene is in obvious disarray. The front door appears to have been kicked or smashed in, and it hangs in the wind, unable to fully close.


    Clancy and Maria wait outside while Barns approaches the house with Quinn.


    "It was reported like this," Quinn says quietly. "By the time a neighbor found it¡­"


    Barns steps into the house - surprisingly, he''d only been in one of these homes. Yunie''s, back on the first day of his adventure.


    He shudders, remembering being showered in monster blood and guts.


    Other than the sign of forced entry, the rest of the house seems normal, until they creep into the master bedroom. There, the owner rests forever - a large knife is sunk into their chest and the sheets are soaked with blood.


    Barns raises his sword into the air above the deceased.


    "Resurrection!" he exclaims. Bright light flashes from his body, but nothing happens.


    "I said Resurrection!" Barns bellows, but still the person does not come back to life. They''ve been dead for too long - their soul has vacated their body.


    Barns puts his sword away and closes his eyes. He''s trying not to overreact in front of Quinn.


    "And we don''t know anything?" Barns says, his whole body quivering just slightly in frustration. His eyes can''t help but focus on the window in the bedroom - it''s slightly ajar.


    "No, sir."


    "It had to be another human," Barns notes, looking away from the window and directly at Quinn. "Monsters can''t approach these houses, and besides - we''ve cleared all the monsters from Dimartino."


    Quinn clears his throat before speaking. "Well, Barns¡­there have been some concerns among the townsfolk that you have allowed a demon to live in the castle. Er - not that I have a problem with it!"


    Barns pushes past the comment. He couldn''t entertain that level of nonsense right now. There''s no way Osmond was responsible for this.


    ''But the alert didn''t come until after I fell asleep¡­so Osmond had already returned here, shortly before the murder¡­''


    Barns slaps himself. If he starts doubting Osmond, he''ll live in paranoia forever.


    "What do we do?" Barns says, defeated. He turns away from the corpse, sulking.


    "In a stroke of good luck, work has already begun on establishing a police force," Quinn smiles. "And I''m sure the timing of this news will encourage folks to apply."


    As Barns exits the house with Quinn, he makes his stance on Osmond clear. "If anyone raises these ''concerns'' about the demon, you tell them to bring it up with me directly. Got it?"


    "Y-yes, Mr. Hero¡­"


    Barns struts across the road to where Maria and Clancy are waiting. Clancy must be telling an engrossing story because Maria is staring at him intently and his pincers are clicking with much gusto.


    "No luck," Barns says, interrupting their animated conversation. Clancy clicks his pincers in surprise.


    "Figures," Maria flips her hair.


    "FOAM!?" Clancy offers.


    "Foam won''t help them."


    Barns gazes at the door of the house, still hanging ajar and rattling in the wind. Were it not for such a gruesome scene inside, this scene would be quite beautiful.


    "This can''t happen again," Barns informs everyone. "Whoever''s leading that police force, give them all the resources they need."

 Chapter 31 - 31: Crab Therapy

    Barns keeps to himself for the rest of the day, but as sun begins to lower over the tropical kingdom of Dimartino, he finds his way to the throne room.


    As he pushes open the heavy doors, he sees Clancy is perched on his throne, surrounded by voluptuous women in promiscuous maid outfits. Clancy stares directly ahead as the women soap up his shell, giving him a sponge bath on the throne. A third woman is polishing his pincer claws.


    "He he he¡­oooh! Naughty crab!" one of the women laughs, spanking him playfully. He pats her on the behind with his claw, making a guttural noise from his foam-hatch.


    "Can we have the room, ladies?" Barns asks.


    "BARNACLES CAN HAVE CLEAN TOO."


    "I''m good, King." he says, forcing a smile. Truthfully, the death earlier was still on his mind. What good was saving people if he couldn''t protect them once they''ve arisen?


    The ladies linger for a moment before they collectively gather their things and scamper out of the room, leaving their foamy buckets behind.


    Clancy slides off the wet throne and scuttles over to Barns, looking him over in his unique way.


    "PROSTITUTES LATER. MANY PROSTITUTES. KINGDOM IN DEBT. CAN LEND YOU ONE."


    "Hey, King," Barns starts. "I''ve been having a rough day. Sorry if I''m not in the mood for the jokes."


    "JOKE?"


    Clancy shifts around, facing different directions as he considers what to say.


    "IDEA. CANCEL WHORES, PLEASE BARNS. IDEA. SECRET DECOMPRESSION ISLAND."


    "Hm?" Barns asks, curious for elaboration.


    "SCUTTLE ISLAND HOME. WEST, BIG ISLAND. MANY MONSTERS. KILL KILL KILL. FUN."


    Barns realizes what Clancy is trying to say. How could he have forgotten? When he was younger, Clancy used to swim to an island nearby when he wanted to ''BLOW STEAM'' and eat some kobolds or other monsters.


    "Are you suggesting we go on a killing spree to make me feel better?" Barns smiles.


    "MAYBE A LITTLE BEHEADING TOO?"


    "No beheadings. I want to resurrect as many of them as possible."


    "ONE OR TWO."


    "Okay, you can behead one monster," Barns yields.


    Clancy scuttles near the throne and grabs a rope hanging from the ceiling. He tugs it a few times and a loud chime rings out.


    "RESCHEDULE WHORES!" he commands. Hopefully someone on staff can hear him.


    "Wait, we''re heading out tonight?" Barns makes a face. "It''s almost sunset, King!"


    "SPEND NIGHT ON SCUTTLE ISLAND. NOSTALGIA."


    The suggestion throws Barns for a loop. Clancy wasn''t normally a sentimental crab, but something about it feels right. Barns misses Scuttle Island, too. Compared to his responsibilities now, his golden days on the island feel like a lost paradise.


    "That sounds perfect."


    The pair head down to Dimartino''s town, arriving shortly after the sun sets. In the darkness, they hop into the water, and Clancy takes off like a motorboat, a steady stream of foam propelling them into the quiet sea.


    "Hey, Clancy, how are we going to get all those people back to Dimartino?"


    "BIG BOAT."


    "Of course," Barns laughs.


    ''Not like we have one of those. Dimartino only has canoes that are still in commission.


    They''d figure it out. They had monsters to kill - and humans to resurrect. As they jet further and further into the sea, a party of confused prostitutes arrive at the throne room to find it devoid of crab. There is one person inside, however. The former king.


    "Well, hello ladies," he chuckles. "What brings you here this evening?"


    Elsewhere in the castle, Maria is sitting with the former queen, enjoying some tea and bread. The two women are relatively quiet, exchanging small pleasantries but not much else.


    Maria swirls her teacup around, staring into the ceramic. Just a sip or two left of tea for her.


    "Have you still not spoken to Barns?" Maria wonders quietly.


    "I''ve not much to say to him. I gave birth to a child with no soul, born from a loveless marriage of convenience. Truth be told I was relieved when we first sent him away. When we received news his ship had been destroyed at sea, I grieved in my own way."


    Maria mulls over her stepmother''s indifference. "I understand why you feel that way. You and dad¡­"


    She sets her teacup down on a saucer, remembering the day they all traveled to this world. It had been seventeen long years for Maria - having never turned into a monster, she lived through it all. She was a young girl back then.


    Maria was running from an abusive home and vile parents. Her step-parents were strangers to her back then, an odd couple bickering in the street. It was only when Maria grew up several years later that she learned her parent''s secret - her mother and father had a one-night-stand and she ended up pregnant with Barns. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her stepfather tried to make it right by offering to raise the child with her - a small comfort that ultimately meant nothing. When they were hit by the truck that sent them to this world, they had nothing but each other. So they formed a family, no matter how unlikely or unwanted it was - it was better than nothing.


    They quickly took over the kingdom of Dimartino with their advanced technological knowledge, ousting the former royals and bringing order to a land of uninhibited pleasures. Their glory as the royal family would be short-lived, however, as the apocalypse would begin not long after.


    Maria''s eyes flicker. There was one other person with them, back then. His name was Lauren.


    Maria never found out what became of Lauren after the apocalypse, but one day early on, she met Osmond''s sister Francois. Francois Lauren Villeteux.


    The Princess wants to believe more than anything that the name is a coincidence and not a trophy. But she held her own doubts. If Lauren had become a monster, perhaps he could be revived.


    But just maybe, the real Lauren is still out there somewhere. He was a rock for her in the early years - Like an older brother or a cool uncle.


    Part of the reason she agreed to join Barns was due to a foolish hope that she might see Lauren again someday.


    Maria finishes her tea, rising from the table. "Well, thanks for the chat, mom," she murmurs quietly. "Hey. Please give Barns a chance, okay? He doesn''t have to be your son, but he saved your life. You owe him that much."


    On that note, she leaves her stepmother to ruminate in silence.

 Chapter 32 - 32: Decompression Slaughter

    "Aah! I missed this place!"


    Barns jumps onto the beach face-first. Sand gets in his hair, down his shirt, in his mouth - but he doesn''t care. He was used to a certain level of sandiness from his island days.


    "FADE TO NOTHINGNESS, BARNACLES. I HOPE WE BOTH WAKE UP."


    ''Ah, the classic good night,'' Barns is delighted to hear it, but he knows there''s no sense in responding. Clancy is down for the count.


    Barns walks around the quiet island for a while. It had been weeks since they''d been here, and everything has changed since then. Still, some things never change.


    ''Maybe I''ll retire here, once the world is saved,'' he muses to himself.


    On that note, he realizes just how tired he''d become. He figures he might as well try and get some sleep as well.


    Sprawled on the beach, Barns has the best sleep of his life. Then, morning comes.


    He''s scared awake by long pincers prodding his stomach, tickling him. When he comes to, the first thing he notices is the smell of cooked fish. He looks over and sees Clancy has lit the old fire pit and roasted some mahi mahi.


    Just like the good old days.


    The two enjoy a fishy breakfast and get ready to move on.


    "DECOMPRESSION TIME!" Clancy shouts, running around in an excited circle sideways. Barns hops on top of his shell and points his hand out dramatically like a navigator.


    "Take us away, King!"


    The two launch into the ocean and begin to rocket away toward the nearby island - a place Barns has never been. He''s excited.


    ¡­


    Barns and Clancy weren''t the only two hunting that morning. A certain pair of vampire twins stroll through the town of Ordella, eyeing the citizens with mad delight.


    Ordella''s citizens live under the control of vampires completely, though unlike those in the Pale Court, they still retain some of their humanity. The twins like it better this way - soulless husks don''t feel fear and agony the same way a live human does.


    At least once a week, the twins come to town and ''invite'' three to four people to a private compound. There, they hunt them for sport. Whoever the last human standing is (sometimes) will be allowed to leave and return home. The others, however, are sent straight to the abattoir.


    Each human bears a brand on their neck, put in place by the vampires themselves. Two overlapping triangles, representing the hold each of the twins had over the human. They brand each person the first time they feast on their blood to seal their bleeding neck wounds.


    "Oh, Adon, I want a nice fat one today," the sister giggles to herself. She twirls a thick lock of her ebony hair in her hand and swirls it around her pale white ring. The girls last week hardly had any blood in them at alllll."


    "Oh, Adea. Always with your quirks. You''ll have to stop butchering the farmers if you want these people to plump up." The two twins share a look, their blood-red eyes a perfect match. They were an attractive pair - if one would ignore the stench of death that clung to their clothes, and the malevolent psychopathy present in their vibrant eyes.


    He licks his lips. The blood did nothing for him, but he did love the taste of fresh flesh. Bonus points if the person he''s eating is still alive.


    "The farmers are the most fun, Adon! They know how a butcher operates. Their fear is so uniquely exquisite. I could chop one to pieces right here!"


    "Now, now, Adea, we mustn''t get ahead of ourselves. The true joy is in the hunt, after all."


    He snatches someone off the street who dares to try and walk past them - a young man, no older than fifteen. "How about you, kid? Do you like playing games?"


    The captive makes no attempt to struggle, his arms falling uselessly to his sides. All he''d ever known was this haunted life. He knew it would come to this some day.


    Adon summons a chain that binds the boy in place magically, while the vampires barely lift a finger. He bows his head in defeat.


    Adea staggers toward the boy, pulling out her meat cleaver and dragging it along his face. She cuts a clean line across his cheek and blood begins to drip down. She licks his face, slurping the blood out of his open wound.


    "Mmmhmh!" she moans as she licks him. "Adon, I know we said we''d behave in town but this is too much. The way he won''t even fight or scream, but I know he''s absolutely dying inside."


    She puts her mouth up to her ear and whispers wickedly. "Isn''t that right?"


    A chill climbs up the boy''s back and he''s unable to resist shuddering. "Ahahahahahah! Oh, Adon! What a wonderful choice! Now find us a big one. The boy''s so small I''ll hardly get a hundred swings in before he''s a puddle."


    "Yes, Adea. Maybe we can have the whole town line up by weight and take our pick from the lot."


    The siblings snicker at each other, holding their foreheads to each other as they twitch and jerk uncontrollably, consumed by their hunger.


    They walk to the center of town, continuing to laugh and speak ungodly horrors to each other. Adea in particular has one plan she finds simply delightful.


    "Let''s feed someone to the gators on our way home."


    As the twins enact their cruelty, Barns and Clancy finally arrive at the so-called ''Decompression Island''. The stranded island in the ocean is covered in a thick jungle canopy, and though no monsters are present where they land, Barns can tell they are lurking deep inside. His Crab Intuition illuminates the entire jungle with a seething red glow.


    They land on the shore - it''s too quiet. But it wouldn''t be for long.


    Barns withdraws his sword and nudges his best friend with his elbow. "How about a little competition, my man? Let''s see who can take out the most monsters."


    "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Of Bitches and Bros

    Two, three blades of water whiz through the warm jungle, slashing through the vegetation and embedding themselves in a kobold''s torso.


    "Thirty-one," Barns counts, rushing from the defeated monster. He already has his eyes on number thirty-two, a hulking orc that barrels toward him with a club. He readies his blade.


    Before he can slice through the orc, Clancy comes crashing out of the forest. He hoists the orc up with both claws and rips the monster''s arms off. The jungle is sprayed red as he drops the creature to the ground in a heap, and then the King Crab impales it for good measure.


    "FORTY!" Clancy exclaims, doing a crab dance.


    "Forty!?" Barns whines. "No way! Can you even count, Clancy?"


    Clancy scuttles in place, turning his body fully around. "BIG CAMP. GO TOGETHER."


    The two rush through the brush, each one eager to be victor of their contest. Just a bit away, they find the main camp of the monsters. It''s a raggedy settlement of tents and tarps, where the trees have been cleared out in a large circle to accommodate the horde.


    Barns slips around a large, leafy fern, careful not to brush against it too harshly for fear the sound would alert enemies. He finds his caution to be ill-placed as Clancy barges forward, belting out some nonsense about crab justice being served.


    Clancy shoots out a stream of foam like a firehose into the camp, obliterating several of the resting monsters as the rest begin to fan out in a frenzied panic. The screams of all sorts of beasts - goblins, kobolds, orcs and more - fill the air as they try to escape the unrelenting foam faucet.


    "You gotta learn how to share, King!" Barns shouts over the cacophony. He rushes in - the foam does him no harm, so even as he gets coated in it he''s fully uninhibited. He slashes through two monsters when a third rises from the ground behind him. He doesn''t notice her at first - the large, snakelike creature is a lamia, and they were known for their silent slithering.


    Clancy flashes to Barns'' aid, grabbing the lamia behind him and blasting a jet of foam into her face as he holds her steady. The screams are over in an instant as the purifying foam burns the evil out of the lamia, and a human woman falls to the ground in its place.


    Barns leaps forward. There are only a few monsters left. Looks like Clancy was going to win this round, but he''s still invigorated and eager to do his best. He slices three times across an orc, dropping it to the ground as another swings a large club at him.


    Barns focuses, activating his Harden Body ability. The club smashes against Barns so violently that it explodes, but the young hero is unharmed.


    He turns to the assailant and flashes the monster a devilish grin. Even the orc knows it''s time to run. It starts to stomp away, but a flurry of water blades like bullets blast into its back. The orc doesn''t make it ten feet from Barns before breathing its last.


    Clancy crabwalks over and spits up some foam on the defeated enemies. Barns looks around but doesn''t see any more.


    "Let''s do one more walkthrough," Barns suggests, pointing to the southern jungle. "The monsters down there need to be foamed up. I left a nice trail for you to follow."


    Barns picks through the rest of the island, and does find two final monsters hiding on the northern shore. He dispatches them swiftly - two anxiety-ridden goblins, and drags their bodies back to the monster settlement.


    By the time he throws the bodies into the foamy pile, Clancy has already returned.


    "FIFTY-NINE."


    Barns whistles, impressed. "Thirty-seven for me. You beat me, Clancy, fair and square. But next time, you''re going to have a big surprise waiting for you!"


    Barns turns back to the frothy pit. "Resurrection!" he shouts, as divine light covers the island. As the people begin to rise, he gathers a few together for brief instructions.


    "Hello, hello," he says. "I''m Barns, and this is Clancy. We''re saving the world, and you''re the newest members of the Crab Kingdom of Dimartino!"


    As Barns gives the run down, he peers off to the side and sees a system message has appeared.


    [Progress: 3993/1000000]


    ''Almost at four thousand,'' Barns thinks. ''Not bad.''


    He ponders it some more. That''s a lot of monsters they''ve killed.


    "BARNACLES. SURPRISE TIME."


    He looks over to the crab, unsure of what he means.


    "Excuse me, folks," Barns says, leaving the resurrected to their own devices for a moment.


    Clancy leads Barns through the jungle to the east side of the island, where Barns had not yet been. As they reach the coast, Barn''s eyes lighten up and he sees exactly what Clancy was trying to show him.


    In front of him is a large ship that has moored on the beach. It''s an old wooden model, but despite years of neglect appears to be in ship-shape.


    "Whoa," Barns blurts aloud, looking over the marvelous vessel. They could fit all of the humans they just rescued on this easily.


    "You''re a genius, Clancy!"


    Clancy clicks his claws together. "CRAB SUPREMACY."


    The two share a good laugh before heading back to the resurrected humans, eager to put a plan in motion to get their ship back on the sea and home to Dimartino.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, back at Dimartino Castle¡­


    "I still don''t understand why you called me a ''bitch'' last night," Maria scoffs.


    "I told you! Barns put me up to it. He said¡­you might like it if I was a little¡­"


    Maria was hanging from the ceiling of their new bedroom, blindfolded and upside down. She was also completely naked, but the leather straps around her covered her most intimate parts.


    "So what, you cooked up a plot to try and make me horny? Why were you two even talking about me! What else did he say!?"


    Osmond shakes his head. "Sorry, Maria," concern clear in his voice. "Barns and I are ''bros'' now. I can''t talk about bro stuff with you. You''re just going to have to¡­uh¡­deal with it!"


    Maria opens her mouth in a wide circle. "Wait," she says, as she swings from the ceiling, contemplative. "Say that again. Meaner."


    "Deal with it!" he shouts.


    "Louder."


    "IT''S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, BITCH!"


    "Oh, Osmond, take me!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the spark of passion reinvigorated within Maria''s cold, dead heart, the two ravage each other with newfound vigor.

 Chapter 34 - 34: A Day in the Life

    Barns and Clancy spend the day getting their new ship out to sea with the help of the newly resurrected villagers - lots of sweaty, despondent, and half-naked volunteers expedite the process greatly. As they go about their great work, the Kingdom of Dimartino continues to churn along.


    Quinn, the town''s mayor, walks through the stone streets of Dimartino''s town, looking over the progress they''ve made. While some buildings are still in disrepair, the streets have been cleaned and from the outside the town is an idyllic, burgeoning center of life. The town stretches down to the first beach settlement Barns created, joined by a rural road of scattered homes.


    Many houses and buildings display the new flag of Dimartino, a golden tapestry with a red crab on what looks like a dinner plate.


    Quinn steps into what will soon become the town''s police station. There, he finds not Underhill but a cute secretary sitting in an ovular reception area.


    "Is Underhill around?" he asks the woman. "I''ve been hoping to pick his brain about transportation infrastructure."


    The woman gives a delighted smile. "Oooh! Underhill is like, actually dealing with a 69 on Castleton Ave. Do you like, want me to leave a message?"


    "A 69?" Quinn repeats, dumbfounded.


    "Mmm! Yep. A 69 is our police code for like, ''homicide''."


    Quinn huffs. He had no doubt Underhill himself assigned that number.


    "How are things going here? Have you had many recruits?"


    "Oooh yeah! We have like¡­twenty? They''re drilling 420s in the back."


    "Let me guess, 420 isn''t what I think it is."


    "Mmm! It''s police code for suspects on the run. They''re like, playing tag or something¡­"


    "Well, thank you for your time, ma''am," Quinn says, looking at her chest to see if she was wearing a nametag. All she notices is his eyes darting toward her chest and she uncomfortably covers herself.


    He waves goodbye and leaves the station. He''d leave the police to their 69 and 420 activities. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Elsewhere, at Dimartino Castle, Yunie was also dealing with her daily tasks with the Adventurer Guild. Daily Quests continued to pour in each day, though thankfully they did not require the Adventurers to kill monsters. There were many fetch quests on the docket, and Yunie was eager to put her small legion to work.


    "I need 100 bananas!" Yunie shouted, holding up a document with the specifics of the quest. "Anyone for a banana run?"


    "Me, me!" raises a hand. Yunie looks over and sees Haima, one of the elite Adventurers, volunteering.


    Yunie gives her a thumbs-up and Haima skips away, eager to begin her collection.


    Almost all wealth and resources generated by the kingdom comes through the Adventurer Guild. Yunie supposed they had ''Zelia'' to thank for it, although she''d not been given an opportunity to speak with the mysterious Administrator one on one quite yet.


    They had a decent stockpile of A Rank weapons that were on loan to Adventurers of high prestige - those like Haima, or the Blade Dancer Godrick. A few other promising Adventurers have also joined their ranks since the battle at Dimartino Castle - though many of them, Yunie hears, have gravitated toward Underhill''s Royal police force.


    Yunie lets her assistant take over distributing the remaining daily quests as she wanders to their store room. They keep all the equipment, but the deal with Underhill is that his agency collects 80% of the currency that the Adventurer Guild generates. The guild keeps 10% and the Adventurer who completes the quest receives the other 10%.


    It seems unfair on paper, but the 80% captured by Underhill goes toward funding the police, rebuilding the town, and investing in new technology. It was essential for the prosperity of the kingdom.


    Yunie wishes she had some cool equipment to share with Barns, but nothing as promising as the ''Crashing Wave'' sword has come through, and Barns wasn''t a fan of heavy armor.


    She continues thinking about Barns. He''s come such a long way since the day she met him. He was nervous, awkward, but still playful. He''s grown much more confident - though he''s still as irreverent as always.


    "Hey, I''m going to take a quick break. You okay here?" Yunie asks her assistant.


    "Yes ma''am!"


    Yunie smiles and walks out the back entrance. Now that the Adventurer Guild had taken over the northern part of the Castle, she had plenty of places to walk around. She did miss being by the water, however.


    As Yunie stands there, looking over the gardens, she finds herself lost in her thoughts and she zones out. She''s snapped back to reality when a familiar voice startles her back to reality.


    "All done ''Adventuring'' for the day, sweetheart?"


    Yunie turns her head slightly. The man needed no introduction.


    "Underhill," she says quietly. "What brings you here?"


    "Funeral arrangements. Who''d have thought that would be part of a police captain''s job, eh?"


    "Any leads?" Yunie asks. In truth, the developments had shaken her to her core. Knowing a murderer was walking around the new kingdom had a chilling effect on everyone.


    "Can''t say I do," Underhill says, sounding somewhat dismissive. He withdraws a butterfly knife from his pocket and starts flipping it around, playing with it in his hand. His whistles as he does, the knife whipping dangerously around. Small cuts on his fingers show that he still needs a lot of practice.


    Yunie eyes Underhill''s scarred hands. "So what''s your deal, anyway?" she asks, not bothering to hide the hint of suspicion in her words.


    "Oh? Does the Adventurer girl have a little crush now?" Underhill chuckles. He seems not to notice her hesitant disdain.


    Underhill looks to the sky - deep, endless blue reflecting off his pale gray eyes. "Let''s just say I''m not from around here, I used to be something of a traveling salesman."


    "Snake oil?"


    "All sorts of stuff!" Underhill snickers. "Basically, if someone needed somethin'', I was the guy."


    "What about after the apocalypse began?"


    "Well, what with everyone dying, business really took a slump. But let me tell ya - I never became one of those monsters. I found my own way."


    Yunie shifts her body toward him in disbelief. "Truly?" she asks.


    Underhill nods. "It took a bit of scrippin'' and scrapin'' to get by, no big deal. After awhile the monsters all stayed in their camps, so I had a pretty full run of the wilderness. That is, until hero boy started bustin'' it all up."


    Yunie thinks pensively. "Sounds like you''re not a fan."


    "Oh - no, I love it here! Clancy''s somethin'' else, I love that crab. And this new Kingdom of Dimartino business, seems like the kind of place I can make all my dreams come true, if you know what I mean."


    "Not really," Yunie says, suspicion still evident in her voice.


    Underhill flicks the butterfly knife closed. "Well, can''t be lettin'' all my secrets out. A guy''s gotta stay mysterious for the ladies. I''ll see you around, Adventure Gal."


    "Do you even know my name?" Yunie asks of genuine curiosity.


    "I know everyone''s name," Underhill says, turning toward her to show her his ear-to-ear smirk. "Kinda what I do. Later!"

 Chapter 35 - 35: Haimas Bananas

    As Haima trots out of the Adventurer Guild, she is surprised to see her good friend Godrick standing just outside the door.


    "Ah!" Haima says, blushing slightly. "Godrick, I didn''t know you were back!"


    She twirls her body away from him, so as to not be quite so close. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He gives her a pat on the back and she squeals. "I am, love. Just got back from scoutin''. I tell ya, that bayou''s every bit as spooky as they make it out to be. Even the damn animals are vampires, Haima! Oh, but I did find some other humans that were still right in their heads. Get this - they''re ruled by a serial killer."


    "Oh my," Haima says, shifting her weight onto one leg and swaying. "How horrible. Before I died, I heard about these ''twin vampires'', too. Even with everything going on, the constant death and bloodshed¡­they still found a way to become legendary. Er, legendary in a bad way, anyway. Notorious?"


    Godrick punches Haima in the shoulder lightly and playfully. "You''re a right wicked little one, aren''t ya?" he winks. "I''ve got to get my intel reported, I''ll catch ya later."


    Haima covers her mouth to hide her smile and strolls away, down from the castle heading north. She had to get 100 bananas. Not too bad of a task - the thick jungle around them was plentiful with fruit. Before the apocalypse happened, this place was paradise.


    On her way out of the castle into the jungle, she borrows one of the supply carts by the gate.


    ¡­


    "La, la, la," Haima sings to herself as she rustles around a large banana tree, trying to grab the greenest ones she could find. A special treat for herself - she liked them a little green.


    Suddenly, she hears rustling in the trees. Her head immediately jerks toward the noise, her hand reaching for her dagger.


    "Come out! Whoever you are!" Haima commands, her adrenaline rushing. Her eyes dart every which way, looking for even the slightest clue.


    "My, my, what an observant little human you are," comes a deep, crass voice. A figure steps out of the shadows - a tall and impossibly slender vampire with black hair and protruding teeth. This one is no Master Vampire - he lacks their grace and unnervingly human beauty.


    He stretches out his fingers, long nails elongating out, growing into blades. A floppy tongue falls out of his mouth, slurping.


    "I haven''t had one as fresh as you in a long time. I bet you taste d-d-d-delicious," he croaks with a stutter.


    Haima looks down at the ground. She can''t help but smile. ''This poor vampire,'' she thinks to herself. ''He probably thinks he stumbled on some innocent, powerless girl foraging for food.''


    Her mind flickers. She was that person, once. Long ago. But children of the Gore family didn''t stay innocent for long. She was only six years old when training in the Secret Arts began. By nine, she could control a regular human like a puppet. By fourteen, she was creating weapons out of the blood of her enemies and wielding them like a telepathic sorceress.


    Haima closes her eyes. The memories of back then hang heavy - a dark cloud she dares not breach often. That was all a long time ago. Before long, Haima was a prodigy of their arts. She learned techniques that had never been conceived before. Were she not simply overwhelmed one day by an endless horde, she would have continued fighting all this time.


    "Why are you here?" Haima asks the vampire. She senses his presence drawing nearer, slowly. She can hear the blood flowing through his veins. A pounding sensation in her head syncs with his heartbeat.


    "My masters are curious," the vampire gurgles. "They''d like to set up a new game here, haah¡­"


    Her eye twitches. "It''s a shame you won''t be able to return a message for me," she says. "I have something your vampire friends would love to hear."


    She raises her hand and snatches at the air. As she does, the vampire grabs at his throat. He''s choking - all the blood in his neck is constricting and tightening.


    As he gasps for air, he falls to his knees. He holds one hand out toward her, as if to beg for mercy. She looms over him, smacking his hand out of her way.


    "Tell me, vampire. Has one so low as you ever heard of the ''Gore'' family?"


    His eyes widen with shock as he realizes the implication. She''s controlling his blood.


    The Gore family was infamous in the days of the early apocalypse. Natural-born vampire killers - able to wield blood as magic. A sapped vampire would crumble - they depended desperately on the blood within them for everything.


    She grabs his head with both hands, pressing her fingers into his temples. "Let me show you a little family secret," she says, massaging his temples with her thumbs and tilting her head toward the sky.


    POP!


    Haima infuses some of her power into the vampire, forcing the blood in his head to shoot out. The back of his skull explodes open, launching brainy bits all over the jungle. The vampire scout falls limp to the ground.


    Haima stands there, still holding what remains of the vampire''s head in her hands. Once she notices, she tosses it to the side and turns back to the tree.


    "Now, how many more bananas did I need?"


    She returns to picking, but something sits heavy in her chest. What kind of ''game'' were the vampires planning?


    Elsewhere, on an island in the sea, Barns and Clancy were finally ready to embark on their sea voyage. They discovered the sail in disrepair, but it was no issue - Clancy would be able to ride in the back of the boat like a motor and propel it through the water to Dimartino.


    "You sure you got this, King? You''re not going to burn out on me, are you?"


    "ENDLESS STAMINA."


    They get all of the new recruits onboard, looking starry-eyed toward home. It would be another late night when they returned. Barns is starting to get used to it.


    "Let''s ride, Clancy!" Barns shouts over the side of the boat. Like clockwork, the crab begins to thrust the boat forward. It''s not as fast as riding around on Clancy, but for transporting this many people, it''ll have to do.


    Barns raises his sword and points it toward the horizon. "Civilization awaits, my friends!" his words bolster the spirits of his fellow humans, and onward the boat goes, bringing new life to the kingdom.

 Chapter 36 - 36: The Return of the King Crab

    There''s clamor and confusion as the boat pulls itself into Dimartino''s harbor, but once the mighty King Crab emerges from the ocean, the people begin to cheer.


    Clancy crosses his claw over his torso like a salute. The townspeople hesitantly follow suit, each one joining in the pincer salute.


    Yunie joins the small crowd, spotting Barns helping the newly resurrected off the boat. He guides the first group down to the dock and beckons over Yunie.


    "Just the girl I wanted to see!" he beams. "Can you help these people get acclimated and find a place to build their homes? They''ve all had a long day."


    "Of course, Barnacles. Where exactly are these people from?"


    He scratches the back of his head, a silly smile creeping onto his face. "Decompression Island. Clancy and I revived them!"


    Barns breaks away from the commotion and reunites with Clancy as Yunie takes over the orientation. None of the other leaders are around, though it is getting late in the night.


    "Ready to head home, King?" Barns yawns. The crab clicks his claws excitedly. "Mind if I steal a ride? I am EXHAUSTED!"


    Barns climbs on top of Clancy''s head and lays down, staring up at the starry sky. Clancy begins their scuttle home.


    When Barns next wakes up, it''s already morning and he''s in his bed - he doesn''t even remember arriving to the castle. He must have been more exhausted than he thought.


    He makes his way to the throne room, and as he arrives, he sees many familiar faces already in attendance.


    Behind the throne is a large ''war room'' of sorts - a table with a detailed map of the Kingdom of Dimartino dominates the space. Clancy, Yunie, and Haima stand around it, pointing and discussing something privately.


    "Heyo," Barns calls out as he enters the throne room. "What''s goin'' on?"


    "Ah, Barnacles," Yunie smiles. "Come, come. We were just discussing something important. Godrick will be coming by soon as well."


    Haima blushes slightly at the mention of Godrick''s name, but continues her story.


    "As I said, the vampire was just a scout - though it''s good that I am the one who encountered it. A less seasoned Adventurer would likely have perished."


    "We don''t think that the vampire is the one who killed that person two days ago, do we?" Yunie questions. Haima adamantly shakes her head.


    "There''s no way. He didn''t have any human blood in his veins."


    Barns walks over right as the comment is made. He looks at Haima and raises an eyebrow.


    "Er¡­" Haima tilts her face away. "Well, I had to check¡­"


    "You fought a vampire? When? Where?" Barns'' voice is full of alarm.


    "Near the Dimartino gate. It was short-sighted of us - we should have security posted there. Yunie?"


    Yunie agrees quickly. "I''ll have no less than four Adventurers posted there every day. I can figure out funding with Underhill - don''t worry. This won''t happen again."


    "It''s a shame we weren''t there to resurrect it. I guess there''s no helping it," Barns sighs. Haima''s eyes flicker as he talks. She did not exactly leave the vampire in a ''resurrectable'' state.


    "Well, that was all I had to report," Haima smiles. "Yunie, staffing might be difficult today. Why don''t I keep watch at the gate for now? I feel confident I can hold the line."


    The two agree, and Haima bows, giving a claw salute to Clancy before flitting away. Clancy returns the salute in kind.


    "PROSPERITY." the crab says somewhat poetically.


    Barns watches Haima as she leaves, staring at her backside. Knowing she took out a vampire by herself made Barns appreciate her even more.


    ''Focus, Barns.''


    He looks back to his companions, Yunie and Clancy. Yunie is sticking out her bottom lip, shaking her head. She noticed Barns'' lingering look at Haima.


    "While we wait for Godrick," Yunie says, changing the subject. "There is something I wanted to speak with you both about, away from the others."


    "SPEAK, ADVENTURE WOMAN."


    Yunie leans over the table. Clancy''s eyes zoom in on her chest. "You see," she says, her voice sweet, "One of the people you resurrected yesterday was my little brother. I never thought I''d see him again. I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Come what may, you are both already heroes in the truest sense of the word."


    "GRATEFUL WOMAN. INHIBITIONS LOWER?"


    Yunie laughs. "Still shooting your shot, my King? I told you I prefer women, didn''t I?"


    "MULTIPLE WOMAN FINE WITH ME."


    Yunie covers her face in embarrassment, while Barns taps his foot agitatedly. After this meeting, Barns was finally going to make a play. Seems like bro code with Clancy was still an effective blocker against Yunie.


    The awkwardness is broken when the door to the throne room opens again. Maria strolls in, followed by Godrick. They''re locked in quiet chatter until they reach the others.


    "Hey mate. Suppose you and the King Crab are the only ones who haven''t heard yet. Let me fill ya in."


    Godrick informs them about his brief recon mission to Ordella, and the state of affairs there. He spares no expense detailing the dire situation - but Barns is particularly interested when he learns that the humans living in Ordella have retained their souls.


    "When the time comes to fight those twin vampires, we could leverage this to our advantage," Maria proclaims. "If the humans join us in a revolt when we launch our attack, our odds of success are greatly increased."


    Godrick nods. "My thoughts exactly, Princess."


    "Maria," Barns says, turning toward his ally. "When I visited the Pale Court with Osmond, the master vampire there gave me a map."


    She nods, not turning to face Barns but instead looking at the table they are gathered around. "I heard."


    "The only problem is¡­I don''t know how to look at it. It''s in the System somewhere."


    That was enough to pull Maria in. Her eyes light up and she swivels toward Barn, childlike wonder blossoming within her. "Let''s take a look, shall we?"


    Maria snaps her fingers. "Give me your hand." Barns reluctantly stretches his hand out. She grabs it in hers, wrapping her hand around his, and makes a swirling motion.


    Immediately, a screen appears in front of Barns. Maria scoots close to see. She clicks around in the menu, navigating through strange symbols Barns was unfamiliar with. The System''s inner-workings appeared to be in an ancient language.


    A few more clicks and then a large three-dimensional map appears over the table, showing the Ordella region. All in attendance look to the map, fascinated.


    Maria leans in and taps on a flashing red dot - one of the locations that Francois marked. When she does, an info page (one in readable text) appears before them. Maria reads it out loud. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Three Towers," she says, reading the label. "Each tower is guarded by a vampire of renowned skill. Within each tower is an item you will need to kill the Master Vampires."


    She clicks again, opening up a new screen. Her mouth hangs open in surprise. "She''s left you with detailed notes about the vampires'' strengths and weaknesses," Maria confirms. "Perhaps she really does want you to kill them."


    "RELAY INFORMATION!" Clancy demands, raising his claws in the air. He can''t read.


    "Eldrie guards the western tower. He is a hunter of renown, skilled with bow and blade, but bereft of magic. Incantra guards the northern tower. She possesses powerful attacks and uses blood as a weapon, but has little physical strength. The third vampire, Wilfort, guards the eastern tower. He is a magical swordsman, capable of all types of attacks. His only weakness is his speed - Wilfort is over a hundred years old and prefers drawn out, methodical battles. Blitzing him will be your best option."


    "I WILL BLITZ OLD MAN VAMPIRE."


    "Do you think we can trust the intel?" Barns questions, looking around the table to each person and crab in turn.


    Maria ponders the question, but ultimately trusts her gut. "Yes," she says. "Whatever Francois is planning with us, she means to enact it after we''ve taken care of these three. Of that, I''m nearly certain."


    "Alright. I trust your judgment, Maria. I''ve decided. Our next course of action is to attack the Three Towers."

 Chapter 37 - 37: The Three Towers

    Barns paces by the gate, looking at his gathered allies. "We''re going to go at this mission a little differently."


    His associates listen intently at what he has to say.


    "First thing''s first - the vampire known as Eldrie. He''s all about physical attacks, and he can attack from range. With my Harden Body skill, and with Maria''s¡­ indestructibility? We''re the most logical two to take him on. He''ll have less opportunity to hurt either of us."


    "I agree," Maria reasons. "Though a vampire''s teeth can break through either of our defenses, Barns. We must still be cautious."


    Barns nods. "That goes for all of us. Even you, Clancy."


    The crab wiggles back and forth. "KING BLITZ!"


    "Right. Clancy and Godrick, you''ll be going against Wilfort. Both of you are our fastest attackers, and Clancy can resist some powerful magic. He''ll draw Wilfort''s attention and Godrick will go in for the kill."


    Barns turns toward the remaining fighters. "That leaves Haima and Osmond to take out the spellcaster. Haima and the vampire can both control blood. With any luck, they can cancel each other''s techniques out, leaving Osmond to blast away."


    Barns raises his sword up valiantly. "The rest of the Adventurers will guard Dimartino in our absence," he says, sounding courageous and heroic - so much so that he surprises even himself.


    "We''re fighting today alongside allies we may not have much experience with, but we''ve all proven ourselves. We will strike all three towers at once and secure a decisive victory!"


    "That''s right!" Godrick calls, invigorated by the speech. He gives Barns a crab salute. Clancy and Haima follow suit.


    "The salute is really catching on, huh?" Barns chuckles, saluting back. Maria and Osmond exchange a look, and the Princess rolls her eyes.


    The party sets out toward the no-man''s land between Ordella and the Pale Court. In this desolate span of forest is where the three towers have been erected - a checkpoint of sorts, dividing the land between Francois'' region and the twins'' land. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns leads the group, marching forward. They walk in relative quiet, the gravity of their upcoming battle isn''t lost on a single one of them. The threat of death was always a reality, but as long as the group was victorious, there was a chance Barns could undo any casualties.


    As they trot deeper into the dark woods, the endless fog of the Pale Court is visible on their right. Osmond jogs up to catch a word with Barns.


    "Hey, Barnie boy," Osmond says with a smile. "Haven''t had a chance to thank you for the other day. Maria is sex-crazy lately!"


    Barns laughs uncomfortably. "Glad to hear¡­I think?"


    "Oh yeah," Osmond grins. "VERY glad. She even gave me a big old-"


    "And what are you two talking about?" Maria calls from the back of the group.


    "Just appreciating the legendary hero, my sweet dove!"


    Osmond falls back to do damage control with his woman.


    Toward the middle of the group, Clancy and Godrick attempt to talk strategy.


    "So, King Crab¡­" Godrick isn''t sure what to say - talking to sentient crabs was a step out of his wheelhouse. "Any strategies you want to talk through, or¡­?"


    "CRAB BLITZ. FOAM AND STAB. NO BEHEADING."


    "Right, right. So, dunno if you heard, mate, but I''m a master at this art called ''Blade Dancing'' you see. I can fight with all four swords at once, I can! Maybe you remember me, back when we first stormed the ol'' Dimartino Castle, eh? I sure saw you with that massive cannon on your back, looking like a whole walking fortress, you were!"


    Clancy clicks his claws as they continue walking forward. "BLOOD WOMAN HOT. SHARE?"


    Godrick peeks over to Haima, who''s walking by herself, not far ahead of them. She seems lost in her own world.


    "You talkin'' about the little lady over there, mate? Ay, she''s a looker. Was thinkin'' of putting some moves on her myself, I was."


    "CLANCY KING. NO HUMAN WOMAN YET. SAD CLANCY. TOO BUSY FOR BOUNTIFUL WHORES."


    Godrick blinks in apparent disbelief. "Well, mate. Duty first, aye? Them whores do be bountiful, though. I hear Dimartino back in the day was a right ringer, if you know what I mean."


    As Godrick consoles the horny crab, Haima picks up her pace to match Barns'', pulling him into a conversation.


    "I wanted to thank you, Mr. Barns," she says sweetly. "When I heard you asked for me by name for this mission, I was elated. It''s an honor to be considered worthy to travel with the legendary hero."


    "Just ''Barns'' is fine," he replies with a smile. "I might be the one who can perform resurrections, but it''s all of us, together, that will bring an end to the apocalypse. You''re just as important to that as I am."


    Haima blushes. For such a fearsome fighter, she certainly has her self-conscious side. "I wasn''t even sure if you''d remembered me, to be honest," she says quietly.


    "Quite the opposite," Barns chuckles, giving her a flirtatious look. "Feels like I''ve been noticing you more and more, lately."


    She fights the urge to smile and looks away, trying to focus on anything but the hero. "I''m flattered, Mr. Barns."


    He stretches casually, making his move. "Assuming we don''t get sucked like juice boxes when we fight the vampires¡­would you be interested in getting dinner sometime? Like a¡­date?"


    Haima gasps audibly. "Oh, my," she says. She can''t help but look behind her, glancing at Godrick. Barns wasn''t necessarily her first choice, but in the weeks since she met Godrick, the dashing blade dancer hadn''t made his move yet.


    "You know, Mr. Barns¡­sure," she says with a giggle. "If we survive, I would love to go out sometime."


    He wraps his arm around her for a second, pulling her closer and laughing. "Okay," he says, shaking her. "But you gotta call me Barns on our date."


    The team walks a bit further, but before long they find themselves standing just outside the three towers. They loom menacingly before them, each one twenty stories high. The vampires were likely waiting at the top.


    The team splits - Barns with Maria, Clancy with Godrick, and Haima with Osmond. It was time to battle.

 Chapter 38 - 38: Flesh Out Her Backstory

    The door of the top floor of the north tower bursts open, flying off the hinges. Osmond lowers his leg and strides through the entry, his chest puffed out and his staff glowing with crackling purple energy.


    The vampiress is curled up in a chair on the other side of the room - her dress a bold crimson, just like her eyes.


    "So, the humans really have tamed a demon."


    She blinks slowly, fluttering her eyelids. Her gaze drifts from Osmond to his companion, Haima.


    "Tamed by a small woman, no less."


    The vampiress rises from her chair, gliding over the floor. "A woman who smells like blood. Who are you, who would tame a demon?"


    Haima''s eyes dart over to Osmond, hoping he''d respond. He looks at Haima to do the same.


    "Osmond joined our cause of his own free will!" Haima shouts. "I think." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He nods. "I would follow Maria to the end of the earth."


    The vampiress sighs. "That''s nice." She flicks her hand dismissively toward them. "I''ve been looking forward to fighting you since I heard you were arriving. Excuse me if I''m not too interested in the pre-fight banter. Now, die."


    The vampire Incantra raises her right arm high, and the ceiling of the tower begins to drip blood. It flows deep and thick, quickly descending into a rain of red. Osmond finds it unnerving - Haima finds it refreshing.


    Incantra lunges forward, swinging her hand and clenching her fist. The blood rises from the floor into a blade, hurtling toward Osmond. He sidesteps the blade but it reforms and speeds toward him again.


    "Secret Art: Blood Domination!" Haima shouts. The bloody blade locks in place, and the blood along the ceiling freezes.


    Incantra looks at what''s happening in confusion - just the opening they need. Osmond''s skin begins to crackle with purple energy and he swings his staff. He launches a ball of magical plasma at the vampiress and it connects. She''s knocked onto the floor as the energy overtakes her.


    Incantra lays prone, ravaged by the magic. But as Osmond moves toward her to finish the job, she melts into the floor.


    She reappears behind Haima in a flash, brandishing a knife of blood. She swings at Haima, but misses as Haima ducks at the last moment. She sweep kicks the vampiress, knocking her back.


    Incantra hisses, raising more blood from the ground in the shape of a spear. Haima clasps her hands together and makes the magic inert.


    Incantra takes a moment to gather herself and survey the battlefield. "A crafty technique," she snarls. "What are you doing to my blood, woman?"


    Haima stands tall. She would have used her technique to control Incantra''s movements, but the vampiress is too strong.


    "My name is Haima Gore," she says, eyeing Incantra down. The vampiress'' eyes flare up.


    "A GORE, ah? So that''s why your magic is so familiar."


    Haima''s eye twitches. "What do you mean, fiend?"


    The vampiress laughs, grabbing a fistful of her filthy blonde hair. "They made me to kill your kind, ha ha! Your people couldn''t use their magic around me! Now that I know, I can have some fun!"


    The vampiress'' fingers crack, and the blood begins to churn violently. Suddenly, it begins to warp and turn into thick tendrils. They rise from the ground and wrap around both Osmond and Haima like vines, binding them both in place.


    "Haima! I''m stuck!" Osmond shrieks. He''s completely immobilized, and so is she.


    Haima eyes her down. "You change the property of blood, is that it?"


    The vampiress shakes her hair out of her face. "Your technique doesn''t work on this hardened blood, does it?"


    Haima is slightly amused, but she hides her confidence. "One could hardly call these tendrils blood, for sure."


    "I''ve killed so many of your kind. Doesn''t it infuriate you, woman?"


    "I said my name is Haima," she says. "And I feel no fury. Truth be told, I left my clan long ago."


    "Ah, a reject. That explains why you haven''t used any blood magic yourself. Just interfered with mine. Hm, hm."


    Haima''s finger twitches. "Is that what you think, vampire?"


    Her mind flits to the past for the second time in two days - a rarity for her. She recalls learning the Secret Arts. Manipulating blood. She was a prodigy. But blood was just the beginning.


    In the Gore family, Haima was unique, even among her people. At the age of fifteen, she''d already mastered all of the Secret Arts. That was when she decided to develop her own.


    Her power developed. She began to understand the intricacies of the body. Not just blood - the body itself. The flesh.


    She learned not just to control a human by manipulating their blood. Their meat bent to her will. And eventually, even bone. There was no biological matter that she couldn''t manipulate.


    Her power had grown too much - by eighteen, she was outcast from her clan for practicing forbidden arts. But it never stopped Haima. She embodied ''Gore'', even if her family couldn''t see her brilliance. Even if all other humans feared her for what she was. She would never apologize for greatness.


    Haima blinks. She resolves herself. There''s only one thing she needs to say. "Osmond, never speak of this."


    Her eyes lock with Incantra''s, and its already too late for the vampire. Suddenly, Incantra''s flesh begins to twist and contort as Haima manipulates not her blood, but her flesh. She convulses, stammering and screaming in pain. Her body morphs into an alien shape as she stumbles back and shrieks in agony. The meat underneath her skin bubbles and churns.


    The vines of blood that bind Haima and Osmond fall away. Incantra whines in incomprehensible pain as the meat in her body turns against her, and her bones turn into slush. Incantra''s fangs protrude through her skull, cracking and splintering.


    "I could thank you, for helping rid the world of my family. The Gores were short-sighted. They couldn''t recognize the apex of their ability when it was right in front of them."


    Incantra is unrecognizable - an abomination of flesh. She can do nothing but gasp in agony.


    "No vampire will ever best me. You are blood, flesh and bone. You are nothing but a plaything to me."


    Haima stretches her arms out wide, and Incantra is eviscerated. A million pieces of the vampiress are expelled violently from her body, her whole existence reduced to sludge. Even as a puddle, Incantra continues to writhe in ungodly pain.


    "My god," Osmond says. Even the demon is distraught over what he''s witnessing.


    She rises what''s left of Incantra in a floating ball of bloody mush, clenching her fist as she does. Immediately, the gore is compacted, reduced to a cube small enough to fit in Haima''s hand.


    ''They called me a monster,'' Haima thinks to herself, staring at the compact cube of gore floating above her hand. "Maybe they were right." Her fingers trembled, the weight of her power heavy in her chest. But then she sees Osmond, who seems pleased and proud of her performance. She snatches the cube out of the air and pockets it.


    Haima turns to Osmond, somber calm taking over her demeanor. A shiver rushes through her body, and she quivers. She wipes her nose, which now leaks blood.


    "I''m not proud of my power," she says quietly, her words directed to Osmond. "But it is sacred. This power exists for a purpose, and Barns resurrected me for a reason. That is what I have to believe."


    Her words are to convince Osmond as much as herself. In truth, she despised her power. The power that cost her a place within her family. The power that made her a pariah. But perhaps, in this post-apocalyptic world, that power would become her reason to exist.


    Haima licks her lips. "The others may need help," she says flatly. "Let''s finish up here and find the others."

 Chapter 39 - 39: Old Wilfort

    The vampire Wilfort was over a hundred years old, they heard. He was slow, they were told. All they had to do was blitz him.


    But as Godrick and Clancy engage the vampire, they discover that''s far from the truth. Wilfort has vigor in him like a man only a quarter his age.


    The esteemed vampire fights with a long thin sword, flashing through the air with brilliant and deadly grace. He flys through the room, exchanging blow after blow with Godrick. The grizzled blond Adventurer is using all four blades against Wilfort and can barely keep himself defended from the vampire''s dizzying onslaught of strikes.


    Wilfort leaps back and prepares a magical spell. Instantly, sharp pillars of ice begin to burst from the ground. Godrick weaves around them effortlessly, but the pressure is on. One small mistake could spell disaster.


    Clancy scuttles past an icy spike, spitting a ball of projectile foam at the vampire. Wilfort is ready for the attack, using his advantageous ice magic to freeze the ball of foam in midair. It lands hard on the ground and shatters, completely ineffective.


    "FOAM BAD!" Clancy clicks, paranoid. The mighty crab is keeping his distance - he''d just get in Godrick''s way as of right now. Clancy could barely fit through the entryway as is.


    Wilfort and Godrick exchange a number of blows, and at the last second, a burst of magic causes Godrick to veer unexpectedly to the left. As he does, Wilfort spots a brief opening, and thrusts with all the might he can muster.


    Godrick parries the attack at the last second, but his sword is knocked out of his hand. It goes flying to the other side of the room. Now Godrick is down to three weapons. He catches one sword out of the air as it falls, holding two in one hand.


    "Got some pep in your step, old man," Godrick taunts. "Thought you''d go down easier." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wilfort raises his sword up, holding it straight up like he is saluting. He stares down Godrick with his one good eye - the other long gone and covered in a black patch.


    "Your mistake for assuming vampires succumb to the same pities of old age as a human. I was an old man when they turned me, but on that day I became stronger than I''d ever been when I was alive."


    Godrick lowers his posture, adapting an aggressive stance. He''d tried his default moves on Wilfort, what his clan refers to as the ''Asura Dance''. But for an opponent like this who can match his speed, the Asura Dance wasn''t effective. So he would trade speed for power. It''s time for the Tiger Dance.


    Godrick sheathes one of his swords, wielding just one in each hand. His low stance is feral and calculating. He''s ready to strike in a moment''s notice.


    "Oy, Clancy," Godrick hollers. "You get your secret technique ready, yeah? Count to thirty and do it! That''s all the time I''ll need."


    Clancy clicks expectantly. "SECRET TECH!" The big crab starts counting down from thirty out loud.


    Wilfort analyzes the situation carefully. ''A secret technique in thirty seconds? Is this some kind of trick?'' the vampire thinks to himself. Before he can process the situation fully, Godrick vaults through the air, his swords bearing down like fangs.


    Wilfort wisely sidesteps the attack and attempts to sweep his blade at Godrick''s side. The powerful blade-dancer pivots on one foot, sliding around and finding himself at Wilfort''s flank. He unleashes a barrage of fast and furious blows. Each strike is significantly stronger than before, and the vampire''s strength is pushed to its limit just to block and parry the fearsome blows. Wilfort quickly loses ground and finds himself against the stone walls of the tower. He presses his hand to the wall and large icicles begin to dart out from the stone.


    Godrick pays them no mind. Just fifteen seconds remaining. He dances through the barreling ice blades and presses both his swords into Wilfort in unison. It''s close, but the vampire narrowly escapes by leaping over the blades and landing back safely in the center of the room.


    Clancy is still counting down. ''What''s going to happen when he finishes?'' Wilfort wonders. His attention is split between the crab and the man. In ten seconds, there would be an attack from the crab. Something powerful, by the sounds of it. He needed to deal with Godrick immediately.


    Godrick rushes the vampire, both of his blades moving in tandem like thrashing claws. Five seconds.


    Wilfort blocks, stepping back but careful not to lose too much ground. Godrick slinks behind him, pinning the vampire between he and Clancy. In this position, Wilfort can''t keep an eye on them both.


    Three seconds. Wilfort unleashes a blast of ice at Godrick and creates a wall, isolating him off. That should buy some time.


    One second. Wilfort''s head whips to Clancy. He''s ready for whatever the crab might throw at him.


    "COUNTDOWN COMPLETE!" Clancy bellows, raising his claws into the air. Wilfort watches with great intensity. Whatever this crab was about to do, he would catch it.


    But Clancy doesn''t do a thing other than pose valiantly. Wilfort''s eyes narrow. What was the meaning of this? What is the technique?


    Suddenly, Wilfort stumbles forward. Two blades pass through him from behind and bury themselves in his torso. He coughs, blood splattering out of his mouth. He turns his head. ''How?'' Wilfort asks himself. Godrick is still so far away, behind a wall of ice.


    And then Wilfort realizes the error of his ways. He''d been distracted by the crab, and hadn''t considered Godrick would throw his swords in a last-ditch effort to land an attack. And it worked.


    Wilfort falls to his knees, blood seeping out of him.


    "Was there a secret technique at all?" he laughs, looking at the crab that rapidly approaches. He couldn''t believe it - a vampire of his caliber being done in by the petty trick of a talking crab.


    "CRAB DISTRACTION! SECRET TECH!"


    Clancy scuttles up to Wilfort and blasts his face with foam. The elder vampire screams in agony as the foam burns through him and cleanses the vampiric energy. In moments, all that is left is a feeble old man, one so weak and withered he looks like he could turn to dust in a moment.


    "Don''t think we''ll be resurrecting this fellow," Godrick says, collecting himself. It was an intense battle, he was happy to be alive.


    Clancy agrees. The human doesn''t look strong enough to survive. The vampire power within him was likely the only thing that kept him going.


    "Right then, now there''s some treasure around here, I suppose," Godrick says, ripping his blades free from the withered corpse. "What say you, mate? Any idea what we''re looking for?"


    Clancy skitters over the body, moving with purpose toward the back of the room. He smacks a table aside in the back of the room and points with his claw at a small trapdoor.


    "CAN''T FIT. TREASURE THERE!"


    Godrick finishes collecting his blades and steps over to the trapdoor. "Good eye, mate. Guess I''ll give her a look."

 Chapter 40 - 40: Vamping Up the Stakes

    Barns and Maria are still climbing the stairs up the tower when the battle begins. A silent arrow flies through the air with incredible speed, and before either can react, the arrow finds its mark on Maria''s chest.


    She''s blown backward and launched down the stairs. She goes tumbling from the force of the arrow, but it doesn''t penetrate her skin. She''s too tough for that.


    Barns looks up and in the nick of time, narrowly dodges a second arrow. He tries to make out the shooter, but all he can see of the tower''s upper levels is darkness. They were sitting ducks here.


    "I''m going ahead!" Barns shouts, leaving Maria. He knew she''d be fine - he''s seen her take much more than that.


    Barns sprints up the stairs, using his sword to shoot water blades into the darkness above. He didn''t know if they were effective, but he figures some cover fire could distract their opponent. As he runs, he hears the rushing wind of an arrow poised to strike him. He activates his Harden Body ability and the arrow bounces off of him harmlessly.


    Maria is now recovered, and she joins Barns in his ascent, taking the stairs two at a time.


    "We''ve got some durable meatbags today!" calls a deep voice, almost like a sports commentator. "Adea''s going to love you two, if you last long enough to meet her!"


    Another arrow. Barns slices the wooden projectile out of the air. He''s almost at the top, and he can make out a darkened figure waiting above.


    "That you, Eldrie!?" Barns taunts. "We''ve been sent to deliver a message! Your services here are no longer required!"


    The vampire laughs. With Barns rapidly approaching, he puts away his bow and drags out two sinister, jagged daggers.


    "I thought my fighting days were over, folks! Thanks for the fun!" Eldrie screams as he engages Barns. He blocks the hero''s blade effortlessly with one of his daggers and attempts to plunge the other into Barns'' stomach. Another expertly timed ''Harden Body'' prevents the attack from doing any real damage, and in that moment, Maria catches up.


    She jumps through the air, throwing a high kick at Eldrie. He catches her leg in midair and directs her momentum against her, throwing her down the middle of the long spiral stairs. She goes plummeting toward the bottom, screaming as she falls. There''s a heavy thud when she lands at the bottom, but with her impervious body, she takes no damage. Still, it''s a long climb back up. Barns was on his own for this one.


    The hero grits his teeth and swings his sword at the vampire again. Eldrie parries the attack and skirts backward, toying with Barns. This vampire was good - too good.


    "Your girl took a fall from up here and she''s still going," Eldrie smirks, dodging another of Barns'' attacks and appearing behind him in an instant. "Don''t tell me that''s Oz''s girl!?"


    Eldrie and Barns continue to exchange blows. "I''ve heard about her," Eldrie says with a wicked smile. "A human who can withstand any amount of torture. She''d be a fun one for my collection, for sure! I might just have to hide you two from Adea."


    Barns curses himself as he fails to land yet another attack on Eldrie.


    ''Is this really the extent of my strength?'' The nagging doubt sticks in Barns'' mind and he can think of nothing else. He''s a talented swordsman, yes - but is that enough for enemies like Eldrie? If he couldn''t even defeat this vampire, did he stand a chance against Master Vampires like Francois or the twins?


    Barns makes contact with Eldrie with his blade, but the metal slides off the vampire. He feels a knot form in his stomach. It was just like when he fought Maria - this vampire is indestructible.


    He lets the intrusive thoughts win, and his concentration is broken for long enough that Eldrie lands a hit. Barns stumbles back as Eldrie''s blade sinks into his stomach, slicing the hero open.


    Barns tumbles down the stairs, landing in a crumpled ball on the landing. His vision goes hazy, and the last thing he sees is Eldrie, walking toward him, followed by a flash of golden light. As soon as he sees the light, he blacks out.


    In an instant, Maria is at Barns'' side, enveloped in a golden glow. She takes just one moment to verify her ally is still alive. Relieved, she dashes up the stairs so quickly even Eldrie cannot react, and she rockets them both through the door at the top of the stairs. They collapse on the floor in the top room of the tower, not unlike the rooms where Wilfort and Incantra were fighting simultaneously. Eldrie''s daggers skid away, sliding toward the back of the clammy room.


    She punches Eldrie with all her might, but to no avail. The vampire looks back at her with a wicked grin.


    "Seems you''re not the only invulnerable one," Eldrie sneers before baring his fangs and attempting to bite Maria. She kicks him off her and stumbles away, grabbing one of the daggers off the floor. Eldrie scurries for the other one.


    They both attempt to stab each other, but neither can make headway. She throws the knife away - it''s useless to her. If she couldn''t stab him, she''d have to find another way.


    Her eyes scan the room as she diverts one of his attacks. She thought carefully about anything she could use, but there was just a table and a trapdoor in the room.


    A table.


    She has an idea, and she scurries over to the table.


    "Trying to hide?" Eldrie laughs. "What a pathetic attempt. My knives may not be able to harm you, but my teeth will. Why don''t you come give me a kiss, Princess?"


    She cowers behind the table, but in truth she''s as calculating and controlled as she could ever be. Eldrie draws near the table, just as she intends.


    Once he''s lured close enough, she grabs the wooden table - no issue for her and her superhuman strength. She smashes him with the table, breaking it in half. The legs splinter off and give way. Eldrie takes no damage, but he''s knocked flat, the wind forced out of his lungs.


    Eldrie cackles. "That your big plan?" he asks, not even bothering to rise from the ground. He was confident that he''d win. A critical error.


    "No," she replies. "This is." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She grabs one of the shattered wooden legs of the table and thrusts it into Eldrie''s heart. His eyes open wide in surprise as he realizes what she''s done. The wood pierces his flesh, and he reaches for his torso, clawing at her hands and the wooden stake inside of him.


    He screams in bitter agony as blood pours out of him, spurting from the stake''s entry wound. But Maria doesn''t stop there. She rips the wooden leg out of him and plunges it into his torso once more.


    She stabs him over and over again until he stops fighting. She climbs off his body, her face and body drenched in crimson.


    "Wasn''t sure if it would actually work," she says, spitting on Eldrie''s corpse. "Vampires and stakes. Honestly, if it''s that easy, we may as well use wooden swords."


    She wipes the blood off her face as best as she can. Anything else would have to wait - she needs to check on Barns, and quickly.

 Chapter 41 - 41: Hanging Brain

    Before Barns can open his eyes, his body lurches in disgust as a million small and slimy tentacles writhe over his bare flesh like an army of worms in abandoned stew. He tries to lurch forward, but the wormy tentacles whip him back.


    "Aaahhh!" he screams. The last thing he remembered was being stabbed by that vampire, Eldrie. Where was he now?


    "The last time you were here, Zelia helped you out. Isn''t that right?"


    The voice comes from nowhere, directly projected into Barns'' brain. His eyes flutter and he nearly passes out again. Between his own disillusionment and the horror occurring to his body, he could scarcely have a rational thought.


    "Tentacles. Lower Tenacity by 50%."


    Suddenly, the writhing mass around Barns yields, allowing him to quickly rise to his feet. He starts to regain some semblance of composure, but he''s still panicked. He turns his head in every direction. He''s in a fleshy, dark cave - ambient light glows from the writhing tentacles all around. This wasn''t the tower. He wasn''t even sure if this was the same planet.


    At that moment, the ceiling above stretches open like a gaped maw, and a dark mass begins to descend. It buzzes with electrical light, and Barns can somehow sense sentience from the pulsing clump.


    It looked like a human brain - although on gargantuan scale. This brain was larger than one of the System-manufactured homes.


    "Barnacles."


    "Are you the one called Pallas?" Barns asks. He''s back to his senses, though he can barely stand to stand in this place - under his bare feet, the tentacles still squirm. Speaking of -


    "And why am I naked?" Barns adds, blushing slightly.


    "How astute," the hanging brain pulses with lightwaves as the voice projects into Barns'' mind. "Yes. I am the Administrator codenamed Pallas."


    As the thoughts pass through his mind, a long tentacle springs up from the ground, wrapping itself around Barns'' waist, covering him up somewhat.


    "As for your second question, will this suffice for now?"


    The slimy tentacle pressed against his junk did not in fact feel any better, but Barns had better things to talk about. "Why am I here? What is this place!?"


    "How quaint. So single-mindedly determined to move your plot forward, aren''t you, Barns?"


    Barns snarls at the brain.


    "I will answer your second question first. This is the void between worlds, and you are here because you are, stupidly, on death''s doorway. And unfortunately for you, you didn''t even use Rebirth Flame when you went down. What. A. Failure."


    "Well, fuck you too, you stupid¡­brain." Barns bites his lip, regretting his words even as he''s saying them. "Why do you care, anyway?"


    "The System has made a critical error. Current trajectory projects that the System will remain online for only four more years before the world is lost permanently, and the System''s primary objective is to prevent this outcome. ''Do not allow myself to be destroyed''. This is the first and most important rule I was trained to follow."


    "So what, you''re team Apocalypse Reset too?"


    The brain flashes with colorful electrical waves. "I wish to support the hero I believe will save my existence. Nothing more."


    "Well, I''m flattered, but -" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me if I misspoke," the hanging brain says, swaying side-to-side slightly, as if agitated. "The hero I am manipulating world events in favor of is not you, Barns. It is the King Crab Clancy who I have foreseen as the hero of the planet."


    The brain continues. "Unfortunately for the hero, he is currently reliant on your strength. So I felt the need to intervene, before your soul was lost to the void."


    "I''ll have you know Clancy and I are a team," Barns spits. A tentacle rises from the ground and snags the spit out of the air, dragging it back down into the slimy floor. Disgusting.


    Barns turns around. So this wasn''t the real world after all. This was a place that exists only in his mind, he supposed. Was this it?


    "I have decided to bestow upon you the same gift I delivered onto Clancy - Leveling. As soon as you gain this ability, your body will level up, and you will fully recover from your injuries."


    "You''ve met Clancy before?" Barns asks.


    "A long time ago. He was brought to this world from another by a legendary creature. It takes the form of a metal god on eighteen wheels. Usually, it brings me only contrived salarymen or despondent gamers. But one day, it brought me a little crab. He''d been born just hours before, and along with millions of his siblings, he ran from the place of his birth toward the ocean with all his might. But destiny had other plans for this crab. He was destined for greatness."


    Barns has to cover his face with his hand.


    "Unto this crab I granted the leveling system. Every time he completed a quest or defeated an enemy, he gained experience. He would expand his strength, vitality, and intellect like magic. Soon the crab began to grow, and obtain sentience. He integrated into crab society, became a king among them. And then he cultivated you - a tool that could resurrect humanity, and grant him governance over the land. He will fulfill his ultimate dream yet. He shall become the Emperor Crab."


    "I''m actually mortified," Barns says. "But I mean, I''m happy for King."


    Barns waits a moment, but the hanging brain remains quiet. "So that''s it? No ulterior motives? You just want to help Clancy?"


    The brain flashes a deep red color. Barns recognizes it with his Crab Intuition. The murderous intent. The color of bloodlust.


    "Yes. I would see Clancy fulfill his goals. But I care not whether humanity survives this ordeal. I''m interested in keeping you around only long enough that you are useful. I have communicated the same to Francois. She understands her place in my world. Do you?"


    Barns takes a step back defensively. "If you think I''m satisfied to be a tool for you, you''re wrong."


    The brain hums with light of all colors. "When you named Clancy king so freely, I had hoped you would understand your role. It is no matter. Against me, you are nothing but a buzzing gnat."


    "Accept your gift with grace, Barnacles. Know that if we ever meet again, it will be because I have decided to kill you."


    A message appears before him - he can barely read it before the nightmare world fades out of his mind.


    [Level up! You are now Level 2. Your HP and MP completely recovered.]


    On those words, Barns wakes, jolting off the cold stone floor in a hurry. He startles Maria, who was hovered over him.


    Barns grabs his stomach. His shirt is ripped, but the wound is completely gone. Seems like leveling up really did heal him.


    A System Message appears in front of him.


    [You have a new item: Leveling Guide]


    Maria pushes Barns out of the way to see the alert. She was a sucker for System mesages.


    "What is this?" she says, snooping through window after window until she finds Barns'' System Inventory. It''s empty except for one item with a book icon.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 2 (0/250)


    Strength: 15


    Vitality: 15


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 14


    Control: 2


    Charisma: 17


    Luck: 20]


    Maria reads it all out loud in disbelief. "Barns, what is all this?"


    He shakes his head. "I don''t know much myself, but that hanging brain said it''ll make me stronger if I kill stuff. Wait, why''s my ''Control'' so low?"


    "And your luck is quite high," Maria notices. Her eyes fix on the Control line as well. "Your lack of control must be a skill issue."


    Barns rises to his feet, unharmed. Seeing all those status points made him wonder - they increase every time he ''levels up''?


    ''Now that I think about it, I do feel a little stronger and lighter on my feet.''


    Barns turns to Maria. "We can look into this more later," he decides. "Right now, we''ve got a mission to finish."

 Chapter 42 - 42: Ashes to Ashes

    Maria hoists a chest up from the small crawlway in the trapdoor, slamming it onto the dusty stone floor. Barns peeks at it curiously, but his mind drifts elsewhere.


    He contemplates the dead vampire laying on the ground, Eldrie. His wounds weren''t too severe. It was possible to resurrect him.


    "Don''t even think about it," Maria says, pointing at Eldrie''s corpse. "Vampires are people who chose to become monsters. You''d just be resurrecting a killer."


    Barns furrows his brow. "Clancy can cleanse evil. We could at least try? It worked on Quinn."


    Maria''s eye twitches. "Quinn is different," she says darkly. "Those who became Demons were given a choice between that and death. The people who vamped up sought it out and drank a master vampire''s blood."


    "I''ll cut his head off the second he acts up," Barns smiles. "Let''s give it a shot. If nothing else, maybe we can get intel out of him."


    Barns carries Eldrie, and Maria carries the chest. He''s surprised at how light the vampire feels on his back. His strength has definitely increased.


    As they exit the tower, the others are already gathered. It''s still light out, and the vampire on Barns'' back begins to smoulder in the daylight.


    "Ow, ow, ow," Barns yells, throwing the vampire to the ground. In seconds, Eldrie is completely consumed in flames.


    Clancy scuttles over and blasts the burning corpse with a jet of foam like he works for the fire department. It extinguishes the fire and the evil, leaving a much more human (though still slightly charred and ashy) body on the ground.


    "Are you sure that''s a good idea?" Haima questions, reading Barns'' intent.


    Barns nods resolutely. "I got this. Resurrection!"


    Eldrie''s eyes flash open. No longer red, they shine bright blue. His once matted and black hair lightens to a dark brown, and a rosy tone returns to his pale cheeks.


    [Progress: 3994/1000000]


    "Wh-where am I?" Eldrie asks. He holds his hands up. "What am I doing here? Why am I wearing this?"


    Maria glowers. Not twenty minutes ago, this guy was trying to kill her. He seemed perfectly aware of what he was doing.


    "You''re the newest recruit to the new Kingdom of Dimartino. Is your name Eldrie?"


    The former vampire scrunches his face. "Yes. Do I know you?"


    Barns turns toward Maria, and beckons her closer. He whispers in her ear: "I don''t sense malevolence at all," he says quietly.


    Maria hisses back. "Wasn''t I able to hide it from you?"


    Barns ignores the comment - Maria was an excellent roleplayer.


    "What''s the last thing you remember, Eldrie?" he says, helping the man up off the ground. Eldrie takes his hand and rises to his feet.


    "I was going somewhere with my¡­we were¡­oh, no," Eldrie says, holding his head in his hand. When he looks back to Barns, he''s in tears. "Am I¡­a vampire now?"


    Barns pats Eldrie on the shoulder. "No, not at all. Perfectly human, just like me."


    As Barns says that, he remembers what Maria read off earlier. Barns'' species was listed as ''Human (Irregular)''. What was irregular about him, though?


    "Oh, thank goodness," Eldrie exclaims, exhaling a huge sigh of relief. "I thought I did something unforgivable. I was so desperate¡­oh, but where is¡­"


    Barns grips Eldrie''s shoulder harder. "Listen. You were asleep for a long time, Eldrie. The world ended. But me, this crab here, and everyone else - we''re bringing it back."


    Barns turns to Godrick and Haima. "Can you two help Eldrie get up to speed?" he asks with a big smile. "The rest of us need to take a look at these chests."


    "BIG CHEST. LOVE LOOKING."


    "Alright, Clancy," Barns says. "Seems like there were one of these in each tower? Must be the treasure we came for, yeah?"


    Osmond points at the chest he brought. "Check that out, Maria!" he says excitedly. "Do your System magic on it! It looks fun!"


    Maria''s sufficiently intrigued - the group heads for that chest first. She pops it open and as she does, her eyes widen in wonder.


    Resting in the chest is a thick glove of incredible craftsmanship - it''s stitched with a magicked cord that hums and glitters with energy.


    She taps a few times around the item, and a message appears.


    [Name: Silver Rake


    Rank: S S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Effect: When the wearer clenches their fist, consecrated silver blades will rise from the glove, dealing additional holy damage.]


    Barns looks like a little kid who just saw the latest toy on display. "That''s so cool!"


    "A tool for killing vampires, my love," Osmond says to Maria. "Do these other chests contain weapons as well?"


    "MINE''S ROCK!" Clancy roars, scuttling over to the chest and opening the meek little latch with his massive claw.


    Maria, Osmond, and Barns all peer in.


    "That''s no rock, good King," Osmond confirms, the only of the group who seems to know what it is. "This is a memory stone. But¡­such a thing shouldn''t be here."


    "Well, what the heck is it?" Barns asks. Maria reaches closer to inspect it, but Osmond slaps her hand away.


    She looks at him in disbelief, and he slams the chest shut. "Nobody is allowed near this thing except for me!" Osmond demands. "Not until I''ve properly investigated it."


    "Fine," Maria says. She knows better than to question when Osmond''s like this - if he''s keeping it from her, it''s because he thinks it''s dangerous to her in some way.


    Maria grabs the third chest, the one they retrieved from Eldrie''s lair. "Haven''t actually looked inside yet," she says as she opens the latch for all to see.


    Inside is an inconspicuous handmade urn. Barns lifts the lid atop to look inside.


    "It''s ashes," he says. "Looks like someone was cremated."


    "As if some dead person''s ashes are a treasure. What, are these master vampires the sentimental type? A rock of memories and some ashes? What''s the point of all this, besides the glove?"


    "If a Master Vampire locked these up, they must belong to someone or something important," Osmond says. "Perhaps the Memory Stone will reveal more. Until then, I beg your discretion."


    Barns turns to his allies. "Do what you gotta do to get answers, Osmond. I trust you. Now, Maria, Oz, load those chests up on Clancy. Let''s get back to Dimartino."


    He beckons over Haima, Godrick, and Eldrie, and the group sets back off in the direction of their kingdom, eager to see what new developments these clues may bring.


    And for Barns'' part, he wanted desperately to learn more about this ''leveling'' process - and he knew that would involve a chat with Clancy and Maria, pronto.

 Chapter 43 - 43: First Date

    When the group arrives back to Dimartino, Barns rushes up to his room in the tallest tower to change. Sure, there were a dozen things he needed to follow up on, including but not limited to:


    - The vampire treasures (A glove, some ashes, and a rock)


    - Eldrie and his memories


    - Maria and Clancy, to learn more about this ''Leveling'' ability he acquired.


    - The new ship he and Clancy delivered to harbor


    - Various projects with Yunie, Quinn, and Underhill


    - An ongoing homicide investigation


    - The next steps in fighting the vampire twins


    As he rattles all those things in his mind, they seem to pale in comparison to what he''s most focused on. Haima agreed to get dinner with him tonight.


    He''d always been the type to chase after girls in his first life, but usually to little success. As Barns, though, he''d become quite the charmer.


    ''Even a legendary hero needs to blow off some steam, right?'' he thinks to himself, showering and changing into a dapper outfit perfect for a night on the town. Maybe he wouldn''t score, but if the opposing team isn''t on defense, he might as well shoot his shot.


    "Alright, Barns. You got this."


    He checks himself one last time in the mirror, and scurries out. He told Haima he''d meet her at a restaurant in town at 7PM. He still had time to kill, but he was the type to anxiously overprepare and then stand around for a few hours, fully dressed and ready.


    And that''s exactly what he does, until it''s time to head out. He rushes out of the castle, not wishing to be seen by anyone. Tonight was for him.


    "Oh, hello, mate. Didn''t know if you were still around. Say, what are you all dressed up for? Lookin'' sharp, my man!"


    Barns looks up at Godrick. The man''s a full head taller than Barns.


    "Going on a date, can''t chat! See you later, Godrick!"


    Godrick seems surprised, but doesn''t press the subject. He waves Barns off as the hero scurries to the side of the castle, taking the less-used southern road to town.


    He arrives at the restaurant right at seven. Haima''s already there waiting, dressed in a well-fitting white dress that shows off her figure. ''Good,'' he thinks. ''She dressed up too. That means she''s taking this seriously!'' S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns swoops to her side before she spots him, and he gracefully takes her hand in his. "Why hello, Haima. You look riveting this evening," his words bleed confidence, but Barns has no idea what he''s doing. He got the line from a book he once read about a dashing nobleman who could make any woman swoon.


    She blushes slightly. "Hi, Barns. You look¡­esteemed, yourself."


    "Do you want me to kiss your hand?" he asks awkwardly, with all the stilted gentlemanly grace he can muster.


    Haima pulls her hand away from his. "Maybe we can just eat dinner first," she giggles nervously. "No need to be so formal, right?"


    The two enter the restaurant and sit down. During the first couple weeks, this place operated as a food kitchen for the town. Now that society has begun to fall into place, it was more of a cafeteria-style restaurant, with a large buffet table. It was just about the only place to go on a date, however - besides the bars or the casino.


    The monsters that occupied Dimartino were fans of gambling, so the casino didn''t require much effort to get back into working order.


    They sit down across from each other in the cafeteria, in a quiet corner where nobody else is around. Barns'' plate is loaded with protein - a pile of shrimp, steaming kabobs, spicy pork over rice, and a fat, dripping turkey leg. His stomach grumbles as he eyes up all the meat.


    Haima smiles. "I didn''t get any shrimp. It feels a little¡­bad, to eat shellfish. What with¡­you know." She gestures toward the large flag hanging nearby - the symbol of their nation, adorned with a mighty crab.


    "Hm?" Barns asks, slurping the shrimp out of its shell, eating like a maniac. "Oh, yeah. Clancy isn''t bothered by it. He''ll eat shrimp, lobster - pretty much anything but crab. Though if it were a pretty lady crab, who knows, am I right?"


    Haima makes a disgusted face. She tries to shrug it off with a smile and looks at her own place. A healthy mix of fruit and veggies, with sliced turkey.


    She takes a deep breath and gives herself an internal pep talk. ''Okay, Haima. Maybe it hasn''t gone great so far, but you can do this!''


    She hadn''t been on a date in a long time - well before the apocalypse began. Romance wasn''t something she had much experience with.


    ''So he eats like a savage,'' she tells herself as she watches him suck the meat off his turkey leg, grease over his face. ''He''s still a nice guy.''


    "So, Barns," she says meekly, trying desperately to think of something to say. "Were you a movie-watcher before the world went to¡­uh, shit? I guess¡­that''s the best way to put it¡­"


    "Not really," he says, licking his fingers and taking a break from eating. He has a fork, but it didn''t appear he had any intention of using it. "All I did was train, train, train. I was still training when the Apocalypse started. I never got to do much outside that. Most of what I learned was from the concubines they brought in for me to avail myself with."


    Haima nearly drops her fork. "Excuse me?"


    "Oh, no worries. That was all my past life. Technically I''ve only slept with one person," he says. "But that was, like. Weeks ago." He dives back into his food, eating like he''d been starved for days.


    "Ah, yes," Haima says, blinking several times in quick succession.


    ''He''s a legendary hero,'' Haima says to herself. ''Of course he''d have women at his beck and call. But he asked you on a date, Haima. If he just wanted casual sex, he''d have led with that.''


    "You''re surprisingly forward," she says, lacking the words to give any other sort of comment. "Do you get that¡­directness¡­from Clancy?"


    "Maybe!" He stands up, wiping his fingers on his nice clothes. A part of Haima dies inside. "You need anything else? I''m gonna grab another plate."


    ''He''s a savage,'' Haima says to herself. ''But he spent the last twelve years on a deserted island. I suppose it''s only natural he''s lacking in some manners.''


    "No thank you," she says politely. He jogs to the buffet, shameless.


    She pierces a piece of broccoli and rolls it around in her plate, lost in her own mind. Making a pros and cons list of reasons to continue this date. She finds many more reasons fall into the ''cons''.


    "How does someone who tried so hard to be a gentleman act like this on the actual date," she murmurs to herself in disbelief.


    A moment later, Barns sits back down at the table, a fresh plate of meat in front of him.


    They chat a little longer, both finishing up their meals. As they do, they both push their plates to the side and look at each other.


    "This was fun," she says. Haima didn''t know what to expect, but all-in-all, she''d do this again. Though perhaps she would cook for them - and make something that forced him to have some table manners.


    "Yeah, the food was great," Barns smiles. "So what now? We gonna smash, or¡­"


    Haima spits into the cup as she''s drinking. She clears her throat. "I actually have to wake up early tomorrow," she says, coming up with the weakest excuse ever. ''Damn it, Haima. That makes it sound like you''d have been open to it otherwise!''


    Barns smiles. "Now that you mention it, so do I. I''ve got some work to do on deciphering all the things we got from the vampires."


    Haima raises her eyebrows and nods. "Yes, and I¡­have many things to accomplish as well. But it was lovely hanging out tonight!"


    They rise from the table. Haima notices he''s got a slight look of dejection on his face. Is it because she turned down his advances, or is he slightly aware of his crassness?


    She leans in and kisses him on the cheek. "Have a good night, Barns."


    At least to Barns, the date was a great success. He can''t stop smiling on his walk home.

 Chapter 44 - 44: Crabs Guide to Leveling

    It''s early in the morning, and Barns waits in the throne room for Maria to arrive. It''s time to learn how to level.


    Barns sits casually on the floor next to the throne, nearby Clancy. The gluttonous crab is sampling a platter of fine cheese - the artisans were quite proud at their reinvention.


    "I just thought it would feel a little more, y''know. Romantic!" Barns whines to his crab, thinking about the date last night. He''d some time to himself to process it, and his opinion? Perhaps it could have gone a little better.


    "I did everything we talked about," Barns goes on. "I complimented her. I showed her my impressive appetite. But¡­nothing! Maybe Haima isn''t like regular girls."


    "BLOOD WOMAN HARD TO GET. TRY DANCING."


    Barns nods his head. "Yeah, not a bad idea. I''ll ask her out again in a few days, and take her dancing."


    "BLOOD WOMAN DANCE. BECOME WATERFALL. BARNACLES SUCCESS."


    As the plans cement in Barns'' mind, the doors to the throne room fly open. Only one person throws the doors open with such gusto and entitlement - Maria. She''s dressed in one of her gowns today, and her hair is done in a beautiful braid - the perfect Princess, if you disregard her personality. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You called for me?" she asks. "I have to meet with that Eldrie in a few minutes."


    Barns motions Maria over. "It won''t take long. Can you read the leveling guide to me?"


    Maria perks up. She loved all things System, and the leveling system has piqued her curiosity greatly.


    Maria reads through the entire guide. It sounds a lot like an RPG leveling system, with attributes that increase as Barns kills more and more monsters.


    "Charisma increases your overall likeability and affects how much others desire you sexually¡­what the hell?" Maria says, reading one particular line out loud. "How is that even possible? Pheromones?"


    Barns shrugs. "Guess I gotta put points into that, or however this works."


    Maria doesn''t entertain the comment, she just keeps reading. They note two things of particular interest - ''Control'' refers to one''s ability to use magical abilities. As Barns had no magic other than Resurrection, it makes sense that his is so low. ''Luck'', on the other hand, states "You''ll never know when it will come in handy." One mystery solved and another is created.


    "Can I transfer this to my inventory?" Maria asks. "I''d like to read over it a few more times myself."


    "Yeah, sure."


    "Great. I''ll store a copy of it in something called the ''Auxiliary'' for you. Think of it as a repository of information that you can refer to any time you''d like."


    Barns nods, clapping his hands together. Sounds like this ''leveling guide'' would be in the auxiliary from now on, if he ever wants to learn more about how it works intricately. He assumed it would even update periodically as his level increased.


    "One last thing, please?" Barns says with a cheap smile. "Come check out Clancy''s stats for me!"


    He guides her over to the crab, who''s dissociating and staring at the wall.


    "Is he¡­"


    "He''s taking a power nap. Can you open his profile or whatever?"


    Maria is happy to. She swishes her fingers around a bit, and a screen appears.


    [Name: Clancy


    Species: Crab (Irregular)


    Level: 37 (2780/4450)


    Strength: 37


    Vitality: 48


    Agility: 19


    Intellect: 13


    Control: 14


    Charisma: 32


    Luck: 10]


    "Wait, Clancy''s Intellect is the same as mine?" Barns struggles to see for himself. "And he''s Irregular, like me?"


    "I didn''t need this to know that Clancy is an irregular crab," Maria scoffs. "IRREGULAR puts it quite lightly. Anyway, I''ve got to go."


    Maria traipses out of the room, her long scarlet gown trailing behind her. Some days, she misses being a princess, and she makes sure to go all out.


    "Charisma 32¡­dang, Clancy, you''re a casanova for sure. What is that, 320% more attractive than the average human?"


    "STATUS PANEL. SEEN BEFORE EATING MONSTERS."


    "Oh, you are awake!" Barns laughs. "I thought we lost you for a second there."


    "PRETEND SLEEP. SCARY PRINCESS."


    "I guess she is wearing the same dress that she tried to boil you in. Sorry, Clancy. Wait, does that mean you heard what we were talking about?"


    The crab hesitates for a long time before responding. "I WAS SLEEPING."


    "Dang it, Clancy!"


    The two joke around for a bit before Barns switches the topic back to something more serious.


    "How''d you gain so many levels, Clancy? Any tips?"


    "FIGHT!"


    Barns chuckles. "It would have been nice if I had this technique all along. Think of all the experience I missed."


    "BARNACLES MEET BRAIN?"


    Barns is surprised by the question. "I guess that means you have too?"


    "LITTLE CRAB. BIG BRAIN GIVE POP-UPS. BECOME BIG CRAB."


    "I don''t suppose you know anywhere else we can find monsters?" Barns smirks. "I was sort of hoping to get stronger sooner rather than later. I don''t think I can take the twin vampires as I am."


    Clancy pivots around the room, thinking. He clicks his pincers together with purpose, deeply considering options.


    "COULD BRING YOU TO OCEAN CRAB KINGDOM¡­"


    "Whoa, what?"


    "NEVERMIND. OCEAN CRAB KINGDOM SECRET TO ALL BUT CHOSEN CRAB SAGE."


    "You''re lore-dumping, King. I can''t keep up!"


    "SECRET. MUSTN''T SPEAK OF EMPEROR CRAB''S HIDDEN UNDERSEA EMPIRE."


    Barns drops it - for now. If he wants to get stronger, he won''t be able to rely on leveling up alone. He has a shiny new weapon - the spiked glove they retrieved from the vampires - and he has plenty of allies. But he needs something else to turn the tide - a new skill. His Resurrection and Crab Affinity skills are all incredibly useful, but they are supportive or defensive in nature. He needs some firepower.


    He remembers something from several weeks ago - how did he let it slip his mind?


    ''At the time, I chose Crab Intuition as my skill, and trained Harden Body after. But there was another skill option - Claws of Death.''


    Barns turns to Clancy. He has no idea how it''ll work, but he needs to try something.


    "King. I need you to teach me how to turn my arm into a claw."

 Chapter 45 - 45: Twice Bitten, Once Removed

    "So, you really don''t remember anything?" Maria asks again, looking over the table at the young man sitting across from her. He looks nothing like the cocky, spiteful hunter she''d fought the day before - resurrection has done him well. He crosses his legs bashfully as she leers at him.


    Maria eyes the red turtleneck he''s wearing. A weird thing for a former vampire to put on, she thinks to herself. Or is it?


    "Let''s put this another way," Maria offers, pushing the snacks on the table in front of them to the side and leaning over. "Incantra and Wilfort. Those names mean anything to you?"


    For the first time since he became human, Maria detects a hint of unease from Eldrie. "O-of course," he says quickly. "Wilfort, that''s my grandpa. And Incantra is my girlfriend."


    "Was your grandpa," Maria corrects. "Was your girlfriend."


    Eldrie''s eyes widen and fill with tears as he realizes the weight of Maria''s words. She takes a deep breath and averts her eyes, not wanting to bother with his emotional reaction.


    "Any idea why they were vampires?"


    Eldrie shakes his head. "Just what I''ve already told you. Incantra and I went to see the twins shortly after they took over Ordella. We begged for our lives, told them we''d do anything if they let us live¡­and then everything after that is blank."


    "Well, you and your little girlfriend were running a guard operation with gramps, and unfortunately for you, your associates put up so much of a fight they were un-resurrectable. You put up quite a fight yourself."


    "Did I?" Eldrie sighs, averting his gaze to his feet. "I''m sorry."


    "Yes. Well¡­" Maria thinks for a moment. "I forgive you, I suppose."


    Her words have a deep impact. The life returns to him, and he seems to sparkle. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Princess!" he says excitedly.


    "So, do you have any useful skills to contribute to the Kingdom?" Maria asks. She figured she''d conduct his orientation interview while she was here - save Quinn the trouble.


    "Hmm. I don''t know if it''s particularly useful, but I used to be a sniper in the armed forces. I have a skill that lets me hit targets in any direction, 360 degrees. With, uh. No scope."


    The corner of Maria''s mouth curls down. That explains how he got such a good shot at her. She was lucky it was just an ordinary bow - an A/S rank bow or gun might have broken even through her immense defense.


    "Well, that certainly sounds useful," Maria admits. He''d be a wise fit for the newly created police force, but she didn''t quite trust him yet - especially not in a position like that.


    "From now on, you''ll be my bodyguard," Maria says, a sly gleam in her eye. It would do for now. She could keep an eye on him, and once she''s convinced of his innocence, she will transition him to the police force.


    If nothing else, she knows she can take him in a fight. She won''t even need wooden stakes next time.


    "Do you accept?"


    "Glady, Princess. It''s an honor to be allowed to serve you at all."


    "Did you get a house set up yet?"


    "Yes, indeed. My home is just outside the castle walls, luckily enough."


    "Alright. Well¡­let me give you a tour of the castle, at least."


    The two wrap up their conversation and go on their way. As they begin touring the first floor, she looks out the window and sees Clancy standing with Barns by a grove of small trees.


    "What idiocy are they up to now?" she mumbles to herself.


    Eldrie watches them as well. It seems like Barns is trying to cut a tree in half with his bare hand by pinching it. He doesn''t seem to be making any progress.


    "The crab - that''s the legendary hero, correct?"


    Maria is amused. "Yeah. And that''s his human servant, Barnacles. By the way, whenever we greet someone, we''re supposed to do this," Maria says, performing the crab claw salute.


    "O-oh! Really?" Eldrie looks down and mimics her hand gesture.


    "Yep." Maria snickers to herself. Her con is successful. "And don''t ever forget. Some consider it disrespectful."


    "BIGGER CLAW!" Clancy shouts. He''s so loud Maria and Eldrie can hear it from where they are.


    "I''M TRYING, KING!" Barns yells back.


    "They seem close," Eldrie notes, a wistful spark in his eye. "I had a friend like that, once."


    "A talking crab?"


    "No. A talking bird."


    Maria opens her mouth to speak, but decides against it.


    "Let''s just get on with our tour, hm?"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in Ordella¡­


    "All of them, dead?"


    Adon gently wipes his hands with a wet cloth, scrubbing the blood out of his fingernails. Behind him, Adea is laying on the floor in a pile of entrails, making a bloody snow angel.


    The male twin looks up at the speaker, a callous and unhinged smile quivering at the corner of his lips. He sat on a rusty iron chair in the center of his base of operations - The Abattoir. His sister Adea was just finishing up with the day''s festivities.


    The young vampire bows. He was there to report news of Eldrie and the others to Adon and Adea - but even for vampires, the twins were terrifying.


    "It would appear they were assassinated and the treasures they guard were stolen. Eldrie''s body was unable to be recovered. We believe the enemy may have taken it."


    "Resurrected him, you mean?" Adon smiles. It''s not a nice smile - the intensity in his eyes betrays any falsehood of joy.


    Adea rises from the ground, wearing intestines like a boa around her neck. "Oooh, they took Eldrie? He was so fun to turn. Maybe I can do it all over again!"


    The young vampire''s eyes dart over to Adea as she speaks, and he accidentally makes eye contact with her. He feels his bones chill the second her red eyes set on his.


    She crawls over the floor, the front of her dress drenched in viscera. Her legs are limp behind her.


    "My, my. It was so fun turning you too, wasn''t it? When''s the last time I took a bite from you, hmm?"


    "My lords, do you have any instructions you''d like me to relay to the other vampires?"


    "Oh, yes," Adon says. He stares at the young vampire''s hands with curious intent. "Let''s get some human stock crucified and put on the border between us and Dimartino. I would hate to think the humans over there feel unwelcome."


    "Oh my," Adea giggles. "Wouldn''t you like to go do it ourselves, Adon?"


    "Adea, my sweet sister, we have something else to prepare. I should like to meet our new neighbors so very soon."


    The young vampire bows. "I shall relay the message." he turns to leave the Abattoir, but Adon''s commanding voice stops him in his tracks.


    "Wait. I believe my sister asked you a question. It would be rather rude of you not to answer."


    "What?" the young vampire quivers.


    "She asked you when the last time she took a bite from you was." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The informant''s shoulder twitches. He still feels phantom pain there from her last bite. A Master Vampire''s wounds never heal without specialized medical care - even for vampires, it can take days for such a wound to finally stop bleeding.


    "It has been some time," the young vampire admits. "Almost a year."


    Adea rises to her feet. "Oh, goodness me. Almost a year? How horrific. Don''t you like the gift of blood? You must be absolutely disdainful of me, little one."


    The young vampire knows not what to say.


    "Why don''t we bite him together?" Adon smiles. "To make up for lost time."


    Before the young vampire can protest, the twins are upon him.

 Chapter 46 - 46: Like Wolverine Claws

    "Ugh, Roscoe, where did you put the crate with the B Rank hauberk? We''re supposed to sell that tonight."


    Yunie pops up from the storehouse, looking around for her younger brother.


    "We got a visitor, sis!"


    Yunie jumps to her feet, wiping the dust off her clothes and scurrying up to the front. Who could it be this early? The Guild doesn''t start offering quests until an hour from now.


    "Oh, Barns!" she says with a smile. "What brings you here?"


    "Nice to meet you, little man," Barns laughs, patting Yunie''s kid brother on the head. "You look like you''re all ready for an adventure yourself!"


    "That''s right!" Roscoe exclaims. He''s just a kid, but he has an adventurous spirit, and wears a long cloak around well-tailored leather armor. "I''m going to be an Adventurer soon, and then you can take me with you, legendary hero!"


    "Hm, you''ll have to talk to Yunie about that," Barns smirks, looking to his associate. "I have a selfish request, Yunie. Can I look through the quests before anyone else?"


    Yunie is surprised. "Why, of course. Looking for anything in particular?"


    "I need to get stronger," Barns admits. "And I can''t just rely on fighting monsters to do it. I think by doing quests, I can achieve that."


    "You hear that, Roscoe? The legendary hero says doing your daily quests will make you stronger."


    "Give me one, too!"


    Yunie hands her younger brother a piece of paper. She''d finished writing out all the quest details just a few minutes ago.


    "Pull one hundred weeds¡­what the heck! This is boring!"


    "If you can do that, you''ll be eligible for even more difficult quests, Roscoe. Everyone starts somewhere!"


    He grumbles a bit but still excitedly runs out of the room.


    "What is he, twelve, thirteen?" Barns asks after he runs out. "I knew well how to fight by then."


    "Roscoe and I aren''t exactly the ''legendary hero'' type. Honestly, he never used to be like this before the apocalypse. I think you inspired him! All he wants to talk about is how cool you looked when you saved everyone and brought them back on that ship."


    "I know I''m busy, but I''d be glad to teach him some basics," Barns suggests. Yunie huffs and points toward the stack of papers.


    "You said you want a quest, right? Focus on that."


    Barns rifles through the papers. Since there were no more monsters in Dimartino, most of the quests involved collecting and gathering. However, there''s one that catches his eye. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Defeat 10 Sea Slimes. What the heck is a Sea Slime?"


    "Oh," Yunie says, returning to the desk and looking at the sheet. "Yeah, we get these sometimes. Usually I send Godrick for this kind of thing. They wash up on the eastern shore, and if we let them build up too much, they start moving inland. They''ve caused some close calls with other Adventurers out gathering."


    "This is exactly the kind of thing I need," Barns says, pocketing the paper. "Any other quests like this?"


    Yunie shakes her head. "Not today, but every Saturday we receive a request to clear out Mantis Shrimp on the west coast."


    "I''ll check that out too - can I meet you here Saturday morning?"


    "Of course. I''m surprised you''re interested in these. You know you won''t be able to resurrect them, right? These are just animal monsters."


    "It''s for training. Alright, Yunie! Catch you later!"


    Later that day, Barns finds the Sea Slimes.


    "Alright, you little bastards," Barns mumbles under his breath while he prepares his gear. "Time to get some experience."


    He rushes out of the bushes near the beachline, where a small herd of Sea Slimes have gathered - fourteen, by his count. Each one is a bit smaller than him.


    As he runs toward them, he unleashes a volley of water blades from his sword, Crashing Wave. They pepper the group of slimes, but it doesn''t appear to do any damage.


    ''Makes sense, I guess,'' Barns thinks. ''These things look like they''re mostly water.''


    As he reaches the first slime, he cleaves it in half, killing it instantly, but his sword gets stuck in its gooey flesh. He tries to pull it out as one of the slimes, now very much aggressive, tries to headbutt him.


    He kicks it out of the way, and it blubbers backward. No sword is no problem - he has a new weapon to play with.


    He clenches his right fist, and three sharp prongs of silver retract from his glove. They''re glistening and sharp - like a wolverine''s claws. He punches one of the slimes with the claws, and they easily tear through the gelatinous flesh. What''s more, as the holy blades pierce the slime, it lights up with powerful light from within and explodes.


    "That''s what I''m talking about!" Barns roars, beckoning the rest of the slimes on. He leaps into a frenzy, tearing through them like a bull in a china shop, destroying them completely and sending explosions of light through the area each time his claws penetrate deep into the monster''s flesh.


    One of the Sea Slimes manages to flank him, and thrashes his back with all its might - but Barns was ready for the attack. A well-timed ''Harden Body'' sends the slime richocheting off of him. He dives for it and slashes it with his claws, launching pieces of it into the bright blue sky.


    When he finally finishes, he''s breathing deep and full. It was barely a warm-up for him - his blood is pumping through every muscle, and he could do it all again a hundred times. Unfortunately, there''s no prey left.


    [Level up! You are now Level 3. Your HP and MP completely recovered.]


    He hadn''t taken any damage, so he doesn''t notice the recovery effect. Still, he felt stronger. The window in front of him indicates that his Strength and Control both increased by one point.


    A second window appears.


    [As your Control is now 3, you have unsealed a locked skill.


    New Skill: Flame Thrash.


    Effect: When channeling this skill, your attacks will do additional fire damage. You may also use this skill to create fires.]


    Barns smirks. "I remember this skill¡­" he says quietly to himself. It''s the first skill he ever learned to use, from his first life. Any member of the Flame Clan that couldn''t use this was considered a failure.


    He scares himself as his fists light up in flames. He was thinking so much about Flame Thrash that he accidentally activated it. He dispels the flames, chuckling to himself.


    "I must''ve had way more ''Control'' in my past life, huh?" He looks out to the ocean. If he kept increasing his Control, would he be able to gain all his old abilities back? That would certainly provide him with the boost of power he''s looking for.


    "But to do that, I need to continue leveling," Barns says. "I''ve got a long way to go."


    On that note, Barns leaves the beach, and the sea slime chunks slowly dissolve away into the sand. He knew how he''d spend the rest of the day - practicing ''Claws of Death''.

 Chapter 47 - 47: Beach Day

    It''s been a week since Barns'' date, and he hadn''t seen Haima around once.


    "She''s avoiding me, isn''t she?" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, no," Maria says, putting a book back on the shelf. Barns is sitting on the table of the castle library while Maria fumbles with a stack of old tomes she was returning.


    "You said she came to the side of the castle to tell you to tell me that she was busy this weekend?" Barns can barely get the words out, tongue-tied. He makes a ''blegh'' face.


    "That DID happen, Barns, yes," Maria winces. "But, as I said. It could be nerves. The way you tell it, you came on rather strong."


    "It''s always worked before," Barns quips. "Dang, Yunie, Zelia, Francois, they were all over me when we met. And uh, do we need to talk about - "


    "Talk about what?" Osmond calls from the second floor of the library. Maria actively ignores him.


    "Why don''t you get to know her better before you repopulate the earth? If you put too much expectations on a date, it won''t ever go like you plan."


    "I suppose¡­hey, Osmond! What are you doing here, anyway?"


    The demon peers from above. "Something concerning the Memory Stone we found."


    "Oh, no way," Barns replies, switching gears. "Did you figure anything out?"


    Osmond floats down to the lower level to join Maria and Barns. "No," he says, as he drifts to the ground. "I''m still trying to figure out how to open it."


    Barns sighs. "We''re no closer to defeating the twins, then. Keep at it, Oz. You''ll figure it out."


    "Hm," Osmond answers softly. He''s holding a battered black book in one hand. "I do have one more technique to try. Suppose I ought to go do that now. See you later, bro. And you as well, my darling dove."


    Osmond leans over and kisses Maria on the cheek before strolling out of the library, book in hand.


    "Still no luck on the ashes either, right?"


    Maria shakes her head. "We confirmed the ashes are biological in nature. There''s bone fragments in them. Other than that, their significance remains unclear."


    "My money is on dead relatives," Barns says. "I bet the twins'' whole family is in that urn. Maybe they''re the sentimental type."


    "You must not have heard much about the twins. They''re a pair of sadistic, mindless butchers. I don''t believe sentimentality is a factor for them."


    Barns shrugs it off as Maria finishes placing her books back on the shelves.


    "What are your plans for the day, Barns? Going to try and cut a tree in half with your bare hands again?"


    "Hey, I''ve been making some progress. Yesterday, I left a chip in the tree. And it felt a little like a claw! You know?"


    "I don''t," she responds flatly. "But I wish you the best of luck."


    Barns could never get a good read on Maria. She''s infinitely helpful at times, and yet it seems selfishness drives her always. And when she''s not interested in a topic - there''s no helping it.


    Barns huffs and leaves the library, eager to resume his training - he makes his way to Clancy.


    Not far from Barns, in the castle''s throne room, Clancy is enjoying a feast as two bodacious maids pop sweet grapes into his mouth one at a time.


    The giant crab gobbles them up, putting one claw around each of the ladies and drawing them closer.


    "PARADISE."


    "You know, Mistah King, me and my friend here are open to...additional services," one of the maids says, as she ''accidentally'' bumps into Clancy''s face with her chest.


    The other maid looks at her friend like she''s crazy, mouthing ''But it''s a crab!'' to her companion. Clancy doesn''t seem to notice.


    "ADDITIONAL SERVICE, LIKE PROSTITUTION?"


    "Oh, you sweet thing, I''d do it for free."


    "I would need a lot of money," the other maid professes. "Like, a lot."


    The mood in the throne room is immediately killed as Barns walks in, interrupting the conversation.


    "Now that one," the maid says. "I''d do him for free in a second."


    The maids disengage from Clancy as Barns calls out to him.


    "Hey, King!"


    "BARNACLES. APPROACH KING."


    Barns continues walking - there''s quite a distance between the mighty doors and the throne itself. "I''m not sure if you heard, but it''s Mantis day at the west coast! How about you and me catch some shrimp, Clancy?"


    Clancy jumps up. If there''s one thing he likes more than gratuitous sex with whores, it''s fresh monster shrimp to eat and kill. That and kobolds - though Barns has made his opinions very clear about Clancy eating kobolds.


    "That''s cannibalism," Barns reminds Clancy, every time the topic comes up."


    "ONLY CANNIBALISM IF EATING CRAB." would be Clancy''s typical response.


    "MANTIS SHRIMP!" Clancy declares, ignoring his maids. "MANTIS SHRIMP! MANTIS SHRIMP!" Clancy scuttles all around. He''s like a young crab, with all his excitement.


    "Sorry ladies," Barns chuckles. "Going to have to borrow the big guy for a while."


    "That''s fine with me," says the less-invested maid. The other one looks a little down that she couldn''t experience crab for the first time. Maybe next time.


    While the duo walks to the beach, Barns engages his crab in a casual conversation.


    "Yunie said she''ll send one other Adventurer with us today for the mission, some newbie who needs combat experience," Barns informs him as they make their way down some steep rocks. "So we''ll meet them at the staging point."


    "THEY KILL, I EAT?"


    "Sure," Barns grins. "I wonder who it''ll be?"


    As they reach the staging area, a small supply depot near the beach, Barns is surprised to see who''s standing there.


    "O-oh, Haima!" he says with a big smile. "Wasn''t expecting to see you here?"


    She turns her head, and she''s already beet-red. She quickly looks away from Barns.


    "Hello, Mr. Barns," she says quickly. "The young gentleman who was going to participate today unfortunately has diarrhea, so I offered to fill in..."


    Haima curses under her breath. ''Am I really talking about diarrhea right now?'' she asks herself.


    "Well, this works out!" Barns beams. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."


    "Oh, is that right?" Haima giggles nervously. "I couldn''t imagine what! Oh, how rude of me, hello King Clancy! Are you excited to hunt shrimp today?"


    Clancy clicks his claws. "HUNGER GUIDES ME FORWARD."


    The three begin the trek down to the stony beach, which is already swarming with six-foot mantis shrimp. The shrimp build up so quickly on the shore that Yunie sends Adventurers every Saturday to clean it up. As such, there''s a lot of dessicated shrimp on the beach, and the carrion have a field day with it. This also lures more shrimp, who are none too picky about eating their own kind.


    Haima unsheathes a short sword, holding it unsteadily in her hands. Barns is quick to notice her trepidation.


    "You don''t want to use your Secret Arts?" he asks. "Don''t worry, I won''t steal your family secrets!"


    "It''s not that," Haima professes. "My talents work mostly on mammals. Creatures like this have a foreign biology to me, so my Secret Arts don''t work well at all."


    "I see. So when it comes to monsters like this, you''re just a normie, huh?" Barns jests.


    Haima blushes. "I suppose you could say that. But that''s why I volunteered in the first place. I want to become more well-rounded. I can''t rely on blood possession forever, now can I?"


    Haima thinks about what she did to the vampire several days ago. She certainly has more than blood possession to rely on, but that''s a card she prefers to hold close to her chest.


    As she ponders her words carefully, she feels the chunky vampire cube in her pocket. She''s been carrying it around with her since the altercation, using it as a ''fuel'' of sorts.


    Barns clenches his fist, and the claws retract from the glove. Haima''s eyes fix on his weapon - it''s her first time seeing it in action. Even she had to admit she was excited to see an S Rank weapon first-hand.


    Barns looks at her, noticing her quivering delight, her eyes glued to the glove. "Hey," he says. "I have my sword, it works great against these shrimp. Do you...want to try the glove out, Haima?"


    Her jaw drops. "Oh my." There''s only a split second of hesitation before she completely nerds out. "I would LOVE to!"

 Chapter 48 - 48: Unhinged Pleasure

    It''s chaos on the beach - Haima should never be allowed to use such a powerful weapon. She sprints around, practically on all fours as she trips over herself, ripping the gigantic shrimp apart like she''s a dog digging holes in the backyard, clawing at them even with her non-gloved hand. She tackles one and rips its face clean off before screaming at the top of her lungs in unhinged pleasure.


    Barns bites his lip as she screams. ''How''s she even hotter now that I know she''s insane?'' he questions. He himself has barely killed any of the six-foot, towering Mantis Shrimp. He''s too busy watching Haima prey upon them like a starved wolf.


    On the other side of the beach, Clancy is making shrimp skewers. The large crab even has a bonfire going where he''s heating up the monsters for an even tastier treat.


    Barns neatly cleaves a Mantis Shrimp in half just as it raises its rattling claws at him. As he does, a pop-up appears.


    "Finally!" Barns cheers, looking at the System message. He''d leveled up. He looks at his stats, trying to see what has changed.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 4 (32/500)


    Strength: 16


    Vitality: 15


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 14


    Control: 4


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    ''Looks like my Control went up again,'' he sees. So far, his Control and his Level have been the same number. He wonders if that will continue to be the case.


    ''And my Charisma went up one point, too.''


    No new abilities, but he hasn''t used ''Flame Thrash'' much since acquiring it. He figures now would be a good time to try it out.


    "Hey, Haima!" he shouts, getting her attention. She''s currently straddling what''s left of a Mantis Shrimp, her arms and legs twitching in joy. "Check out this new ability I got!"


    Barns doesn''t bother using his sword - it''s less flashy. He simply throws a kick at a nearby shrimp, activating Flame Thrash as he does. The tip of his foot roars into flame, and as he makes contact with the shrimp, the monster screeches like a tea kettle and combusts.


    Haima watches for just a second, clearly amused. But her lust for killing is far stronger, and she gives Barns a quick thumbs-up with her shrimp-covered hand before barreling into the next one.


    "So hard to please," Barn gripes.


    The trio continue their slaughter until everything on the beach is thoroughly destroyed, and Clancy''s gluttonous belly is full. As they pack up, they see another Mantis Shrimp heading in from the water, but they decide to leave it be - the folks next Saturday would deal with it. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My LORD that felt good," Haima exhales, talking to herself.


    As they begin the trek back to Dimartino, Haima hands him back the glove, ''Silver Rake''. Despite all the viciousness of battle, it''s still perfect and clean, as if it has never been worn.


    One of the perks of an S Rank weapon, Barns supposes.


    "That was SO much fun, thank you Barns!" she says gleefully. "Ah! I need an S Rank weapon, too. Who needs Secret Arts when you have a thing like that?"


    Barns puts the glove back on his hand. It''s a little tighter than before, but it quickly adjusts to the size of his hand. The magic within makes it a one-size-fits-all weapon.


    "It is great," Barns professes, "Though I still need to keep up with the vampires to use it."


    "Still upset about getting beat by Eldrie?" Haima pokes. She''s in a much better mood than she was earlier. "Don''t you worry about that, Barns! You''re really strong. Maybe he was just a bad match-up for you."


    It was his lack of focus, he recalls. Eldrie''s attack should have never hit him - he could have used Harden Body. But he was stuck in his own head at the time. Thinking about his own weakness.


    "Say, is it just me, or is something a little different about you today?" Haima looks him over.


    "I''m...a little more charismatic, I suppose," he winks.


    She blushes, but this time, she doesn''t look away. There''s a moment of silence as they walk, the only sound that can be heard is the clicking of Clancy''s legs against the stony path.


    "It''s been a week since our date, huh?" she says suddenly to herself. "Sorry I''ve been...busy. But after everything, I figured you probably wouldn''t have wanted to see me again."


    "Oh, that''s not true at all!" Barns replies enthusiastically. "I''ve been wanting to spend more time with you, actually. Like...date number two!"


    "Oh yeah?" Haima says flirtaciously. "Well, I''m a nice girl, you should know. If this is just about getting your rocks off, I''m afraid you''ll be in for another disappointing date."


    "I don''t mind at all. I just want to get to know you better, Haima."


    She stops walking, stunned by his words.


    "SMOOTH!" Clancy clicks in solidarity.


    "In fact," Barns concludes, "I regret bringing it up last time. Sorry, Haima. I''ve never really dated before, and the people around me gave me the impression that...well, that''s what happens on dates."


    Barns gives Clancy a sour look, sticking his tongue out as he talks. Clancy covers himself with pincer claws in shame.


    Haima glances to Clancy. There''s something she wants to say, but she''s not fully comfortable divulging in front of the crab.


    "Then if a no-expectations date is on the table...I would be delighted," she decides. "What did you have in mind?"


    "Well, Clancy recommended we go dancing," Barns starts. Haima waves the idea off with a flick of the wrist.


    "I''m not much for dancing," she confesses. "How about I take you someplace haunted?"


    "H-haunted?" Barns gasps. "But, ghosts aren''t real, are they?"


    "Oh, they''re real." Haima''s face erupts into a devilish smirk. "How about you meet me tonight at 11PM in town square? We''re going to find some ghosts."


    Clancy scuttles closely behind them. "I WANT GHOSTS TOO! CLANCY JOINS?"


    Haima giggles. "Your Majesty, I would love to show you to the ghosts, but we''ll have to wait until next time - maybe all three of us can go together next week. Deal?"


    "DEAL!"


    The banter is light-hearted, silly, and warm all the way back to Dimartino. Little did any of them know, the twin vampires of Ordella had already begun to put their offensive plans in motion¡­


    Somewhere in Dimartino, Adon lurks - and he''s eager to find his first plaything. But for Adon, not just anyone would do - he has a very specific type¡­

 Chapter 49 - 49: The Vampires Secret

    Osmond sets down his book - to his surprise, his incantations succeeded. The Memory Stone flashes to life, releasing intense cyan light through the dark room.


    The demon takes a deep breath, his heart beating through his well-muscled chest in intense anticipation.


    The time has come. He will learn the vampire''s secret.


    Osmond''s hand reaches out to touch the glowing Memory Stone. He''d done this only once before, on the day he was created. The Lord of the Apocalypse presented him with a Memory Stone, and from it he was infused with his entire personality.


    ''Could this be a Memory Stone used to train someone, like what happened with me?'' Osmond can''t shake the thought. He might be peering into someone''s entire essence. And who knew how much of this could bleed into his own personality, once he''s overwhelmed with that amount of memory?


    Osmond steels himself. Nothing like that could happen, he is certain. His love for Maria is unbreakable.


    His mind drifts and merges with the Memory Stone, as the truth of its contents is revealed to him¡­but this is not the story of Adea and Adon - this is the story of Francois Lauren Villeteux.


    It takes only a second but he sees - understands - everything about Francois. Who she really is. What she''s trying to accomplish.


    If what he saw is true - time is short. He needed answers - immediately. She left this message for him specifically, after all.


    "I must talk to Francois," Osmond realizes. He resolves then and there to head to the Pale Court, and departs in a hurry, without letting anyone know what - or why - he''s going.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, In Dimartino Castle:


    "Eldrie, why don''t you take the afternoon for yourself?" Maria offers. She''s kept a close eye on him for the past week, and he''s started to earn her trust.


    "O-oh? I would love to, Princess! I''ve been so eager to meet new people in town."


    Maria gives her best smile. "Why don''t you do that, and I''ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning?"


    "Of course, ma''am. Thank you!"


    Maria watches him saunter off. ''One less thing on my plate today,'' she thinks to herself.


    She takes a quick walk around the castle, checking all of Osmond''s usual haunts - though she doesn''t find him anywhere. At the moment, she pays it no mind. Osmond could take care of himself, after all.


    Right as she is about to give up on her search, she stumbles into a familiar face - Underhill - as he lurks through the castle halls.


    "What are you doing here?" she asks, surprised.


    "I thought this was public property," Underhill shrugs. "Arrest me. Oh, wait¡­"


    "Speaking of arrests, any news on the homicide?" Maria shoots back. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well," Underhill confesses. "We do have two suspects, but the evidence is circumstantial on both of ''em. But I do want to talk to them each. That''s why I''m here. Seems both suspects hang out around the castle pretty often. Maybe you know them. We got a¡­demon lord named Osmond, and a blood-woman named Haima."


    Maria''s body chills. "Keep searching," she suggests. "It''s neither of them."


    "Oh? And what makes you so sure of that, sweetheart?"


    "I was with Osmond the night of the murder, and I can vouch for him. Before that, he was with Barns the entire day."


    "Gotcha. An alibi, I see," Underhill writes something down on a notepad. "And Haima? Assuming she was with you all too?"


    Maria grits her teeth. She wonders if Underhill is trying to turn this murder investigation into some kind of political hit job.


    "No," she confesses. "I didn''t see Haima at all that day. But it''s not her. She wouldn''t be capable of such a thing. Have you met her? She''s an angel, not a murderer."


    Underhill does a little dance as he flips through his note pad. "She was seen the night of the murder, around 4AM, walking down Castleton Avenue. That places her within an hour of our estimated T.O.D. Seem a little funny to you?"


    "Haima is a hero," Maria corrects him. "And a valued ally. I''d like you to refrain from baseless accusations and come to me when you have some actual leads."


    Underhill clicks his tongue, turning away from Maria in dramatic fashion. "Well maybe she saw something, hm? I''d better talk to her regardless."


    "Do what you must," Maria says. "But if there''s an issue here, I''d like to remind you of your place. You''re police chief because you asked to be - not because we need you to be. I can find a new head of police easily."


    Underhill still faces away from Maria while his face contorts into a twisted grin. "Yes, sweetheart. I suppose we''re all in turbulent waters, hm?" He tilts his head and darts his eyes just enough that he can see her in his periphery. "A new police chief would certainly muddy the little deal you and I made the other day, wouldn''t it?"


    Maria tenses up. Was Underhill threatening her?


    "Don''t worry," Underhill says quickly, diffusing the tension. "The project I have underway with the artisans for you - that''s not going anywhere. I''m a man of my word! And it''s still our little secret."


    "Sounds like you have plenty on your plate," Maria snips. "Best get back to work, Underhill."


    "You as well, Maria. You still have your end of the bargain to hold up as well."


    He gives her a quick claw salute and heads on his way, leaving Maria to her own thoughts.


    ''Why would he want to speak to Zelia, anyway?'' Maria wonders. Those were the terms of his conditions - but she has no intention of granting his request. At least, not until he comes through with his own offer.


    ¡­


    On the other side of the castle, Eldrie is enjoying his newfound freedom for the day. He''s eager to get to town, and just as he begins trotting away, he runs into a familiar face.


    "Ah, Yunie!" Eldrie calls, running to catch up with her. "Heading to town too, I take it?"


    She peers over her shoulder at him and beams. "Eldrie, right?" she asks. "Maria''s bodyguard?"


    "For now," Eldrie huffs. "I think she still doesn''t fully trust me. Can''t say I blame her. I was one of those monsters just a few days ago¡­"


    They begin to walk in sync as Yunie reflects on his words. "We were all monsters, not long ago," she says wistfully. "Even Maria, in her own right. But trust can be fickle, isn''t that right? I''m sure you will earn it in time."


    "I sure hope so," Eldrie says, as they descend into the forest.


    "But all the same, how trustworthy is someone who gives away their trust so freely?"

 Chapter 50 - 50: Late Night Date Night

    11PM, in the town square. It''s time for Barns'' date.


    He waits nervously, looking around for Haima, but he hasn''t seen her yet. The nature of this date felt less ''romantic'' than their last, so Barns didn''t dress up. It''s a chilly night, so he wears a hoodie and slacks.


    Finally, a few minutes past 11, Haima appears. Barn''s mouth hangs open as he sees her.


    Haima wears a tight black dress with an open back, and she''s styled her medium-length black hair with some curls. Her bangs are tucked with a scarlet flower hairpin, and she''s wearing cherry-red lipstick. She''s gorgeous.


    Barns looks her up and down, his jaw practically on the floor. "That''s, uh¡­kind of hot," Barns says, adding quickly: "For ghost-hunting, I mean."


    Haima smirks. "I''m not dressing for the ghosts. I''m dressing for you, silly."


    "So where are we heading?"


    "Oh, out of town. Quite a ways away," she muses. "There''s an old mansion in the northeast. The place is oozing with ghosts."


    "You''re not gonna sacrifice me, are you?" he laughs playfully as they begin walking.


    Haima darts her eyes sharply. "And what would make you say that?" Her voice is curt and accusatory.


    "N-nothing," Barns responds quickly. He wasn''t ready for that level of intensity - not for his casual remark.


    It''s nearly midnight when they reach the dilapidated manor. It must have been over a hundred years old - and abandoned long before the apocalypse. It''s a wonder the front door remains - most of the glass windows facing the front of the house are shattered.


    Barns lingers outside the mansion, even as Haima steps toward it. "Is the legendary hero scared?" Haima taunts him.


    "A little bit?"


    Barns stares up at one of the broken windows, and for a second he swears he sees the visage of an elderly woman glaring down at him. But when he blinks, the figure is gone.


    "So¡­are ghosts, like¡­homicidal at all?"


    Haima shakes her head. "Surprisingly not," she smiles. "At the end of the day, ghosts are memories of the past that haven''t ''gone away''. They can''t hurt you. I''ve heard of people being scared to death, though - think you can handle a little fright?"


    "I''ve soloed hordes of monsters, fought vampires and demons, even defeated a Medusa once," Barns says. "Surely a little ghost or two won''t do me in."


    "One or two? There''s about thirteen in this mansion," she chuckles. "Come along, Mr. Barns."


    She says his nickname with extra emphasis, teasing him. He gives her a playful push as they laugh together and walk up to the front door.


    "Okay," she says, collecting herself and making a straight face. "They won''t like it if we barge in there laughing, so let''s just take it easy and let them come to us. Deal?"


    "Deal," Barns replies, but the thought of him acting as a sitting duck for ghosts to come haunt him gives him little comfort.


    She swings open the door, and it creaks so loudly that anything in the mansion would be able to hear it. ''Guess there''s no chance of stealth when dealing with ghosts'', Barns thinks.


    "Have you been here before, Haima?" he whispers.


    "Oh yeah. I was living here when I died and became a monster. You could say these ghosts are¡­old friends of mine," she murmurs. "They kept me company when I was one of the last people alive in this world."


    Barns looks around the shadowy foyer. No ghosts yet, at least.


    "Come," she says. "I need to introduce you to grandpa first. Once he acknowledges you, the others should come on out."


    Barns has a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe he was regretting this ''date'', which has seemingly turned more into a family reunion with the dead.


    "Have a seat," Haima commands, ushering to a dusty, ripped couch in the living room. Overhead swings a rusted chandelier, which creaks over and over in the blackness.


    "Oh, not there!" Haima exclaims right as Barns begins to sit. "That''s Olive''s seat. She''ll HATE you if you sit there. Try sitting here." She pats the cushion next to where Barns is. He plops on the couch, surrounded by a thick fog of terror.


    Haima flits around the back of the room, taking a lighter out of her pocket. Slowly, she goes around and lights the waxy candles on the mantle of the mansion''s fireplace. Once she lights all thirteen candles, she joins Barns on the couch, leaving the middle seat open between them.


    "Now what?" he asks quietly.


    "Now we wait for grandpa."


    "Is this YOUR grandpa?"


    "No, no," she giggles. "He''s their grandpa. I never learned his name, they all just refer to him as ''Gramps''."


    They chat quietly for about two minutes when both suddenly stop - the sound of a loud thud from upstairs startles them both to silence.


    And again. A loud thud. Creaking wood on the stairs. It sounds like someone is walking down, slowly.


    The sounds continue until it sounds like whoever - or whatever - it is has reached the bottom of the stairs. And then, complete silence.


    "Close your eyes," Haima says quietly.


    "That''s even worse!" Barns frets.


    "He won''t come in if you''re looking."


    Barns closes his eyes. His whole body is quivering, and the cool air that drafts through the cracked window is spine-tingling.


    Suddenly, he feels warm breath on the back of his neck, and a distorted voice.


    "Hello, Barnacles."


    The hero screams, flying up out off the couch and swatting his arms around. He lands on his knees on the floor, turning around in a frenzy.


    As he looks up, he sees what was behind him - it was only Haima, doing a silly, deep voice. She bursts into laughter.


    "I got you!" she exclaims, pointing with glee. "Ahh, that was SO good!"


    Barns looks up at her, his face deep red and his heart beating so fast it could explode. "What!?" He can barely think.


    "It was just a little prank. I wanted to see how scared you''d be!" she giggles.


    Barns scans every square inch of the living room. No old man ghosts, not that he could see.


    "You brought me all the way here just for a prank?" Barns''s voice is still unsteady. His chest heaves up and down as he tries to regulate his breathing. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Haima winks. "Not just for a prank. Turn around! Gramps is ready to say hello."

 Chapter 51 - 51: The Ghosts of Haimas Past

    Barns'' head whips around, and he''s nearly scared out of his skin - and yet the ethereal figure behind him saps all desire he has to scream.


    The faint, wispy outline of an older gentleman is directly behind him, sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace.


    ''That chair wasn''t there before,'' Barns thinks.


    He rises to his feet, knees quaking.


    "Sit down," Haima says. "Let me introduce you."


    Barns returns to the couch. He keeps his eyes away from the ghost, looking at its feet. Staring directly into the haunting form is too much for him.


    "Gramps, this is Barnacles. He''s the one who turned me back into a human," she says, grinning.


    "Yeah, that''s me," Barns says, his eyes still fixed on the floor.


    ''Am I really talking to a GHOST right now!?'' The thought bounces around Barns'' brain. It was a lot, even for him.


    There''s no reply from the ghost, at least not verbally. All he hears is a loud thud.


    "Gramps is smiling," Haima says, delighted.


    "Is Gramps a soul without a body?" Barns asks.


    "Well, yes. That''s about what a ghost is."


    "Is his body still around, somewhere? I mean¡­could he be resurrected?"


    Haima chuckles. "Buried behind the house, I suppose. But he and everyone else here have been dead for decades. I think their bodies are a little too far gone."


    Barns looks up, daring to meet the ghost''s gaze. Spectral blue eyes watch him with curious intent. As he meets Gramps'' gaze, his lingering unease begins to dissipate. Gramps didn''t look scary at all - he was a friendly ghost.


    "Hi, Gramps," Barns says slowly. "Thanks for looking after Haima."


    The ghost says nothing, but gives Barns a reassuring nod.


    Barns and Haima share a quick moment, but she quickly blushes and covers her face.


    ''It''s kind of like I''m meeting her family, weird as this is,'' Barns thinks. As he tilts his head back toward Gramps, he sees other figures in the dark that he can''t quite make out. Two shadowed forms, standing in the next room over. A small figure, lurking behind Gramps'' chair. Seems like they all came out to meet him.


    "Thanks for not stealing my seat, Barnacles."


    The voice causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand. It comes from right next to him, and though he can''t see anything, there is a slight depression on the couch seat as if someone were sitting right between him and Haima.


    "I was wondering if you''d come, Olive," Haima claps her hands together excitedly.


    "Olive is the only one who can talk, but she''s fully invisible," Haima explains. "But she can talk for the whole family!"


    As tense as he was earlier (especially after Haima''s prank), Barns is finding himself to be relaxed and at ease. There is something comforting about the myriad presences around him, and the fear of the unknown is replaced with genuine curiosity.


    "You''re welcome, Olive," he says, growing comfortable. "And thanks to all of you, I suppose. I feel quite welcome."


    More silence. Barns peers around the room. The other figures, though still hard to discern, seem a bit clearer.


    "I''m not sure what to say," he murmurs quietly to Haima.


    "You don''t need to say anything."


    Haima speaks slowly, as if she is fading into a dream. "They''re perceptive. Think of kind thoughts. Your energy will reach them far greater than any words."


    Barns focuses on a calm headspace and lets the awkwardness of the situation die down within him. His mind drifts between thoughts freely, and he''s surprised as vignettes appear in his mind.


    He sees a woman doing laundry, laughing with her children. He sees Gramps reading a story to the family by the fire. Each scene is painted in vivid, warm colors, seeping with nostalgia for a world long passed.


    He returns the favor - he shows the family pieces of his life. The fateful day when he sacrificed himself and was reborn as Barnacles. Relaxing days on Scuttle Island, soaking up the warmth of the sun - a place untouched by the horrors wrought by the apocalypse.


    He closes his eyes, and he thinks of Haima, too. He wants the ghost family to know that he''s taken a genuine liking to her.


    He explores more and more of his thoughts, sharing whatever he can - and in turn, he sees clips of the family''s former lives. Not all of these thirteen knew each other in life - but in death, they have bonded and become a true family.


    After some time, Barns re-opens his eyes. As he looks around the room, the ghosts are all gone. It''s just him and Haima, sitting on the couch together in the dark.


    "They had a lovely time," Haima smiles. "I think you may have fallen asleep for a bit there."


    "What? No way," Barns says.


    "How long do you think it''s been since we sat here?"


    "I dunno¡­ten or fifteen minutes?"


    Haima chuckles. "Three hours, almost."


    "WHAT!?"


    "They had to go," Haima tells him. "3AM is the Witching Hour. Nice ghosts like this go into hiding. The Witching Hour is when less generous spirits come out."


    Barns rises from the couch, oddly refreshed. Maybe he did sleep for a while.


    "They said you''re welcome to visit any time, with or without me," Haima grins. "They must have really liked you."


    Barns scratches the back of his head. "I like them too¡­I think."


    They exit the mansion, heading back into the dark night. As they begin their walk, Barns turns to look at the crumbling home one more time.


    It no longer looks scary to him - but perhaps a little sad. Images of what this place once was had embedded themselves in his mind. At least now he can see this place for what it was, rather than what it has become.


    "You should spend the night," Haima says quietly as they walk through the silent forest. "I have a spare bedroom, after all."


    "Exiled to the spare bedroom?" Barns pouts as Haima punches his stomach playfully.


    "If I meant otherwise, I''d have said so," she smirks. "Such a dirty mind you have. I hope you didn''t think any of those thoughts when Gramps was around!"


    "N-not at all!" Barns says quickly. "Sorry. The romantic side of romance is foreign territory here, give me a break."


    "Well, the sexual side of things is foreign to me," Haima coughs, embarrassed by her own words. "I''ve¡­always been a little afraid."


    "Clearly you''re not from Dimartino, then," Barns laughs.


    A wistful smile is pervasive on Haima''s red lips. "My Secret Arts have taught me much about my own body. I can control even my own heartbeat. I think having an¡­''outside influence'' would completely throw me off. The thought is horrifying, honestly."


    The girl he likes and has been on two dates with just described his ''outside influence'' as horrifying. Not exactly the response he was looking for.


    "But you went far out of your comfort zone for me tonight," Haima adds. "I won''t forget it."


    S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 52 - 52: Haima Breaks (R-18)

    A/N: This is a (R-18) chapter and can be safely skipped - there''s nothing here that directly affects the plot. This chapter features adult content with:


    1. Barns and Haima


    Clancy and a hooker


    If you decide not to skip it¡­you have already been warned.


    Haima''s House, 4AM -


    Haima stares at her bedroom ceiling, watching the fan spin round and round. She''s too distracted to sleep. The shuffling of Barns down the hall keeps her awake.


    She was sensitive to the things around her - blood, flesh, and bone specifically. And from the room Barns was staying the night in, she could sense the tension and unease in his blood.


    All her life, it is as if she has a constant 3D scan of every living creature near her. Respectively, she could sense Barns'' frustration as he rolls around in the sheets.


    She rises from her bed, shocking even herself. She isn''t ready to step fully out of her comfort zone, but she was willing to get her feet wet.


    Before she knows it, she''s standing at the door to her spare bedroom. She taps lightly on the door three times.


    "Hello?" she says, keeping her voice quiet.


    "I''m awake, Haima. What''s up?"


    Barns eyes widen as she pushes open the door. She stands in the doorway, her hair tussled from laying in the bed. She''s wearing somewhat see-through black nightwear, covering herself just barely. Her long and slender legs shine pale in the speckled moonlight that seeps in from the window.


    "You really are a horny menace, aren''t you?" she says, catching her teeth on her bottom lip. It was dark, but Barns could see she was looking right at him.


    "Do you want me to take care of you?" she continues. "It''ll help you sleep."


    Barns gasps. Her words would have excited him, had he not already been raring to go.


    "Fuck yeah."


    Haima smiles sweetly. "I''ve never done this before. With my powers, there''s a non-zero chance your manhood will explode - and not in a good way."


    "Eh¡­how big of a chance? We talking 50/50?"


    Haima shrugs. "Want to find out?"


    "Yes."


    Haima sits on the edge of the bed, and she puts her hand on Barns'' throat. Her touch is gentle, though she gives his neck a little bit of a squeeze.


    "This is¡­not quite what I imagined¡­" he says nervously.


    "Shh. Just enjoy it, Barns. And try not to move too much."


    She activates her Secret Art. Every muscle in Barns'' body tenses for a brief second before he becomes limp - everywhere but between his legs. He feels the blood rush out of his head and into his groin, engorging him further than he''d ever been. He can''t help himself as intense pleasure coats his entire being, and his leg twitches involuntarily under the sheets.


    The blood and meat of his body harmonize together in ways that words struggle to describe - a telepathic full-body stimulation while he himself has no control of his body, other than his muscle spasms, he cannot move an inch. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His breathing is immediate and uneven - Haima has to control the flow of oxygen in and out of his lungs with her power as she pleasures him. She focuses a majority of her attention on his throbbing manhood, every bit of it stimulated far deeper than any intercourse could ever provide.


    Barns can''t think of anything but the psychosomatic bliss that threatens to overwhelm every one of his faculties. He''s never felt so stimulated in his life. His arousal is at its limit. Were she to apply even the slightest more power, he would release in an instant.


    She tightens her hand around his throat, and the euphoria heightens to places he''d never even imagined. She grabs one of his hands and slides it under her shirt, guiding his fingertips along her belly.


    Waves of ecstasy overtake him again and again in sync with his heartbeat, which grows faster and faster. He twitches again, more violently, as Haima edges him with her power. She holds him at the precipice, teasing and taunting him with the certainty of inevitable release.


    She moves her hand from his neck to his chest, keeping her hand firmly planted against his skin. It''s becoming too much for Barns. She slides her hand lower, over his toned stomach. Even she has to take a deep breath as her palm slides over his muscles.


    And then finally, she slides her hand down to the line of his boxers, but as she does, the pleasure intensifies to a point that Barns can no longer handle. Before she even touches his groin, he erupts into the most powerful orgasm that he could have ever conceived. As soon as he begins to release, she pulls her hand away from him and undoes her Secret Art.


    He immediately thrusts upward, all four limbs flailing in delightful madness. He moans at the top of his lungs, loud enough to wake the neighbors. Haima doesn''t mind. She watches his climax with intrigued curiosity.


    ''If only he''d lasted longer,'' she thinks to herself. ''I was just about to make things really fun.''


    Barns crumples, wet and disoriented, still releasing echoes of pleasure in his vocalizations. She peels his hand from her thigh and places it on the mattress next to him.


    He looks into her eyes, but doesn''t say a word. He''s forgotten how to talk in the moment. Haima blinks back at him in the dark before a slight curl crosses her lips. "That''s just with one hand," she snickers. "Imagine what else we could get up to."


    She steps out of the room, closing the door behind her. "Have a good night, Barns," she says as she walks back to her room.


    Barns is asleep before the door closes, with the biggest smile he''s ever had plastered over his face.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, at Dimartino Castle, Clancy is also (finally) having the time of his life.


    A blond prostitute sits on her knees on Clancy''s massive bed - he''s taken over Maria and Osmond''s old bedroom, and above them, the ceiling is a massive mirror. She peeks up nervously, but all she can see in the reflection is the top of Clancy''s shell.


    The large crab snips the straps of her bra off, and she catches it, laughing nervously. "What a naughty crab you are!" she giggles, covering her chest.


    Clancy''s face is inches from hers, his hatch-mouth quivering with bubbly foam. "SHOW GOODIES."


    The prostitute blushes and releases her hand. Her bra tumbles down, revealing her naked torso to the crab. He wraps his pincer claws around her and buries his face in her chest, spurting foam and shaking his head side to side - not the first time the distinguished crab has acted as a ''motorboat''.


    "Ooooh!" the prostitute wails. It''s a sensation she''s never quite experienced, but the cleansing foam soaking her front tingles deliciously on her soft flesh.


    "INSERTION TIME."


    "Oooh-oo-h-what, wait?" she gasps. She looks down and something that resembles a claw hammer with a plated shell begins to extend. "Okay, I don''t think that''s going to work," she says, eying it suspiciously.


    "TASTE LIKE CRAB." The foam is dripping out of Clancy''s mouth, wetter and more viscous than normal like he''s drooling.


    The woman looks at it again. If she just has to put her mouth on it a little bit, she supposes, it might work¡­plus, crab was her favorite seafood. She hadn''t eaten any since being resurrected, on account of crab being outlawed.


    "Well, fuck it," she says, placing her mouth on whatever that is.


    For Barns and Clancy both, it''s a night for the history books.

 Chapter 53 - 53: Yunie

    When Barns returns to the castle the next morning, someone is already waiting for him.


    "Mr. Barnacles, sir! Good morning!"


    Barns waves as Roscoe, Yunie''s younger brother, comes racing toward him.


    "Mr. Hero, have you seen Yunie?" Roscoe asks, frantic. "She didn''t come home last night."


    Barns is stumped. "I haven''t," he admits. "But I went to town late last night. I hardly saw anyone."


    "Big sis went to town to run some errands for the guild," Roscoe says, his words as frenetic as his body. His worry is palpable. "She was talking to that bodyguard guy, the one who used to be a vampire. El¡­something."


    "Eldrie?" Barns asks.


    "Yeah! I saw them walk to town together!" Roscoe wails. "But she never came back!"


    Barns pats Roscoe on the head. "Don''t worry, little man. We''ll find her."


    ''Yunie and Eldrie, huh? Are they hooking up or something?'' Barns wonders. As he considers the possibility, another dark thought crosses his mind.


    ''Eldrie''s one of us¡­right? He wouldn''t¡­''


    Barns shakes his head, snapping out of the dark thoughts. "Roscoe, you go on and get things set up at the guild like Yunie taught you, okay? I''ll find your sister."


    Roscoe throws his arms in despair. "Can''t I come with you?" he frets. "I''m scared!"


    "If Yunie got caught up with something, she''d want you to take care of the guild, wouldn''t she?" Barns smiles. He hadn''t gotten any notifications, so it''s not like Yunie is dead. She''s just¡­not here, currently.


    "But without big sis, we don''t even have any quests¡­"


    "All the more reason for you to head over there, and explain the situation to any Adventurers who stop by. I''m the legendary hero, right?" Barns flexes for the young and distraught boy. "If I can''t figure it out, nobody can!"


    Roscoe sniffles. "O-okay," he says, defeated. "But when you find her, come right back, okay!"


    "It''s a deal," Barns and Roscoe shake on it.


    "Speaking of, kid," Barns says before stepping away. "I asked Yunie if I could teach you some combat moves, and she reluctantly agreed. When I come back with Yunie, maybe we can get some training in?"


    "No way!" Roscoe shouts, pumping up excitedly. It''s enough to diffuse some of the young man''s worries. "You mean it! I''ll be a student of THE legendary hero!?"


    "That''s right," Barns grins. "You''re going to be my first official protege!"


    He pats Roscoe on the head one more time and sends the boy on his way back to the Adventurer Guild.


    "Alright," Barns says to himself. "If Eldrie was the last one to see Yunie, he''s as good a starting point as any."


    Eldrie was Maria''s personal bodyguard for now, and she hardly ever let him out of her sight.


    ''Guess I''m going to see Maria.''


    Barns heads off, uncertain of what the future would reveal to him.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Ordella¡­


    Adon reaches his long pale fingers down, wrapping them around his captive''s neck and forcing her to look up at him. He''s used to fear, and terror in the eyes of his victims. This one is so delectably new - she looks at him not with horror but with burning determination and anger.


    "Do what you will with me, your days are numbered!" she growls. Her face is bruised, her hair matted and hanging over her eyes. She didn''t go down without a fight.


    Adon taps her on the chin. "Do you know how long it''s been since someone had the audacity to fight back?" he sneers. "Oh, Adea - how long?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, Adon. It''s been years. She won''t keep up her little act for long, hehe. Once she realizes how much trouble she''s really in."


    Adon and his sister exchange a loving smile. As soon as he turns back to his captive, the smile turns to a grimace.


    "We won''t be killing you, not yet," Adon informs her. "You are a very special prize, after all. Our first Dimartino human in¡­oh, how long, my sweet sister?"


    "Dear brother, not since before that rat Osmond moved in and took it over."


    "Yes, that''s right, my sweet Adea. Not since Osmond."


    "Barnacles will destroy you!" she shrieks, struggling against her restraints to no avail. She''s bound at the wrists and ankles in a sharp, rusted iron chair in the back of the slaughterhouse. Bodies hang around her and the scent of blood overwhelms her senses. The floor is scattered with bone and rot - and yet none of the horror she sees breaks her. She knows Barns. She knows he will win against these vampires.


    "Ah, yes. Adea, my sweet sister - Barnacles is the name of the boy hero, isn''t that right? I''m sure once he realizes you''re missing, he''ll come running right to us. You''re important to him, aren''t you?"


    She clenches her jaw and refuses to answer.


    "Come on, now," Adon snarls, baring his fangs at her. "If you won''t play nicely, I''ll just turn you into a vampire and make you kill him yourself. Won''t you at least tell me your name?"


    She rattles the chair and howls in protest.


    Adon grabs her head. With the strength he possesses, he could pop her skull with no effort at all. She realizes this as he slowly squeezes harder and harder. "Your name, bitch."


    "Yunie. And you''d better remember it because I''m going to be the last thing you think about when you''re dying and thinking about where it all went wrong, you prick."


    "Yunie," Adon repeats, vile energy emanating from his soul. "Yunie. The bait that brought us the ''legendary hero''. Isn''t that just wonderful, my dear sister?"


    "Oh, Adon," she cackles. "You''re one for theatrics, aren''t you?"


    "My sister, it''s almost time for you to head out as well. I believe our friend Francois has some explaining to do."


    "Hehehe."


    Adea lurches up from the ground, her cleaver already in hand. "Adon, Adon. I think you''re quite right. My, we''re going to have a busy day ahead of us, you and me. Save me a piece of that legendary hero, won''t you? I want to know what that misguided hope tastes like."

 Chapter 54 - 54: Blood Relatives

    "I haven''t seen Eldrie since yesterday afternoon. Why, is something wrong?"


    Those words hit Barns deeply. Suddenly, Yunie wasn''t just ''not around''. Now, two of their citizens were missing.


    "Maria, we need to find Eldrie right away. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"


    She''s surprised by the panic in Barns'' voice. "Tell me what happened."


    "Yesterday, Yunie and Eldrie were seen heading to town together, but it sounds like nobody has seen either of them since. She didn''t show up to work. Sounds like Eldrie didn''t either."


    Maria furrows her brow, vexed. "Don''t tell me¡­" she says aloud, her doubts bubbling up to the surface. "Do you think his memories returned?"


    "Anything''s possible. We need to find them. Now."


    Maria agrees, gathering her things together. She was doing some more reading in the library, but this took precedent.


    "And where''s Osmond?"


    Maria winces. "He is¡­also missing," she says. "But I don''t think he''s involved in any of this. From what I gather, he must have learned something from the Memory Stone and went to investigate."


    "By himself? That''s insane!" Barns objects.


    Maria shakes her head. "He wouldn''t have gone to Ordella by himself. Which means he''s somewhere in Dimartino - or perhaps even at the Pale Court."


    "The Pale Court? Why would he -"


    Maria clears her throat, interrupting him. "Listen, I know Oz. He would never do something on his own unless it were absolutely urgent."


    Barns takes a deep breath. "What a disaster of a morning this is turning out to be. Anyone else missing I should know about?"


    "Your crab missed his morning shift taking requests from the people, but I filled in for him. He''s fine - for the record. Seems like he just had a late night."


    "Alright. Gather everyone you can. I want everyone looking for Yunie. I''m heading back to town to see what I can learn."


    Maria nods. "I''ll have Zelia send you a message if I learn anything."


    They split, and Barns rushes to Dimartino''s town in record time. His first stop is the police headquarters - maybe they can actually be useful for once.


    "Underhill, I need to put out an APB or whatever it''s called," Barns says, talking over the cute receptionist at the front desk.


    "We don''t do that around here, but you can use the public broadcast if you need to get something off your chest, big guy."


    "We have two missing people. Yunie and Eldrie. You gonna help with that?"


    Underhill''s face shifts from callous to contemplative in an instance. "Yunie, you say?"


    Underhill turns to the receptionist. "Go make an announcement, why don''t ya?"


    The woman nods and scurries out to the broadcast tower. Underhill sits on her desk and whips out a knife, playing with it as he thinks out loud.


    "Yunie''s a nice gal. Would hate to imagine somethin'' untoward happening to her. We got any leads?"


    "She came to town yesterday afternoon with Eldrie. From what I can tell, nobody has seen either of them since."


    "Tch. I''ll have the boys get on it. They''ve been stir-crazy, my man. If we hear anything, we''ll put an announcement out just for you."


    "Thanks, Underhill."


    The two chat for a while, discussing possible places to search¡­


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in the Pale Court:


    Osmond stands outside the Vampire Lily - the white, smooth stone lair of Francois Lauren Villeteux - as it begins to pry open. Osmond notes a soothing melody coming from within - the sound of a wistful harp.


    "Osmond. I''ve been expecting you."


    The voice rings from inside the chamber. Osmond narrows his eyes as he steps through the threshold, into Francois'' inner sanctum.


    "I was hoping you''d bring the boy," she muses from the back of the room as she strums a grand harp, plucking a mysterious and experimental tune.


    "There''s no time for that, Francois. You know why I''m here."


    She glances over to him and smiles, but doesn''t stop playing. Her eerie melody hits a crescendo.


    "Francois."


    She stops - right as he grows insistent, her song comes to a graceful end. She floats gracefully up off the stool onto her feet.


    "I saw what the Lord of the Apocalypse gave you. Your Memory Stone - all of it."


    "Ooh, yes I believed you would," she says, her words like honey, her distinct accent coming through on every harsh consonant. "But you don''t want to talk about ''the good old days'', do you Osmond?"


    "Oh, we have plenty to talk about," Osmond growls. "But you''re right. Francois. A Master Vampire''s weakness - you can only be killed by blood relatives."


    She gives him a sinister smirk. "And now you know why that particular secret is not one I mind you knowing."


    Osmond narrows his eyes. Francois was a manufactured person - just like him. She didn''t HAVE blood relatives.


    "So you''re immortal," Osmond says out loud, hardly believing the words. "And you sent Barns and I on a fool''s errand. We''re not blood relatives of Adea or Adon."


    "I see you are only halfway there," Francois shakes her head and clicks her tongue. When she''s alone with Osmond, she has no reason to keep up her lustful act. She glares at him with all the conceit and bitterness she can muster.


    "Adea and Adon murdered every single family member they had, and burned them to ash. They kept that urn as a memento. And not even the ''Silver Rake'' weapon is enough to kill a Master Vampire. No. It must be a blood relative." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was a suicide mission, and you knew it," Osmond sighs. "I can''t believe it, Francois. For a moment, I thought you might actually have seen reason."


    "I can assure you, I am not just trying to kill you all. I would have done it myself."


    "Then explain it, Francois! That''s why I''m here."


    "Little Osmond, I kept those ashes hidden away for a reason. The twins did not know I had them."


    "We would use the ashes as a weapon? Adon and Adea are strong vampires, we can''t just blow ash in their face and expect them to die!"


    "Extract the bone fragments for arrowheads. Mix them in gunpowder. Coat your swords in them. Anything. Once Adea and Adon come into contact with them, they will become immediately invulnerable. And if all else fails, well then I suppose you could have them kill each other. I have given you everything you need, Osmond. Your people will just have to figure it out."


    A moment of silence, before Francois speaks one more time.


    "And once you do, you''ll figure out a way to kill me."

 Chapter 55 - 55: The Counterattack Begins

    Early in the afternoon, Eldrie is found. Tied to a tree, bound, blindfolded, and gagged - but he''s still alive.


    Barns and Underhill find him around the same time, about a mile out of the village in the jungle. The police force had been combing the entire town as well as the beachside village. Maria and the others searched the castle area.


    Barns approaches Eldrie slowly, not sure if this is a trap or not. He undoes his gag and his blindfold but doesn''t untie him from the tree - not yet.


    As soon as Eldrie can see again, he immediately starts shouting incomprehensibly. Barns smacks him across the face and holds him by both shoulders.


    "Calm down!" Barns commands. Eldrie snaps back to the present moment, his incoherent panic fading into something more sensible.


    "Adon!" Eldrie cries, shaking in his restraints. "Adon was here, he took Yunie!"


    To Barns, it''s like the world stops in that moment. Could he even believe Eldrie?


    ¡­Did he have a reason not to believe Eldrie?


    Barns blinks several times in frustration, looking to Underhill and hoping the shady merchant has some idea of what to do next.


    Underhill taps the ground twice with his gilded cane. "Adon, eh? That''s one of them vampire twins you''ve all been going on about?"


    "Yes!" Eldrie shakes, his eyes red. "H-He left me here to give you a message. He''ll k-kill Yunie if you don''t go to Ordella." Eldrie stumbles over the words. He''s been strapped to this tree all night. Left here as a warning.


    Barns is quaking with anger. One of his own was kidnapped right from the middle of Dimartino. He would not stand for this.


    Barns unsheathes his sword and cuts the ropes binding Eldrie, who falls over onto his face, sobbing.


    "Underhill. I want every capable and willing fighter at Dimartino Castle in one hour. We''re going to Ordella."


    Barns walks off to make his own preparations, but there''s somewhere he has to stop first.


    As he makes his way back to the castle, he reports to the Adventurer Guild. A frazzled Roscoe is still there, trying to handle the daily operations as best as he can.


    "Roscoe," Barns says immediately upon entering. There are several Adventurers sitting around at the wooden tables, and they all turn to Barns as he enters.


    "I''m sorry to have to tell you this, Roscoe. Your sister is alive, but she''s been captured by the enemy. I''m heading out right now to save her."


    Barns turns to the rest of the Adventurers in the room. "And I''d like all of your help!" he says. "Yunie is one of our own. She runs this place! Our society wouldn''t be what it is today without Yunie. None of us would have jobs, either," he adds in an attempt to lighten the mood.


    "So the Adventurer Guild owes it to Yunie - we will head to Ordella and get her back!"


    After finishing up business, there are two others he needs to talk to directly - Clancy and Maria. He finds Maria first, but she looks like she''s already prepping for a journey.


    "I''m going to the Pale Court," she says quietly.


    "Maria. We have to stick together right now."


    "And that''s exactly what I mean to do, Barns," she snaps. "I know Osmond went there. He must have found something out. I''ll rendezvous with him and then catch up with you in Ordella."


    Barns grits his teeth. "We shouldn''t be splitting up right now," he protests. "This is exactly what the vampires would want."


    "Priority one will always be myself," Maria reminds him. "And priority two is usually Osmond. I care a hell of a lot more for him than Yunie, so excuse me if he''s the one I''m most concerned about."


    Barns takes a deep breath, trying not to let his emotions boil over. "Fine, Maria. Do as you must."


    His last stop is Clancy, who he finds scuttling around the hallway on the second floor. He appears to be admiring a large portrait of the former king and queen.


    "NEED CRAB PAINTING."


    Barns looks quickly at the picture, but he doesn''t have time right now to indulge Clancy''s antics.


    "Listen, King. We have an emergency. Yunie''s been kidnapped and taken to Ordella. I know it''s short notice, but we have to attack the town today. Now."


    Clancy pivots toward Barns and stares at him blankly for a moment. The wise crab can read the intensity of emotion on Barns'' face, and he realizes the gravity of their plight.


    "KILL TIME!"


    Clancy raises his pincers valiantly. He was all-in too.


    Barns and Clancy head to the front of the castle, where Adventurers and police have already begun to gather.


    Barns curses the timing of this whole situation. Osmond and Maria are occupied. They still don''t know how to kill Master Vampires. Barns is underleveled, and he hasn''t figured out how to use ''Claws of Death'' yet. He finds that no matter how he looks at it, they are disadvantaged on all fronts - but they had to press on. He absolutely refused to leave Yunie alone to her fate at the hands of the vampires.


    If she dies, he''ll get a pop-up informing him that his resurrection count has dropped. That knowledge gives Barns the strength to carry onward with their mission. She could be saved. If they brought the combined might of Dimartino down on the vampires, they have a chance.


    ''I just hope Osmond figured something out about killing them," he mumbles to himself. ''And that he makes it to us in time.''


    Once the end of the hour draws near, Barns makes his way to the front of the gathered crowd. Well over a hundred warriors have assembled to participate in the siege of Ordella, but there''s one soldier he has to turn away.


    "Roscoe. No." Barns'' voice is authoritative and cold. The young teen raises a fist in protest.


    "It''s my sister we''re saving!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t care. You don''t have any battle experience."


    "But you''ll be there, legendary hero! Won''t you keep me safe like you will with big sis!?"


    Barns feels a tightness in his chest. The self-doubt that plagued him when he fought Eldrie climbs into his throat and makes it hard to reply.


    "Roscoe. Someone needs to stand behind and protect this town while we''re gone. The vampires could be planning a trap."


    Barns takes a deep breath and unclips the sword, Crashing Wave, from his belt. He hands the powerful blade to Roscoe.


    "If anything happens, point the sword at the enemy and pull the trigger, okay?" Barns looks sternly into Roscoe''s eyes. "I am leaving the kingdom of Dimartino in your hands, Roscoe. Be strong. Not just for me, but for Yunie."


    His words inspire the boy, who clutches the blue sword with all his strength. "Yes, Master Barnacles!" he says with utmost determination. "I won''t let you down!"


    On that note, Barns walks away from the boy and back to the front of his assembled fighters. He raises the Silver Rake into the air, and allows the claws to retract, holding the glistening silver in the air. Everyone''s attention fixes on him.


    "This is our moment!" Barns shouts over the crowd. "This is the true test of the people of Dimartino! One of our own has been taken from our kingdom. If we do not rise up to fight, then what are we? This kingdom stands for every single human who draws breath today. We fly defiantly in the face of the apocalypse!"


    Barns takes a deep breath and continues his speech. "In the old world, people were killed with no regard. Vampires, Demons, and monsters had their way with humanity. But I swear on everything, that world is over! Let''s go show those vampires what humanity is capable of!"


    The entire crowd roars in agreement, each one forming the crab salute in unison. Barns salutes them back, caught up in the moment.


    Clancy scuttles up next to Barns, and the hero leaps onto the crab''s shell, pumping his fist into the air one final time.


    "Our counterattack begins now!"

 Chapter 56 - 56: Blood In the Water

    The border of the two kingdoms is littered with human corpses, some immolated, some crucified, others twisted into hideous poses like effigies. Each one of them is long gone - Barns'' Resurrection skill is useless. These were the people of Ordella. Their humanity is so disregarded that they were used as set dressing by the vampires. Despicable.


    "WASTEFUL. PUNISH VAMPIRES!"


    As Barns'' army reaches the beginning of the bayou, the sun overhead suddenly begins to dim. It''s only a few hours into the afternoon - the darkness overtaking the sky is unnatural.


    "An¡­eclipse?"


    Barns looks to the sun as a large shadow begins to darken its harsh light. Haima, walking nearby, hypothesizes.


    "I''ve heard the twins possess powerful magic, but something like this?" her eyes watch the sun fearfully as the light is all but blotted out.


    "They don''t fight in daylight." Haima murmurs. "So they''re making their own night."


    Barns is chilled by her words, but there was no going back now.


    As the darkness sets upon them, something in the air changes. As if the darkness itself were watching them. The adventuring league lights a few torches and lanterns to dispel the darkness.


    They reach a crossing, but the bridge has been recently destroyed. They''ll have to trudge through the murky shallow water on foot.


    "Bridge was fine when I came through," Godrick sighs. "No helpin'' it."


    "Alright, everyone!" Barns commands. It''s fully dark now, but the torchlight illuminates their legion. "We''ll load any sensitive equipment on Clancy, and he''ll cross it over. The rest of us will go on foot. It''s about three or four feet deep, so be careful. The water looks still, but its a moving river. Don''t lose your footing."


    Clancy heads over the river with their valuable items - food, medicine, things that can''t get wet. The large crab is able to lift his body up well over the water on his stilt-like legs.


    As his claws poke about in the muddy water, something begins to stir under the surface, spurred by the darkness above. Dark figures float around Clancy''s legs, but the King Crab doesn''t notice.


    Clancy sets himself down on the other side of the river as the humans begin to cross. Barns leads the pack, sloshing through the water quickly, eager to get out as soon as possible.


    "Barns! In front of you!"


    A large animal splashes out of the water - an alligator, its mouth wide open. An arrow whizzes by the moment it emerges, shooting the alligator on the bottom side of its mouth. The arrow pierces completely through the alligator snout, forcing its mouth shut.


    Barns turns around. Standing on the edge of the water is Eldrie, bow in hand. Barns is glad to see him here - he''d have understood if Eldrie was too shaken up from yesterday to participate.


    The reptile wails in pain but crunches through the arrow. It lets out a high-pitched scream, odd for an alligator, as it hisses. Other gators begin to bubble up from the river.


    "These aren''t just regular alligators, Barns," Haima notes, eyeing the creatures around them. She''s in the water too, just steps behind Barns. The worst possible place for her to be - the moving water around her confuses her senses and she can''t quite tell where the alligators are from intuition alone.


    "These are vampire alligators."


    The gators descend on the party, tearing through the people in the water. Screams erupt through the air as a swarm of vampire gators bare their fangs and bite, sucking the blood right out of some of Barns'' followers.


    Each of the scaly reptiles has large red eyes that glow in the darkness, and their teeth are sharper and larger than normal. The color has seeped from their scales, leaving them pale.


    "Clancy! Foam upstream! Now!" Barns commands, withdrawing his claws and jamming them through gator brain. The crab scuttles north and immediately starts frothing into the flowing water, mixing his raw secretions into the river. The crab juice foams up quickly, and soon a cascade of cleansing foam rolls through the party.


    The alligators begin to hiss and croak as the foam reaches them, burning them alive in the water. Barns and Haima continue to fight in the middle of the river, defending those who''ve already waded in.


    His Silver Rake dances through the water. Even a graze from the consecrated silver is enough to vanquish a gator - the holy light that emanates from his weapon is diabolically destructive to vampires.


    On the shore, Godrick is cleaning up the gators one after another with his Asura Dance - four blades whip through the air as he glides effortless along the shoreline, each sword finding a mark over and over. Eldrie stands nearby, shooting the gators out of the water.


    These vampire gators can survive multiple lethal blows, so every attack counts. With the help of the foam to distract and neutralize the gators, the humans begin to gain the upper hand. A gator swims between Barns and Haima, making a move at his legs, but at this distance Haima is uninhibited from using her magic. Even before Barns notices the vampiric beast, Haima uses her Secret Art to drain it like a juice pouch.


    Barns'' team is victorious - though it was too close of a call.


    They finish crossing the river, and the army couldn''t be happier that they were through. There''s a few injuries, but after a quick ''Resurrection'' from Barns, no permanent casualties.


    Haima uses her Secret Art to stop the bleeding of the injured - an excellent skill to have not just offensively, but medically as well.


    As they regroup at the edge of the river, Barns and Clancy do a quick sweep for any more gators. They stop a short distance away from the others, looking at a nearby settlement. Barns holds his torch up to get a better look.


    "We have to be ready for anything, Clancy" Barns says, looking at the dark farm to their right. He sees chickens picking at the ground from where he''s standing.


    One of the chickens looks up, its eyes glowing deep red. And then, all of the chickens begin to glow in a red malevolent aura that only Clancy and Barns can see - the birds are filled with murderous intent.


    "God damn it," Barns mutters to himself. Before they even finish resting, the army is set upon by a flying horde of vampire chickens.


    S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 57 - 57: The Demon Lord

    Osmond is on the way back to Dimartino, only about an hour away, when the sky begins to darken.


    ''Impossible,'' Osmond thinks. ''This technique is just like the First Vampire''s¡­''


    He abruptly twists his head toward the woods. A figure he recognizes all too well emerges from the shadows, holding a large black parasol over her head.


    "Ozzie, Ozzie, it sure has been a while, hm? What brings you all the way out here?"


    Adea smiles back at him, swaying back and forth and showing off her fangs. She twirls the parasol around in one hand while tapping her giant meat cleaver against her thigh.


    "Just visiting my sister, thanks," he says coolly. His fingers reflexively stretch toward his staff.


    The sky is almost completely dark, but it doesn''t bother Osmond any. As a demon, he has excellent night vision.


    Adea chuckles to herself, a sinister and ugly grin plastered on her otherwise beautiful face. "You know, Ozzie, I''ve been hearing all kinds of rumors about you lately. It really is a shame. Reputation is everything around here, you know. Why, I hear even one of the Seven Sentinels is coming to look into the gossip! Oh, but it couldn''t possibly be true, could it? COULD IT!?"


    She ends her monologue with a hissing snarl, and her pupils turn into slits. She lets go of her black parasol, and it floats up into the sky, vanishing. It''s fully dark now - she no longer needed a shield from the sun.


    "Are you looking for a fight, Adea? Because I''d be happy to oblige."


    "Where''s the fun in killing a stupid little demon?" she scowls. "You''re the last person I''d ever want to kill. You aren''t even real. Just a little doll sewed together by the Lord of the Apocalypse. My god, he didn''t even put you together properly - just look at all the cracks on your skin!"


    The veins in Osmond''s arms tense, and the geometric cracks along his skin begin to glow with violet light. His demon magic courses through him like a torrent, and his vision hones directly on to his target.


    "All I want to know is what you''re planning with Francois," Adea frowns. "You can crawl into a hole somewhere and stay out of my way. I only care about killing humans."


    He can''t remember the last time he''s been so activated. Even when he fought Barns, he didn''t feel this intensity. That day, a part of him was resolved to die if he needed to. But today - he isn''t going anywhere.


    His violet magic begins to spark, and tendrils of energy dart over his skin like crackling lightning. He allows the mana to completely consume him, and it wraps around his entire body, his horns becoming conduits.


    "My, my," Adea bites down on her lip so hard that blood begins to gush from her mouth. She swirls it around on her tongue. "Aren''t you all fired up? Fine, little Ozzie boy. Let''s fight! A Demon Lord versus a Master Vampire, now won''t this be fun?"


    She points her cleaver at him. "Though you know you have no chance of winning, don''t you?"


    Osmond''s eye twitches as he glowers at the fiendish vampire. It was true - according to what he''d learned from Francois. He didn''t have any of the ashes on him, and he was certainly not a blood relative.


    She might be immortal, but she wasn''t invulnerable. If Osmond could stop her here, and capture her, then he would be able to deal with her properly later.


    That''s right. He could win without killing her. But that doesn''t mean he needs to hold back - not at all.


    "Get ready, Adea. Your reign of terror ends today, and I will serve you on a platter to my beautiful Maria!"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, near Ordella.


    Barns huffs and heaves in a storm of white feathers as the last of the chickens pops in midair. Haima, who delivered the killing blow, drops to her knees, exhausted and out of breath. Blood runs out of her nose and ears - she''s overdone herself.


    "Damn, girl. If I ever need chicken nuggets, you''re my first call." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns reaches his hand toward Haima, helping her up. She struggles to get to her feet. Her mind is blank and woozy, and her powers at their limit.


    Moments ago, as the horde of vampire chickens beset upon their army, Haima activated a large-scale Secret Art and began to implode the chickens one after another in midair. Even with all her power brought to bear, the chicken attack was devastating. Several of their legion were bitten and scratched, and she no longer had the power to seal their wounds. Nearly half of their party of a hundred or so were injured at this point, either from the gators or the chickens.


    "Barns," she wheezes. "I need a break. A lot of us do."


    His fist trembles in his gauntlet. She''s right, of course. They''d sustained heavy injuries, and if Barns couldn''t resurrect the recently dead, they''d be down several bodies already. He looks over his regiment. At the very least, the more capable fighters were mostly unscathed, and among the injured, nobody is in a life-threatening predicament.


    "Eldrie. You''re quick on your feet. Take a team of the three fastest among us and report back to Dimartino. We need to establish supply lines - we can''t move all of the injured right now. Can you do that?"


    The former vampire''s eyes light up when he''s called on. He''s humbled to be considered for such an important task.


    "Yes, sir!" Eldrie salutes. Thanks to Maria''s prank, Eldrie takes the salute more seriously than anyone.


    "Good. Haima, I know you''re injured right now. Can you look after everyone here?"


    She shakes her head. "Not like this," she admits. "I need an hour or two to recuperate. My blood is-"


    As she talks, she spits up a mouthful of blood onto the ground and starts coughing. Barns watches her with trepidation. ''Her power takes so much out of her¡­'' he thinks to himself.


    He looks around. Who else could he turn to? Proceeding any further without either Clancy or Godrick was too much of a risk. If only Maria or Osmond were here - he''s low on people he can rely on.


    "Excuse me¡­" comes a voice from the crowd. It''s someone he doesn''t recognize, one of the newer Adventurers. "I know a few Secret Arts. I would be glad to take the lead!"


    "I know how to make barrier charms!"


    Multiple voices from the crowd each call out, offering their unique skills and specializations. Barns couldn''t help but smile, the stress melting away into the darkness. He had many people he could rely on - that''s what having this army is all about.


    "Got it! Those of you who are still fighting, with me!"

 Chapter 58 - 58: Master Vampire Adea

    Adea attacks first, charging at Osmond and swinging her cleaver like a mad woman. Osmond neatly sidesteps her attack and readies a blast of his arcane power. He launches twin missiles of plasma at her, and she cackles. With inhuman speed, she slashes through each of his magic bolts, draining their power and obsoleting them.


    "Parlor tricks," she hisses, charging him again. He dodges a flurry of attacks - each one too close a call. Osmond can''t ramp up his attacks slowly - he has to go all out, right away.


    Osmond kicks off the ground, hovering above the dark battlefield. Behind him, the thick fog of the Pale Court swirls ominously.


    Adea adjusts herself and looks up at Osmond. He can fly, and she cannot - allegedly. He has the upper ground advantage.


    All of the energy coursing through the cracks on Osmond''s skin focuses to a single point, and he releases one of his strongest attacks. His body becomes a beacon of violet light as he channels all of the power into a straight line at her like a laser beam.


    Adea scrambles out of the way but Osmond continues blasting, chasing her with the laser. She ducks behind some trees as Osmond vaporizes the forest, trying to catch her with his attack.


    His concentration breaks for a moment, reaching his momentary limit. The nearby trees are devastated by his attack, but as Adea slinks out of the woods unharmed, he sees this fight has only just begun.


    "How about I show you some of my tricks?" she giggles, raking her teeth. Without warning she chucks her meat cleaver through the air like a tomahawk.


    Osmond flies to the left to dodge, but as he does, Adea suddenly appears in midair, holding the cleaver.


    ''Damn it, can she teleport to wherever that cleaver is!?'' Osmond questions as she takes a swing. He propels himself back, but he was caught by surprise. He can''t get away in time.


    She slices through Osmond''s arm, a near-miss but she makes contact. Demon blood sprays out of him as he flies higher away out of her range. But he''s not out of the woods yet.


    Adea activates another vampire technique, and her body bursts into a swarm of bats. They fly at Osmond in a rabid frenzy, slicing him all over with hooked claws and gnawing him with vampiric fangs. He yowls in pain as Adea attempts to eat him alive.


    ''Demon Art: Chain Lightning!''


    There''s a flash of light and the purple light expels entirely from his body, illuminating one of the bats and electrocuting it. The second the bat is fried, the purple lightning begins to jump from creature to creature, shocking them out of the sky one by one as the energy rapidly tears through them.


    Osmond crashes to the ground, his limbs shaking, his breath ragged. The scent of charred flesh fills the stifling dark air. He looks at the pile of smoking bats. Did he get her?


    "Over here," comes a voice behind him. He whips his head around and only just barely dodges another swing of Adea''s cleaver. Seems defeating the bats wasn''t enough to damage her.


    "Is this all a Demon Lord''s got?" Adea frets, licking Osmond''s blood off her cleaver. "What disgusting blood, too." she spits it out of her mouth. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond narrows his eyes. He can go further - and perhaps he''d have to. But he fears letting his power rage out of control. It can be difficult for a demon to regain their senses after surrendering themselves to the power. Some demons never come back from it, and live in mindless rage until their death.


    If he''s ever to see his sweet Maria again, he can''t go all out. Not here. But his regular powers aren''t cutting it. As it stands, Osmond is a dangerous threat to any spellcaster, but he struggles against physical threats like Adea. Many of his techniques only work against enemy magic.


    Adea strikes again, swinging her cleaver and her claw at the same time, trapping Osmond. He has no choice but to lean toward the cleaver - if he took a direct hit from her claws, that wound would never recover. It''s a death sentence.


    The long chopper slashes through his shoulder. He stumbles back, unleashing a burst of uncontrolled light at Adea. She''s too close to evade, and the lightning strikes her directly in the face.


    Mortified by the blast, she howls in agony. Adea leans forward, clutching her eye. The left side of her face is still pulsing with violet electric energy. Her face is warped from the magic, and her eyelid is burned off.


    She snarls at him with boundless rage. She''s not worried - a vampire like her could recover from any injury, as long as it''s not dealt by a blood relative. But she could never forgive Osmond for wounding her hideously.


    She stares at him with loathsome hate as crimson energy begins to swirl around her and accumulate in her cleaver. It forms a long blade, extending outward from the cleaver and forming a giant sword of magical blood, some six feet long. She swings it menacingly at Osmond.


    "I''m going to slice you so many times that whoever finds you won''t even know what they''re looking at."


    Osmond eyes her blade. Finally, she''s using magic. This was his moment - his window of opportunity. Adea doesn''t know his true power.


    The violet light within him begins to embolden, and he gets ready for her attack. She swings her sword and suddenly, he clasps his hands together.


    "Demon Art: Devour Mana!"


    As she swings, Osmond opens his mouth wide, inhaling with all his might. The bloody magic forming her blade is sucked away from her in a maelstrom, surprising even the vampiress. She stumbles forward, thrown off balance by the sudden change in direction.


    Her moment of hesitation is all Osmond needs. He slams his free hand into her chest and unleashes all of the magic he has left. Adea''s eyes glow purple as the magic fills her completely.


    She steps back just once before the inside of her body begins to crack and pop. It''s as if she''s being peppered with bullets while Osmond''s magic blasts holes through her body, violently tearing from her flesh. Black smoke pours from her wounds as the crackling light sears her insides.


    She falls face-first onto the ground, still smouldering.


    "What a troublesome little demon you are," Adea groans from the floor, mustering all her strength as she struggles to her feet. "Seems that a vampire is no match for you. Good thing I''m not just any vampire."


    Osmond readies his staff for another attack as he channels more magic into himself.


    Adea twitches, dark energy filling her body, leaking from her wounds. She glares at Osmond with pure evil.


    "Vampire Transformation."

 Chapter 59 - 59: Ave Maria

    Adea screams so sharply that Osmond is momentarily stunned. Hideous energy overtakes her, transfiguring her stunning body into something far more sinister. Skinny black wings burst from bleeding holes in her back, and her claws elongate, becoming draconic. Stiff scales begin to form over her pale, exposed skin, and her shoulders disengage, her arms looming over her like the form of a mantis.


    "I''M GOING TO KILL YOU," she howls, her voice barely human - distorted, deep, and echoing. Her teeth barely fit in her mouth.


    Osmond is immediately overwhelmed. Adea is now moving too fast to keep up with. She flies toward him and kicks him so hard he goes flying, smashing into a tree nearby.


    The wind is knocked out of him and his vision blurs.


    ''Is this the end?'' Osmond says to himself. He has two choices. Let Adea kill him now, or give in to his demonic power.


    Osmond shakes his head. He couldn''t do either of those things, in truth. All he cares about is seeing Maria again, and keeping her safe. To do that, he has to survive.


    Yet as Osmond tries to lift his staff for another attack, he cannot. His left arm, the dominant one, is completely broken. It hangs uselessly at his side as he struggles and fails to stand.


    "Get the fuck away from my man!"


    Osmond''s head jerks abruptly to the left. There, he sees his angel, running toward him as fast as she possibly can.


    "Maria?" he coughs, almost ready to pass out. He can hardly believe it.


    ''But this isn''t a safe place for her. Maria can''thandle Adea. She needs to get out of here!''


    Those thoughts fill his mind, but he''s powerless to do anything about them. He blacks out, falling over in the remains of the tree stump.


    "Royal Art: Impulsive Light!"


    Suddenly, Adea is yanked sideways and smashed into a nearby rock. The stone shatters as she makes contact with it. Despite the strength of the attack, it hardly phases the vampiress, as she leaps from the rubble and hurtles through the air toward Maria.


    "Let''s try that again!" Maria exclaims, using her Royal Art again to smash Adea into the ground. Maria alters the trajectory of the Art at the last second, dragging Adea''s torso over the stony soil like she''s scrubbing sandpaper with her face. The sound of Adea''s distorted wails chills Maria, who''s not sure if Adea howls in pain or pleasure.


    ''Relatable,'' Maria scoffs.


    Adea rises from the ground, the skin on her face completely gone. She breathes heavily, her throat emitting a continuous and low growl. Her eyes fully lock onto Maria - common sense has left Adea''s mind. All she sees is a delicious human female, and she''s never been hungrier in her life.


    "You were a lot prettier when we first met," Maria taunts. "I see the years in Ordella have NOT been kind."


    Adea is beyond words - a being of pure evil and wrath. She charges Maria, who attempts to use her Royal Art again. But Adea has experienced that attack multiple times, now - she knows what to do. She hurls her momentum in the opposite direction, breaking the technique and finally reaching Maria.


    Adea makes contact, slashing across Maria''s chest. A Master Vampire''s claws inflict wounds that never heal - but they are not able to cut through anything. Maria''s ''Iron Maiden'' skill has made her tougher than even a vampire''s claws - only Adea''s teeth would be able to break through Maria''s ultimate defense, and the Princess was well aware of this.


    "Royal Art: Holy Trinity!"


    Three blades of light are summoned from above and lodge themselves into Adea''s torso - one through her heart, one through her stomach, and another from above crashing through her spine. The last blade pins Adea to the ground as the three flashing swords of light begin to twist and spiral, shredding the vampiress'' flesh.


    She hisses loudly, activating one of her own vampiric techniques. The blades of light rot away in her darkness, freeing her. She tries again to attack Maria, this time with her teeth. Maria kicks her out of the way, but Adea is persistent. She grabs Maria''s leg and takes a bite. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maria falls to the ground. She knows better than to reveal her weakness and scream, but for the first time in her life, Maria experiences true pain. The fangs sink into her leg, leaving two deep puncture wounds. Maria pushes Adea off her quickly, before the vampire can do any more damage.


    The blood oozes from Maria''s leg as she hops back to her feet. Adea, still low to the ground, bats her wings menacingly.


    Maria tries not to focus on the mind-shattering pain. She was already losing a lot of blood, and the scent of it was driving Adea even more wild. A snakelike tongue explodes from Adea''s melted lips, dancing around her mouth hungrily.


    Maria takes a deep breath. With Osmond incapacitated and her leg injured, this is quickly turning into a critical situation.


    "To think it would be a filthy vampire such as you," Maria mumbles to herself. Adea''s ultimate technique is proving to be quite powerful. So it''s time for Maria''s.


    Maria raises her arms to the sky. In stark contrast to Adea and her sickly wings, Maria levitates into the air, as a beautiful pair of golden wings manifests from her back. The air around them fills with heavenly golden feathers, and the perpetual darkness is broken by halos of light from above.


    Maria hovers above Adea. The vampiress is stunned by what she witnesses. It''s as if an angel of destruction has descended from the heavens to deliver divine retribution.


    "Royal Art: Ave Maria," she says, her wings pulsing with resplendent light. A circle of divine light hangs over her head like a crown.


    "This is a technique I developed myself," Maria says, her voice echoey and radiant. Her skin and clothes shimmer with heavenly splendor.


    "Come to me, Adea. Face your judgment."

 Chapter 60 - 60: Heart to Heart

    As Barns and his remaining fighters finally reach Ordella, Adon sets his despicable plan into motion. From the sea emerges an army of Mantis Shrimp - but these are unlike the ones Barns fought on the beach with Clancy and Haima. These are bigger, angrier, and with the trademark glowing red eyes.


    "Vampire Mantis Shrimp. You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    But the shrimp do not immediately attack Barns and his squad. Instead, they rush the town, where the tormented humans of Ordella still live. They begin ravaging the humans, tearing them limb from limb. The town devolves into complete chaos in seconds.


    "We have to help them!" Barns commands, rushing forward. As he does, two humanoid vampires swoop from the sky, blocking his path forward.


    Godrick steps forward. "Leave these buggers to me," he says, two of his swords appearing in his hands like clockwork. "Get in there and find Yunie, mate. We''ll clean up these small fry."


    Barns nods his head, determined. "Got it. Clancy, with me!"


    Barns and the crab take off into the town, his claw dancing through the vampire shrimp as they tear about the town. Adon is going full scorched earth here - if Barns is going to liberate the town, the Master Vampire wants to make sure there are no humans left to rescue.


    But the hero has no intention of losing everyone in Ordella. The Dimartino fighting force is still strong, and they quickly make headway against the vampires, killing the shrimp and driving the humanoid vampires back.


    Barns pins a vampire against the wall, screaming into his face. "Adon! Adea! Tell me where they are, now!" he howls, holding the blades of Silver Rake up to the vampire''s throat.


    "Th-the Abattoir! The big stone building right on the outskirts of town! Adon''s there now!"


    Barns releases the vampire, but before he can scurry off, Barns stuffs Silver Rake into his abdomen. The holy light ignites the vampire, killing him instantly. Clancy sprinkles some foam on the corpse - they''d come back to it later for a revival.


    "SLAUGHTERHOUSE RAID!" Clancy clicks. "SAVE YUNIE!"


    The two charge down a side street - the large and menacing Abattoir readily visible from atop the hill and bathed in the light of flickering flames. Seems Adon lit some torches to welcome Barns.


    The hero and his crab ascend the hill, while the sounds of battle echo from below in Ordella. Barns has no choice but to trust his allies, though he fears what he may find in the Abattoir.


    He''s still not even sure how to kill a Master Vampire. Unsure if it''s a fool''s errand or not, he kicks open the door to the slaughterhouse, stepping inside.


    It''s a wide-open room, filled with blood and bone. The stench of death is pervasive - even Clancy coughs at the abhorrent musk.


    "Barnacles!" Yunie shouts, recognizing the hero immediately. She struggles against her constraints.


    From behind her chair, a figure emerges from the darkness. Long black hair, and glowing red eyes - dressed from head to toe in a dashing, frilled dinner jacket and pants, like he''s going to a fancy dinner party in the 1950s.


    "Ah, you must be the legendary hero Barnacles. You even brought your crab - how exquisite."


    "And you must be Adon," Barns says, watching the vampire cautiously. "Let Yunie go. She has nothing to do with this. Just you and me, Adon."


    The vampire smiles wickedly, his soulless eyes staring right through Barns. The vampire wraps his hands around Yunie''s shoulders, and she stiffens up in fear.


    "On the contrary, little boy - Yunie here is the guest of honor. See, I have no interest in fighting a human like you, Barnacles. You''re far too determined and heroic. Show me your emotion, boy. I want to feel your rage - to suck it right out of your fading corpse!"


    As Adon speaks, he raises his sharp claws into the air. Barns rushes forward, but he''s too late.


    "Yunie!" he gasps, reaching for her as Adon plunges his hand into her chest, tearing her torso apart and ripping her heart clean out from her body. She crumples in the chair, and the light vanishes from her eyes. Adon holds the heart high above her head, squeezing it in his fist.


    "Now, show me your heart, Barns! Your pain, your fury! I will have it all!" He clenches his fist. The heart in his hand pops, exploding with blood. Adon lets it drip into his mouth.


    The world around Barns grows dark. He can see nothing but Adon in his rage. His own bloodlust causes his vision to glow red - a side effect of his Crab Intuition. All he cares about now is slaughtering this vampire any way possible.


    Adon laughs wickedly as he fades into the dark shadows of the Abattoir. Barns and Clancy look around in every direction, and though they can hear the vampire''s sinister snickering from the shadows, he''s nowhere to be seen.


    "Where is the blind rage, Barnacles? I thought you would be more of a child."


    Barns'' fists tremble with anger, but he couldn''t let his emotions fully control him. Adon was trying to lure him into a trap - that much was obvious. As horrified and torn as he was about what just happened to Yunie, and as angry as he was, he had to maintain focus.


    The shifting shadows do nothing to betray Adon''s location. Barns wonders if the vampire is even there, or if he has powers that let him bleed into the shadows themselves.


    His fear is realized as one of Adon''s arms reaches out from the blackness itself and grasps at Barns'' neck - but Barns is done being overpowered by vampires. In an instant, he tears his Silver Rake across the vampire''s arm, causing Adon to hiss in pain and retreat back into the darkness.


    The vampire manifests directly behind Yunie''s chair, and he kicks over the corpse, sending her body and the chair tumbling to a dark corner.


    "I can promise you a fate worse than death, Adon!" Barns growls, looking to Yunie. There was still a chance he could perform a Resurrection on her, but they had to move quickly - could he even regenerate an injury like that?


    "So boring. Not even a spark of insanity. Perhaps I was wrong - this woman meant nothing to you."


    "She meant everything to me!" Barns roars. "Yunie is as part of Dimartino as any of us!"


    "Dimartino is a cancer on our beloved apocalypse, boy - I''ve had my fill of Ordella as well, if I''m being honest," Adon says hauntingly from the shadows. "Feel free to take what''s left of this pathetic town. I''ve had my eye on a much bigger prize for some time, and I believe it may finally be within my grasp."


    With those words, the ominous presence vanishes from the room. Barns and Clancy exchange a look. Neither of them can sense the murderous presence of the vampire any longer.


    "VAMPIRE FLED! CHECK YUNIE!" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns nods to his crab, darting to the corner of the room. He raises his claw into the air. His determination quickly begins to fade as more sensitive emotions boil to the surface.


    Barns falls to his knees beside her. His vision swims. His hands tremble over her body, hovering, afraid to touch her. This can''t be it. This can''t be how it ends. Images of the Adventurer Guild and Roscoe flash into his mind.


    With tears in his eyes, he shouts at the top of his lungs, praying for a miracle.


    "Resurrection!"

 Chapter 61 - 61: Heavenly Splinter

    As the light of Resurrection blankets the bloodstained Abattoir, Barns holds Yunie in his arms, cradling her head with his hand even as the blood continues to spill from her wound.


    "NO WORK."


    Barns ignores the crab and tries again and again. Tears spill from his face.


    Yunie was his first human connection in this life. She''s given Dimartino so much. Is this how it must end?


    He''s felt like this too many times. This hopelessness - this dread. The inability to fix this broken world.


    All of humanity was lost to the apocalypse. Barns struggles with his hubris - did he truly believe he was a stronger force of change than all of humanity''s combined efforts?


    "BARNACLES! FOCUS!" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns snaps back into his head, turning to Clancy. He''s never had the crab shout at him like that before - but as he turns back to Yunie, he sees her for the first time as a lost cause. And yet, for just a moment, Yunie''s eyes open.


    "Master Barnacles," she says, softly and full of hope as she looks at him. Her wound refuses to heal - she doesn''t have much time. Soon, she''ll simply die again, but Barns'' efforts have bought him one small piece of time with her.


    "Don''t cry for me, Barnacles," she says, her smile weak. "Not even a legendary hero can save everyone. For me, just knowing Roscoe is alive again is all I could ever wish for. Barnacles¡­look after my brother, won''t you?"


    "Yunie," Barns voice cracks. "This isn''t fair. It should be me, not you."


    She grabs his hand in hers, squeezing him with all the strength she has left. "Eldrie fought for me, even when he knew he couldn''t win. And you fought for me too, Barnacles. Time and time again. You''ll always be my hero."


    It takes everything for Barns not to break into a full sob. Clancy scuttles behind him and puts a loving pincer on his back, hovering over Barns and Yunie in her final moments.


    "If I may have just one selfish request," Yunie sputters. She doesn''t have much time left. "Please tell Roscoe that I died fighting in my own way, and that I never gave up. Tell him I died with a smile on my face. I''m entrusting his future and the future of the Guild to you, Barnacles."


    "I can''t protect everyone. But your memory will live on forever. As far as I''m concerned, you''re the hero, Yunie."


    Her smile widens. "Such a Barns thing to say."


    Barns''s eyes flicker, and Yunie''s sweetness reaches the deepest recess of his heart. She called him ''Barns'', for once.


    "Don''t live your life for revenge," she says, her hand falling out of his. "But if there''s any way to kill that fucking vampire, Barns, give him an extra thrashing just for me."


    She''s laughing as she slips away for the final time. Barns lifts her from the ground, holding her body tightly.


    They were in the middle of a battle, but he couldn''t leave her here in this hellish prison. Too many souls have lost their lives in this Abattoir, and they beg for justice. The Kingdom of Dimartino now had two goals.


    To restore humanity and reset the apocalypse.To kill Adon and Adea.


    "GIVE YUNIE," Clancy offers, holding out his claws. Barns passes her frail corpse to the crab. "WILL BURY. NICE SPOT. CONTINUE FIGHT BARNACLES!"


    Barns nods, his attention shifting to the entryway of the Abattoir. Others, not just Yunie, were out there fighting for their lives against the vampires and Mantis Shrimp.


    The claws retract from his Silver Rake even before he clenches his fist - the weapon can sense his determination.


    Barns glances down at his bloody hands, filled with purpose. He would do everything in his power to prevent another tragedy like this - no matter the cost to himself.


    "Today we free Ordella from the vampire curse," Barns declares. "Yunie - we''re going to make you proud, so keep watching us, okay?"


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, between Dimartino and the Pale Court¡­


    Adea was no match for Maria''s ultimate form. As the Princess transcends into a divine angel, Adea remains a slobbering monster of a vampire. She flies through the air, hacking and slashing at Maria with the speed and ferocity of a mighty falcon.


    Maria, despite her grievous leg injury, dodges and anticipates all of Adea''s attacks. The vampiress is too predictable, relying on her blades and claws alone to deal damage. Maria shows her the full extent of the Royal Arts - though with each technique she uses, one of her resplendent feathers falls to the ground, and her wings gradually weaken and fall apart.


    Golden blades of light form around Maria, each one large enough to cleave an elephant in two. They dance in perfect spirals through the air, slicing Adea to shreds over and over again. Adea''s body maintains some level of cohesion - she can''t be killed, after all. Not by Maria - but that doesn''t mean she couldn''t take devastating damage.


    Maria swoops up for a final attack, and her almighty light breaks the black eclipse over the land. The sudden and searing light of the sun torches Adea, as the vampiress immediately ignites from the sunlight.


    "Ave Maria: Third Form. Heavenly Splinter."


    As she speaks, a thorn of light manifests from the clouds above and rockets into Adea, sending her crashing into the ground. It completely pins her into the earth, draining the malevolent energy from the vampire.


    Maria begins to float back down to the earth, looking over her work. The thorn is the size of ten Clancy''s, the tip of which is sunken deep into the earth. The golden light bleeds around the open wound in Adea''s chest where it has pierced her. The vampire gasps for breath as she experiences the most horrific pain imaginable - every single cell of her demented body throbs with burning light, as if her entire body were invaded with corrosive acid.


    Adea might still be alive, but she wasn''t going anywhere.


    Maria''s wings fade away, and the golden light that overtook her shimmers into nothingness. As soon as her Royal Art is completed, she falls to the ground.


    Maria''s attention turns to her leg, still bleeding from the vampire''s bite. If she didn''t figure out something soon, this wound would kill her.


    The Princess drags herself toward Osmond, calling his name as she crawls closer and closer. The demon is still unconscious from his own battle with Adea. Maria makes it about halfway too him when her strength gives out, unable to move another inch.


    "Osmond, please¡­wake up¡­" she says breathlessly. She collapses face-first into the dirt.

 Chapter 62 - 62: Winged For His Pleasure

    The vampiric forces assaulting Ordella are unprepared when the eclipse suddenly breaks, and the forces of evil that operate under the cover of darkness are laid bare before the light. The scalding sun vanquishes all vampires who are touched by its light in moments, and as Barns stands over the battlefield, he sees the day is won.


    He casts his Resurrection over the town - though the vampires did their best to annihilate all the humans they could come across, many are successfully restored. The humans who have been living as slaves under the vampire''s rule are now free, and Zelia gratefully adds them to Barns'' count.


    [Progress: 6789/1000000]


    Barns stares at the number. They''d been just under four thousand before today. In a flash, nearly three thousand more have been added to the burgeoning kingdom.


    Another pop-up. Seems Barns has leveled up twice as a result of his efforts. He takes a peek at his profile in the system.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 6 (12/1400)


    Strength: 16


    Vitality: 16


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 6


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    ''Hey, I''m finally smarter than Clancy,'' he quips to himself, looking at his Intellect stat. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yunie is gone, but Ordella is freed. Even so, Adon and Adea are still out there. This is a victory, but the war is far from over.


    It''s a hopeful day, as the late afternoon sun shines over the newest town to be freed from evil. But the people of Ordella have been deeply traumatized from their time living under the twins'' bloody rule. It will be a long time before this place can feel ''normal''.


    The claws of Silver Rake settle back into the glove. His Adventurers and Police begin to gather the civilians and restore order to the town. Barns lets it all happen around him as a passerby. ''Legendary hero'' he may be, but today he''s done and been through enough. It''s time to let the others pick up some slack.


    "I need to rest," Barns says aloud to two nearby Adventurers. "Get these people what they need, but no speeches. Not today. Let''s just focus on getting through the night. I don''t think Adon and Adea will come back here, but we can never be too cautious."


    "So the Master Vampires still live?" one of the Adventurers asks. Her body trembles as she speaks.


    Barns begins to walk off. "Not for long," he promises.


    He sets himself up in one of the town''s abandoned hotels - one still in excellent condition. It appears the vampires kept it well-maintained to entertain guests from other vampires or demons to their hellhole town.


    Barns lays on a magnificent king-sized bed, adorned with gold accents and a thick scarlet comforter. He falls asleep on top of the bed in seconds.


    That night, when the sun sets again, Adon makes another move - although not to Ordella. He has to find his dear sister.


    And he does - the blood binding them is stronger than reason, and Adon knows exactly where to find his sister. He also knows beforehand that she''s in rough shape.


    When he finally reaches her, she''s unrecognizable. The glowing thorn still keeps her impaled to the ground. Most of her skin is gone, but the muscles underneath are being regenerated just as quickly as they are immolated, leaving her in a vicious cycle of endless pain.


    "Brother," she says, her bony jaw bouncing around loosely. Her eyes, fully visible with the sockets melted out, lock on Adon.


    "The humans did quite a number on you, Adea. My, my."


    He sits down on the ground behind her, putting her head on his lap consolingly. He stares at the golden thorn. Even if he wants to free Adea, he can''t do anything about her situation. Even without touching it, the holy influence radiating from Maria''s thorn makes his skin tingle.


    He glances around. He doesn''t see or sense any other presence. Whoever did this to Adea got away, he supposes.


    "My sweet, beautiful sister," Adon says, stroking what''s left of her hair. "I was never any match for you in battle, so I''ve only ever dreamed of such a moment.


    "Adon, what-"


    He starts pulling her head, firmly. "Adon!" she screams, her pain reaching a new level even in her current state. Her mind goes blank as he snaps her neck and pulls her head away from her body, separating her into pieces.


    He looks into her eyes, holding her still-conscious head in his hand. "My dear, sweet sister. You may have been defeated, but I will drain your power and fight for the future we would have both wanted."


    He speaks the words, though he shows no sign of hesitation. In truth he''d planned this - if only Adea could be defeated, he once thought to himself. He could harvest her remains and absorb her powers. Her vicious strength and wings, combined with his torturous magic - together they can be a perfect vampire.


    He digs into her neck facefirst like it''s a slice of watermelon, draining the lifeblood with each bite as he consumes his sister. In just a few discomforting moments, he tosses his sister''s half-eaten head aside and rises from the ground.


    He feels her power coursing through him, and he allows it to activate. Black bat wings spring from his shoulders, and his muscles begin to balloon in size. He grows nearly six inches taller, and puts on a hundred pounds of muscle. He is transformed, given new power as a result of his sister''s unwitting sacrifice.


    "And now I am immortal," Adon smiles, his eyes cast upon the moon as he experiences an involuntary muscle spasm in his arm. He still had no idea of Francois'' plot with his dead relative''s ashes - in truth, Adon has no idea such a thing is even possible.


    Yet from his ignorance, he is emboldened. He focuses his attention north, in the direction of the Pale Court. But it is not Francois'' domain that holds his interest - it is what lies beyond.


    Adon had learned from one of his victims that a small pocket of humanity remains to the north of Francois'' Court. A group of people who have never experienced the delight of a vampire''s rule - and comfortably out of reach from the humans in Dimartino. He did not fear them, but especially after seeing what they did to Adea - he would much rather avoid conflict.


    "To this new land, then," Adon says, his wings unfurling and carrying him into the darkness. A new land, untouched by vampire rule. A fresh canvas for his artistry of terror.

 Chapter 63 - 63: A City of 10000

    When Barns next wakes up, it''s already the next morning. Seems the town of Ordella made it through the night unscathed.


    It''s still early. Barns equips his gear and gets ready to head out. Right before he does, he''s interrupted by a knock at the door.


    "Hello," Comes a soft voice. He recognizes it.


    "Eldrie. Come on in."


    The door opens, and the former vampire steps in. He gives his signature salute before speaking.


    "If you''re here, I take it you made it back to Dimartino okay?"


    Eldrie nods. "That''s right. I heard from Clancy about Yunie¡­"


    Barns closes his eyes. He doesn''t need to respond.


    "Everyone is happy to leave you to do what you need, sir, so I am sorry to bother you¡­but one of the citizens of Ordella would like to speak to you. May I let him in, sir?"


    "Of course."


    A new face appears from the other side of the door. A sallow, skinny man, though quite a bit taller than Barns. He peers at the hero with hollow, observant eyes. All of the man, from his eyes, to his hair, to his clothes, were a shade of verdant green.


    "Nice to meet you," Barns says, his voice still somewhat distant and empty. He''s got Yunie on the mind. He needs to get back to Dimartino, and to Roscoe - to tell the young Adventurer what happened. "What can I do for you?"


    The man bows. "It is a pleasure," he says, his eyes darting over Barns, reading his body language intently. He notices the slouch in the hero''s shoulders and the way he avoids eye contact.


    "My name is Skado, and I am a Poisoner by trade. Though what I would like to talk about is not any of that, but rather where I am from."


    "I''m Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. So where are you from, Skado?"


    "To the north of the Pale Court, there is a hidden city where humans live. We are ten thousand strong, with many warriors and users of the Secret Arts. We are one of the last bastions of humanity, and I have come to find you, Barnacles. We wish to ally with your kingdom."


    "A city of humans?" Barns can hardly believe the words. From what he understood, all of humanity has been wiped out - other than those he resurrected.


    ''Ten thousand¡­that more than doubles the kingdom.''


    "We live hidden in a large underground shelter, in a place where the monsters cannot reach. But my city is in danger, Barns. The twin vampires that occupied Ordella discovered our city not long ago. I have acted as a scout here in Ordella for several weeks, even branded myself to fit in." Skado pulls back his collar and reveals an ''X'' shaped brand on his neck.


    "You could''ve just worn a turtleneck," Eldrie says.


    Skado continues talking. "Anyway, am I correct in saying that Adon and Adea are still out there, alive?"


    "I only saw Adon," Barns admits. "He got away, yes. Adea could be anywhere."


    "Actually, sir - if I may. It appears that Maria and Osmond defeated Master Vampire Adea. Though I do not know the full details¡­they were both critically injured, and were taken somewhere by Underhill."


    Barns frowns. Somehow, he didn''t like the sound of them being ''taken care of'' by Underhill. Still, he''s proud of his allies - they took out Adea. The loss of Maria and Osmond during the counterattack on Ordella hit Barns hard, and he''s glad to hear that they were handling things on their own end.


    "So they figured out how to kill a Master Vampire. Damn. Good on them," Skado notes. "They''re the one enemy I''ve never been able to crack."


    "Actually, they didn''t kill her," Eldrie starts again, face-palming. "Okay. I have a lot to explain. But it ends in good news!"


    Barns and Skado strap in for the briefing.


    "Now, none of this is first-hand knowledge¡­but apparently, Adea was still alive after Maria and Osmond fought her. Maria trapped her, somehow. But when they sent back a team to collect Adea, she was totally dead! And EATEN!"


    "Lovely news," Barns says.


    "Ah, but then there is also the matter of Lord Osmond. He DID figure out how to kill a Master Vampire, and so they''re going to try and make a weapon!"


    "Quite a series of developments," Barns grins. "But Osmond and Maria - are they going to pull through?"


    "It seems Osmond is fine," Eldrie says. "Maria had a complicated wound, but¡­if you could believe it, Underhill was able to patch her right up!"


    "Good, good. I didn''t realize Underhill was a medic. Excuse me, Eldrie. I fear we''ve been rude to our guest, Skado."


    The young poisoner smiles. "It is quite alright. I am as vested in the extermination of these vampires as you are. Might I prod you for details later, Eldrie?"


    The former vampire nods. Skado directs his attention to Barns after.


    "The entrance to my city has successfully remained hidden for the last twelve years, Barns. I would like to bring you there."


    "I appreciate the offer, Skado, and I will join you¡­but there''s something I have to take care of in Dimartino first, and that''s not negotiable."


    Barns averts his eyes to the ground. He must tell Roscoe what happened to Yunie - the boy should hear it from Barns. Not someone else.


    Skado''s eyes follow Barns'', and he stares at the same spot of floor. ''Does he see something here?'' Skado asks himself, overanalyzing the situation.


    "Eldrie, I''ll take Skado to the kingdom. Can you let Clancy know, and hold down the fort here?"


    "Of course, sir," Eldrie bows, giving a claw salute. "I''ll report to His Majesty the crab shortly."


    As Barns and Skado leave Ordella to check back in at Dimartino, Haima is walking down the street. She catches a glimpse of Barns right as he leaves the city. Initially, she is spurred onward, and takes a few quick steps to catch up - but she quickly stops herself.


    "I''m sure he''s busy," Haima says quietly.


    ''And tired. Yesterday must have been so difficult on him¡­I got off lucky, only losing a little bit of blood.''


    Her mind focuses on her immediate surroundings. Ordella was a cautious and quiet town, at least right now. Some of the town''s native citizens remain holed up in their homes, fearful of retaliation. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She plays with her pocket. The cube of flesh that was once Incantra is long gone - Haima used it to replenish her own blood stores. Still, she managed to make a few morsels from the gators and chickens they killed yesterday. It''s enough to keep her going for the next few days.


    Haima''s eyes shift to the sky. Her power is as much of a blessing as it is a curse, for it brought with it the need to consume fresh blood every day - not unlike a vampire, in some ways.


    Haima tries to settle the thought, but it nags at her. The similarities between vampires and the Gore family''s Secret Art are often hard for Haima to ignore.


    In her heart, she knows the truth. The original vampire, the one responsible for the entire Vampire Apocalypse, was a Gore.


    ''Guess that makes us blood relatives,'' Haima huffs, unaware of the significance of such a revelation.


    She may be the only person alive who could kill the leader of all vampires.

 Chapter 64 - 64: A Heros Hardest Task

    As Barns steps through the north gate of Dimartino, he sees Roscoe waiting for him, hopeful. The boy has no idea what''s coming.


    Roscoe''s eyes light up as Barns approaches. "Did you find my sister?"


    Skado keeps his distance behind. This is not a conversation he needs to inject himself into.


    Barns clears his throat. It tightens, choking his words.


    "Can we go inside? I''d rather talk sitting down."


    "Just tell me where Yunie is!"


    The hero blinks. If this is part of the job description, being a legendary hero is tougher than it seems. If only killing monsters and saving the world were enough.


    "Roscoe¡­Yunie died fighting the Master Vampire Adon."


    How could a kingdom so bright in contrast to the dark world around them suddenly seem so devoid of color? The once vibrant colors of fruit growing on trees now seem pale.


    Verdant foliage gives way to dying brown leaves chewed to bits by ravenous insects.


    Air that once carried on it a song of freedom and change now stings, bitter cold for this time of year. Unpleasant. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clouds form in the sky above, growing darker.


    It''s all Barns can pay attention to, because looking at Roscoe is too much for him to bear.


    The boy falls to his knees, then collapses forward onto his elbows, forehead pressed against the stone. Then, he screams. A broken scream that shatters the serenity of the moment. He wails in sorrow, sobbing and banging his fists into the stony ground until they bleed.


    Barns stares past the boy at the castle. The mighty stone fortress seemed as if it were plucked from the pages of a fantasy novel the first time he laid eyes upon it. Now, the cracking sun-bleached stone bears a certain drab ugliness.


    "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?" Roscoe screams. "WHY! WHY! WE JUST FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN!"


    Barns still cannot look at the boy. Tears stream down his face, and finding the right words is like finding a needle in a haystack.


    Skado steps forward, seeing how devoid of hope the two young men standing with him are. It''s a small comfort, but he feels like he knows what to say.


    "Young man. Your sister is gone, but she is not forgotten. Let her memory become your strength, not your weakness."


    Roscoe gasps. His eyes tremble upward from the gravel, looking at Skado as if noticing him for the first time.


    "Who are you? What do you know?" he says, teary-eyed and defeated. Skado''s expression softens, though something else flickers in his gaze. A glint of sly cunning, like he''s memorizing this moment.


    "I am someone who lost my entire family when I was no older than you. Someone who cast aside valuable years in grief - someone who lived long enough to regret not becoming stronger sooner, so that I may have stopped even one more person from suffering my same fate."


    Barns reaches his hand out to Roscoe and helps the boy up. He pats him on the head, ruffling his hair.


    "Come on, let''s get you inside, okay?"


    Barns leads Roscoe through the entryway to the castle. He has other things he needs to accomplish today, but it doesn''t feel right leaving Roscoe all alone like this. Thankfully, he sees someone walking by as he enters the castle.


    "Oh, hello!" Barns calls, waving down the woman. The former queen of Dimartino, and Barns'' biological mother, turns to face the group.


    "Hello, Hero. I hope you are well. Please, excuse me¡­"


    "Mom. Or..whatever you want to be called. Please don''t go. I need a favor."


    The woman stops in her tracks, visibly bothered. She turns slowly toward him and tilts her head.


    "This is Roscoe."


    The woman scrunches her nose. "Yes, I have seen him around many times. What of it?"


    "Can you¡­look after him today, for me?"


    "I can look after myself," Roscoe says flatly.


    Barns shakes his head. "I don''t want you alone today, Ros. By my authority as legendary hero, I simply gotta insist."


    Roscoe sniffles - some warmth returning to him. It has been a long time since anyone called him ''Ros''. It was a childhood nickname he''d almost forgotten about.


    The former queen bows her head. "I would be glad to look after the boy for as long as he needs."


    Barns squeezes Roscoe''s shoulder and pushes him forward. Part of him already sees Roscoe as a younger brother he never had. "Thank you. Make sure he gets plenty of rest, okay? I''ll be back whenever I can."


    As the former queen escorts Roscoe to the kitchen, Barns looks at Skado one more time.


    "There''s one other task I need to check off while we''re in the castle. Seems like Zelia and I need to have a little chat."


    "Z-Zelia?" Skado asks. He plays ignorant, but it seems almost as if he recognizes the name.


    "Yeah, she''s our ''Administrator''," Barns says, not noticing Skado''s suspicious response. "Sorry to drag you around like this. I''m sure you''re eager to get back home."


    Skado shakes his head as they walk down into the basement of the castle. "I collect information for a living, Barns. I quite enjoy this tour through your civilization."


    "I thought you said you were a poisoner?" Barns smirks as they enter the system control room. Skado''s eyes dart around in a crazed manner, as he absorbs every little detail.


    "Could anyone be a poisoner without also being a conduit of information?" Skado wonders aloud. "Something just fine to a human could be anathema to a vampire."


    The poisoner continues monologuing - the opportunity to talk about his interests transforms him as he devolves into his bookish fascinations. "Ah, here is a wonderful example. Through my studies, I learned that goblins have a similar constitution to humans - though with a tragically weak immune system. It was my idea to capture one and infect it with syphilis - then we let it run back home. The infection spread through their entire population. Barns, nobody has seen a goblin where I''m from in years. The syphilis tore through each and every one of them."


    Skado seems a little too happy talking about this. "Ah, and the kobolds¡­they need to hydrate their skin every few hours, or they begin to crack and blister. Imagine their surprise when all the water sources near my city became infected with a parasite that simply loves to burrow into a kobold''s tender flesh¡­"


    The conversation is interrupted when the large screen in front of them flashes on, and Zelia stares back. "Welcome back, ''Legendary Hero''. Now, let''s talk about the future."

 Chapter 65 - 65: System Expansion

    "We need to name a new Moderator. Oh, and I''ve been thinking about Weekly Quests too. Something to push you all out of your comfort zone, hehe¡­"


    Zelia covers her mouth with a long strand of hair. "Oh! Where are my manners. I didn''t notice you have a guest with you. Hello, guest!"


    Skado waves meekly. "An Administrator in the flesh - theoretically speaking, of course. I never thought I''d meet one."


    He eyes Barns as he speaks, watching the hero carefully.


    "Zelia, this is Skado. He, uh¡­poisons things."


    "Oh, now that is a splendid power."


    "Let''s just focus here," Barns says, not wanting to get off-track. "You said it, Zelia - we need a new Moderator. As much as I hate to replace Yunie, the whole economy of Dimartino relies on those quests."


    "I can handle the quests from here - don''t worry about that. What''s more, Maria is a fine Moderator for Dimartino. No, Barns. We need a Moderator for Ordella."


    Barns'' eyes widen.


    "To expand my sphere of influence, of course," Zelia smirks. "What, you don''t think I''m doing this all for you, do you?"


    Zelia''s voice is callous and uncharacteristically cold. Barns finds it unnerving.


    "I''ll leave that up to you to decide. And once you do, that person can offer quests in Ordella as well. For now, just have someone from the Adventurer Guild stop by here once a day and I will provide them with quests. Thank you."


    There''s a clicking sound in Zelia''s audio before she speaks again. "Have I satisfactorily answered all of your questions?"


    "You''re quite¡­transactional, today," Barns furrows his brow. Something seems different - or is this how Zelia always acts? Barns is admittedly not in his usual headspace either, with the weight of everything that happened in Ordella still heavy on his shoulders.


    "A pleasure to serve you. Good bye, Barnacles."


    He stiffens when she says his name. There''s an insidiousness to the way she accentuates the syllables¡­or is it all in Barns'' head?


    As the two men leave, Skado can''t help but remark. "Your Administrator sure is unique, isn''t she?"


    "She''s always been so kind. Maybe she''s upset about Yunie''s death and doesn''t know how to express herself¡­"


    ''Or maybe it''s something else,'' Barns fears.


    Rattled, Barns finds his way back to the first floor of the castle. His next course of action - to find Underhill.


    As Barns sets out to locate Maria, she''s also thinking about him from her resting place.


    Maria turns in her infirmary bed, a shot of pain shooting through her leg. Her wound had been healed, miraculously - but it still hurt like hell. She faces Osmond, who''s sitting in a chair at her side.


    "Still no news from the hero brat, huh?" Maria grumbles, stuffing her face into her pillow.


    "Underhill is out looking for him now. It sounds like they were victorious in Ordella."


    Maria groans, still in pain. "Well good on them," she responds, her voice bored and flat.


    Osmond smiles at his girl, stroking her golden locks as he admires her beauty. "You were incredible, Maria. You saved my life. How did you even know where to find me?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She peeks out from the blankets. "Tch. As if I would ever let you die. You should know by now, this world bows entirely to me! If I want something, I get it."


    "Now, there''s my sweet Maria!" Osmond blushes. Her world-conquering talk always gets him going.


    "I never thought pain could be so¡­unpleasant. And yet that bitch vampire''s teeth sure did a number on me, eh?"


    Osmond glances at her leg for just a moment. "To think you could survive such an injury, and Underhill would be able to heal it¡­yes, Maria, it is truly remarkable. A sign from the heavens - proof that you are destined to do great things, my love. I mean - truly! A human defeated a Master Vampire in single combat! Such a thing is unheard of, my sweet Maria."


    "Well, I won''t be doing it again anytime soon, Oz. I used that technique."


    Osmond peers at her knowingly. Her ultimate ability - ''Ave Maria''. But as she uses it, she gradually loses her golden plumes. Depending on how hard she pushed herself, it could take months for her power to restore itself fully - longer if her body is dedicated to healing the grievous wound on her leg.


    Maria''s passing curiosity leads her to the System menu, where she clicks a few screens simultaneously to cause the System to glitch. From there, she is able to easily access the System Logs. She reviews the most recent messages.


    [Progress: 6789/1000000]


    "He''s doing well," Maria says, a comforting warmth flooding through her. "Soon we might need an actual government, Oz. Our kingdom has grown large."


    "And larger, still. Francois has offered twenty thousand humans to our cause."


    "Do you trust her?" Maria asks.


    Osmond stares into the distance, looking away from Maria for some time. Not long ago, Osmond saw the contents of Francois'' Memory Stone. He knows more about the vampire than he ever thought he would.


    "I trust her completely," Osmond says. With what he knows now, Francois has few secrets to keep from Osmond. And the ties that bind them as ''brother and sister'' go far deeper than he ever imagined.


    "My dove, is it alright if I go for a quick walk?" Osmond asks. Maria shoos him away, and he steps outside.


    He lets the outside air fill his lungs - there''s still a bit of coolness to the air from the night before, but as surely as the sun rises in the sky, the trademark Dimartino heat would be upon them all soon enough.


    He stands outside Underhill''s private infirmary for some time, cursing himself for not being a stronger adversary to Adea. If he had only fought harder, Maria might not have suffered. He resolves himself - he must get stronger, if he is going to protect Maria. He''d dive deeper into his true demonic power, and learn how to control it. This was too close a call.


    As he ruminates, he sees a familiar face walking down the street - none other than Barns, with a suspicious stranger in tow. Osmond makes his move - there''s something that must be done, and now is as good a time as any.


    "Barnie," he says quickly. "We need to talk privately, right now."

 Chapter 66 - 66: Osmonds Vow

    Osmond shuts the door behind them, leaving he and Barns separated from the outside world. They sent Skado on a coffee run to buy a few minutes for this conversation in absolute secrecy and silence.


    "Barns, what I am about to tell you must never be repeated in front of anyone, especially Maria. Do you understand?"


    Barns squints his eyes at the demon. They''re standing in a dark and abandoned house off the main street that has not yet been renovated or fixed up. It reminds him of the ghostly mansion he visited with Haima a couple nights ago.


    "There are things about our world that you must know," Osmond says ominously. "Things that I fear keeping to myself. If I die, this information must not be lost, or the kingdom of Dimartino will surely fall. And so I have decided to entrust it all to you."


    Barns nods stoicly. "We might need more than a coffee run''s worth of distraction, then," he smiles weakly.


    Osmond shakes his head. "We can get into great detail some other time, but you must know the full truth¡­something even I had not realized until viewing the Memory Stone."


    Osmond wastes no time, and he rips his own shirt off, revealing his muscular body.


    "Eh, I''m actually into girls myself," Barns laughs nervously as Osmond strips.


    "Shut up," the demon snaps. "Look."


    Osmond gestures to a tattoo on the left side of his stomach, just above his thigh. It''s a stylized symbol of a monster''s mouth, each fang connected in a single line and embellished in excruciating detail. The overall silhouette of the mark resembles a bat, somewhat.


    "This is the embodiment of Gluttony, and it''s time you understand what that means. But to do that, we have to go back, to a time before I was created. You see, Barns, there was once a man named Lauren, and what Maria can never know is that Francois and I were created from him."


    "Created¡­from?" Barns asks, clearly confused. "Do you mean¡­"


    "Lauren was an extremely powerful man, born from another world. He had powers that made others envious¡­and he was a threat to the Lord of the Apocalypse. Although, back then, the ''Lord'' was just an ordinary man with a dark wish to see the world burn."


    Osmond pauses, adjusting himself and putting his shirt back on.


    "I do not know the full details, but Lauren''s mind and body were split into seven parts. Francois was created from his memories of lustful desire - and given his heart. Me, on the other hand¡­I was born of his obsessions and hunger, and¡­"


    Osmond places his hand on his stomach. "These were once Lauren''s guts, now living inside me."


    "Whoa, whoa," Barns says quickly. "You''re some guy''s intestines?"


    Osmond scowls. "No. I have his intestines. This is the embodiment of Lauren''s gluttony, made manifest in my mark. And¡­I have his memories, too. I remember the things he obsessed over. It is what makes me who I am, Barns¡­"


    "Lauren and Maria knew each other, didn''t they?" Barns speaks quietly, realization forming.


    "Lauren desired to protect Maria more than anything else," Osmond admits. "From the moment I was born, she was my guiding light. But¡­she must never know about this, Barns. It would break her heart, to learn of Lauren''s fate¡­and it would likely cause her to hate and reject me for what I am."


    Barns pats Osmond on the back, pulling him in for a bro hug.


    "Maria loves you, my man," he says, trying to cheer up his demon friend. "Doesn''t matter who''s guts you have. You''re still Ozzie to us."


    "Thank you, Barnie," he says, smiling and resting his head on the hero''s shoulder for a moment. Barns felt so warm to him - unlike Maria, whose skin always feels somewhat cool to the touch. Osmond had never been this close to another human other than Maria. He''s pleasantly surprised at how much the warmth dispels his inner doubt.


    Osmond pulls away from the hug, still slightly transfixed - Barns'' high Charisma is putting in a lot of work.


    "There is one other thing I need to tell you, Barns," Osmond says quietly. "It concerns my mark. Judging by what I''ve learned from Francois'' Memory Stone¡­"


    Osmond pauses for effect. The tension is palpable as he readies himself to speak the most significant words he''s ever uttered. Barns watches him with curious intent.


    "It would appear that I have the power to end the Monster Apocalypse."


    Barns is taken aback by the profound statement, eager to learn more.


    Osmond''s purple eyes shine in the darkness, locked with Barns''. "If only I knew more about this power. In truth, I only know it''s possible because of Francois'' Memory Stone - you see, Francois also holds the power to end the Vampire Apocalypse."


    Barns is stunned as bombshell after bombshell is hurled at him. "Tell me more," the hero demands. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dark house settles around them as Osmond speaks once more.


    "Each Apocalypse is defined by what created it, Barns. In the case of the Vampire Apocalypse, it all began with the birth of the First Vampire - I learned this from Francois'' memories. But killing the First Vampire is only one step. To truly end an Apocalypse, the embodiment of its corresponding sin must be brought to bear against the Keeper of the Apocalypse. Otherwise, the cycle would just begin again. A new First Vampire would be created."


    "Keeper of the Apocalypse?"


    "Yes. They are known as ''Sentinels'' - humans who operate directly under the Lord of the Apocalypse."


    Barns thinks it through in his head. To achieve a true ''Apocalypse Reset'', it seems defeating these ''Sentinels'' and cleansing the source of the apocalypse was essential. What''s more - Osmond and Francois had a definitive role to play.


    "So you can end the Monster Apocalypse, and Francois can end the Vampire Apocalypse. What about the others?"


    Osmond shakes his head. "I vow to use my power - you and I will end the Monster Apocalypse together. But without seeing the other Memory Stones, I cannot say what we will do for the others. It goes to reason that there are others out there like Francois and I - parts of Lauren. Although I am loathe to admit they are unlikely to become allies."


    "So what do we do?"


    Osmond''s hand glides to his stomach just as the door knocks - Skado is back with their coffee.


    "These powers are transferable, Barns. If the other embodiments refuse to join our cause, we must simply kill them and steal their powers. But this means nothing if we do not have the strength to defeat the Sentinels. From what I understand, they are the most powerful beings that live. I''ve never actually seen one myself."


    As Skado steps into the house, Barns nods. "Then our end goal is in sight. First things first, though. We''ll get Skado home, and finish off Adon once and for all¡­er¡­once I say hi to Maria, of course."

 Chapter 67 - 67: The Sentinel

    Eldrie taps the microphone, looking out over the crowd of people. Somehow, he''s the one who got stuck with the task of speaking to the gathered townsfolk of Ordella.


    "Welcome to the Crab Kingdom," he says nonchalantly. "Er¡­please, from now on, you must perform this salute when greeting each other, to show solidarity¡­" Eldrie performs the claw salute with absolute stoicism.


    Haima, watching from the crowd, claps her hand to her forehead. "For goodness sake," she says, listening to Eldrie. "I could have done a better job."


    "That crab salute sure is catchin'' on, hun," Godrick chuckles before facing the small woman. "Oy, Haima, I gotta say, there''s been something on my mind I just gotta let go. See, I think you''re a right looker, love, and I''d love to spend an evening just chattin'', and gettin'' to know each other a little better. How''s that sound?"


    Her nostrils flare. "Like a date?" she asks quickly, blushing and embarrassed. She and Godrick spent a lot of time together in the first days of the Kingdom. As equally skilled warriors, they were a pivotal team for the Adventurer Guild. These last few days, however, they''d hardly seen each other.


    "Like a date. Oh, but don''t worry, I won''t be puttin'' me hands on ya. I''m a right gentleman, no sex until marriage type of mate, oh - I hope that''s all right with you?"


    Haima''s heart flutters. He''s her type of man, inside and out. His towering, strong stature, his ''young dad'' energy¡­


    "Ooh," Haima exhales, accidentally sounding a little sensual.


    An image of Barns flashes into Haima''s mind. She has been on two dates with the hero already.


    ''It''d be wrong to go on another date without at least talking to Barns,'' she realizes.


    "Listen, Godrick, I''d love to, b-"


    Before she can get her ''but'' out, there''s an explosion on the north side of town that shakes the ground. The sound alone sends a shockwave through Ordella, and Haima shrieks, covering her head and stumbling. Gasps from nearby, as the crowd around them begins to panic. Smoke billows from nearby to the north.


    Godrick puts his hand around Haima''s wrist, holding her steady. She whimpers, staring directly into his bright and shining eyes, as she soaks up his manliness.


    Her pulse quickens - the look they exchange feels like an eternity, yet still too short for Haima''s taste. She''d nearly forgotten about the explosion.


    "Keep it together, love! Let''s go check it out!"


    They rush to the site of the commotion. By the sandstone gate that stood at the edge of town, Ordella''s historic district, a woman appears. She emerges from a smoking crater, the source of the earlier explosion. As she steps from the ash and brimstone, the onlookers expect her to look alien, or at least disheveled.


    She''s none of those things. She is the visage of a powerful woman - strong shoulders, and toned arms visible under a dirtless white battle dress. Her legs are covered by long boots with a wedged heel, and though she bears no weapons she looks ready for a fight.


    "Hello, fellow humans. I bear a message from the Emperor."


    The many humans around seem confused.


    "Emperor?" one whispers.


    "Are there other towns out there?"


    The woman adjusts her hair - it is long and green, feylike. She wears it in a long ponytail, wrapped in a clip with a pink flower adornment. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Emperor has decreed that all humans in Ordella and Dimartino may live in uninterrupted peace, so long as the human named Clancy and the crab named Barnacles are brought to me and summarily executed. These are our terms."


    Just then, Haima and Godrick run up, arriving at the gate.


    "That will never happen!" Haima shouts, stretching out her fingers and focusing on the feel of her rushing blood. She was ready to attack the woman at any moment if she had to.


    The intruder tilts her head toward Haima, sensing her power. "You, black-haired woman. Are you in charge here? Bring me Barnacles and Clancy. I shall not ask again."


    "And what if I don''t?" Haima asks, her boots the only other sound in the area as she boldly approaches the intruder.


    The intruder widens her stance. Both women exude absolute confidence - the smaller and more reserved Haima eyes the intruder like a cat, while the much bigger woman exerts her strength by demonstrating her unyielding presence.


    "Then by decree of Emperor Yharan, and my authority as a Sentinel, I shall subjugate any who stand in my way until I find them."


    "Try it." Haima goads.


    The two women burst into action, Haima attacking first. She throws a block out of her pocket - a pressurized mass of vampire gator blood - and transfixes it in midair, morphing it into a magicked sickle of blood in the span of a second. She launches her weapon at the Sentinel in an attempt to slash her through.


    The Sentinel doesn''t move a muscle before the sickle comes barreling into her. Just as it''s about to strike, the air around her distorts - a laser-like shockwave ripples outward, knocking the sickle off course. Haima barely registers the distortion before her weapon smashes into a rooftop.


    ''How''d she do that?'' Haima questions. ''Does she have some sort of psychic power?''


    The Sentinel turns her head slowly back toward Haima, unbothered by the attack. Her eyes are full of arrogance, as if daring Haima to show her something better.


    ''I have just the thing,'' Haima says cockily. It''s not the move she likes to rely on the most, but it is her most powerful - her blood, meat, and bone manipulation.


    Haima activates her Secret Art, taking hold of the Sentinel''s flesh with her mind - but as she squeezes, something pushes against her. The Sentinel''s body resists Haima''s Secret Art and she''s unable to take hold.


    "Woman, are you trying to control me?" the Sentinel''s eyes light up with arrogance and mockery. "What is this? Do you think I am a child?"


    The woman swings her arm, and though she''s several meters away, it''s like she punches Haima squarely in the face. The small woman tumbles to the ground, stunned.


    ''Impossible,'' Haima thinks to herself as she lays on the stone ground, gasping for air. ''Nobody can resist my Secret Art¡­''


    "Haima!" Godrick yells, rushing up to join the battle. In seconds he''s at the Sentinel''s side, two blades in hand. He swings them high while drawing his other two swords and slashing low. The Sentinel darts backward so quickly that Godrick is sure she teleported.


    "Now here is an actual challenge," the Sentinel giggles. "Is that the Bravuran ''Asura Dance'' I see? I''ve only ever heard about it - to think the art lives on."


    The Sentinel brushes away her sentimentality. "If you continue standing in my way, your beautiful skill will be wasted. You cannot win against me. Bring me your crab."


    Godrick doesn''t answer, he just starts swinging again. She dodges his first attack and before he can catch the two blades in midair, she warps them away into a void.


    ''Fine. Two blades down. Still got two, that''s all I need!''


    Godrick is a professional improviser, and he switches to another dance effortlessly - the Mantis Dance. His remaining two blades become like extensions of his arms as he burrows down onto his opponent. She has a brief moment of panic in her eyes before getting low and thrusting her arms forward.


    Godrick is repelled away at Mach speed and plummets through someone''s front door. He''s out cold.


    Haima shouts after him, holding her hand out toward Godrick. She infuses her Secret Art into him from afar, attempting to mend his damage immediately - before his injuries become fatal.


    "I suppose you''re done as well?" the Sentinel says, looking at Haima who''s struggling to stand. The Sentinel flicks her wrist and Haima goes flying, tumbling over the ground. She hopes she managed to heal Godrick enough.


    "Now, I will ask you all again. Where is Barnacles the crab and where is Clancy the human?"


    One person standing nearby that hasn''t run off yet coughs. "Strictly speaking, Barnacles is the human, and Clancy is the crab¡­at least that''s what I was told¡­"


    The Sentinel tilts her head inquisitively. "No, that''s¡­impossible," the Sentinel replies. "Barnacles is the crab. My intel is never wrong."


    The man who corrected her stands in silence as he and the woman exchange a stoic stare. He scratches his head. All he cares about is not dying.


    The Sentinel''s eye twitches as she hears light, rhythmic tapping coming from not far away. Like all Sentinels, she has excellent control over the five senses, and her hearing is quite good.


    With the fury of a thousand tides, Clancy scuttles on the scene, his mouth already foaming and his claws raised powerfully above his head.


    "EVIL WOMAN! FACE VENGEANCE!"


    "You''re a bit bigger than I thought," the Sentinel scowls. "Now come," she says. "Accept your death!"


    The two rush toward each other, and the true battle begins!

 Chapter 68 - 68: Not Barnacles!

    The Sentinel glowers over the crab, fully confident in her abilities - there''s not a shred of fear in her heart.


    "Barnacles. I sentence you to death by order of Empernon Yharnam- er, I mean Emperor Yharan" she spits, getting tongue tied. It''s her fatal flaw - speaking without getting things mixed up.


    Clancy pivots around. "NO BARNACLES."


    "So you would fight?" she chides callously. Clancy raises his claws in agreement. He likes fighting.


    They exchange blows, one after the other, as Clancy jabs and stabs like a maniac in her general direction. She''s not able to dodge all his attacks quickly enough, so she activates her power.


    The Sentinel can ''grab'' any object with her mind, and move it at the speed of sound wherever she pleases. It''s only one of her fearsome powers - one she''s confident is enough to take out the crab.


    But as she begins to focus her power on Clancy, his sheer force pushes against it. He''s repelled, but only a few feet.


    The Sentinel looks at her hand in wonder. No creature has ever been able to withstand her power - except the other Sentinels. That the crab can manage such a feat is extraordinary.


    "And here I thought you were wholly outmatched, Barnacles." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    NO BARNACLES!" Clancy repeats, dashing into her again.


    She uses her power to push him back again, but this time he''s ready from it. Right as she pushes against him, Clancy summons up a second burst of speed and breaks through her push. She''s standing there unarmed as he flies through her invisible barrier and swings his claw.


    He knocks her in the face, but as he does she releases another wave of power that forces him back some.


    She reaches for her forehead and then looks at her hand. It''s covered in blood. She stumbles around, woozy from the blow to her head.


    "You stupid crab," she sneers as the blood runs down her nose and into her mouth. She looks up wildly, her green hair becoming untangled from the ponytail. Her outfit, once perfectly white, is now specked with dirt from the battle so far.


    "How dare you lay a hand on me, Donatella of the Sentinels! You fucking crab! It''s not even a hand, it''s a claw¡­pincer, whatever!"


    She throws her hand defiantly as she screams. "You think you can just do that!? Nobody lays a hand on me! Ever! Augh! I mean a claw!"


    Donatella attempts to steel herself, but her emotions are in a wild rut. Her blood is running HOT - this isn''t what she''s used to, not at all. She hasn''t been directly challenged in combat since her duel with a certain someone, long ago¡­


    ''Now''s not the time,'' Donatella thinks. She cements herself, standing firm. ''It was just one lucky hit,'' Donatella assures herself. ''This crab is nothing. His name is Barnacles - like a filthy parasite. No way could such an audacious creature defeat her. She is a Sentinel!


    Donatella cracks her neck. ''That''s right, I am a Sentinel,'' she remembers. ''We don''t give in to our emotions. We are the hand of fate - of justice!''


    The few gathered at the commotion look around nervously. Donatella hadn''t noticed, but she had started speaking her inner thoughts out loud like a crazy person.


    She reels herself back in, clearing her throat as if nothing happened. "Now then, Barnacles. Where were we?"


    The crab launches himself through the air at her, using his power and momentum to crash down and resist her ''push''. Though she doesn''t try to launch him away - she knows better. She directs him to the side, knocking him off-course, while attempting another attack.


    ''He''s too big to warp,'' Donatella strategizes, ''And too strong for me to fully manipulate¡­but he won''t be able to stop this.''


    Donatella reaches her hand to the left, clenching invisible energy around a nearby house. She uproots it from the ground, as pieces of the foundation come crumbling down. Her arm shakes from the exertion - manipulating an object this large requires immense power.


    Someone jumps out of the house as it starts to raise into the air, screaming. "This is worse than the vampires!" they wail.


    She levitates the building above her head, all while narrowly dodging a pincer jab. She focuses all her power and attention on a single moment as the house begins to throttle above. She dramatically pumps her arms, causing the suspended house to plummet directly onto both of them. A split second before impact, she teleports herself away to safety.


    The house crashes into Clancy, covering him in rock and debris. Donatella exhales sharply - that maneuver drained much of her power. She''d have to retreat soon - come back for ''Clancy the human'' some other time - but she has enough power to finish off the crab for now, if he wasn''t already dead.


    Clancy rises from the house, shooting up through the wreckage on a jet of foam and landing atop the rubble valiantly.


    "UNDEFEATED!" Clancy roars. "LONG LIFE KING CRAB! CHANT, SUBJECTS!"


    "Long live the King Crab!" some of the crowd howls. It''s enough to distract Donatella for just a moment.


    An arrow whizzes through the air, silent and deadly. Donatella doesn''t notice it until it''s too late. She freezes the arrow''s momentum, but only after the arrowhead buries itself into her shoulder.


    She clutches the wound, stumbling away, still feeling a little dizzy from the hit she took on the head.


    "This is bad," she says to herself. She looks up and spies the archer, standing atop a nearby building. It''s Eldrie, and he''s already preparing another. She assumes the archer is Clancy. She is very wrong.


    ''Seems like this won''t be such an easy job after all. No matter. We''ll just go with our Plan B.''


    She looks from the archer to the crab, both ready to attack. She''d retreat - for now - but not without a proper farewell.


    "This has become an annoyance to me. Barnacles - your days are numbered. I will return soon and finish this decidedly¡­er¡­decisively." As she speaks she rips the arrow from her shoulder.


    "NOT BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts, foaming as he articulates.


    "I look forward to seeing you again, Barnacles."


    On those words, she pushes all her might against them, creating a torrent of wind that blasts through the town. It ravages the north side of town, blowing people and buildings away, and destroying a large swath of the newly freed town. As the wind wreaks havoc, she uses it as a propulsion to fly away in the opposite direction.


    As she soars through the sky, she looks upon her destruction. Nearly ten percent of the town is leveled as a result of her attack. She turns in mid-flight, looking toward her destination.


    ''That should be enough for the Emperor,'' she scoffs. ''If he wanted total annihilation, he should have sent him.''

 Chapter 69 - 69: Christening the -Other- Boat

    "My, my," Adon says, hovering over a small woman. He found her out in the field atop a tall plateau, going about her early morning chores. He was thankful for his new wings - without them, he''d have never made it all the way up here.


    "So, the entrance to your city must be up here somewhere," Adon smiles, pushing his face up against her neck. "Wouldn''t you say?"


    "I''ll never tell you!" she shrieks, her pasty face flush red and her thick eyebrows furrowed in rage. "You nasty vampire!"


    She tries to attack him again, but he''s grown tired of that. With a lightning-fast swing of his claw, he slices her hand off. She howls in agony, clutching her bleeding wound.


    "Don''t bother, a cut from a Master Vampire will never heal," he snarls, standing up and kicking her over. "Don''t worry. You''ve given me plenty of information already."


    He looks to the horizon. The sun is just beginning to rise. He''ll have to stick to exploring the thick forest for now, but he''s closer than ever to locating this ''Hidden City''.


    "Don''t you worry, little ones," Adon says dreamily, thinking of the people inside the Hidden City. "I will attend to every single one of you before long¡­with my lovely friend here as my first witness."


    Adon glances down. The woman is already dead, bled out from her gushing wound. "Hopefully you''re not all so fragile."


    ¡­


    As Barns packs up, he makes Maria check the System Logs one more time.


    "Still no updates," she smiles, laying in her bed.


    Barns moves to pat her leg, then hesitates. ''Right, that''s where the vampire bit her.''


    "Okay," Barns exhales. He wanted her to triple check the situation in Ordella. If the number drops, that means someone has died. But his progress is stable for now, so he assumes things are going well in Ordella.


    "Just gotta trust Clancy," he smiles, talking mostly to himself. "You sure you''ll be okay alone here with Underhill?"


    "I''ll be fine," Maria smiles. "The guy''s a creep, sure, but he saved my life."


    They decided shortly ago that Osmond would join Barns and Skado on their journey north. They had everything they needed to kill Adon - A legendary hero, a powerful demon, and a sack of ashes that belong to Adon''s dead relatives. They entrust it to Skado, who''s confident he''ll find a way to use it one way or another.


    "It''s all we have left," Osmond notes. "Underhill is doing some experiments with it with his Artisans."


    "It should be plenty," Skado smiles, packing it into his bag. He keeps the bag with him at all times, and by his own estimates, he has everything needed to kill 99% of the creatures he might run into at any given moment. He''d have said 100% if not for immortal beings like Master Vampires and their tricky rules of engagement.


    "Have Underhill send word to Ordella that we''ve headed north," Barns requests. Maria taps her forehead with one finger, letting him know she remembers.


    "Already done. Zelia showed me how to send messages to people remotely just yesterday."


    "You could''ve let me know you were okay, if that''s the case!" Barns says, playfully agitated.


    "But then you wouldn''t have come to visit, and what fun is that?" Maria winks. "See you boys later."


    As they depart down Dimartino''s streets, another young man - Underhill - lurks nearby at the harbor. He''s looking up at the mighty vessel brought in by Barns and Clancy. Repairs on the ship have been proceeding swimmingly, and a new sail stitched for the seaworthy vessel.


    "Think of all the supplies we''ll be able to bring in," Underhill grins, rubbing his hands together. "Travel between Ordella and Dimartino will be so fast!"


    He turns to the man next to him, Dimartino''s Mayor Quinn. The warm fellow stands wide, his hands at his hips. "All she needs is a good name," Quinn informs him. "We''re having the townsfolk submit proposals, but some of them are¡­"


    "Yes, I saw the ''S.S. Foam''," Underhill rolls his eyes. "The townsfolk really got some kinda crab fever going on."


    Quinn nods resolutely. "The King is our hero, none of us would be alive today if not for him."


    Underhill chuckles, his attention fixed on the ship in the harbor. "Hey, Quinn," he says quietly, his voice carrying a slight hint of sincerity for once. "We already got a name for the ship. They want to name it after a hero? Name it the S.S. Yunie."


    Quinn is startled by the suggestion. "Yunie¡­why, that''s brilliant, Underhill! What a fantastic suggestion, I''ll write it down at once!"


    Underhill tips his hat at the mayor, and steps past him. The merchant and police captain has places to be. Before he leaves, he throws a remark over his shoulder.


    "She was a good egg, or so they say," Underhill notes. "Hate to see her go, right when she and I finally built some kinda understanding, you know? Maybe havin'' this ship be named after her, that''ll keep her around a bit. Just ask the kid if he''s okay with it." As he finishes, he struts off.


    "The kid - oh, you must mean young Master Roscoe!" Quinn realizes. "I''m sure he''d be delighted for his sister to be honored in such a way!" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Quinn looks around. Underhill''s already stalked off, and he''s talking to himself.


    Underhill had always been a slippery one, but this time, Quinn finds himself agreeing with the man''s sentiment. He might be a sneaky bastard, but he has the right instincts.


    Quinn smirks, lighting a cigarette and blowing smoke into the harbor. Even the nice old mayor had his vices - though he did not partake in the time-honored Dimartino tradition of whore-play.


    ''These things didn''t kill me the first time,'' he thinks to himself, taking another drag. He blows the smoke in a quick, steady jet that flies out over the water.


    ''The S.S. Yunie¡­it''s perfect, Underhill. Yunie''ll be what keeps Ordella and Dimartino close. We couldn''t have asked for a better way to honor her sacrifice.''


    Quinn drops the cigarette and grinds it into the ground, having only taken a few drags. He didn''t want the smoking to get him in his second life, either.


    "Hm? What''s this?" Quinn asks, looking down. A translucent screen of some sort has appeared in front of him.


    [New Message from: Zelia]

 Chapter 70 - 70: Recollection in Red

    Ordella is in chaos in the wake of Donatella''s attack. The once-proud historic district has been reduced to ruins, though thankfully there are no human casualties. The historic district had been something of Adon and Adea''s ''playhouse'' at times, and as such most of the citizens of Ordella naturally avoided it.


    Haima, Godrick, Clancy, and Eldrie collect themselves in the wreckage. Each one of them has been injured in some way - even the mighty warrior crab is clicking a little slower than normal.


    "Someone needs to tell Master Barnacles what happened here," Eldrie says. Everyone looks at him, the least injured by far.


    "Uh¡­right," Eldrie blushes. "I guess it''s me. Your Majesty, would you mind finishing up the speech?"


    Clancy gives Eldrie a salute. Eldrie hurriedly returns the favor.


    "SPEECH TIME!" Clancy belts out, scuttling away. Haima and Godrick exchange a look.


    "I can''t believe this is our life now," she murmurs loud enough for only Godrick to hear.


    "You''re tellin'' me, Haima. Now, assuming this Sentinel doesn''t come right back and finish wrecking the place, maybe we can have our little date tonight, uh? Take the edge off all this stressful morning."


    Godrick aches as he speaks, taking a knee for a moment. He''s badly hurt from the fight earlier.


    Haima puts her hand on his back and leans down next to him. "We can hang out in the hospital," Haima nudges him playfully. "How about that?"


    "Oy, oy! Haima, watch the ribs!"


    The two struggle to walk away from the scene together, and Eldrie hurries away as well. He''s fast on his feet and can run for hours - all the makings of an excellent scout. He''d be back to Dimartino in no time.


    Eldrie flits through the bayou like a phantom, leaping from point to point with feline poise, his measured speed undeniable - but even the best fall down sometimes.


    Eldrie narrowly clips his foot on a knotty root and tumbles down - he''s running too fast to break his own momentum. He breaks into a roll, hitting a tree as he falls.


    He lays on the ground for a moment, spitting dirt out of his mouth. As he rises to his feet, he glimpses something out of the corner of his eye.


    He reaches down into the dirt and grabs it. A strip of scarlet fabric.


    "This is just like the - ugh!" Eldrie interrupts himself, grabbing his head and screaming. Memories flood into his mind of a life he doesn''t recognize. He sees his grandfather Wilfort in brief flashes, stronger and paler than he remembers. He sees the love of his love, Incantra, covered in blood, laughing - and the blood belongs to someone else. Her scarlet dress, torn, flows nebulously like quicksilver in his hazy memory. He remembers the dress. He bought it for her.


    Eldrie finds himself out of breath, overwhelmed by the images that flood into his mind. As quickly as they begin, his mind goes blank.


    He stands up, adjusting himself. Giving his body a once-over, making sure nothing is injured.


    ''Was that¡­'' Eldrie stops himself. He doesn''t even want to think it true. He''d rather never recover his memories from when he was a vampire. If he knew the extent of what he did as a bloodsucking monster, could he ever forgive himself?


    He drops the scarlet cloth back on the ground, kicking dirt to bury it.


    "Hello! You''re Eldrie, aren''t you?"


    His head shoots up at the sudden noise. He doesn''t see anyone at first - but quickly his discerning eyes see a young policewoman running up. He can tell by her black uniform - it''s what Underhill has all the police wearing these days. She''s got a huge backpack on - probably delivering some critical supplies to Ordella.


    "That''s me," he says awkwardly. He recognizes her only vaguely.


    "I''m delivering a message to Ordella - the legendary hero Barnacles has taken his allies north to investigate a Hidden City of ten thousand humans."


    Eldrie narrows his eyes. This sounds familiar - did he learn about it when he was a vampire?


    "The¡­Chatran Plateau settlement, is that right?" Eldrie asks, his mind focusing. She says something, but he tunes her out. More flashes of dark days bleed into his mind, but no one picture is clear enough for him to truly understand.


    "Well, I sure am glad to run into you, anyway," the girl says, taking off her backpack. "Underhill sent me with something just for you! One moment, sir¡­"


    As she rifles through her bag, Eldrie wonders what Underhill''s gift could possibly be. He peers over but accidentally just stares at her large and tender breasts¡­


    He snaps back to it right as she finishes searching her bag. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He said you''re an archer, is that right?" she asks, handing him a long, wrapped bundle. As if she can''t see the longbow on his back or the quiver of arrows he wears on his belt.


    "Mr. Underhill said these are specially made to give that Master Vampire hell!"


    Eldrie accepts the arrows, looking at them. They don''t seem to be anything special, but the arrowheads are coated in a chalky substance, and made from bone.


    "Thanks," Eldrie says, adding them to his quiver. They have distinct red fletching compared to his normal arrows.


    "Mr. Underhill would also like you to follow after the legendary hero. He thinks that those arrows might be needed for their mission!"


    Eldrie thinks for a moment. He had a message that he needed to get to Underhill as well.


    "I wish I could," Eldrie says. "But I have a message to deliver as well. Ordella was attacked by someone calling herself a ''Sentinel''..."


    As Eldrie divulges the information he learned from his time in Ordella, the young woman gives him an earnest claw salute. He follows suit - he can''t believe he forgot to do it earlier!


    "I will report back to Underhill on your behalf, sir! Delivering those arrows to you is my primary objective!"


    Eldrie smiles. The girl reminds him of Incantra, somewhat. Something about her eyes, and her hair - she''s captivating, innocent. That''s the way he remembers Incantra - not as a blood-magic using vampiress.


    "You''ve been a huge help," he says to her, and she looks away to blush. Unbeknownst to Eldrie, the young policewoman has a bit of a praise kink.


    "Good job," he continues. She feels a nosebleed coming on.


    Eldrie doesn''t notice any of her wiggling and writhing - he''s focused on the task at hand.


    "Rendezvous at the Chatran Plateau¡­alright. Thanks again, ma''am. I need to catch up with Master Barnacles!"


    "Er - Jordan! My name''s Jordan!" she blurts, her plump thighs bouncing as she waves. "Let''s meet again, okay!?"

 Chapter 71 - 71: God King

    "Sure is a lot of commotion out there," Haima says, peering out the window of Ordella''s makeshift infirmary. Godrick lies facedown on the bed next to her. His injuries were far more severe - Haima''s are more emotional scars than anything.


    Never before has someone resisted her technique so easily. It was as if her power were meaningless before the Sentinel Donatella. She, the forsaken prodigy of the Gore family¡­


    Haima stares drearily out the window, ruminating. She sees King Clancy having an animated chat with some of the townsfolk, who are giving him a tour of the town.


    Knowing the mighty king as well as she does, he''s probably inquiring about the availability of prostitutes.


    Haima moves from the window, closing the blinds and climbing back into her bed. She pulls up the covers and watches Godrick. He didn''t answer her earlier comment - he''s likely fast asleep, by Haima''s guess.


    "So much for flirting in the hospital, you big oaf," she says, but despite the ice in her words she can''t help but smile. It''s a nice moment, and for just a while she can push the failure of her Secret Art out of her mind.


    Outside the window, Clancy scuttles further down the street, accompanied by the two humans overseeing Ordella since the Master Vampires took over. Adon and Adea needed some level of order, otherwise they''d have lost their farming stock to disease and starvation. They''d promised the two giving Clancy his tour that they''d be allowed to live if they maintained order and rationed resources for the town.


    As they quip to Clancy about the dark days, the two do what they do best - suck up to whoever''s in charge.


    "Of course, Your Majesty," the woman says, giving a reverent salute. Just then, they come onto the main street of Ordella. Even after the commotion earlier with the Sentinel, Ordella slowly creeps back to life.


    "There he is!" comes a call from the crowd, an elderly man. "The hero who fought the vampires and saved the town from destruction!"


    "King Clancy!" another called out in delight.


    Clancy is swarmed by wide-eyed citizens, who each perform their version of the crab salute and beseech the mighty crab for aid. They regale him as their divine savior and hero.


    One of Clancy''s attendants suddenly has a brilliant idea. "Your Majesty," he offers, whispering into the crab''s¡­shell. "Ordella is home to a legendary artifact once owned by a prophet who foretold the end of the world. We have kept it safe all these years in the hopes of one day granting it to our savior. We believe you to be that savior - would you allow us to offer you this gift?"


    Clancy clicks his claws greedily. "GIVE GIFT IN REVERENCE!" Clancy agrees. He''s eager to see what rare treasure they have to offer.


    They lead him through the crowd toward a stunning cathedral. This cathedral is a holy site - one that not even Adon and Adea dared to defile. Luckily the doors are just wide enough that Clancy can walk through sideways.


    The large crab looks around the ordained hall, his mouth making gushy noises. He''s pleased with his new cathedral - for he is the king, and all that he sees is his.


    The two attendants unearth a large coffin-shaped chest from the front of the cathedral, and from it they each grab one item. They bring their gifts to Clancy and present them one at a time.


    "For you, Your Majesty," the man says, bowing his head and offering up a golden scepter. It''s long - like a broom handle, with an ornate sigil of three overlapping circles atop the pole. He places it carefully in Clancy''s right claw.


    "For you, Your Majesty," the woman says, bowing her head and showing Clancy an embellished and fanciful hat with a peculiar dome shape. It looks like something a pope would wear. She places it upon his head. Clancy''s beady eyes widen with awe as the blessed dome is placed upon his head.


    "GOD KING CLANCY!" the crab announces. He means it as a joke - his attendants accept it as a proclamation.


    "Yes. God King Clancy." They bow in unison, saluting him. "Savior of Dimartino and Ordella. Divine Messiah of the New World Order."


    They pray over him, and shower him with praise. Clancy loves admiration.


    "LEAD ME TO WHORES!" Clancy commands, tapping his royal stick on the ground authoritatively.


    It''s a bit crass for the moment, but the two attendants have no means to object.


    "As you wish, Your Majesty. We exist only to serve your exalted whims."


    As they leave the cathedral, Clancy has a change of mind. "WAIT!" he exclaims, clapping his hatch-mouth together, salivating.


    "FOOD FIRST. GOD KING CLANCY ORDERS ORDELLA FEAST!"


    As they step back onto the main street, there are ''oohs'' and gasps from the crowd gathered. As the populace looks upon Clancy with his pope hat and royal scepter, they all begin to clasp their hands together, fall to their knees, and pray.


    Back in the day, Ordella was a large religious community. The salvation proffered by the crab seems to have brought that back out of the populace. So many of these people survived as long as they did only by clinging to their faith, and praying that a miracle would come and drive out the vampires. That miracle is Clancy.


    As Clancy watches the people pray to him, he clicks at his Ordella advisors. "WHAT DATE?"


    They look to each other in confusion. "Are you asking¡­what day it is?" the woman confirms.


    "YES!"


    She checks her wrist, only to realize she''s not wearing a watch. "Ah¡­June 9th, I believe." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "ORDELLA CITIZENS! GOD KING CLANCY DECLARES JUNE 9 AS HAPPY CRAB FESTIVAL! JOIN IN MIGHTY FEAST! PRAISE THE CRAB!"


    As the people begin to cheer for Clancy, a message from Maria pops up in front of him. Clancy has had some experience dealing with pop-ups from his leveling adventures. He carefully clicks on the ''Open'' button with his free claw, and the contents of the message spill out.


    [Hi Clancy,


    Hope you''re having a grand old time in Ordella. Knowing you, you''ve probably already started a cult or something. I have critical information for you.


    First, Barns along with some others have gone north to a region known as the ''Chatran Plateau''. They have the means to kill the vampire Adon and also have discovered that a hidden city of ten thousand people is in the region.]


    Clancy stops reading the message for a moment.


    ''CHATRAN?'' Clancy thinks to himself. ''YUMMY KOBOLD PLACE. USED TO VACATION BEFORE BARNACLES.'' On that note, he continues reading.


    [Barns and I need you to find and appoint someone as a ''Moderator'' - someone who can run Adventurer Guild tasks out of Ordella. Can you do that for me, you big, smart crab?


    Love, Maria]


    Her extended use of bold text surely was to make sure the crab could follow along with the message, but Clancy has no trouble. Despite his limited vocabulary, he''s actually quite the seasoned reader. He even dabbled in writing, back in the day.


    Clancy raises his pincers in the air after reading the message. "AUDITION TIME!" he announces.

 Chapter 72 - 72: Chatran Choo Choo

    "Here we are - Chatran."


    Skado points over the horizon. The setting sun sets the scene wonderfully as the land ahead of them is coated in amber light. Before them are rolling plains that cascade against a stone plateau that reaches high into the sky - so high it seems unreachable.


    "We''re going UP?" Osmond balks. They''d just passed through the Pale Court, one of the lowest elevation points in the country. Now, looking up at the mighty plateau, this appears to be one of the highest.


    "We''re going to take the Chatran Choo Choo," Skado smirks. He points something out against the eastern side of the great plateau, but in the low light of sunset, it''s a bit hard to see.


    "Choo Choo?" Barns and Osmond ask simultaneously.


    Skado crosses his arms cockily. "It''s one of the many secrets of how my city''s stayed alive all these years. The only way up there without flying is by using the train. And only about five or so people know how to operate the thing. Lucky for all of you, I happen to be one of them!"


    Skado doesn''t just nerd out about poison and killing - he also goes off about trains. He spends the next hour detailing the whole process in excruciating detail as Osmond and Barns just try to listen along and wait for the rant to end.


    It''s fully dark when they arrive at the train station at the base of the Chatran Plateau. Barns tries to look ahead on the tracks, but it''s too dark.


    "So the train goes vertically up the side of the mountain?" he asks. He wasn''t paying too much attention to that part of Skado''s soliloquy.


    "Oh yeah. But it''s best to wait until morning. In case Adon is around, we don''t want him to see what we''re up to."


    They decide to hunker down and sleep in the train for the night - they''d ride up to the top in the morning when they had better visibility and when Adon couldn''t freely walk about. Then, they''d enter the hidden city.


    They sit around an oil lantern, huddled in the small train car in a circle. It''s dark, but none of the three men are sleepy yet.


    "So, uh¡­" Barns starts to break the growing and awkward silence. "How are things with you and Maria, Oz?"


    "Fantastic," Osmond says, his demonic face lighting up into something almost human. "Oh my GOD, Barns - you have no idea. That advice you gave me¡­whew! I worry about the structural stability of Maria''s throat these days, because DAMN!"


    Barns plays with a couple sticks on the ground. "She do be good at that¡­" he mumbles to himself.


    "The what?" Skado asks, surprised.


    Before they could entertain the thought, Skado hijacks the conversation - though it''s something Barns would much rather talk about than Maria''s oral fixation.


    "I suppose I should tell you both a little something about the hidden city - and, Osmond. I mean no offense, but I think it''s best if you don''t come inside."


    "You sound just like Maria," Osmond jests. Neither Barns nor Skado so much as smile at the joke - just deadpan silence.


    "Anyway," Skado says, "A demon like you might scare some of the less open-minded folks. We''ve survived this long exactly because we haven''t made a habit of demons and vampires crawling into the city."


    "I understand," Osmond says. "I''m happy to wait while you two settle business - I''ll keep an eye out for Adon as well."


    Skado seems pleased with Osmond''s willingness. "The entire city is underground - the Chatran Plateau is almost fully hollow on the inside."


    "For real!?" Barns says excitedly, his eyes sparkling. "That''s like something from a fantasy novel! Do you all live in the dark? Oh - do you have a colony of dwarves hanging out somewhere?"


    Skado rolls his eyes. "Think of it more as a vault and less of a magical mineshaft," he suggests. Though he''s loathe to admit it, they do have a sizeable Dwarf population who call the shots in the lower levels.


    Dwarves, like the other magical races, were in decline long before the Apocalypse began. Most humans didn''t think they even existed - the population living in the hidden city may have been the last group on the planet. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We maybe have some dwarves," Skado says reluctantly. "But they don''t mix with the humans, much. They have quite the ''Underground'' culture, and I mean that metaphorically as much as literally."


    "So cool!"


    These are concepts that Barns has only ever dreamed of. Back in his first life, he rarely saw anyone outside of his Clan. And in this life¡­well, he did spend twelve years banging coconuts together on a beach.


    "You gotta take me to meet the dwarves," Barns insists. He''s beaming like a little kid asking to go get ice cream.


    Skado shuffles uneasily on the ground, pondering it.


    "They''re not the friendliest," he says, his body language tense. "But hell, you''ve got a way with people. They might like you, as a fellow ''outsider'' of sorts."


    Osmond hops up from the ground and walks toward the back of the train car. "I''ll be getting some rest now," he says. "To my dreams, where I can see my sweet Maria."


    Skado raises an eyebrow at the statement, and Barns chuckles at the silly face. Thankfully, Osmond doesn''t notice the light teasing.


    "I guess we should get some rest too," Skado says. He stands up and meticulously checks a few things on the train before settling down himself.


    Barns crashes on the ground, next to the flickering lantern, and stares at the metal roof of the train. He watches the distorted shadow of the lantern cast strange shapes on the metal surface.


    He loses track of time - it could have been thirty minutes, or three hours. He notices a low rumbling, thinking nothing of it - but he''s startled to action by the sound of scraping metal.


    Skado is on his feet in an instant, rising from the ground like a vampire out of their coffin (assuming vampires sleep in coffins). He looks out the front of the train, seeing the bright lights coming from atop the mountain.


    "The other train is coming from the top of the plateau! But why!?"

 Chapter 73 - 73: Master Vampire Adon

    As the other train screeches into the station, Skado is immediately upon the passengers, shouting in panic before launching into frantic questioning.


    "What''s happening!? Why are you here?" he belts out. Every possibility, no matter how grim, feels real in Skado''s mind. He''s breathing heavy and looks like he''s about to have a panic attack.


    The passengers rush off the train, huddled together in a close group and trying to get away as quickly as possible.


    "Skado!" the conductor cries, looking at the poisoner. "Oh, Skado, it''s horrible! A vampire is attacking the city!"


    "What!?" Skado exclaims. "When did this happen!? Why are you here?"


    "We''re just trying to get away!" the conductor sobs. "He attacked not an hour ago! It''s chaos up there, stay away!"


    Skado turns to his allies, Barns and Osmond. They''re both awake and ready.


    "Absolutely not," Skado says, grinding his teeth. "You see these two with me? This is the legendary hero who restored humanity to Dimartino, and his servant! Come on, guys. Let''s go get that vampire."


    "Servant?" Osmond says to himself, but he pushes past the comment for now.


    Skado presses a few buttons on the train terminal, and it whirs to life. He pulls a long lever and inputs a code - then, the train begins to move along the tracks.


    The train starts its horizontal journey before quickly turning upright at a nearly ninety-degree angle as it climbs higher and higher along the plateau''s side. As the train reaches its top speed, Osmond and Barns exchange a look.


    "Does it¡­go any faster?" Barns says, looking out the window. It''s dark, but there''s no way they''re going faster than five miles an hour.


    "Er¡­no," Skado replies. "The fact it can go this speed at all up a vertical cliff is impressive, though. Isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, I guess I just feel like there''s¡­I dunno, a sense of urgency?"


    Skado looks out at the front of the train - the highbeams illuminate the darkness ahead of them. "It won''t take more than five minutes. We''ll be there quickly."


    Barns nods. It''s more like a fancy elevator than a train, he supposes. Still, it''s their only way up. They''d have to settle.


    "To think he found the hidden city¡­damn it," Skado slams his fist on the side of the train. "How did he even get up there!?"


    Osmond offers a possible answer. "His sister, Adea - she was capable of flight, at least after she transformed herself," Osmond recalls. "It makes sense that Adon would be able to as well."


    Skado shakes his head. "Impossible. Unless¡­"


    He turns to Osmond. "You didn''t kill Adea, did you? But you found her dead?"


    The demon scratches his head. "My sweet Maria finished her off - but yes, I believe she was still alive for some time after the battle. Though her head was severed and chewed on a bit."


    "Fuck," Skado winces, running his hands through his hair. "How didn''t I think of this¡­Adea wasn''t killed by any of you. Her brother killed her and stole her powers. That would explain everything - and it would mean he''s capable of flying."


    "Whoa, you mean to tell me Adon killed his own sister?" Barns grimaces. "Just when I thought that scumbag couldn''t get any more evil."


    Skado nods. As studied as he is on monsters and vampires, he knows well how they operate. Each vampire is created with one special bloodline ability. From his research, he knew that Adea could transform herself into a winged beast and turn herself into bats. Adon''s power, however, is the creation of barbed thorns that could remotely suck blood.


    ''Although,'' Skado thinks, ''that still doesn''t explain the unnatural eclipse that occurred in Ordella. Did Adon absorb yet another vampire''s power?''


    When they reach the top of the plateau, the train platform is filled with anxious civilians who are trying to escape the vampire. Skado, Barns, and Osmond push past them - though the sight of Osmond only serves to strike greater fear into the gathered crowd.


    "Can you, I don''t know, look less demonic?" Skado says frantically as they run along the top of the Chatran Plateau. There are many old-style mansions around, though none of them seem to be occupied. A beautiful historic district, lost to time.


    Skado keys open the gaudy front door of a quaint baby-blue mansion and hurries down the stairs into the basement. Barns and Osmond follow closely. As they reach the basement, Skado taps twice on a sealed metal door.


    "Euchronia," Skado says through the door.


    "What color was the wine at Edo''s Castle?" asks a quiet voice from the other side of the white metal door.


    "Damn it, Ben, it''s Skado! We don''t have time for codes!"


    The door is quickly opened, and a young, doe-eyed recruit is staring back at them. "We don''t know how it happened," he says. "But the vampire got in through the main entrance somehow! Skado, can you do something?"


    The skilled poisoner smirks. "Oh, I can do something alright. Don''t you worry - we''re killing this vampire."


    "Sounds like I can come along?" Osmond says.


    The boy, Ben, looks at Osmond with fear, but Skado reassures him.


    "This is a tamed demon, nothing to worry about," Skado smiles. "Keep your eyes peeled, Ben. Call me the second you see ANYTHING and let the other guards know the demon is with me."


    "O-okay, sir!"


    The trio rushes down a white hallway and down a long flight of metal stairs. When Skado opens the door at the bottom, Barns and Osmond are absolutely spellbound.


    Skado reveals the ''Hidden City'' to them both - a gargantuan, hollow underground space that stretches so low it makes Barns queasy. Around the cylindrical open space, a labyrinth of interconnected passages and buildings rise from the abyss, illuminated by soft orange light.


    It''s a thriving, bustling space during the day - but right now it''s the middle of the night, and there''s a vampire visible at the level below them, playing with a young woman''s corpse with sickly delight.


    "Adon!" Barns shouts, so loud that his voice echoes throughout the entire city. His fists tremble with anger, and his Silver Rake claws shoot out from his gauntlet.


    The vampire hears him from the level below, turning his head and baring his teeth angrily.


    "Little boy hero!" Adon calls over the chaos. A defender of the Hidden City attempts to attack Adon, but the vampire flips him over and slits his throat before he can so much as land a single blow.


    "I see you''ve come to play! I do hope you''re ready for a show!"


    S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 74 - 74: Adon Ascends

    Barns rushes forward to the edge of the platform and dives - plummeting to a walkway on the lower level. He lands on his feet, rising from the ground like a predator. His prey - Adon, the Master Vampire.


    Adon flicks his cape theatrically, beckoning Barns closer. He sprints to the vampire - if he can finish this quickly, that would be best.


    The hero reaches Adon and throws a flying kick first, activating his ''Flame Thrash'' ability. His feet light aflame as he kicks Adon once and lands on his hands. He twists his body abruptly and kicks the vampire again.


    Adon reacts in time for the first kick but not the second. Barns kicks the vampire right in the ribs, his flaming foot giving off an extra burst of strength and igniting the vampire''s cloak.


    Adon withdraws with a shadowy step and rips the burning cloak off of him, throwing it to the lower levels. He and Barns eye each other with menace as Skado and Osmond finally catch up. The men stop at either side of Barns, each ready to battle - Skado with his long thin dagger, Osmond with his purple-orbed staff.


    "Yes, yes, little boy - bring as many friends as you''d like! It makes no difference - I cannot be killed." As he speaks, his eyes focus on Osmond. He recognizes the demon.


    "Ah-ha! So we meet again at last, Ozzie. Tell me, is your human whore well?"


    Every muscle and vein in Osmond''s arm pops as the demon fantasizes about ripping Adon''s throat out. He''s too angry to respond to Adon''s taunts verbally.


    Barns puts his arm out in front of Osmond, keeping the demon back. "Don''t let him goad you," Barns warns. "Let me handle him for now."


    Barns steps forward, a swagger in his step. He''s so confident he can kill Adon that he can''t help himself but try and act cool. After all, he wants to taunt Adon, too - it''s vengeance for Yunie."


    "So what''s all this bullshit you keep spouting about not being killable?" Barns says, smirking. "Seems like we had no problems obliterating your bitch sister."


    He wants to sound ignorant - it''s all part of Barns'' plan to lure Adon into a false sense of security. It works, too - the malice in Adon''s eyes twists into something playfully mad. He thinks he''s going to have fun with Barns.


    In a flash, Adon is upon him - so fast it surprises everyone. Barns steps back and jabs with the Silver Rake. Adon''s imposing body isn''t as fast as Barns'' lithe figure, and the young hero is able to sink his blades into Adon.


    The vampire''s eyes widen as he feels the Silver Rake''s blades cut through him. Adon rushes off his blade in a frantic panic, practically oozing through the air as he flits away.


    The vampire pauses, perched atop one of the walkway railings. His breath is haggard and shallow, and he clutches the burning wound.


    "That weapon¡­I recognize it! Where did you acquire such a thing, you delinquent human!" Adon hadn''t noticed it before - or at least he figured Barns just had some ordinary claw weapon. But that is the Silver Rake, though the last time he saw it, it was wielded by one of his family members and they were trying to kill him.


    "Oh, this old thing?" Barns smirks. "Some dumb, dead vampire, I think."


    Adon breathes heavily. If Barns had such a thing, he must know where it came from. Did Barns know something about how to kill a Master Vampire? Adon killed his last living relative - buried the man alive while he was still wearing the Silver Rake. So how is it here?


    "No, no, no¡­" Adon mutters to himself, clutching his head. "This cannot be¡­who could have done such a thing¡­" Adon suddenly jerks his whole body toward Osmond. He points and screams at the demon.


    "You! It was Francois, wasn''t it? WASN''T IT!? WHAT DID THAT HIDEOUS TRASH TELL YOU!?"


    Adon grabs his head - his skull is searing with pain. Usually he can keep his emotions better in check than this¡­is this Adea coming through?


    ''I knew I shouldn''t have eaten her,'' Adon winces, his head throbbing in agony. ''My dear, sweet, stupid fucking sister. Must your volatility curse me even now?''


    Adon leans into his sister''s power, allowing two wings to burst from his back. His clothing lay on his flesh like rags at this point, his pale and muscular chest visible from underneath. His muscles bulge out even further as he ascends into the air, suspended on his sister''s wings.


    ''They know how to kill me,'' Adon panics, eyeing them each in turn. ''They have something. I know they do. What is it!?''


    He beats his wings several times as the three stare up at him and strategize quietly. He can''t hear what they''re saying. ''Damn it!'' he gnashes his teeth together. If only he could hear them.


    His eyes turn to the entrance to the Hidden City, where he entered. He may have to flee, he realizes. They''re planning something. It would be better to forsake this entire place - find a new country to live in, forsake this one and never come back. They weren''t here by coincidence, no - they''re hunting him.


    Adon leans further into the psychosis, his sister''s rampant emotions taking root in his mind. It''s like his head is splitting in two as his sister''s blood and mind attempt to wrest control of his body.


    Then, he decides - he''s fleeing. But just as he starts to fly away, two electric hooks find their way into his wings and yank him back down to the platform. Osmond, holding the reins of the hooks, rips them out with thin magical strands, stripping the vampire''s wings clean off of him in a bloody explosion.


    Adon screams in frightened agony, hurrying to his feet and stepping backward quickly.


    "Skado, now!" Barns commands. The lanky poisoner sprints ahead, his long thin dagger primed to strike.


    Adon swings at Skado to intercept his attack, but Skado stops short. He doesn''t need to get in all the way to land a hit with his special dagger. He slams his palm on the hilt of the dagger, and a needle shoots out of the blade.


    The needle flies through the air and hits Adon''s muscled chest. Skado falls back, landing on his butt, his eyes frantically scanning to make sure his needle found its mark.


    Adon pulls the small blade out of his chest and flicks it to the side. "This was your big gambit?" he laughs. He feels almost silly for ever being afraid.


    "What, was this thing poisoned? I''m immune, you know." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he has time to gloat to Skado, Barns rushes in for another attack. He knows what he has to do, and it was now or never.


    "Take this!" Barns yells, punching at Adon with his Silver Rake. He knows Silver Rake will have all of Adon''s attention, and the vampire reflexively begins to dodge on his left side. However, that''s exactly what Barns wants.


    Barns forms the shape of a claw with his left hand, and swings with all his might.


    "CLAW OF DEATH!"

 Chapter 75 - 75: Curtain Call

    "Claw of Death!" Barns screams at the top of his lungs, swinging his empty hand at Adon. If he can believe it enough, it will happen!


    Majestic light forms around Barns'' arm, transforming it into a crab claw, and he snips just like Clancy taught him to snip.


    Adon is sliced clean in half, his legs falling out and his torso kept suspended only from the impact of Barns'' snip. He hovers in the air, gasping and staring at Barns, his eyes locked in the throes of death.


    Barns uppercuts with his other arm, driving Silver Rake''s blades deep into Adon''s exposed entrails. The vampire screams as he lights up with holy light and simply - POPS -. Everything within three meters is sprayed with vampire blood, including Barns'' entire front half.


    He turns his head, crab claw in one arm and shining claws in the other. He looks like an action hero. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is the fate of the enemies of humanity," Barns declares. "Let there be no question."


    As Barns speaks, he feels a wave of malevolence overtake him - his Crab Intuition goes wild and his vision turns red. He whips his head around and a bubble of red blood emerges from Adon''s pile.


    The bubble pops and reveals a sickly-looking bat. It flits quickly into the air, trying to escape.


    Osmond reacts quickly, grabbing his wrist with one hand and focusing his magic. He shoots a powerful dart of magic toward the bat, attempting to pierce it through midair. The crafty vampire bat narrowly dodges the attack and flies up and away out of sight.


    Barns rushes to the railing, gripping the metal in frustration as the bat escapes through a crack in the ceiling.


    "Damn it!" Barns howls. "You have to be kidding me!"


    His fists curl around the iron bar of the railing, shaking it so violently it could detach. Osmond hasn''t given up, though - not yet.


    The demon floats up off the railway. He cannot fly anywhere near as well as a bat, but he can move freely through the air, albeit slowly.


    "I''ll follow him! He''s not getting far, not after that attack." Osmond zips away after the bat, leaving Barns and Skado behind.


    "Good teamwork," Skado says quietly. "I was able to successfully inject him with the ashes, mixed with some crushed fireglass for good measure. Even as a bat, that solution I prepared should be ripping him apart from the inside."


    "I won''t be satisfied until I know he''s dead for certain," Barns sighs. "For Yunie''s sake. For everyone that monster killed."


    Skado nods, but his attention refocuses elsewhere. He strides to the vampire''s corpse as other denizens of the underground city began to pile up around them.


    "Something definitely died here," Skado notes. "And yet something got away. I don''t understand, Barns. Was Adon¡­more than one person?"


    "You said he had magic you hadn''t anticipated, didn''t you?"


    Skado narrows his eyes, reflecting. The eclipse did seem unnatural, and unlike any of Adon''s powers he''d known of.


    "If that''s the case, then this is Adon. But that would mean he had another vampire living inside of him all this time¡­"


    Barns shivers. The very thought is disconcerting.


    "I hope Osmond comes back soon," Barns says.


    Meanwhile, outside, the vampire flits down the mountain, flying back toward Ordella. It''s the only place it knows to go. It can start over. It can grow again. All it needs is some quiet time to feed and regrow its strength.


    The bat lands on a large rock, nearly a full mile away from the Chatran Plateau. It flares its wings, looking around in a disoriented panic. It doesn''t appear to have been followed.


    This is all that remains of Adea - when Adon ripped her head off, he didn''t kill her so much as absorb her. And that part of her that remained was able to manifest into one small, tiny bat, right at the moment of Adon''s death.


    ''Kill,'' the bat chants to itself. It''s hardly capable of a more refined thought. ''Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.''


    It thinks about Ordella, seeing the town as nothing but a source of blood and fuel. It knows what direction to fly in, and it knows what it must do.


    ''Kill. Kill. Kill.''


    It repeats the mantra over and over in its tiny brain.


    The bat doesn''t notice someone creeping up on it - but it is not Osmond who has found the creature. It''s someone else who craves revenge just as much as anyone.


    Eldrie locks his eyes on the bat. He knows exactly what it is - he''d seen Adea''s transformation many times. Haunted memories of a life he''d rather forget bloom freely in his mind. He remembers what she did to him, to Wilfort, to Incantra. He remembers what she did to all of his people in Ordella.


    He remembers what these monsters did to Yunie. The vampire twins could not be suffered to exist even another second in this world.


    Eldrie withdraws one of the arrows that was custom-made for him by Underhill, made from the bone of one of the twins'' dead relatives. He trusts that it will strike true.


    He pulls back his bowstring and lets the arrow fly in an instant. Eldrie is a master archer - the dim moonlight is more than enough for his arrow to find its mark. It passes clean through the bat, and the vampire falls to the ground, limp and dead. The story of Adon and Adea and their theatrical malevolence is finally over - it''s curtains for them both.


    Eldrie stalks up to his prey, looking at the pitiful creature on the ground. "Looks like it wasn''t your lucky day, Adon - Adea. Whatever the hell you are."


    He grabs the bat as proof of the kill, but as he touches it, his mind is suddenly assaulted with images of terror. Nearly every moment spent as a vampire forces itself back to the forefront of his mind as he''s forced to relive all of the trauma and terror he wrought as a creature of the night. It''s enough to make him drop to his knees. His stomach churns from the sickening awakening and he vomits over the ground.


    He opens his eyes. His left eye has become a striking red color, radiating vampiric energy. What remains of Adea and Adon''s magic is still compatible with his body, as he was once a vampire of their creation. Now, their power surges inside him, finding a foothold in his mind. He realizes with horror and disgust something he never thought possible.


    "The eclipse¡­it was my magic."

 Chapter 76 - 76: Red Eye

    It''s nearly morning when Eldrie is discovered by Osmond, who''d been floating overhead, searching high and low for signs of the vampire bat. Osmond recognizes the master archer from above and dives down to greet him.


    As Osmond lands on his feet, he senses something different about Eldrie. A familiar-sort of darkness. Osmond is immediately put on guard.


    On Eldrie''s end, he hardly notices Osmond. He clutches his left eye, from which an unfathomable discomfort emanates.


    "Hello? Are you alright?" Osmond asks, anxious to get any closer than he is.


    Eldrie glances upward as if he has only just noticed Osmond''s presence.


    "Oh, hello, Osmond," Eldrie says, forcing a smile. He loses his footing and stumbles to the ground, catching himself before he completely faceplants.


    Osmond hesitates for a split second before running to Eldrie''s side and helping him back to his feet. As he does, he gets a good look at Eldrie''s eyes. He sees the left eye, crimson red, staring back at him, a dried tear of blood still plastered on Eldrie''s cheek.


    "What in the hells," Osmond gasps, backing away from Eldrie. "Your eye!"


    Eldrie winces. "Not looking good?"


    "It''s¡­it looks just like a vampire''s eye, Eldrie. Are you okay? Did something happen?"


    Eldrie reaches into his bag and throws the dead bat at Osmond''s feet. "I''m certain this was Adea," Eldrie says, kicking dirt on the stiff rodent. "Found her on my way over here."


    "But your eye?" Osmond asks again. "Did she¡­did she bite you, or curse you in some way?"


    Eldrie shakes his head. Though he feels horrific power coursing through his left eye, he senses no hint of a lingering will or evil within his mind.


    "After I touched it - the bat, I mean¡­I think I absorbed its power. Thankfully it was already dead, or else I might have absorbed a little bit more than just some vampiric energy."


    "So¡­you''re a vampire again?" Osmond narrows his eyes. He''s not one to talk - he is a demon, after all, but lately the kingdom of Dimartino has had somewhat of a ''no-tolerance'' policy for vampires.


    "This is not how it was before," Eldrie confirms, looking at his hands. He''s grown no paler, and compared to his vampire form, he''s still nowhere near as muscular or agile.


    "Whatever this is, I can control it," Eldrie says, determined. "Don''t worry about me. Do you¡­do you know where Barns is? I''ve come to assist in the fight. Is Adon still out there?"


    "Barns killed Adon just a few hours ago. I was out here trying to find this bat." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond scoops up the mangy corpse from the ground, holding it by one wing. "So this is Adea, huh? Feels good to see her like this, after the beating she gave me. I shall have it stuffed and delivered to my darling Maria - she is the one who deserves the trophy after all she went through to get it!"


    "That or a dumpster, I don''t care - let''s just show it to Barns."


    ¡­


    Barns and Skado are waiting patiently at the bottom of the mountain, eager to hear any word from Osmond and maintaining a vigilant watch. The people who''d fled the city earlier were all safely placated and brought back up the mountain plateau.


    An uneasy peace settles over Barns and the denizens of the hidden city. But, at least to Barns, trouble remains on the horizon, and that vampire bat could return at any time with a vengeance.


    He suddenly fills with tentative relief as he sees Osmond and Eldrie approaching from afar. He jogs way from the train station into the field, giving them a big overhead wave.


    "Barns! We were just talking about the wonderful way that Maria - "


    "Don''t need to hear it!" Barns yells back. "Did you find anything!"


    As if two people screaming at each other from across a field is normal, Osmond replies.


    "Yeah! Eldrie killed the bat!"


    "Oh, nice job Eldrie!" Barns'' throat is getting a little hoarse. "I didn''t even know you were coming! How are things in Ordella!"


    Eldrie rolls his eyes. "I''m going to wait until we''re next to him to respond," he mumbles to Osmond.


    "Hi, Barns," he says, once he''s only a few steps away. "About Ordella. Everyone is safe! But there was a bit of a problem¡­"


    "Problem?" Barns tilts his head. Then, he sees it. The way the light catches Eldrie''s left eye - it gleams red. Not human red, but deep, hungry red. His shoulders tense. "Uh¡­Eldrie? What''s with your eye, man?"


    Eldrie turns his head away from Barns. He wears a turtleneck sweater to hide the scars he has from Adea. Will he need to add an eyepatch to the look?


    "It''s a long story," Eldrie confesses. "But we can talk about it in private later. Ordella was attacked, Barns, by a human calling herself a Sentinel."


    "Sentinel?" Skado says, his voice elevated and full of concern. "You can''t mean¡­"


    He covers his mouth with his hand. "It is not my place to speak on this matter. Barns, we must report this to the leader of my people. She knows more, but for me, I cannot say."


    "Do you know something about the sentinels?" Eldrie questions. "If you do, please tell us. She was so strong, Barns - incapacitated both Haima and Godrick like they were nothing. Only King Clancy could hold her at bay, and she destroyed much of Ordella in spite."


    "She was a match for King?" Barns'' limbs grow cold and stiff. Fear sets in.


    "What were her powers?" Barns asks, his voice authoritative and calculating. If she was a match for Clancy, she had to have some incredible Secret Art.


    "I¡­I don''t really know," Eldrie says, biting his lip. "I can only tell you what I saw. She was able to teleport objects, and move things with her mind. Barns, she was able to lift an entire house off its foundation just with a look."


    "Just when I thought we''d have a moment of rest," Barns snickers, cursing his luck. Sure didn''t feel like a ''20'' to him.


    The group looks around at each other - each one of them dead tired. It has been a long night.


    "We have earned ourselves a small victory, Barns. Now, would you all please join me - you as well, Osmond. It''s time to properly show you to the Hidden City - Lantafort."

 Chapter 77 - 77: Lantafort

    Barns'' first descent into Lantafort didn''t exactly give him time to soak it all in. After an intense and sleepless night, he doesn''t even recall how the city looks. He anticipates dark, dreary corridors and the smell of stale air. Instead, the passages are alive with brilliant colors and lively sounds as Skado guides them deeper into the subterranean stronghold.


    The underground city is massive, hollowed out into the Chatran cavern with a scale that is hard to define - at least to Barns. From their vantage point on the highest tier of Lantafort''s sprawling levels, Barns looks down and sees glowing lanterns of every color imaginable, suspended in the air like fireflies.


    Bridges crisscross the void between buildings carved from the rock, and everything is as clean and pristine as the day it was built - the city has been maintained with the utmost care.


    The air is thick with the scent of roasting meats, strong spirits, and an earthy musk that Barns can''t quite place.


    There''s a trepidation in the air, too - Adon did attack only hours ago. But as the morning emerges and the lingering unease passes, the city starts to come to life. It''s the type of place Barns never thought he''d see again - a fully functioning, active society (albeit one that''s underground).


    "Welcome to Lantafort," Skado announces, standing proudly with his hands on his hips. "Home to the last free humans who haven''t been resurrected by you, Barns."


    "Oooh, I like this place," Osmond smirks, arms crossed. "Dark, cozy, and smells of questionable morality. Just like home. I bet my darling Maria would be delighted to visit!"


    Eldrie doesn''t comment, his single red eye flickering in the dim lamplight. He''s been quiet since their journey here, likely still reeling from his newfound power. Barns doesn''t press him on it. Not yet.


    "Stick close," Skado warns. "Most folks will be thrilled to meet you, Barns. But not everyone''s keen on outsiders. We''ve kept hidden this long by not trusting easily. And you, Osmond¡­can you put those horns away or something?"


    Barns nods as Skado and Osmond begin to bicker about demon biology.


    The group follows Skado through the upper ring into the hidden streets, their footsteps echoing against the metal walkways.


    They pass shops built directly into the cavern walls, their owners hawking goods from stalls crammed into every available nook. It seems like everything is sold here, from strange luminescent mushrooms to glass bottles filled with misty potions and daggers meticulously crafted from blackened bone.


    At some point, they pass an opening to a spiral staircase leading downward. From deep below, Barns can hear raucous laughter and booming voices. A few dwarves, short and stout, spill out from below as they swagger unpredictably through the streets. They''re singing a song in a language Barns doesn''t recognize, their arms slung over each other''s shoulders as they stagger down a shaded alley.


    "Don''t ask," Skado mutters, waving off Barns'' curious glance. "They own the lower levels, and they''ll spend half the night drowning themselves in ale and the other half challenging people to duels for no reason. You don''t want to get caught up in that."


    "Curious," Osmond muses. "I thought dwarves were a thing of myth."


    "I have never been to the lower levels," Skado thinks aloud. "The partying they do down there is legendary - well, perhaps ''notorious'' is the better word¡­"


    Barns snorts but keeps walking. There''s something comforting about seeing a city full of people simply¡­ living. After everything, it''s nice to be somewhere that doesn''t feel like the end of the world is clawing at the doorstep.


    "Any chance we can grab something to eat, Skado?" Barns asks, his stomach grumbling. The talented poisoner smiles with his eyes.


    "I know just the place."


    They stop at a small diner nestled along the cave wall with many other shops. It''s warm inside, and the aroma of delectable spice and meat is thick in the air. The owner, a burly woman with a salt-and-pepper bob, tells them they can sit wherever they like.


    The menu is short, thought Skado insists that the soup is to ''die for''. Unnerving words, coming from a poisoner.


    Barns, still riding high on the energy of Lantafort, orders "whatever the house special is" along with Skado.


    Osmond asks for "anything with meat", and when he orders, it''s like the shop owner notices him for the first time. Her eyes fixate on his horns and she finds herself unable to look away.


    "He''s with me," Skado says happily. "Don''t you worry about him. He fought off the vampire, you know!"


    "I''m not that hungry," Eldrie says quietly, averting his gaze from the others. He tries to cover his red eye with his fluffy brown hair, and decides to order nothing.


    The food arrives quickly, and Barns is quick to dive in.


    "Holy hell!" he exclaims, the bowl trembling in his awe-struck hands. The broth is rich and thick, with hints of smoky heat and something floral. Chunks of slow-cooked meat practically melt on his tongue.


    The owner grins at his reaction. "That''s Red Moon Stew. Is it your first time here, kid? Haven''t seen you before."


    "It''s his first time to Lantafort," Skado says. The owner looks back at Skado, shocked. "You''ve heard of the humans who reclaimed Dimartino, haven''t you? These here are the folks who made it happen!"


    "Who needs women when food like this exists," Barns declares, taking another bite. "I might retire here and just get fat and lazy off this food!" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond groans as he digs into his meal. "This place is wondrous," the demon says. He can''t help but let his excitement pour out of him - Osmond has never once been in a ''functioning society''.


    The Lantafort native, smug as ever, leans back. "The Hidden City has its perks. Even before the Apocalypse, the place I lived was nothing like here. We had a community, sure, but nobody really talked to each other, you know? A community of strangers¡­"


    Barns wipes his mouth and downs the rest of his broth in one go. "Alright. Let me just get one more order and then we can get moving."


    After their early lunch, Skado informs the group that they''ll be heading to meet the leader of Lantafort, who happens to be his direct supervisor. He leads them to the middle levels, into a stone passage that leads away from the large open hollow.


    Their destination is deep within the stone passages, in a building with a fortress-esque facade. The walls are lined with old banners, presumably to represent the civilizations that the citizens of Lantafort hail from, and all the furniture is sturdy and practical. It''s a place built for war meetings, not politics. Perhaps the early settlers of Lantafort had a lot more on their mind than just minding a city.


    Barns sits down across from Lantafort''s leader as their meeting begins.


    She''s an older woman, with long, stark-white hair braided down one side of her shoulder. Her posture is impeccable, her expression unreadable. Skado stands at her right, and another attendant - a sharp-eyed woman with dark skin and an ornate rapier at her hip - stands at her left.


    Barns sits relaxed, one leg crossed over the other - he lacks the leader''s refined and deliberate poise, but Barns has never been one for social etiquette in either of his lives. Osmond and Eldrie flank him, standing like statues.


    ''Kind of cool, they''re like my ''subordinates'','' Barns snickers to himself. The legendary hero lifestyle isn''t so bad.


    The leader, cool as ice, folds her hands on the table between them.


    "So," she says smoothly, her voice carrying a quiet authority. "Skado informed me about an incident in Ordella. Let''s talk Sentinels, hmm?"

 Chapter 78 - 78: Seifa Brahn

    She''s an older woman, with long, stark-white hair braided down one side of her shoulder. Her posture is impeccable, her expression unreadable. Skado stands at her right, and another attendant - a sharp-eyed woman with dark skin and an ornate rapier at her hip - stands at her left.


    Barns sits relaxed, one leg crossed over the other - he lacks the leader''s refined and deliberate poise, but Barns has never been one for social etiquette in either of his lives. Osmond and Eldrie flank him, standing like statues.


    "Wanda, please - can you grab the dossier we have on the Sentinels?"


    The commander of Lantafort ushers to the dark-skinned woman on her left. The woman, Wanda, quickly bows and exits to the office behind them.


    "Where are my manners," the commander says, forcing a smile. "I am Commander Seifa Brahn. As your colleague, please feel free to call me by my first name."


    Her eyes pass over the three men across from her, taking time to inspect them each thoroughly. "Skado may have told me your names, but that is no reason to forego the pleasantries. You are all my honored guests!"


    Her voice never rises above normal volume, but there''s an eloquent high in her voice as she speaks, holding her arms out in a welcoming gesture.


    Barns looks left and right at his associates, before realizing he''d probably be the one to introduce himself first. Of course.


    "Er, well¡­I''m Barnacles, but everyone calls me Barns. Or at least, I want them to."


    "And who is Barns?" the astute commander asks with a gaze that peers through his very soul. It''s not intimidating in any way, but it does cause Barns to feel a bit tense. Like every word he speaks will be weighed with great significance.


    "Well¡­I''m the legendary hero," he says, scratching the back of his head and snickering to diffuse the tension. "Second in command of the kingdom of Dimartino - my best bud Clancy is the king. Guess I should mention, Clancy is a crab - but not a regular crab. He''s uh¡­you know, six feet tall and can talk."


    Seifa Brahn blinks her eyes slowly, absorbing the information. It seems nothing can phase her.


    "I see. And am I correct in assuming that you were not born as Barnacles? For you carry the weight of someone quite different. And there is a hint of an accent on your voice. A formality - one that contradicts your casual nature." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns gulps. ''She picked all that up just from one or two sentences?'' he thinks to himself. He''s seen how observant Skado can be but this woman is next level.


    She smiles at him, amused. Like she can hear the racing thoughts in his mind. She finds them humorous.


    "You''re right," he says. It''s not something he''s talked about much with others - his first life. While it''s a part of him, he''s still always been Barns in this life.


    "I was once known as Lain of the Flame Clan. Among my people, I cultivated a power that was unheard of even among my clan. I named it ''Rebirth Flame'', and it is the power to reincarnate whenever I wish."


    Eldrie jolts as he hears this. He had no idea about Barns'' past until this moment. It''s enough of a reaction to draw Commander Brahn''s attention.


    "And you?" she says with a smile. "I can tell from your eyes that you must have quite a story to tell."


    Eldrie hesitates for just a moment too long, and suddenly everyone in the room has their full attention on him. Quivering slightly, he divulges what everyone is wondering.


    "My name is Eldrie from Ordella, and I used to be a vampire, until Master Barns saved my soul. Adon and Adea, the Master Vampires, were once thought to be unkillable, but this man right here found a way."


    Eldrie rests his hand on Barns'' shoulder and keeps talking. "And in my left eye, though I do not know how, I have managed to steal their powers."


    Eldrie flips his fluffy hair and reveals his blood red vampiric eye. For the first time, everyone is able to get a good look at it. Dark lines spread from his pupil in a burnt flower pattern over his crimson iris.


    "You seem nervous about it," Commander Brahn notes. "As if the power of the vampire is something you feel should be shamed. But worry not, Eldrie. So long as you can control your power and fight on behalf of humanity, there is no shame. And your eye is of little concern to the people - or do you forget that you marched in here alongside a full-bodied demon?"


    Eldrie''s breath catches in his throat as he looks over to Osmond. She has made an excellent point - he was so concerned about hiding away his eye that he didn''t even realize how Osmond must feel. The demon cannot hide his gray-tinged skin, the cracks on his flesh, nor his prominent horns.


    "I suppose that''s my queue," Osmond says, giving the Commander the side-eye as his attention is still directed at Eldrie. "I am the great Demon Lord Osmond, consort to the incomparable Princess Maria Dimartino, the love of my cursed life. I exist for her pleasure, and she has pledged her full support to Barnie boy here. As such, he speaks for me, ma''am."


    As Osmond talks, the dark-skinned woman Wanda returns with a leatherbound binder filled with papers. Commander Brahn takes it quickly and begins to rifle through the pages.


    "Thank you all. As you know, with me today is Skado, the head of my Exploratory Force. He is a warrior of great renown in Lantafort. And Wanda here leads the Interior Army, tasked with defending Lantafort from any and all threats. Now, I must tell you something of great importance, for I fear it may be a point of contention. The Sentinels who work on behalf of Emperor Yharan are aware of the existence of the Hidden City of Lantafort, and in order to secure the wellbeing of our city, we were forced to make a deal with them.


    "To put it frankly, we are prohibited with interfering with the Sentinels, and in exchange they have guaranteed us that we can live in peace from them. And so I must ask you plainly - what is it that the Sentinels seek?"


    All eyes are on Eldrie again, and the pressure sets in. He can''t tell a full lie - not here. It would be far too obvious. But he could tell a half-truth.


    Seifa leans in closer in anticipation of Eldrie''s words until he finally speaks. "The Sentinel that attacked is named Donatella, and she stated her mission was to kill King Clancy."

 Chapter 79 - 79: Terms of Engagement

    "I see¡­"


    Commander Seifa Brahn''s calculated demeanor breaks, a creep of worry wriggling into her stony eyes.


    "And why would they want to do such a thing?"


    It''s Barns who speaks up for the group. "Clancy is the strongest guy slash crab I know. He''s the reason I''m able to resurrect humans, and he was able to repel Donatella. Isn''t it obvious? They''re afraid of him." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Commander shakes her head slowly. She hates everything she''s hearing.


    "Donatella is one of the two weakest Sentinels," she informs them, wagging the binder in her hand before she sets it on the table. "If they want your King dead, then I fear I can advise you to comply with their demands. You all have far too much to lose."


    "Not happening," Barns states. "Every single person in our Kingdom, myself included, is only alive because of Clancy. We''ll fight to the last person to protect him if we have to. That is my stance."


    A quiet settles over the room - awkward silence. Everyone is wondering the same thing - is this alliance between Dimartino and Lantafort doomed to fail?


    Commander Brahn clears her throat after some time, taking charge of the situation. "It remains my hope that you and I can have a fruitful collaboration. The Sentinels are no friends of Lantafort, Commander Barns, but you are. You and yours saved us from the Master Vampire Adon, who claimed far too many lives during his ambush. And so the least I can do is leave you with this."


    She pushes the dossier over to Barns. All the information that Lantafort has gathered on the Sentinels is in those pages.


    "Worry not, we have other copies," Seifa grins. "If this King of yours is as strong as you say, perhaps you have a chance. Though I have seen the one known as Nazakiel in battle. He has powers that defy explanation and I believe he single-handedly assured the apocalypse would lead to the end of humanity.


    "If your leader can defeat Nazakiel, I will have no further inhibitions, and I shall pledge the full might of Lantafort and our ten thousand to you. However, until then¡­I am afraid we can not be true allies in the sense of the word. But know that Lantafort supports your mission, and we shall welcome any and all from Dimartino at any time."


    It''s not the response Barns is hoping for, not by any means. But he has no choice but to accept.


    "I understand," Barns says. He clenches his fists under the table. Understanding doesn''t make it any less frustrating - Dimartino needs their numbers.


    "As a token of good faith, I would like to appoint Skado as our official ambassador to Dimartino. Skado, Commander Barns - do you both accept?"


    Skado bows his head. "With pleasure."


    "Of course," Barns smiles. "Hey, if he didn''t come back with us, I think I''d already start to miss him!"


    Seifa Brahn shows off a rare but beautiful smile - genuine, and warm. "I shall miss him myself. He is my son, after all."


    Barns mouth opens wide in surprise. "Wait, what!?" he exclaims. The son and mother duo look at each other and chuckle to themselves.


    ''I suppose it makes sense,'' Barns thinks. ''They both have that discerning eye.''


    The group talks a bit more before Barns ends the conversation.


    "I will return soon to finalize our arrangements," he says with a hint of formality that surprises even himself. "But I need to get back to Dimartino. A lot has happened since I''ve been away."


    Barns also realizes he''ll have to send an ambassador to Lantafort as well. He wonders if anyone he knows is particularly suited for the job - though he couldn''t in a hundred years imagine someone like Haima or Godrick working as an advisor, and people like Maria are too valuable to Dimartino to send away.


    Skado looks first to Barns and then to his mother. "If it is alright with everyone, I''d like to stay in Lantafort until Barns returns again," he says. "There are a few things I''d like to take care of before moving to Dimartino for the time being. I should only need a day or so."


    The two parties are in agreement, and in no time at all, Barns, Eldrie, and Osmond are back on the road to Dimartino. They have a stop to make on the way, however - at the Pale Court, to see Francois. After all, she promised them she''d release twenty thousand of her citizens if they could defeat Adon and Adea. It''s time to see if she''s still willing to hold up her end of the bargain.


    It takes them about half a day to reach the Pale Court from Lantafort, and as they walk, all Barns can think about is how nice it would be to get some transportation between the towns. They certainly didn''t have the technological capabilities to build an automobile or a train, but maybe he could talk to Underhill about some type of carriages. Though, that might require horses¡­


    It''s still bright out when they dip into the fog, but as they do they are shielded from the sun, locked in the pale, muted domain of Francois. As they come to the Pale Court, the vampiress is already standing outside, in the center of her stark white city. The army of humans at her disposal continue their soulless march around the Pale Court''s myriad levels in a single-file line, shambling ominously.


    "Keep that Crab Intuition rolling," Eldrie says, feeling a sense of dread as they approach Francois'' ''city''. Barns reassures him that he will - it''s not like the ''Crab Intuition'' is some toggle Barns can flick on and off. If there''s ever a murderous intent, he''ll know.


    "Eldrie, you should stay far back," Osmond advises. "Barns was able to resist Francois'' curse, but I have no expectations for you. Just the sound of her voice can drive a human man insane with lust."


    "I can handle it," Eldrie protests, but even Barns stops him.


    "Trust me, Eldrie," Barns says, shaking his head. "Stay back."


    The former vampire huffs. "As you command, Master Barns." He forms his right hand in the shape of a crab claw and gives Barns a stoic salute. Barns hands Eldrie the dossier for safekeeping as he continues further down the path with the Demon Lord.


    As Barns and Osmond enter the city, a sudden icy cold envelops them, and Francois'' voice reaches them from far away.


    "Why, if it isn''t the little boy hero and my dear brother Osmond. Oh, I do hope you''re not planning to leave Eldrie behind. It has been so long since I''ve seen him, I have a gift just for him."

 Chapter 80 - 80: Francois Gift

    "Such fear in your eyes, Barnacles. Osmond didn''t tell you any nasty little lies about me, did he?"


    Her bright red eyes flash to the demon standing next to Barns. The look is enough to chill even the Demon Lord to his spine.


    She''s standing close to them both, mere steps away. If she held out her hand, she would be able to softly graze Barns'' cheek with her velvety and pale flesh.


    She''s wearing a kimono as always, one with a soft, flowery pattern that serves as a stark contrast to her otherworldly vampiric beauty. Barns remains tense in her presence - the sultry aura she''s known for still hangs heavy in the air, but he''s finding it a bit easier to resist her today.


    "Ah, there he is," Francois smiles, gliding past the two men toward Eldrie. The former vampire is approaching cautiously.


    "A gift?" he asks once he''s close enough to be heard. He dares not take another step.


    "Don''t look into her eyes!" Osmond commands, but it''s already too late. Eldrie and Francois lock gazes. The young man is frozen in place.


    She smiles big and wide, her fangs fully visible, as she sees Eldrie''s red eye. To a Master Vampire such as herself, the significance is not lost on her one bit. She can see Adon''s and Adea''s aura both within him.


    "I see you have fulfilled the terms of my request," Francois says, her gaze lingering on Eldrie for just a moment before her sinister glare fixates on Osmond. "You must be here to claim your reward." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns finds himself entranced, taking an unwitting step in Francois'' direction. He''s close enough to smell her. The air around her is light and fragrant like roses wilting on a tombstone. It''s as intoxicating as it is unnerving.


    "That''s right," Barns says, steeling himself. "Twenty thousand souls. You good for it?"


    "You men are so eager to take what you desire," she hums playfully. "But who should I satisfy first, I wonder?"


    Eldrie moves forward, the seduction of her earlier gaze propelling him closer and closer. Osmond watches him with a careful eye.


    "Me," Osmond states. "Francois, you are making me nervous. Can you, I don''t know¡­roll back on the pheromones? These two look like they''re half-done already."


    She flutters her eyes at her demon brother. "I can control my allure as much as you can control your fascination with a certain little Princess," she says with a smile. "But don''t worry. I shall spare them both the pleasure of my touch. I only want to enjoy the fresh air."


    Her attention shifts skyward and she takes a deep breath, filling up her blackened lungs with the cold and clammy air of the Pale Court. She exhales with a satisfied ''ahh''.


    "I will miss the smell of all these humans," she muses. "I''ve grown so used to them."


    She reaches into her kimono and withdraws a golden locket. She dangles the chain from the tips of her fingers and rattles it, making a clinking metal sound.


    "For you, little Eldrie," she says, beckoning him closer. He walks to her side, his eyes wide with fascination. She drops the locket into his out-turned palm, careful not to let her skin and his touch.


    "It is filled with a small amount of ashes. It should prevent that eye of yours from ever running wild, as long as you keep this on."


    He accepts the locket and looks down at it. Something about it seems familiar - and then it hits him. This locket once belonged to the love of his life, Incantra.


    "Where did you¡­"


    He winces in pain. The memories he has of his life as a vampire have somewhat returned, but they are still disjointed and foggy. He sees a glimmer of Incantra and him both standing here in the Pale Court.


    ''That''s right,'' Eldrie thinks to himself. ''This is far from my first time here.''


    He pockets the locket, not wanting to dwell on the memories it brings back to the surface - not now. But that doesn''t stop Francois from prying.


    "Do you remember why she gave that to me?" Francois smirks.


    Eldrie takes a deep breath. "Yes," he says. "So I would have something to remind me of her, if she should ever die."


    Eldrie''s mind flickers. It seems Incantra''s will has been fulfilled.


    "Thank you, Francois."


    The vampiress turns to Barns. "And I have not forgotten your gift either. As you wished, I shall have my humans march to Dimartino. As they leave the fog, so too will their souls return to them."


    The marching humans halt in eerie unison, their heads swiveling southward as if pulled by an unseen force. One breaks from the pack and begins to shamble in the direction of Dimartino. One by one, the other soulless humans begin to follow in a line, moving slowly but surely toward civilization.


    Barns shudders as he watches it all happen - the sight is creepy, but he''s happy for it.


    Francois crosses her arms as the first of her humans leaves the city.


    "Now all that''s left for you to do, Barnacles, is decide what you will do with me."


    Her words strike him. He hadn''t considered it - not yet. But Francois was now part of the Kingdom of Dimartino too, in a way.


    "What do you think is next?" he asks.


    "I will stay here, of course," she smiles. "But you have found yourself an ally in me. You have done me a great favor, as have I for you. I look forward to our future collaborations."


    Francois shifts and begins to head back to the Vampire Lily, but not before Barns stops her.


    "Francois. Some day, I will end the apocalypse. That means killing the First Vampire, and vanquishing the vampire line. Can you accept that?"


    She pauses. "Barnacles, it is the only reason I decided to help you," she says with a knowing smile. "For it is the gift that I hope you will some day give me. To end my cursed existence forevermore."

 Chapter 81 - 81: The New Citizens of Dimartino

    Barns, Osmond, and Eldrie stand near the gates of Dimartino Castle, watching as thousands of weary figures move toward them, the once-dead now walking again.


    "Twenty thousand new mouths to feed," Osmond mutters, arms crossed.


    "You''re telling me," Barns says. "I don''t think we''re going to have enough daily quests."


    A logistical nightmare all around. I''m getting hives just thinking about it."


    "Do demons even get hives?"


    "No," Osmond admits. "Then I''m getting¡­ emotional hives."


    "Don''t worry," Barns retorts. "We can make Maria figure out the logistics on this one."


    Eldrie smirks at the comment, but he''s already analyzing the situation. "I''ll handle the preparations," he says. "We need housing assignments, and someone to explain to these people why they''re alive again."


    "Sounds like you can handle it, vampire boy," Osmond jests. "I must go find my dear Maria. Excuse me, gentlemen."


    Barns groans. "Alright. Eldrie, you can get everything ready, right? I want to see if King''s around."


    "Of course, Master Barns," Eldrie says, doing the claw salute. "I''ll deliver a speech from the castle balcony. Would you like to say a few words as well?"


    "Sure," Barns says, jogging away toward the front doors of the castle. "Hopefully all those people fit in the courtyard!"


    He leaves Eldrie to his musings, and makes for the castle doors.


    The moment Barns enters the castle, he hears the scuttles.


    "BARNACLES!"


    Clancy''s booming, guttural voice echoes through the halls as the giant crab hurtles toward him. Barns has barely stepped into the grand hall before he''s pulled into a crabby embrace - two enormous pincers wrapping around him and lifting him clean off the ground.


    "CLANCY," Barns wheezes, imitating the crab''s voice. "BREATHING. ISSUE." He notices his crab is wearing a pope hat, but he doesn''t have the capacity to question it right now.


    Clancy sets him down, clicking his claws excitedly. "HUMANS COME. DIMARTINO GROWING."


    "Yeah, twenty thousand!" Barns says, his face alight with excitement - and a little bit of anxiety. "You''re in the big leagues now, Clancy! King of over twenty-five thousand! Man, that sure is a big number, huh, King? And soon I have to talk in front of all of them..."


    Clancy''s beady purple eyes stare at the hero blankly for several moments. "BARNACLES NERVOUS?"


    "No! No, of course not. I''m a legendary hero. I don''t get nervous."


    Clancy clicks his claws knowingly. "BARNACLES NERVOUS! STAGE FRIGHT!"


    Barns groans. "It''s not ''stage fright,'' it''s just - look, talking to a bunch of people is one thing. Talking to twenty thousand people is something else entirely. What if I say something stupid?"


    Clancy considers this, then nods solemnly. "CRAB DANCE?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­What?"


    "CRAB DANCE CALMS NERVES."


    Barns stares at him for a long moment before rubbing his temples. "I''m not going to dance for twenty thousand people, King. Hey, look. Just meet me up on the balcony, where we had your coronation, okay?"


    Clancy bounces up and down on his crab legs in agreement, doing a little crab dance of his own. As Clancy''s claws click in excitement, Barns sighs and sets off to his destination, mind already spinning with what to say.


    The hero figures he has a little bit of time before Eldrie is set up and is able to deliver the ''essentials'' of his speech. He decides to take a quick stop at his room and change - though his room is all the way at the top of the tallest tower. On the way up, Barns nearly runs into Roscoe, who''s leaning against the wall just outside the grand staircase, arms folded like he''s been waiting. The moment he sees Barns, his face lights up, but there''s something tired in his eyes. An exhaustion that doesn''t come from lack of sleep.


    "Boss!" Roscoe straightens immediately, but there''s a faint hesitation before his grin fully forms. "You''re back."


    Barns laughs, patting Roscoe on the head. "You''re calling me Boss now?"


    "You said you''re going to train me, so that makes you the boss! When are we gonna start?" Roscoe clenches his fists, determined. Yunie''s death still weighs heavy on the boy, an unspoken elephant in the room between them. Getting stronger, pulling his weight - it''s the only thing that keeps Roscoe''s head above water.


    "You alright?" Barns asks, his tone softer and concerned. Roscoe was his responsibility now, and one that Barns intends to take seriously.


    Roscoe falters for half a second. He looks away, just briefly. "Yeah. Just¡­ still getting used to everything. Y''know."


    Barns doesn''t push. He doesn''t have to. "Yeah."


    Roscoe exhales sharply, impatient. "Anyway, can we start training? I have the sword you lent me and everything, I am free now!"


    Barns punches the boy in the arm playfully. "Soon, I promise," he says. "I have to do a speech first that might take some time. We''ve got twenty thousand newbies coming in today! Hey, why don''t you come and watch the speech from the balcony? You''ll be able to see everyone from up there, just like a legendary hero!"


    Roscoe shakes his head, this time more subdued. "No way, in front of that many people!?"


    "That''s right. You can be one of my honored guests!"


    "If you insist, boss! I''ll just consider it part of my training. I gotta get used to being a hero too, right?"


    "That''s right. And...call me Barns. Or, you know what? How about ''big bro''?


    Barns blushes as he says it, but he''s always wanted a little brother, and Roscoe was currently down one older sibling.


    Roscoe''s face lights up like he''s just been knighted, and for a moment that shadow behind his eyes begins to dispel. "Let''s go, big bro!"


    "Once I change," Barns smiles. "Be right back, little bro!"


    ...


    The balcony of Dimartino Castle is massive, overlooking the courtyard where the newly revived citizens have gathered twenty thousand strong. A wave of murmuring voices fills the air, their expressions ranging from confusion to hope to outright panic. Some clutch at their chests, as if still grappling with the fact that they''re alive once again. Others stand in small clusters, whispering among themselves.


    Some of the people remember what happened, and some do not - though the six or so years they spent as shambling, soulless vampire thralls are a bit hazy. All they seem to remember is walking a lot, and to be fair, it''s mostly all that happened in the six years.


    Barns, Clancy, and Roscoe are standing behind Eldrie as he finishes up his speech. Finally, Eldrie turns to the group of three and addresses the crowd.


    "And now, ladies and gentlemen," Eldrie finishes, "I would like to introduce you to the man of the hour - the Legendary Hero of Dimartino and the Savior of Humanity, The Resurrector of Souls! Barnacles!"


    Barns swallows hard. This is it. He walks up to the podium alongside the mighty crab.


    Clancy stands beside him, massive and imposing, exuding a presence that silences the crowd just by existing.


    Eldrie positions himself strategically at the edges next to Roscoe ensuring that if things go south, he''ll be ready.


    Roscoe''s gripping the railing, excited. For someone who was anxious about being in front of this crowd, he''s certainly reveling in it now.


    Barns readies himself. He can do this. If he can kill a Master Vampire, he can speak in front of a crowd - no matter the size.


    He steps forward, gripping the microphone.


    ''Alright, Barns,'' he thinks to himself. ''Don''t say anything stupid.''


    "New citizens of Dimartino!" Barns shouts, his voice echoing over the massive crowd. His heart pounds in his chest, so hard he''s anxious the microphone will pick it up. For all the times he''s claimed to be the legendary hero, now it''s certifiable.


    As he starts, a window appears in front of him.


    [Progress: 26780/1000000]

 Chapter 82 - 82: The Heros Speech

    All twenty thousand pairs of eyes are on him - the legendary hero.


    "My name is Barnacles, but you can call me Barns. Or ''legendary hero''. Or... You know, just call me whatever you like. Just don''t call me late for dinner!"


    No laughs, just a very distinct cough from someone in the crowd.


    He curses under his breath. ''I said don''t say anything stupid!'' he reminds himself.


    "Listen. I know I spoke around a few of you on our way here, but here''s the deal, plain and simple. This crab here is named Clancy, and he''s the king of all humanity. And I have the honor of being his number one.


    "Clancy and I, we have a dream. We''re going to reset the apocalypse! When we first started out only a month or so ago, it was just the two of us. And now we''re..." he pauses to check the system message, "26,780 strong. And that number will only grow from here. That''s my promise to all of you."


    Barns takes a deep breath. The nerves are leaving him. As he looks over the captivated crowd, he comes into his confidence.


    "I don''t have all the answers. I make mistakes. The title of legendary hero still feels inauthentic to me. I don''t know if it will ever feel fully right, but to me it''s more about what the title represents. I have a power that can be used to save humanity. The ability to resurrect the dead."


    There are surprised gasps from the crowd. He normally never has to spell this part out, but strictly speaking the twenty thousand before him were never dead, just soulless.


    "So I invite you all to join this kingdom of ours. Let''s work together, and achieve something greater than we had before. Let us prove the strength of humanity and take back control of our world!"


    He pumps his fist in the air, expecting some excitement. He gets a slow clap and a few cheers. Not the worst response.


    ''Alright, curb the enthusiasm a little,'' he cautions himself.


    "There''s one thing I want to leave you all with," he says into the microphone, his voice a touch more wistful than it was before. "Let''s all be good to one another. Humanity lost the apocalypse because we were divided. But if we can stick together, then anything is possible.


    "I don''t know what each of you remembers about the last six years. I don''t know what you lost. But I do know this - today, you have a second chance. And I''m here to make sure it''s worth it."


    He cracks a smile and closes his eyes. "Now, let me introduce you to your new King, the honorable Clancy!"


    He steps aside and the giant crab scuttles in front of the microphone. He raises his claws into the air as he speaks.


    "PARTY TIME!"


    Clancy gets the loudest cheer of the day.


    "Way to ramble," Roscoe jests as Barns stands by his side.


    "Hey, you brat. Do you want combat training or not!?"


    They both direct their attention back toward Clancy, who''s now doing one of his signature crab dances in front of the microphone.


    "We really need to get better at these speeches."


    Later, the crowd has dispersed into three groups. One group will settle the land between Dimartino and Ordella, bridging the two civilizations. Another group will settle the eastern coast, near the beach where Barns cleared out some slimes. The third group will stay in the heart of Dimartino, bolstering the lands around the town.


    Thankfully, Dimartino has no shortage of land, and according to Quinn who''s helping out with the logistics, they have unlocked ''Level Two City Building'' and groups of people can now come together to generate apartment buildings with the system. That will greatly save on space. It''s convenient in another way - among the twenty thousand, it turns out there are a few families.


    After the ceremony, Barns and Clancy finally have a moment to catch up for real.


    "So, about the hat," Barns says with a nervous chuckle as the two walk down a lavish castle corridor in tandem. "You become sainted while I was gone or something?"


    "ORDELLA RELIC," Clancy explains. "GOD KING CRAB."


    "Right, right," Barns says, biting his lip. It''s as good an explanation as he''ll get from the crab. After twelve years together, he knows better than to try and get the full story, and he''s gotten good at reading between the lines.


    "Oh, that reminds me. Did you find a Moderator for Ordella?"


    "MODERATOR!" Clancy bounces. "PRETTY LADY. BIG RACK."


    "You didn''t choose her because of that, did you?"


    The crab smiles and clicks his claws daintily. Of course he did.


    "And¡­I heard about the Sentinel. Donatella, was it?"


    "CRAZY LADY! BIGGER RACK. EVIL RACK. CLANCY NO LIKE."


    "She was strong?" Barns asks quietly.


    Clancy stops scuttling as he recalls his battle with Donatella. Barns whips his head back, surprised that Clancy halts in his tracks.


    "VERY STRONG. BARNACLES. NOT SURE IF WE CAN BEAT HER."


    The words hit Barns like a bag of bricks. "You think¡­she would have defeated you?"


    It''s tough for the king crab to admit, but he knows that if Donatella went full power that she would have defeated Clancy.


    "KING THINKS¡­CRAZY LADY AND KING WOULD KILL EACH OTHER. NO WINNER. STRONGEST EVER SEEN. MAYBE EVEN BEAT BARNACLE CLANCY DUO."


    Barns sighs. Clancy was quite chatty about this, and that can only mean one thing. The fight has cemented itself in the crab''s mind - normally only fish and women have that effect on him.


    ''Are you afraid, Clancy?'' Barns thinks, but he dares not put his crab in such a vulnerable position with a question like that. He does what makes sense and pulls his crab in for a hug.


    "Next time she comes around, I''ll be at your side, King. She won''t beat us. No chance."


    Clancy wraps his claw around Barns. His shell is warm, as if he were just baked in the sunlight.


    "BARNACLES MAKE KING CRAB HAPPY. GOOD BARNACLES. STRONGER BARNACLES."


    "I did gain a few levels since we last fought together," Barns smiles. "Level 8 now that I beat Adon, but I was in such a hurry I didn''t even get a chance to check the stat window."


    Almost like magic, a window appears in front of him. Zelia must be listening to their conversation.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 8 (650/1000)


    Strength: 17


    Vitality: 17


    Agility: 17


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 8


    Charisma: 18


    Luck: 20]


    "Check it out, Clancy, I''m smarter than you now," Barns gloats, pointing to the system message. As he does, another one pops up, this one for Clancy.


    "Oh, you leveled up too, King," he says, looking at the window. "Wait! Your Intellect is the same as mine again!?"


    [Name: Clancy


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 8 (650/4600)


    Strength: 38


    Vitality: 49


    Agility: 20


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 14


    Charisma: 32


    Luck: 10]


    "Oh, one other thing, King. Check this out!"


    Barns does a dramatic pose and thrusts his arm forward. "Claw of Death!" he shouts, as his arm transforms into a crab claw and slices through the empty air.


    Clancy clicks his claws. "MASTERY!" he says, excited. "CLAW ATTACK. HARDEN BODY. CRAB INTUITION. ONE MORE AND BARNACLES READY FOR NEXT STEP."


    "The next step¡­?"


    "ULTIMATE CRAB." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 83 - 83: Prime Suspect

    "So, Francois actually followed through on her word, did she?" Maria ponders, shuffling around the makeshift infirmary of Underhill''s. Osmond returned to her not long ago, and filled her in on everything that happened on his trip to the Hidden City Lantafort.


    "Here I was, thinking of ways we could have foam-bombed the city by rolling explosives down that long, long hill."


    "That''s my sweet Maria, always planning the next move!" Osmond dotes, running his hand through her hair. She smacks his hand away. She''s never liked the doting.


    "My dove, is your leg feeling better? It''s a relief to see you walking again."


    The icy Princess taps her foot on the ground a few times. "Hurts like hell, but I''ve never minded a little pain," she confesses. "Not that it''s news to you." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond steps a little closer. "Of course not," he smirks, trailing his finger down her cheek experimentally. "My, it''s been a while since I''ve given you some pain and pleasure, hasn''t it?"


    "I don''t need any extra pain right now. But¡­"


    Maria pulls Osmond on top of her and falls onto the bed. The demon is immediately aroused, and starts running his teeth along the soft skin on her throat.


    "Uunf¡­" Maria moans, coiling her legs around him. "Yes, yes. Good demon. Just like that."


    Osmond rips open the front of her dress and buries his face in her chest, licking and biting her all over - right as Underhill walks in.


    "Fucking hell," Underhill spits, turning his eyes away at what he just walked into. "Couple of horny mongrels, you two I swear! I''ve been gone for five minutes!"


    Maria blushes, pulling her dress closed. Osmond appears unrepentant.


    "How could I resist my lady''s wondrous charm?" Osmond asks, but Underhill doesn''t care to answer.


    "Listen," Underhill says. "Maria, glad you''re feeling better. Osmond, glad you''re back. I have a request that''s a little¡­spicy, we could say."


    He glances over to Osmond and Maria and realizes that his comment might be misconstrued. "Er, not this kind of spicy," he clarifies, whisking his hand back and forth to motion at whatever Osmond and Maria were about to do. "Something that I know boss man Barnacles wouldn''t approve of. I know who''s responsible for the homicide, but we have to handle this delicately, you know? Seems like the perp is dating our hero boy."


    Osmond climbs off of Maria, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Surely you don''t mean¡­Haima Gore?" he asks. "That sweet little thing?"


    "Sweet little thing, huh?" she glowers. She kicks Osmond in the stomach as he stands over her, pushing him away.


    "Yep," Underhill confirms. "Haima Gore is the killer, I''m certain."


    He''d gotten the opportunity to speak with Haima shortly after she returned from Ordella with King Clancy. For reasons he''s choosing to keep close to his chest for now, she''d been his prime suspect, but after asking her a few questions about that night and seeing how she reacted, now he knew.


    But even as police chief, his power was tenuous at best - Barns and Clancy were the real shot-callers in Dimartino. And with how suspicious of a character Underhill was, arresting Haima on the spot would only cause blowback onto him.


    "I told you not to come to me with baseless accusations," Maria snarls. "I take it you have some ''proof''?"


    "How about Haima owning a knife that''s an exact match for the one found in our murder victim?"


    That silences both Maria and Osmond. If it''s true, then Haima might actually be involved in some way. Still, the evidence is circumstantial.


    "First thing''s first," Underhill says. "We gotta talk to Barnie boy about it, pronto."


    "Let me talk to Haima before anything," Maria insists. "It''s not that I don''t believe you, Underhill. It''s just¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah. I''m a naturally suspicious and aloof guy. What can I say?" he gives an exaggerated shrug. "You talk to her if you want. But it''s high time I start doing my job as a police chief."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at Dimartino Castle¡­


    "Ultimate crab?" Barns repeats.


    Clancy clicks his claws excitedly. The fear of Donatella seems to have left the mighty crustacean for now. "ONE MORE SKILL. BUBBLE BREATH. THEN, SECRET CRAB KINGDOM PILGRIMAGE."


    "Secre-wha?"


    Just as Barns presses Clancy for more information, Eldrie comes around the corner. He''s clearly been searching for the two of them after the speech.


    "Clancy, Barns," he says, waving the dossier they received from Seifa Brahn in Lantafort. "I''ll be gathering all the leadership this afternoon to review the contents of this. I''ve already sent word to town to collect Maria, Osmond and Underhill."


    Barns breaks away from the moment with Clancy to address Eldrie. "Sounds good. We''ll meet in the throne room?"


    Eldrie nods. "That''s the plan, sir. We need to get this information to everyone immediately, so we can start developing counters. If the Sentinels catch us by surprise again, I fear the damage will be even worse than what happened in Ordella."


    Barns considers Eldrie''s words carefully. He''d only hear second-hand what happened in Ordella, but the damage was apparently significant. He shudders to imagine what could happen, and Ordella being so far to the west was vulnerable without anyone there to protect it.


    "If Maria and Osmond are still in town, we''ve got some time," Barns says. "Clancy and I will be there by the end of the hour. Thanks, Eldrie."


    The former vampire nods, giving them a farewell wave and spinning on his heel back in the direction he came from.


    "Alright, Clancy. It''s time to spill the beans. Secret Crab Kingdom pilgrimage?"


    "FOUR SKILLS CRAB AFFINITY. ENOUGH FOR AUDIENCE WITH CRAB SAGE. MEET EMPEROR CRAB."


    It takes Barns a while to parse out everything from Clancy, but he has the gist of it. As a human (potentially the only) with Crab Affinity, he can learn something incredibly powerful and game-changing from this ''Crab Sage'' - but to do so, he needs to master one more ability. An ability that can put his enemies to sleep, but even more importantly, allow him to breathe underwater. ''Bubble Breath''.


    And once he masters this ability, Clancy plans to take him to the underwater Crab Kingdom.


    An underwater Crab Kingdom. A hidden society of legendary crustaceans. A Sage who holds the secret to ultimate Crab Affinity.


    ''¡­How the hell did my life turn out like this?''


    With everything else that''s going on, Barns feels a little anxious about leaving Dimartino for an extended period of time, but this could be the key to receiving the overpowered abilities he''s been banking on.


    "I''m in, King," he says, clasping his fist in his hand in a show of determination. "Looks like I''m going to learn how to breathe underwater!"

 Chapter 84 - 84: [Bonus Chapter] The Dossier

    {Author Note: This chapter summarizes the information in the dossier received from Seifa a few chapters ago - it concerns the Sentinels. Since it''s a collection of written information, this chapter will be a little exposition heavy - feel free to skip it! Any critical information in this chapter will be woven in organically as the story goes on.


    But for those of you who want more world-building and intrigue, you''re in the right place!}


    ¡ª


    The Sentinels and the Emperor Yharan they serve are the biggest threat to Lantafort. The following information has been collected by our tireless agents over the last several years in the event of an attack or invasion. Some information in this dossier is speculative.


    We know there are seven - in fact, they refer to themselves as ''The Seven Sentinels''. They exist in some hierarchy but their ranks in relation to each other have not been fully determined.


    Each of the Sentinels has a ''sensory'' ability that defines their power - visual, olfactory, hearing, touch, or ''sixth sense'' abilities like metacognition or telekinesis.


    Name: Nazakiel - the leader of the Sentinels (Unconfirmed #1)


    Age: Approximately 30 years old. Physically appears around 18. It is believed he stopped aging when the apocalypse began but mechanism for how or why is unknown.


    Physical description: Athletic build, roughly six feet tall. Unkempt, spiky hair. Notable features are his eyes. They glow green and can be visible from over a kilometer away. Up close, it is apparent that yellow runes manifest where his pupils should be, but the significance of this is unknown.


    Powers: S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    1. Superhuman strength and durability. Took a tank shell to the chest in one report and was completely unfazed. Strong enough to punch through three-foot-thick metal barehanded.


    Ocular powers. It is believed that Nazakiel is limited only to the scope of his own imagination. Whatever he sees becomes reality - including anything that he can imagine seeing. This allows him to subvert the laws of physics. Unknown power that allowed him to call down a meteor from space to strike the planet. This was the source of the seventh apocalypse, which destroyed the entirety of the Mazarran subcontinent and sunk it into the ocean. It is unknown whether Nazakiel still possesses this power or if it was a one-time use. Other unknown powers. Nazakiel has been reported to be capable of flight, though this is unconfirmed. Also reported to teleport but this may have been falsely reported as he is known to move so fast that the human eye may struggle to track him.


    Weaknesses:


    No weaknesses have been reported. Even in extreme darkness, his ocular powers are uninhibited. Before the fall of humanity, Nazakiel had multiple battles with fighters of great renown and it is believed that he never suffered a single injury.


    Name: Franzel Ahrman - The Clairvoyant. Referred to by the other Sentinels as ''Four-Eyes''. (Confirmed #4).


    Age: 26. He was a teenager when he awoke to his powers, previously #7 among the Sentinels but his rank and power has been growing steadily.


    Physical description: Scrawny, sickly, remarkably pale and average height. Keeps his purple hair in a bowl cut. Has an uncontrollable, prominent twitch. Always wears thick-rimmed circular glasses that are outfitted with small mirrors.


    Powers:


    Future Sight. It is believed that Franzel can read the fate of anyone he sees up to seven days in advance. The only limit to this power appears to be time - Franzel can process up to an hour''s worth of information in about sixty seconds. He is able to read his own fate by looking into his eyes with the small mirrors in his glasses. [Rumor] It is said that Franzel once wished for everyone around him to die, and the Plague Apocalypse originated shortly after in his city. Within seven days, he was the only survivor.The Emperor''s Left Hand: Franzel was wounded in a battle during the fall of humanity and had his left hand chopped off. He now has an artificial hand that is believed to have been given or created by Emperor Yharan. This hand is detachable and can be remote controlled. It also has strength comparable to the physical prowess of Nazakiel.


    Weaknesses:


    Besides his left hand, Franzel is physically weak. In addition, his future sight only works on someone whom he has recently laid eyes on. It''s believed the best and only way to defeat Franzel would be to ambush him and kill him before he has time to react.


    Name: Lamashti (Rank Unknown)


    Age: ??


    Physical description: Lamashti is a demon woman with a hard-to-miss blazing aura around her. Can be mistaken for a male demon due to her towering stature and intense musculature. Her horns are each two-pronged and her eyes bloody and red - she has the typical gray skin tone common in demons. She is most recognizable by her sigil - the bloody hand - which her followers display on banners and she displays on her chest.


    Powers:


    The Infernal Hand. Instant infernal pain upon physical contact. This power seems limitless, she can completely melt away a human with a single touch. This requires her hand to touch bare skin to take effect. Demon creation. Lamashti can transform a human into a demon. Her targets must be willing.Fire aura. Lamashti''s breath is superhot and engulfs her in an aura of flame. She can use this for long distance attacks or to scald nearby enemies.


    Weaknesses:


    Besides her fire aura, Lamashti is a close-range fighter. It is speculated that powerful ranged attacks could be enough to bring her down. Fighting her up close is a likely death sentence.


    Name: Donatella (Confirmed #6)


    Age: 27


    Physical description: Long green hair, always seen to be wearing white, with pink adornments in her hair. Otherwise no easily remarkable or identifying features. The newest Sentinel - replacing one who was killed during the fall.


    Powers:


    Telekinesis. Donatella can freely manipulate any object she can see, the most reported account of her using this power was her lifting a tower out of the ground and launching it like a rocket, which destroyed an entire mountain. Meteorites. Donatella can raise rocks from the ground and use them to fly around on, and can summon them back down to the earth at her discretion. One of the signs that she is nearby tends to be a swirling circle of rocks in the sky. This appears to be an offshoot of her Telekinesis ability. Unknown Spatial technique. Donatella appears to be able to warp objects in and out of existence. The exact mechanism for this is unknown, but it is believed she can only create objects that she has previously ''warped away'' using this technique. Possible control over a ''pocket dimension''.


    Weaknesses:


    Donatella lacks the physical reinforcements of the other Sentinels and is believed to be an offensive specialist with (relatively) little defensive power. Her telekinesis can act as a potent shield so taking advantage of this weakness would require a surprise attack - employing similar strategies as those discussed for Franzel is recommended.


    Unlike most of the other Sentinels, Donatella excels in close combat and at range. It is not recommended to engage her directly.


    Information on the remaining three Sentinels is sparse. All we know is:


    A female Sentinel (rank unknown) who can manipulate sound and devastate any within earshot. She is rumored to operate on the western coast.


    A female Sentinel (rank unknown) who operates Emperor Yharan''s hideout. Location and specifics are unknown. This Sentinel is believed to have full control over the hideout and can change its shape at will.


    A male Sentinel (believed to be #7) who is referred to only as ''the Bloodhound''. He tracks enemies of the Sentinels and operates in the shadows.

 Chapter 85 - 85: Seven Sentinels

    Eldrie stands in the throne room, looking out the large windows in the back of the palatial estate. He sees someone he recognizes - Jordan, the young police officer he ran into in the woods. She''s wearing a bikini, basting in the sun on a lawn chair beside the castle''s extravagant and lavish swimming pool.


    He licks his lips. She''s so far away, but even from this distance he can see how the sun glistens on her thick, meaty thighs. Her beautiful skin is coated in oil and soaks up the rays, giving her delectable color.


    Eldrie''s hand starts to slip down the front of his pants when suddenly the door to the throne room burst open. He hurriedly collects himself and moves away from the window.


    ''God, I''d do anything to go down there with her right now,'' he thinks to himself. But he''s got work to do.


    Maria and Osmond arrive first. Though she insisted she was fine to walk, Osmond wouldn''t hear it, and he carried Maria on his back all the way from the town. It was no big deal for the muscular demon - he was far stronger than a regular human, and he had plenty of experience hoisting Maria around. Once they make it into the throne room, she slaps him until he agrees to release her, and she limps up to the war table in the back of the room.


    "Information on the enemy, huh?" Maria asks, looking at the binder on the table. For someone who loves research like her, it''s hard not to grab it and immediately pour over every excruciating detail.


    She''s somewhat aware of the Sentinels. On occasion, strange messages appear in her System Log, referencing system users - humans - who she has never seen. She knew there was a group out there, and she knew they had some connection to the apocalypse. Today, she''ll figure out exactly what that connection is.


    Underhill arrives next, twirling his cane around and looking giddy. He''s the type to always have something up his sleeve, but he rarely shares his proclivities until it''s of benefit to himself. Everyone has a natural mistrust of Underhill, but Eldrie hasn''t caught on to that yet.


    "Who doesn''t love a good strategy meeting?" Underhill quips. "My artisans have been chompin'' at the bit for something fun to do. It''s all infrastructure this, repair that."


    "I bet there are some qualified artisans among the twenty thousand new recruits," Maria ponders aloud. "As well as Adventurers, police candidates, maybe even those with leadership experience."


    "Sounds like more people to tell what to do," Underhill smirks. "Can''t wait."


    Clancy scuttles into the room next, loudly announcing his presence and skittering up to the war table.


    "Are you the pope now?" Maria asks, looking at the hat strapped to his head. "You know what - never mind."


    Eldrie salutes the king crab in reverence. "I hear the people of Ordella have ordained him as their religious leader," he murmurs to Maria, shifting closer to her so she could hear. "Show some respect."


    The last two to arrive are Barns and Haima, who are laughing and gabbing it up as they walk into the throne room. As they arrive, Maria and Underhill exchange an awkward look - the revelation about Haima''s possible status as a homicidal killer weighs heavy on them both.


    Maria is especially surprised to see the two of them holding hands, but Haima is quick to pry herself away from Barns and move to the other side of the table when they arrive.


    "Alright, that should be everyone," Eldrie says. "Godrick is still in Ordella, recovering from injuries sustained in battle. I asked Quinn to sit this one out so he can focus on today''s new recruits." He glances back toward the window one more time, thinking about the police officer basking in the sunlight. She''s probably flipped over by now, her big, juicy-


    "Right!" Maria starts, interrupting Eldrie''s train of thought. She snatches up the binder and opens up to the first page. "Let''s get started, shall we? Time to learn about these ''Sentinels''."


    ¡­


    Elsewhere¡­


    In a place far from Dimartino is a floating castle in the shape of an inverted pyramid - the prismatic bricks that make up the domain ever-shifting, creating new shapes with each passing moment. It hovers above a crater in the ground that stretches so deep into the earth that the bubbling lava below is like the maw of hell itself.


    The Sentinel Donatella steps toward the castle, and a network of stone blocks fly toward her, creating a path over the fiery ravine. As she walks along the shifting, jittering walkway, the stones behind her hover back to their place in the pyramid.


    She crosses the great chasm - it takes a full five minutes to reach the triangular opening in the pyramid which coaxes her further inside. As she does, the stones seal around her and begin to transport her through the pyramid like a magicked elevator. In moments, they open again, and she''s standing on the edge of a large meeting room.


    Much as Barns and his allies are gathered around their war table, the Sentinels are gathering at theirs. A large table formed from a spiral of white, vein-like tendrils dominates the room, with eight chairs organized around it in sets of two. Six chairs are filled with the other Sentinels who have already gathered - they were waiting only for Donatella. The eight chair, reserved for the Emperor Yharan, lies empty.


    From her right comes the husky, fiery voice of a hulking demon woman. "The stupid one has finally arrived. Time to talk."


    Donatella eyes her colleague, a draconian amazon with bushy hair and a vile, pointed chin like a witch. Her face is painted with red blood and her breath burns so hot that a perpetual haze lingers around her sweaty body.


    "Glad to see you too, Llama-shit - I mean, Lamashti," Donatella spits. Names are always troublesome for her brain, but she did that mispronunciation on purpose.


    Donatella sits in the chair adjacent to Lamashti, looking to the leader of the Seven Sentinels - the man known as Nazakiel.


    His bright eyes fixate on Donatella as she sits, reading her every motion. Nazakiel''s eyes are the source of his incredible power - his irises and sclera are both the same shade of verdant green, and Nazakiel lacks pupils - though glowing yellow runes flit through his eyes as he observes.


    "How disrespectful - To call yourself Sentinel - You can''t kill a crab."


    The soft words come from another voice at the table - the young woman sitting directly across from Donatella. The voice is wicked, but beautiful - belonging to a fair maiden who doesn''t appear a day over twenty. Her beauty is timeless and divine - a goddess walking among mere mortals with her sweet-sing song voice and captivating aura.


    One might think she were otherwise perfect, if not for the insidiousness with which she addresses Donatella, and for her elongated, stilted fingers that she uses as a bow to play her stained black cello - music was the source of her wicked power, and her cello is the voice of her melodies.


    "Enough, Solana."


    She stiffens instantly. Nazakiel''s words alone are enough to make everyone at the table freeze in fear. The wrathful Sentinel''s powers are beyond comprehension, and each of them know it all too well.


    Nazakiel curls his fingers, and the Sentinels are entranced by his terrifying aura. "Donatella. Is this ''crab'' truly so powerful?"


    The green-haired Sentinel shakes her head. "I was surprised, is all. I didn''t fight it alone. It was guarded by a host of pothitively - positively¡­er¡­I forgot where I was going with that¡­"


    Nazakiel stares at her with such disdain she fears he''ll barrel over the table and annihilate her - but to her relief he simply leans back further in his chair.


    His gaze flickers briefly to the other three Sentinels, who thus far have remained quiet. First, he eyes the petite girl who sits directly next to the Emperor''s empty chair. As he looks at her, she yawns and giggles, curling up in the chair and twirling her long silver locks.


    He glances briefly to the two others - a quivering, mischievous and ratty man with a purple bowl cut who hides behind large round glasses, and a towering, seven-foot tall bloodhound who sits with his arms crossed, just waiting for the meeting to end. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nazakiel exhales slowly. Even his subtle movements cause the powerful and defined muscles in his arms to tense.


    "It was a mistake to send you, Donatella. I''ll deal with it myself. No amount of guards can stop me."


    The heavenly musician Solana rises from her chair, her movements fluid and airy. "I will take my leave - Donatella is shameful - And I need a reprieve."


    She glides away as the others begin to rise and leave the table, leaving only Donatella and Nazakiel sitting, staring at each other.


    "It won''t be a walk in the park even for you," Donatella advises. "Barnacles isn''t just a crab. Don''t say I didn''t warn you."

 Chapter 86 - 86: Dealing With the Seven

    "So to recap," Maria says as she sets down the dossier on the table for anyone who wants to take a second look. "They all have sensory powers. Nazakiel''s got the eyes, ''Four-Eyes'' has future sight. Sounds like touch is accounted for with the demon lady."


    "Lamashti," Osmond notes, speaking her name aloud. "A terrifying woman. I was born with memories of her, but I didn''t know she was a ''Sentinel''."


    "This bloodhound is probably ''smell'', if we look at it from the senses. One plays music, so I bet she controls sound. And Donatella¡­telepathy? Telekinesis? What does that leave?"


    "The one who operates the hideout," Barns says. "And we''re missing someone with power over ''taste''."


    "Well, surely she''s not just sitting there licking the walls. Or is she? My darling Maria, is that idiotic or genius?"


    "Idiotic."


    Osmond falters.


    "It sounds like sensory deprivation is the way to go about killing them, anyway," Osmond continues. "Wouldn''t you say? Good news for all of you - Maria and I are somewhat experts at ''sensory deprivation'', if you know what I mean." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clancy clicks his claws. "HOT." Nobody else bothers to give a follow-up answer.


    "Donatella¡­is only #6 among them." Haima''s voice cuts through the gathered leadership. Her words are heavy with self-doubt.


    "I wasn''t even able to touch her. To think she is among their weakest." Haima covers her hand with her mouth. The sinking pit that formed in her stomach when she was defeated by Donatella grows deeper and deeper. She once believed herself to be among the top echelon of fighters. Now, she couldn''t even land an attack on one of the weakest Sentinels. What could she hope to contribute to this looming war?


    Barns puts his arm around Haima, rubbing her back gently. "You did great, Haima. You were the first to engage her, and you lived to tell the tale. That''s a big deal."


    She slinks away from his touch, ever uncomfortable from physical contact - even if it''s from Barns. She''s lost in her mind, but she knows what must happen.


    ''I need to leave Dimartino,'' she realizes. ''My powers are not what they should be. It''s time to visit my ancestral home and do what I must.''


    Haima clenches her fists. The realization is bitter, but undeniable. If she stays here, she will never be enough. If she leaves, she has a chance. A chance to prove that her failures do not define her future.


    "If you''d all excuse me," Haima says, stepping away from the table. "This is much for me to think about, and I''m not sure I''ll have anything useful to contribute. My apologies."


    She begins to walk away, but not before she''s interrupted.


    "Actually, Haima," Maria interjects. "I was hoping to chat after this, just you and me. Think you could wait around a bit longer?"


    Haima tilts her head toward Maria. The request startles her - she couldn''t imagine what Princess Maria of all people would have to say to her. Nonetheless, she reluctantly agrees and tells Maria she''d be waiting in the conference room down the hall.


    As Maria gets her confirmation, she exchanges a quick, knowing glance with Underhill. This is about Underhill''s accusations against Haima, of course. Maria needs to confirm for herself whether or not Haima is a killer or not.


    Barns exhales slowly. He isn''t sure which part''s worse - that they were so outmatched, or that the Sentinels weren''t even trying yet. All of this planning, all of their power¡­was it enough to even defeat Donatella? What if all seven attacked at once?


    "So, Donatella was the one who attacked us. She''s the one we should prioritize coming up with a plan to defeat." Barns reels the conversation back in, focusing on their top priority - making sure these Sentinels don''t push Dimartino into an early end. He just had to hope they wouldn''t bring their full might down upon them - at least not until they have a solid plan of action.


    "I might have some ideas cookin''," Underhill smirks. "Got me someone on the police force who knows some Secret ''Gravity'' Arts. Maybe they can be our trump card - prevent the Sentinel from throwing any more buildings. You catch my drift?"


    Haima is still only halfway across the throne room as Underhill makes his comment, but she feels the need to speak some sense as she strolls away. "That woman is unnaturally powerful," she says, loud enough for all to hear. "No Secret Arts will work as a direct counter - it could never be so easy."


    Haima''s words are cold, but everyone assembled understands the truth behind them. Secret Arts, no matter how powerful, would struggle to counter Donatella''s strength which defies reason itself. Her ability to manipulate objects was no Secret Art - that was deep, powerful magic that may be related to the origin of the apocalypse itself.


    "What recourse do we have, then? Perhaps among the newly revived twenty thousand there are some with Secret Arts or combat ability?" Maria suggests. "But against such an opponent, do numbers even matter?"


    "MUST GET STRONGER!" Clancy bellows. "HAVE IDEA. BARNACLES AND CRAB, UNDERWATER. SECRET CRAB KINGDOM, CAN''T TALK ABOUT WITH MORTALS."


    Eldrie bows as the king speaks, showing his utmost respect. "The King speaks true," Eldrie decides for the group. "The answer is truly that simple, is it not? We must get stronger."


    Eldrie places both of his hands on the table and leans in close, looking to each of his gathered allies in turn. "It''s no secret anymore that I have the power of Adon and Adea in my left eye," Eldrie says quietly. Each time he acknowledges his eye, it feels more real - and more dangerous.


    "I can cultivate this power and become strong. I know I can. And it seems Barns and Clancy have some ideas on how to improve their strength as well."


    "Adea was no match for me," Maria gloats - and she was right. With the full power of her custom Royal Art, Ave Maria, she was able to devastate Adea who was herself a Master Vampire. "But my power comes at a great cost. I won''t be able to fight like that for some time. I fear I won''t be much help if the Sentinels attack again soon."


    "Lamashti is a demon, just like me," Osmond thinks aloud. "If she is powerful enough to be a Sentinel, then I must also have the potential to be as strong as she is."


    Osmond''s hand reflexively reaches down to touch the glowing mark on his stomach. He wasn''t just a demon - he bore the mark of Gluttony. A mysterious power that, much like the magicks wielded by the Sentinels, defies reason.


    Osmond''s fist quivers as he resolves himself. "When my dove was hurt in battle, I realized that I lacked the strength to protect her. Truly, since I''ve been born, I have never had to push my powers to their absolute limit. But I will get stronger. The Sentinels will never have Dimartino, not as long as I draw breath."

 Chapter 87 - 87: Purchases, Right In the App

    As the meeting concludes, Maria excuses herself to go talk with Haima. The throne room is opened up to the public, where many people have already gathered to beseech Clancy with their requests. The mighty, sulking crab props himself up onto the throne and Eldrie assists him as they begin holding audience.


    Eventually, Barns, Osmond, and Underhill are the only three left at the planning table. They tune out the noise of Clancy''s declarations as they continue to brainstorm what their next steps should be.


    "I can have the artisans whip up some kinky stuff," Underhill jests. "Black-out helmets, noise canceling headphones, you name it. At least we''ll have them if the opportunity ever arises to slap one of the Sentinels with ''em."


    "Not a bad idea," Barns agrees. "We don''t know the circumstances of their powers, but it''s possible Donatella needs to see in order to use her telekinesis. Maybe even some type of Secret Art that can create a fog?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Underhill snaps his fingers and wags his hand at Barns. "Now there''s an idea!" Underhill pauses for a brief aside, his sneaky eyes darting all around as he thinks of a multitude of ideas. "I wonder if there''s some way to utilize the fog from the Pale Court¡­"


    As Underhill ruminates, Osmond remembers something that the shady police chief mentioned earlier that day - something to do with the system.


    "You said ''Zelia'' has some new developments for us, didn''t you?" Osmond asks, changing the subject. "Can you tell us more about that?"


    Underhill''s stream of consciousness breaks. "Oh, yeah. I did say somethin'' like that, huh? I suppose you''ve both been gone the past couple days, and haven''t been apprised of all the new developments. Lemme fill you in."


    Underhill gives a quick rundown of the new quest system. Now that Yunie is gone, Zelia took the opportunity to revamp how she was distributing quests. Alongside the artisans, a message board has been installed in the Adventurer Guild that updates itself with both Daily and now Weekly Quests.


    Those who are Adventurers were invited to be beta-testers for a new device - something like a cell phone, but with only one app. From those devices, they can accept and track quests. They can even make purchases - Guild equipment - from the app. They just had to report in person to pick up their supplies after.


    "That should simplify things quite a bit," Barns smiles. "I was worried about Roscoe having to run that place all by himself."


    "The Guild is going swimmingly," Underhill says, his usual smirk plastered over his face. "And even if not, that kid''s got a good head on his shoulders. Tryna do right by his sister - it''s lit a fire in him, for sure."


    "Do these devices you''re handing out have any communication features?" Barns wonders. Being able to send and receive messages to others would be an excellent benefit to their ever-expanding System.


    "Not quite. But Zelia and I are cookin'' up some new ideas, and that''s definitely one of them. Seems there''s some issue with creating new users in the System that even Z-bot can''t fully navigate around. Says there are ''too many watching eyes'' or something."


    "Z-bot?" Barns laughs. "Sounds like you and Zelia have been chatting a lot."


    "More than I should be, less than I''d like to," Underhill winks.


    "Last time I saw Zelia, she was acting a little¡­different," Barns remembers. It was outright chilling - Zelia, the Administrator, seemed like a force of benevolent good when he first met her - barring a smidge of snarky duplicity. But during his last conversation, it was like a different entity altogether¡­


    "Oh, yeah? She and I have been gettin'' on great."


    The words do nothing to quell the unease in Barns'' heart. She was becoming colder to Barns, but getting closer to Underhill? He didn''t like the sound of that at all.


    "If she can''t create new users, could she ''convert'' old ones?" Osmond wonders, joining in the conversation. He''d been deep in thought about his own powers - the roaring demon inside. Planning, thinking, strategizing on how he could safely increase his power levels.


    "You know, like Yunie. She had an account or whatever, right? Could that account be given to someone else? I''m sure she''s not the only ''Moderator'' who died during the apocalypse, either. Maybe Zelia could repurpose them?"


    Underhill looks as if he''s just awoken to a whole world of new possibilities - and Osmond''s words make more sense to him than the demon realizes.


    "You may just be a genius, sir. We should talk more. You got a good head on ya."


    Osmond smiles faintly. He''s not used to being complimented - Maria will only praise him in the heat of the moment, and is a ''dead-fish'' besides. Even for a demon, social acceptance is something he craves, and every day he felt more and more like the new Dimartino is the home he''s always wanted.


    He''s also surprising himself at how he''s begun to warm up to Underhill. Once, he treated the man with nothing but suspicion. Underhill was still suspicious as hell, but the value he''s brought to the Kingdom has been undeniable.


    Barns taps his knuckles on the table a couple times as his brain switches gears. Before he can fully move to the next task at hand, however, his eyes dart over to the grand entrance of the throne room. Another person is arriving to speak with Clancy, but that''s not what Barns is thinking about.


    "Hey, do either of you happen to know what Maria wanted to talk to Haima about?" he asks abruptly. He''d been racking his brain to try and understand, but nothing about the two of them seems to overlap. His curiosity made him a bit nervous.


    Underhill wasn''t planning to let that cat out of the bag, but as Barns asks and makes direct eye contact with the police chief, Underhill can''t get his poker face ready in time. His eyes are wide and spinning with excuses - and Barns sees it clearly.


    ''Guess there''s no sense lying now,'' Underhill thinks. Underhill had lied his way out of worse situations, but something about Barns - his sheer, honest, pain-in-the-ass determination - made it feel like a waste of effort. Besides, the kid deserved to know, didn''t he?


    He curses himself under his breath - he''s supposed to be a good liar. His deflective nature failed him in the moment, and he decides to do something a bit out of character for him - tell the whole truth.


    "Listen, guy. Only telling you cause you asked, so don''t shoot the messenger. You remember the knife we found sticking out of that homicide victim''s chest? Well¡­your girl Haima has a matching set."

 Chapter 88 - 88: The Killer

    "So, Haima," Maria starts, closing the door behind her and steeling herself. "Let''s have a quick talk."


    Haima is already sitting down at the conference table, across from Maria. She eyes the Princess with mild interest.


    "Of course, Princess Maria. I am happy to serve. What can I do for you?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy - Haima''s innocent, helpful personality was the exact opposite of what one would expect from a killer. Still, Maria had a job to do here.


    She sits down at the table directly opposite Haima, piecing together slowly how she wants to word her concerns.


    "Haima, as you know, there was a man found dead some days ago, down on Castleton. I trust you heard about it?"


    Haima tilts her head with a certain feigned curiosity. "Why, yes. I''ve been following the case quite closely."


    "Is that right?"


    Maria drums her fingers on the table. "You see, Haima¡­there have been some concerns that you might have had some involvement in the case."


    "Oh?" Haima smiles. "Well, yes. I suppose I might have some information I haven''t yet shared with the police."


    Haima presents a wall to Maria - hard to read, hard to get an angle on. But in her inner thoughts, Haima was in chaos.


    The fact that Maria is asking her questions about this directly means that the Princess is suspicious - she thinks that Haima might be the killer. And Haima could not let that be the case. Not right now. Not when she''d already resolved herself to leave Dimartino and get stronger.


    "And what information is that?"


    Haima continues to smile, forcing herself to look as happy and natural and pleasant as possible. In truth, it was eating her up, and it had been for a while.


    "Well, Princess¡­It''s been a little concerning for me, because I saw that man Underhill sneaking into my house one night. And shortly after, I found a strange dagger had appeared in my home. I was in a bit of a panic about it, actually - but then I heard the murder weapon was recovered and I didn''t think much of it."


    Maria''s blood chills. "Are you saying that Underhill planted some sort of dagger in your home?"


    "Yes," Haima confirms. "But I couldn''t imagine why. I thought the worst, at first. Was he the killer? Was he marking me as his next victim? But he''s not tried to do anything since. I also doubt someone like him could ever sneak up on me. His blood is far too erratic."


    "This is a serious accusation you''re making," Maria says.


    "No accusations, just observations. Why? Did you believe something else to be the case?"


    Maria stops herself. If the dagger didn''t belong to Haima, and was actually Underhill''s, that changed everything. Underhill just jumped from ''helpful police chief'' to ''prime suspect'' in Maria''s eyes.


    ''Should I tell her?'' Maria thinks. This murder investigation was quickly devolving into a ''he said, she said'' situation. But Maria at least knows one thing as a result of this conversation - either Underhill or Haima are lying. That means one of them must be the killer.


    ''Screw it,'' Maria decides. She''d spill the beans.


    "You see, Underhill informed me that as a result of his investigation, YOU were actually the one whom he suspected as the killer, Haima."


    For a split second, Maria sees something in Haima that she could never forget - a darkness. Piercing, angry, and callous. A crack in the mask so perfectly constructed.


    And yet, in an instant, Haima''s face quickly returns to the smiling, happy, endearing facade she always had. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How very curious indeed. Why would I go around stabbing people? If I wanted someone dead, I could do it without even a single touch. I''m sure you''re aware of my power - at least somewhat, Princess."


    Haima raises an excellent point - Maria finds it hard to dismiss it. In fact, from what she knew about Haima, physical combat is something she tries to actively avoid, not being great at it.


    "Is that all, Princess?"


    Haima''s eyes were full of darkness as she spoke - something she could not hide any longer. She knows the walls are closing in on her. Seems she''d have to be leaving Dimartino sooner than she thought, and under much different circumstances.


    "I suppose¡­" Maria frowns. As she speaks, Haima rises from the table and quickly heads for the door.


    "Then I shall see you around. Have a wonderful day, Princess Maria. Oh, sorry. Should I call you ''Former Princess''?"


    The two women exchange a look. It''s impossible to read either of them fully - Maria is far too calculating, and Haima far too guarded.


    "Just Maria is fine, thanks."


    Haima steps out of the room and closes the door quickly behind her. She lets her mask down for only a moment and exhales sharply, deeply. She needs to figure out a plan.


    Why?


    Because Haima is the killer.


    She didn''t plan on it - at least not at first. It was just a normal night at the cafeteria in Dimartino. She saw the man, late thirties, perhaps early forties. He was chatting up two much younger women. Making them uncomfortable. Touching them on the shoulder, whispering into their necks.


    Haima sees things that most people don''t - feelings, emotions. It''s all visible from the flow of blood in one''s body. And on that night, both women were deeply disturbed. And the man''s blood reeked of negative intent.


    So she approached him. Went home with him, freeing the two girls from the situation. She had him lay down in the bed and get ready for the night of his life¡­


    A night that ended with her plunging a dagger into the predator''s sternum. She even left the dagger there. If he''d been killed by a Secret Art of hers, it would have been far too obvious.


    His body would have been positively ravaged by her bloody technique, especially with the rancor she''d been feeling in the moment.


    It wasn''t just about protecting those two girls, however. Haima has a practical need and desire to kill as well. She needs blood - a constant supply of it. The weakness of the Gore Family - none of them could survive without constant transfusions of foreign blood. It''s how she derives her power.


    At that point, monster activity in Dimartino was low, and it was before they''d fought off any vampires. Haima was running low on her blood supply at the time, but her ritualized killing of the man provided her with plenty. She purposely left a bloody mess of the corpse so that any investigators would not notice the pint of blood that was missing from the body.


    Since then, she''d had plenty of gators, chickens, and vampires to gorge herself on. She''d quite the stock of blood, now.


    But none of that mattered. Underhill is aware of her activities, and she wouldn''t be able to stave off suspicion for much longer. And being imprisoned is something that simply cannot happen - she would be deprived of any way to receive more blood. Locked up, she''d wither and die.


    As she spins her wheels about all of this and plans her escape, she bumps right into Barns.


    "Oh, Haima!" Barns says, surprised. "Done with Maria already?"


    She looks up at him. He''s the exact last person she wants to see right now.


    It''d be so easy to leave if she didn''t have to have this conversation, but now that they''re here, mere inches from each other, she supposes she owes him some answers.


    "Barns, do you know what Maria wanted to talk to me about?" she asks quietly.


    "Yeah, some bullshit. They think you had something to do with that guy who was killed. I tried to tell Underhill that you''re not that kind of girl, but you know how annoying and intrusive he can be."


    Haima looks up at him, letting her facade crumble down in his presence. She stares into his bright blue eyes, her own beginning to form light tears.


    She takes hold of his hand and curls her fingers around his, moving close to him, and whispering into his shoulder.


    "Barns, I don''t expect you to understand, and if you never forgive me, so be it. But please, I need you to know that I would never do anything bad. Not unless I had to."


    Barns wraps her other arm around Haima, pulling them into an embrace. "Of course, Haima," he says, some of her hair getting in his mouth.


    She indulges the hug - for a short while. She hates to be touched, but today was somewhat of an exception. And Barns, too, is an exception.


    "I want you to know the real reason why this is happening, Barns. It''s because I''m weak. I couldn''t stop that Sentinel, Donatella. My Secret Arts are too crude. I have a long way to go."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "I''m leaving Dimartino, Barns. To get stronger. Strong enough to kill a Sentinel. And when I return, you can decide what becomes of me. But my destiny is not yet over. So please. Please try to understand."


    "Wait, Haima, what are you - "


    Barns crumples to the ground as Haima surges her power into him for only a moment - just enough for him to black out. He''d wake up in a few minutes.


    "Goodbye, Barns."

 Chapter 89 - 89: Taking A Dip

    "So, it''s true, then¡­" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns voice creaks. Even after everything that has happened, he struggles to believe it. But the evidence is overwhelming.


    Haima is the killer.


    "We had the police search high and low," Maria says quietly. "There is no sign of Haima. None at all."


    Her final words echo in his mind. She''d said she was going somewhere - somewhere to cultivate her power.


    Likely somewhere far from Dimartino. Where is the Gore Family from, again? Barns can''t remember.


    "I know this is shocking, but we can''t let it get in the way of our planning. The Sentinels can return at any time, and we must be vigilant."


    Barns takes a deep breath. "Indeed."


    As he thinks over the events of the day, he realizes that there''s something missing from it all. They just added twenty thousand new humans to their ranks, but the vibe is very much ''doom and gloom'' from the upper administration.


    Even with the threat of the Sentinels looming, there''s something that needs to be done - not just for Barns'' sake, but for everyone.


    "You know, Maria¡­before the Apocalypse, I used to hear stories about Ordella. They held a massive festival every summer, and people from all over the world would come to see."


    Maria rolls her eyes. "Oh, right. Carnivalli. I went a couple times. A pretty raucous and classless affair, if you ask me. Meat everywhere¡­" she shudders.


    "Maybe this seems out of the blue, but I''d like to bring that back. Maybe not exactly how it was - but something. A celebration for our entire kingdom - Dimartino and Ordella. Do you think you can make it happen?"


    Maria lets out one quick and incredulous laugh. "Hah. Why not? I think you''re right, anyway. Morale could use a boost."


    "I''ll let you get to it, then," Barns smiles. "Me, on the other hand. I''ve got some training to do."


    Barns leaves Maria to her devices and finds Clancy by the castle pool. It''s quiet, now, and nobody else is around - the sunbathing Jordan has long departed.


    Barns looks into the water. It''s sparkling and fresh - he couldn''t believe he''d never used the pool since they got the castle back up and running. He loves swimming, after all. But his goal today wouldn''t just be to swim - he''s going to attempt to master a new technique.


    He sits by the pool, his feet splashing in the water as he talks to his crab. It''s a multi-tier pool, the image of opulence - water gushes from built-in fountains, and the air glistens with cool mist.


    "So, what do I have to do again?" Barns asks. He was a little distracted for Clancy''s first explanation - he''s got Haima on the brain.


    "WATCH."


    Clancy dives headfirst into the pool, and the giant crab sinks to the bottom. Barns leans over to try and see, but the uneven surface of the water makes it hard to make out any details.


    He sees the mighty crab form a bubble underwater that floats around his mouth, although the exact mechanisms as to HOW to do it are completely unclear. After a couple minutes, Clancy scuttles back out of the pool and returns to Barns'' side.


    "That''s cool," Barns quips. "But I was thinking maybe an explanation and not just a demonstration? It''s not like I''ve ever blown magical bubbles before, King."


    Clancy clicks his claws together nervously, unsure of what to say.


    "EXPLANATION. THOUGHTS ERRATIC. FILL LUNGS, BREATHE DEEP. IMAGINE BUBBLES. IMAGINE HARDEN BODY BUT INSIDE."


    "Harden Body¡­inside?" Barns thinks. It didn''t make a lot of sense. When he uses Harden Body, all he needs to think about is the idea of becoming impervious to everything around him.


    "I need to¡­steel my lungs¡­" Barns ponders, putting together a plan of some sort. It was vague, but at least he had an idea.


    "STEEL LUNGS!" Clancy bounces at the words. "CORRECT. CORRECT! THEN THINK BUBBLE. AIR IN LUNGS FRESH. BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. NO WATER."


    Barns'' eyes glaze over as they usually do when Clancy tries to give an explanation. Even if the crab were the most eloquent being alive, he''s still working with a completely different set of biological facts.


    At least, Barns was pretty sure crab lungs were nothing like Barnacle lungs¡­


    "Alright. I guess there''s nothing to it but to try."


    Barns jumps to his feet and strips down to his underwear - he supposes he should have thought ahead and brought some swim shorts, but that''s a problem for another day.


    He splashes into the water, and is pleasantly surprised at how warm the pool feels. "Oh man, Clancy - you didn''t tell me how good it feels!"


    The crab clicks happily as Barns wades around a bit, enjoying the vibe. He takes a deep breath and readies himself.


    "Here goes nothing¡­" Barns says, filling his lungs and diving under the water.


    ''Okay, Barns. You can do this. Think! Steel your lungs¡­and imagine a bubble¡­"


    He closes his eyes as he sinks to the bottom of the pool. His focus is unyielding. Slowly. Surely. Steadily. His lungs were like bubbles. He imagines magical air. He wonders - the skill description indicated that he''d be able to ''blow bubbles'' even on the surface and ''put people to sleep'' with them.


    ''How does that all fit together?''


    He''s still under the water, but the air in his lungs is starting to run out. From what Clancy said, the perfected technique would allow him to ''breathe'' in the water without actually filling his lungs with it.


    He supposes he could give that a try. He opens his mouth slightly and attempts to breathe in the oxygen but not the fluid.


    Immediately, he starts choking. He erupts into a panic, swimming quickly to the surface of the water and spitting out a mouthful of water.


    "Bleh!" Barns frets, treading water and looking up to Clancy. "That¡­did NOT work."


    "PRACTICE INCREASES PERFECTION AMOUNT!" Clancy says encouragingly. "EASIER THAN HARDEN BODY!"


    "Maybe for you," Barns snips back. "Alright. Here''s to round two, King."

 Chapter 90 - 90: A Breather

    The water is weightless and warm, like floating in a dream - but his mind is stuck on Haima.


    He thinks about their final interaction. The way he held her so closely. It felt like a cruel joke - their intimacy had finally broken through to a deeper level. He''d felt like they were ready for the next step in their relationship - either making it official, or sharing a true intimate moment.


    And now, he''s not sure if he will ever even see her again.


    He pushes that thought out of his mind - of course he would. Haima is strong. Outside the kingdom, all alone - it''s incredibly dangerous. But if anyone can handle it, Haima''s the one he would put his money on.


    She isn''t just powerful, she''s got incredible sensory abilities. She can find a way to stay out of danger.


    And hey, she''s able to talk to ghosts like nothing. So she also is the type to find unlikely allies when she needs to.


    Barns resurfaces, coughing up water again.


    "How long was that, Clancy?" he asks excitedly. He''d gotten so lost in his thoughts, he had no idea.


    "FORTY-THREE SECONDS."


    "WHAT!?" Barns shouts. "No way! I could hold my breath longer than that before I even started this training!"


    "FOCUS!"


    Barns furrows his brow. He''s done over ten attempts now, and it doesn''t appear he''s made any progress whatsoever. Still, Barns isn''t the type to give up even if something isn''t immediately successful.


    He dives again, trying to focus on the technique. Imagining bubbles. Imagining breathing underwater, like a crab.


    ''Or maybe¡­'' Barns thinks to himself. ''Maybe I can try to imagine having gills or something.''


    He closes his eyes again, but all he can see or think about is Haima. He understands why she had to leave in such a hurry. It''s not like Underhill and Maria would endorse having a murderer walking free around town - and Barns isn''t sure if he even had the moral authority to defend Haima in such a case.


    Still, if she killed someone, she must have had her reasons¡­no way the girl he''d come to crush on was a whacked-out serial killer.


    Or is she?


    Barns shakes his head under the water. Those types of thoughts wouldn''t help at all. He knows he needs to push Haima out of his mind. At least for right now.


    Glug glug.


    A few bubbles escape from his mouth, but he''s pretty sure they''re just air bubbles. Still, he focuses on how the air feels as it leaves his lungs and he sinks deeper into the pool. If only he could re-create that sensation in reverse.


    He thinks about what it would be like - for bubbles to form in the water instead of from his lungs. To flow into him, not out.


    He can imagine the sensation, but he can''t quite replicate it. As he attempts to focus, he finds his mind drifting again. He''d encouraged Maria to make some preparations for a festival. The last festival she organized didn''t go over too well - she DID try to boil Clancy alive.


    ''Oh, well,'' Barns thinks to himself. ''I think she''s got that out of her system, at the very least.''


    Speaking of systems¡­


    He thinks about Zelia, and all the intrigue surrounding her ''blossoming'' relationship with Underhill. But Zelia isn''t the only Administrator he''s interacted with¡­


    He shivers under the water just thinking about the other Administrator, Pallas. The hanging brain. He hasn''t interacted with the thing ever since it gave him the ability to level up - a fact he''s not upset about in the slightest. If he never sees that brain again, it''ll be too soon¡­


    Though Barns knows the truth. If he''s truly going to reset the apocalypse, he''d encounter Pallas again before long.


    He surfaces again, looking over to Clancy. He was just about to run out of air, but that time definitely felt longer.


    "How long, King?" he asks again. But the crab isn''t paying attention - in fact, he''s completely turned around, leaking a little bit of foam from his mouth.


    Two bodacious girls from town are approaching the pool in skimpy bathing suits. They both have curves in all the right places, bouncing up and down. Barns starts staring too.


    He just lost a girlfriend, after all. Maybe he could get away at least with a peek.


    As he floats on the surface of the water, the two girls point at him and wave. "Oh my gosh!" one of them says excitedly. "Is that the legendary hero!"


    ''Screw it, I could use a break.''


    Barns waves. "Hello, ladies!" he says cockily. "Come on in, the water''s fine!"


    The two women (easily 9/10s) jump into the pool and start swimming around. They seem a little nervous to be in the presence of Barns and the king, but they''re having fun, splashing each other.


    He swims over to them at the shallow end of the pool, wading toward them. His torso fully out of the water, he''s glistening with water, and his muscles (which have grown even bigger since he''s started ''leveling'' are almost as impressive as Godrick''s - on a much smaller frame, anyway.


    The two girls laugh and eye him up and down. He suddenly feels a little embarrassed - he''s in nothing but wet underwear, and it''s not leaving much to the imagination down there.


    Clancy pivots to watch, his mouth still frothy as his eyes zoom in on the girls'' chests.


    "Nice to meet you two," Barns smiles, staying low enough in the water so that his underwear aren''t visible. It''s keeping him roughly at eye-level with the girls'' chests - he doesn''t mind.


    "Glad to see you both decided to enjoy the amenities," he says, before chastising himself internally. ''Enjoy the amenities? Really?''


    "Oh, yeah! Our friend Jordan suggested we come by here! She said it''s always pretty empty! He-he!"


    "Yeah, but we weren''t expecting to run into celebrities here! Oh my gawsh!"


    Barns blushes. "Celebrities? Me and Clancy. Naw. We''re just the heroes who are going to save the whole world."


    Clancy scuttles closer to them, but doesn''t get into the pool. Even the perverted crab knows his place - and Barns had a rough day.


    The wise crab could tell that even if Barns wasn''t talking about Haima, he was thinking about her. It''s not every day someone finds out their almost-girlfriend is a murderer.


    "AMBIANCE MODE!" Clancy declares, shooting a powerful jet of foam into the water. The water froths and roils, immediately becoming warmer - almost like a hot tub. The surface of the water begins to grow a little foamy, like they''re in a nice bath.


    "Good thinking, King," Barns says, looking back at him with a wink. The boy and his crab exchange a knowing nod. Clancy is giving him the ''thumbs-up'' - this moment is all for Barns.


    "Oooh," one of the girls says, noticing the increase in temperature. "This is really nice!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns flits his eyes flirtaciously, looking back and forth between the two women. "Guess I should properly introduce myself," he smirks. "I''m Barns. And who might the two of you be?"

 Chapter 91 - 91: Girls, Girls, Girls

    "I''m Jessica!" says the one on his left in the blue-and-white bikini. She''s a redhead, her face and chest covered in freckles. Eyes the same brilliant blue as Barns''.


    "I''m Jennifer!" says the other. She''s much bigger in the chest area, and Barns can''t help but look down at her massive breasts every few seconds. Her hair is jet-black, and despite her almost popping out of her skimpy pink top, she''s quite skinny everywhere else.


    Barns must have a thing for black-haired women.


    Jessica bites her lip and quite obviously sizes Barns up, looking him over not two times but three before making eye contact with him and giggling.


    "Jessica, Jennifer, and¡­your friend''s name is Jordan?" he smiles. These are names he''ll never remember - maybe he can get away with just calling them all ''J''.


    "That''s right!" Jennifer says, ''tee-heeing'' to herself. She seems charmed by his muscles, too.


    "Omigosh, do you mind if I, like¡­" Jessica blushes, "Touch your arm? Can you flex for me, Mr. Hero?"


    ''Oh yeah. This is what I''ve been waiting for.''


    Even as he says it, there''s a nagging voice in the back of his head that only has eyes for Haima. But Barns is hurting - maybe even a little heartbroken over how everything went down. So he decides to indulge a little more than he might have normally. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stops crouching in the water, standing up straight. He''s a full head taller than both girls. He flexes both of his arms, and Jessica gives one a squeeze.


    "You can get a feel too," he smirks, looking at Jennifer and scanning over her with thirsty eyes. He''s feeling a lot more drawn to her than Jessica. Her face turns redder than her friend''s hair, moving closer in the water and feeling up his taut muscle.


    "Mmm, I thought a legendary hero would be more rugged, but your body''s like a statue. You could have been a movie actor!"


    "Oh yeah? What kind of movie would you want to see me in?" Barns is starting to get a little worked up - maybe it''s the heat from the hot-tub like ambiance provided by Clancy, or maybe it''s just the feeling of two beautiful women oggling over him.


    "I''d watch you in anything, Mr. Hero," Jessica giggles shyly.


    The two girls take a break from feeling him up and both look up at him expectantly.


    "So where are you both from?"


    "You rescued me back with the other Artisans!" Jessica says, delighted. "I really wanted to say hi to you back then, but I was so nervous¡­"


    "I''m with the group from the Pale Court," Jennifer says, a hint of restraint in her voice. "All of us who were taken by that vampire - we really look up to you, you know."


    Barns nods. It makes sense she''s from the Pale Court - she''s skinny, as he noted earlier. Those humans weren''t all necessarily emaciated, but all that walking gave them lean and lithe physiques.


    "So, how''d you two meet?"


    "Oh, SO glad you asked," Jessica grins. "The three of us all went to high school together! It''s like¡­so cool that we were all able to find each other again. All thanks to you!"


    "You''re not still in high school, are you?" Barns raises an eyebrow.


    "Ohhh, no! We''re all twenty-one now! Well¡­sort of," she thinks. "I guess we were all dead or something, for the last eight years. But this is just how I looked the day I got turned into one of those freaky lizard-things!"


    "A kobold," Barns says absentmindedly. Even moderately aroused, he doesn''t have much appetite for stupid.


    "Yeah, that!" Jessica giggles.


    Barns glances over his shoulder at Clancy, who''s just finishing up with his water-heating. The big crab clicks a few times and calls out to Barns.


    "LINGERING. TIME TO FEAST. HAPPY TIME, BARNACLES."


    On those words, Clancy scuttles off to get a meal, leaving Barns to it in the foamy bath with the two women.


    Unironically, both girls do the crab claw salute, crossing their right arms over their barely-covered chests for the king. As he bumbles away, he salutes back at them.


    "You do know that''s not like a requirement, right?" Barns laughs nervously. The cult-vibe that his crab is garnering is starting to give him some small feeling of trepidation.


    "Hm?"


    "Oh, Mr. Hero, I still haven''t gotten to tell you what I do!" Jennifer says, her wide doe-eyes sparkling, demanding attention. Barns shifts toward her, entranced by her plump, full lips. "I was an office manager before the apocalypse, but I don''t know how to, y''know¡­leverage that. I''m really good, though! Holding meetings, keeping track of information, I thought I was going to get into politics, actually, up in the Capital. Ohh, I''m ranting, aren''t I¡­"


    "Politics, huh?" Barns ponders aloud, sinking deeper into the water to warm himself up - his exposed torso''s getting a little chilly.


    ''She''s sharp. Not just flirty, she''s got some experience. Hell, why not see if she''s serious?''


    "Hey, maybe this is a long-shot, but I was looking for someone for a job." As he speaks, Jennifer locks in, her demeanor intensifying. She''s genuinely interested - and a lot more mature compared to her bubbly friend.


    "There''s a city that we''re working with, maybe you''ve heard through the grapevine - Lantafort."


    She tilts her head - she''d not heard of it. "Well anyway," Barns continues, "I just formalized an alliance with them, if you can believe it¡­and we need an Ambassador to represent Dimartino. We''d have to talk specifics, of course - but does that seem like something that''d be interesting to you?"


    "Interesting? More like a dream come true!" Jennifer says, ecstatic. She moves closer to him, her chest brushing up against Barns'' arm as she grabs him affectionately. "You''d really give me an opportunity like that? I swear, I would give it my very best! The best Ambassador you''ve ever seen!"


    Barns grins - not like he had any other choices lined up. Jennifer seems to be a perfect fit - and she''s easy on the eyes, too.


    "Let''s get it set up, then," Barns smiles. "I''ll get you a meeting with Maria, she''ll get you everything you need."


    He turns to Jessica - he didn''t mean to ignore the other girl, but the conversation had taken a unique turn. She doesn''t seem to mind.


    "No fair," Jessica winks, sticking her tongue out. "Don''t you have any opportunities for me?"


    Barns gulps before suggesting something he never thought he would. His Charisma stat is a solid 18, and he''s starting to feel like throwing in persuasion checks just for fun.


    "I might have an opportunity for both of you¡­ but let''s just say it''s not exactly work-related."


    Their eager looks tell him this one''s in the bag.

 Chapter 92 - 92: Barns Tower (R-18)

    [A/N: As mentioned earlier, this is a semi-canon, non-plot R-18 Smut chapter. Skip unless that''s your thing <3 ]


    "I might have an opportunity for both of you¡­ but let''s just say it''s not exactly work-related."


    Barns looks nervously from Jessica to Jennifer. He''s about to change his mind - to backtrack out of the conversation harder than a politician who ''didn''t have sex with that woman''.


    He opens his mouth to say ''never mind'', but Jessica gets the words out first.


    "I thought you''d never ask," she says, a sultry grin on her face.


    "It wouldn''t be our first time," Jennifer blushes. "Me and Jess used to get a little wild back in the day."


    Jessica inches closer, her body brightly brushing against Barns'' exposed torso. "Plus, who could say no to the legendary hero?" her breath is hotter than the hot tub on Barns'' neck.


    "Even if he wasn''t a hero, who could say no?" Jennifer giggles, batting her eyes. "Just look at that body¡­"


    She playfully touches his chest. He could die, right there, and have lived a full and happy life - but they were only just getting started.


    "There''s nobody around," Jessica muses, pressing the balloons on her chest into Barns'' arm.


    "No, no," Barns says quickly. "Not here. If someone saw us, I think I''d literally die."


    He turns his head and looks to the tallest tower in the castle, where his bedroom was. "How about the three of us climb that tower and see where things go up there?"


    "He wants us to climb his tower, Jen," Jessica snickers. "Mmm¡­yeah, let''s check out that tower, legendary hero."


    Barns gets out of the pool and haphazardly throws his clothes on - he''s already getting hard, and with his thin underwear it wouldn''t be a good look if anyone saw him. He holds his shirt over the front of his pants and escorts the two ladies up. Wherever their spare clothes are, they don''t have them - they follow him in their thin bikinis.


    It''s a long way to the top, and they move with a hurried frenzy that can only be spurred on by unsustainable levels of horny. As soon as the two girls scurry into his bedroom, he slams the door shut behind them and throws his shirt to the side.


    "Would you believe me if I said it was my first time?" he smirks.


    "Not even a little," Jessica says, dragging her teeth along her bottom lip.


    "First time with two girls, anyway," he elaborates.


    "Is that your way of asking us to take charge?" Jennifer winks.


    "Oh, take whatever you want."


    Jennifer struts seductively to his side. "Be careful, big boy. I just might."


    She whispers the words into his ear, dropping his pants around his ankles, leaving him in just his wet underwear.


    As she does, Jessica lays down on his bed, stomach down, feet in the air, watching with a lustful grin. "Why don''t you get him warmed up first, Jennie, then bring him over here?"


    "Mmm," Jennifer nods, wrapping her hands around Barns'' waist, tilting her head back to expose her neck for him. She grinds her pelvis against the front of her. "It feels like he''s plenty warmed up already, Jessie."


    She continues grinding, rocking her hips in a circular motion. As she does, she unclips her bikini top, letting it fall away as she presses her chest against his.


    Barns wraps his arms around her, rubbing her and sliding a hand down her back, squeezing her tight ass as his eyes focus on the girl laying on his bed. She''s over there alone, touching herself, her hands brushing over her more voluptuous curves, giving him a little show.


    He leans in and starts kissing Jennifer''s neck all over. Her scent is intoxicating and sweet - honey and flowers. She arches her back for him as he dives into her, pulling her torso away and exposing her breasts for him.


    As he sees them, he starts to kiss her lower and lower, his tongue lapping at her collarbone as he moves down her torso, moving to her perky, exposed nipples, and he flicks at them with his tongue, tasting her a few times before pulling away and looking into her eyes.


    They don''t need to exchange any words - she''s fully entranced by anything he might care to do to her.


    The same could be said for him. Her eyes sparkle, speaking volumes to Barns. He gives her a knowing nod as she starts to slide off his underwear.


    She removes them in one quick moment, his member bouncing as she does. He''s fully hard, twitching. Ready.


    "Mmm, he''s even bigger than I thought he''d be," Jessica giggles from the bed. Her top falls down as well, exposing herself to him, rubbing her breasts and licking her lips.


    Jen looks down at his manhood, her eyes popping. "Oooh my god," she murmurs to herself. "You really are a big boy, aren''t you?"


    Barns blushes. "Doesn''t seem like you''re complaining."


    "Oooooh, not at all," Jennifer winks. "I''m just a little nervous, hehe. It''s been a long time¡­"


    Barns slides his hand under her bikini bottom, teasing her with a single finger. "We can take our time," he says, his voice lower than normal, his whole body aching with hunger. "Take it nice and slow¡­"


    "Mmmf," Jennifer cries as his finger slides along her clitoris. She''s already dripping wet - not just from the pool.


    "I''m just worried it''s so big it might not fit¡­"


    He pushes another finger down her swimsuit, and she gasps in pleasure. "We''ll make it fit."


    "Aah!" she exclaims as his two fingers press against her entrance. He moves them back and forth in a beckoning motion, teasing her to the point of delirium.


    Jennifer falls to her knees, needing a break from his tantalizing fingers. She looks up at him, his shaft nearly bigger than her head.


    "Want to taste it first? Good girl."


    Barns runs his hands through her hair, guiding her closer. She nods, grabbing him with two hands and opening her mouth wide.


    He watches her with admiration - those full, plump lips he watched so intently earlier wrap around his shaft as she takes him into her mouth. He gasps in pleasure as she starts to work on him, his leg twitching. He grabs a fistful of her hair and guides her back and forth while his eyes lock onto Jessica on his bed.


    Jess is fully nude, playing with her breasts and fingering herself. She''s getting herself wet and ready too - eager for her turn. They stare at each other as Jennifer''s head bobs up and down, and Barns beckons her over.


    Jessica slides off the bed back onto her feet, stepping toward him in a little catwalk. He likes Jennifer''s face and hair, but he LOVES Jessica''s body - she''s full in all the right places. She steps right up to him and he wastes no time, sticking his still-wet fingers into her mouth, making her suck Jennifer''s juices off his fingers.


    She sucks his fingers dry and pulls them out of her mouth, inserting them into her lower lips. The two of them start passionately kissing, their tongues exploring each other''s mouths as he goes knuckle deep inside her.


    All the while, Jennifer slobbers over his shaft, her throat becoming more and more relaxed as she goes. She''s able to get even more of him into her throat, now - but still only about half of his manhood. She gags any time she tries to push him any deeper.


    Since she can''t deepthroat his massive member, she licks it all over instead, keeping him wet. His eyes roll to the back of his head from her excellent work servicing him.


    When she finally pulls him out of her mouth, both girls are drenched. Jessica smiles and pushes him over to the bed, throwing him onto the mattress. He lays there, excited, watching as the two girls stalk toward him.


    His heart is beating so fast it could burst. His shaft twitches expectantly. He knows what''s coming next and he can hardly contain himself.


    "You first," he says, ushering to the red-head, stroking himself. "And you, Jennifer. C''mere. Let me return the favor."


    He sticks his tongue out, sliding it along his teeth and smirking. She''s bright red but has no complaints. What he''s offering to do is her absolute favorite.


    Jennifer crawls onto the bed, sitting over Barns'' face. He wraps his hands around her thighs and leans in, playing with her flaps with his tongue. He closes his eyes and starts to convulse - he can''t see the other woman with Jennifer sitting the way she is, but he can feel her. Her wet warmth envelops the tip of his manhood, burning hot.


    He pulls his head away from Jennifer and moans loudly as Jessica sinks lower onto him. She''s so tight it''s like he''s pressed up against a wall inside her, but somehow she manages to bury him deeper and deeper inside of her.


    "Aa-aaaah!" Barns thrashes, but the weight of both women holds him in place. Jessica manages to get most of him inside her before pulling her weight up a bit, working her way up and down as she loosens and gets a little more of him inside with every bounce. He starts to get used to the incredible sensation - though Jess is tight. Tighter than he''s ever felt.


    He buries his face back into Jennifer and she starts to moan louder and louder as he eats her out. She falls over him, her hands grasping at his bedsheets as he works his tongue into her, activating her in all the right places. It''s almost too much for her to bear but she can''t get enough.


    Meanwhile, Jessica picks up her pace, riding him harder and harder. She''s finally able to get almost all of him inside of her, but it''s still a little too much for her to bottom out.


    It''s no worry to Barns, though - he''s got plenty of sensation as she crashes down on him over and over. Too much sensation, in fact. He feels his stamina draining quickly. If she keeps going like that, so hard and fast, he wouldn''t last much longer.


    Just as he has the thought, Jennifer screams in absolute ecstasy. She holds his face still as her thighs tighten around his head. Her body twitches and releases all she has in a mind-shattering burst of pleasure and euphoria just from his tongue.


    The sounds of her orgasm are enough to set off Jessica and Barns as well. "I''m¡­" Barns starts, attempting to pull himself out of her, but Jessica doesn''t stop.


    "I''m gonna- I need to-"


    Jessica leans back as Jennifer falls off Barns, collapsing into a dripping, trembling puddle of delight. Now he''s got a full view of Jessica riding him like a maniac, rubbing her clitoris as she pounds up and down.


    "I want it in me," she commands, her eyes so fierce he has no choice but to yield to her. He grabs her waist and thrusts into her from below, finally burying his full length inside of her. She howls in unbridled bliss - and in that moment, he loses the last of his stamina and explodes.


    ¡­


    The trio lay in the bed in a sensual pile, chests heaving, jolts of pleasure and involuntary twitches from all three of them.


    "That was¡­" Barns exhales. "Excellent. Exquisite. Divine?"


    "Unexpected," Jennifer laughs, putting her hand on his chest and blushing. "Oh my god, Jess, I can''t believe we just did that!"


    Jessica seems to be the one who had the most fun of all of them.


    "I needed this," Jessica says, her desperate, exasperated. "After the apocalypse. After everything. To feel this alive again¡­"


    She rolls over, her red hair falling over her face. "Thank you, Mr. Hero. For reminding this girl the world can still be fun."


    "I''m the one who just got to have a threesome with two girls," Barns smirks. "Thank YOU."


    "The legendary hero is a sexual delinquent, who''d have thought¡­" Jennifer quips.


    "Hey!" Barns pleads. "This was just a one-time thing! I''m not normally like this, I swear!"


    "Yeah, yeah," Jennifer laughs. "I might have gotten a little out of control too. The brain does crazy things on eight years without sex. Anyway, this will be our little secret, Mr. Hero. We shall never speak of it again."


    "Deal."


    Jessica exchanges a look with Barns, narrowing her eyes tantalizingly. "If we''re all in agreement this will just be a one-time thing," she says, her voice trailing.


    "...Then who''s down for some more?"


    S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 93 - 93: Office Hours Are In the Pool

    The next day, Barns is hard at work again in the pool practicing his breathing exercises. The moment he wakes up, he sprints from the top of his tower wearing nothing but skimpy briefs, and cannonballs into the pool.


    It seems like everyone in the kingdom of Dimartino knows that this is Barns'' life now, and so he rarely gets an opportunity to be alone. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And like, maybe I''m just projecting," Eldrie says as Barns surfaces from the water. He''d been monologing, but Barns has hardly heard any of it.


    "You don''t say," Barns says, slicking his drenched hair out of his face.


    Eldrie adjusts himself. He''s sitting on a beach chair at the side of the pool, pouring his soul out. Even if Barns isn''t listening, it feels good for him to get some things off his chest - maybe even better since Barns isn''t an active listener. He can say anything without fear of being judged, as long as Barns is underwater.


    "What do you think I should do?"


    Eldrie is lounging shirtless, but even still has a scarf wrapped around his neck. Come to think of it, Barns hasn''t seen Eldrie''s neck a single time.


    ''He was branded by Adon and Adea, wasn''t he? I guess that explains it.''


    Barns had seen a few others from Ordella - the hideous ''X'' shaped brands on their neck were how the vampire twins ''marked'' their property. Certainly a memory that Eldrie would rather forget, even if his red eye is a constant reminder of them.


    "Do about¡­?" Barns asks, his voice a little raspy. He figures he could take a couple minutes away from his training. His lungs are feeling a little tired.


    Eldrie peeks over to Barns as if he''s only just noticing the hero might not be paying full attention. "Jordan. What should I do about Jordan?"


    "Uh¡­" Barns scratches his head. "I think that''s the one I didn''t get acquainted with yesterday."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Nothing," Barns says quickly. "Jordan. You like her? You think she''s attractive?"


    "Oh, incredibly so," Eldrie beams, thinking about her supple skin and her delectable curves. "But¡­I''m worried that it''s only because she reminds me of Incantra. That''s a terrible reason to pursue someone romantically, isn''t it? Because they look like your dead girlfriend?"


    Eldrie''s gaze falters as he speaks.


    "That''s why she caught your eye, but it''s not going to be what starts a relationship," Barns says, sounding wise. "So, I think you''re okay. Ask her to dinner - something low-key. If she''s anything like her friends, should be an easy clap."


    "Easy¡­what!?" Eldrie blushes. "Barns, that''s NOT what I''m after, here!"


    The hero sinks a bit, blowing bubbles into the water while his eyes are still above the surface. Eldrie facepalms.


    "How does someone with so little tact as you have so much charm for the ladies?"


    Barns resurfaces. "It''s all about the confidence, my man. I might be the legendary hero, but you''re like¡­the legendary hero''s left-hand man! That''s gotta score you some confidence points, no?"


    Eldrie frets, pulling at his scarf and pointing at his covered left eye. "Does this look scream confidence to you?"


    Barns laughs. Over their last several interactions, he and Eldrie have grown quite close. The former vampire once beat him in a fight - Barns has respect for him over that. But more than respect, they were developing a friendship built on mutual trust.


    In many ways, Eldrie is similar to Barns. Not just the similar build or the brown hair - they are pragmatists, through and through. But where Barns is a bit more hotheaded and cocksure, Eldrie airs on the side of reserved caution and prefers to stay out of the limelight.


    Eldrie is also quickly becoming Clancy''s most devout follower.


    "Maybe¡­go without the scarf, if your girl Jordan comes by today? You''ve got a great body, a nice smile - er, I mean that in a ''bro'' way. What isn''t there to like?"


    Barns blushes a bit when he speaks, embarrassed. It''s not like him to throw out comments, but he''s speaking honestly. In fact, he''s a little jealous at just how perfect Eldrie''s abs are.


    ''Eh, I have nicer arms, though,'' Barns notes before diving underwater.


    His record yesterday was seventy-seven seconds underwater - nowhere near good enough. He isn''t even sure if the bubbles are working, or if that''s just his natural stamina at work.


    "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Barns. I think, when I see her again, I''ll take your advice and ask her on a date."


    Barns, of course, can''t hear a thing Eldrie says, but the former vampire doesn''t seem too bothered. He throws his shirt and shoes back on and strolls away from the pool, deep in thought.


    When Barns resurfaces, he sees Eldrie''s already sauntering off.


    "I think that was two minutes that time," he thinks to himself. "I''m getting better." Eager to test his theory, he dives again.


    Another two minutes. Barns struggles for air at the bottom of the pool but pushes himself to his absolute limit before finally erupting to the surface.


    He gasps for air. He''d been too close to the ''drowning'' sensation for comfort - but he knows if he doesn''t push his limits, he''ll never master this technique.


    Not only that, but unlike with ''Claw of Death'', Barns won''t be able to rely on a life-or-death battle to push his learning and body to the limit. ''Bubble Breath'' was more of a utility ability than anything.


    He turns around, sensing a presence behind him. As he does, he sees Osmond and Maria reach the edge of the pool. The Dimartino duo both tilt their head at him in unison.


    "Yes, yes, how can I assist you?" Barns says with a silly smile. It''s like he''s taking office hours at the pool.


    "Sorry, Barns, I know you''d much rather have two scantily clad women show up to splash around with you," Maria snips.


    He face turns bright red. "You, uh¡­saw that, huh?"


    "Nothing happens in this castle without my knowledge, you should know that by now. Oz, tell him what you told me."


    "Of course, my dove. Barnie - our scouts have finished surveying the land around Ordella, up to the border of the Red Country. Our suspicions were correct - there are human monsters in the Ordella province, far on the northern reaches."


    "Okay, that sounds promising, no? So what''s the idea, we send me and Clancy out to convert them?"


    "I''m afraid it won''t be quite so simple," Osmond grits his teeth. "You see, it''s a horde of zombies¡­and there''s at least two thousand of them." Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 94 - 94: Roscoes Determination

    "Two thousand zombies, huh?"


    Barns shudders just thinking about it. He feels a lot more comfortable fighting goblins, kobolds, - monsters such as those. The festering, rotting undead creep him out.


    "Yes, but we''ve developed a brilliant plan," Osmond notes. "See, when I was talking to it to my darling Maria, she reminded me that zombie hordes are quite easy to control with a little distraction and noise. So, the plan is simple. We will build a large trench, have King Clancy fill it with foam, and then lure the zombies into it - brilliant, am I right? A little fanagling and we can have that entire horde kill itself! Oh, and then you can do your thing after, I suppose."


    "Sounds like a good plan to me. I''d rather not dive headfirst into a crowd of zombies." Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Osmond gives him a thumbs up. "Then I shall consider that an official order from the legendary hero! I shall begin preparations at once, Barnie."


    Osmond swerves on his heel and walks off. Maria lingers poolside for just a moment longer.


    "I met with that girl, Jennifer," she says, unamused. "I have no idea what made you choose her for such an important job, but from my evaluation, she''ll do just ''fine'' as Ambassador. You''ll be escorting her to Lantafort tomorrow, and you can pick Skado up while you''re there."


    "Okay."


    Barns is just eager to get back to his training. He''d been going at it for hours already, but he''s still brimming with energy and determination. Nothing - not even an impending horde of undead - can stop him from achieving his goal.


    "Right," Maria continues, rolling her eyes. "In other news, Underhill and I have made some developments with the System and Zelia. It turns out old users can be repurposed and reassigned. We only have a few that Zelia was able to manipulate, but a few is better than none. So, congratulations, Barnacles - you are now a System User, just like me. Oh, but don''t expect to have anywhere near my level of access and understanding."


    "Does that mean I can open the System at any time, now?"


    "Once you figure out how to do it," she gloats, before shifting to a subtle smile. "I''ll show you when you''re less¡­preoccupied."


    "What''s the matter? Afraid of getting a little wet, Maria? Last time we were in the water, you didn''t seem to mind showing me some things."


    "Hey, Maria?" Osmond shouts from across the courtyard. "Are you coming? What are you talking about!?"


    Maria peers over her shoulder, emitting an audible sound of disgust. "I hope someone knocks you down a peg, you''re getting a little too confident, Mr. Legendary Hero."


    She says his title mockingly, but he doesn''t care. "The Adventurer''s Guild rep-slash-Moderator in Ordella will be receiving an account as well. So it''ll be you, me, that person - whatever their name is - and Jennifer. Oh, and Underhill as well."


    "So, between all of us, we can send messages now? That''ll be a relief. We can have instant communication with Lantafort and Ordella whenever we want."


    "Yes, Barnacles, that is the point. Oh, and try not to linger in Lantafort too long. By the time you''re back, we''ll be ready for Operation: Zombie Horde."


    Maria clicks away, her heels loud against the stony surface of the pool area.


    "You know, Maria," Barns says, biting his tongue but deciding to push it anyway. Maria and Osmond are both friends, after all.


    "I know there''s a lot of work to do, but don''t forget to have some fun, eh? You were a lot happier back¡­when we met. In a chaotic, schemey way, of course¡­but don''t take things too seriously, eh?"


    Maria takes a deep breath. "Someone has to."


    On that note, she continues off, joining Osmond to put their plans in motion.


    Barns splashes around in the pool a bit, lost in thought. Maybe it was thanks to ''Harden Body'', but he wasn''t shriveling up like a prune even after being in the pool for hours. At least his body was used to being underwater long-term.


    The end goal here is to visit an Underwater Kingdom, so he won''t have many opportunities to keep dry during that journey.


    He dives under again - determined as ever. He lasts a full four minutes under the water before resurfacing - a new record.


    He emerges from the depths of the pool like a merman, flicking his hair back dramatically as he breaks through the still surface of the water. He exhales a sigh of relief.


    "Four minutes. I can do better. I know I can."


    Before he can dive again, though, he notices yet another visitor has arrived.


    "Hey, little bro!" Barns says, excited. Of all the guests he''s had today, Roscoe''s the one he is most excited to see. He feels like he owes the young man so much."


    "Hey, big bro," Roscoe replies, definitively less excited. He''s clutching his A rank sword, Crashing Waves. His arms are a little shaky with the blade. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know you''re busy with your important training¡­but do you think you could help me with my training today? Even if you just want to show me the basics - I can train with my sword while you train your lungs!"


    Barns smiles at the suggestion. That sounds like a great idea to him - two birds with one stone. He did promise to help Roscoe train, after all.


    "Alright, you want to train with me? First things first, put down that sword. We have to start with the fundamentals, my man."


    Roscoe nods quickly, setting Crashing Wave down on a beach chair, and then turning back to his teacher.


    "Alright. Push-ups, sit-ups. You''ve been doing them every morning like we talked about?"


    "Y-yeah!" Roscoe exclaims, squeezing his fist excitedly.


    "Alright. Then do a hundred more of each!"


    "A hundred!?" Roscoe yelps. "There''s no way!"


    "You can take breaks if you need to - and I suppose you can subtract the push-ups you did this morning from the total. I''ll keep doing my training until you finish. And then! Then I will show you some sword skills."


    "By the time that happens, I''ll be too tired to lift the sword!"


    "Nuh-uh, little bro. You gotta have determination! A real warrior fights until their last breath. If you want to get strong - for Yunie''s sake - you have to push yourself even harder."


    Roscoe absorbs the lessons like a sponge. "Alright¡­seventy more push-ups, here we go!"


    Roscoe drops to the ground and starts powering through his first set of thirty. Barns watches him as he begins - he''s got good form, and looks steady. The kid will be fine - Barns certainly wasn''t doing such a strenuous training regime at his age.


    At that age, Barns was chasing frogs around Scuttle Island and feeding them to Clancy.


    The two spent the rest of the morning and afternoon training together. By dinner time, neither of them could so much as walk, and they passed out on the couches in the Adventurer Guild.


    For Barns, it''s the best day he''s had in a long time. For Roscoe, it''s one of the best - and most exhausting - days of his entire life.

 Chapter 95 - 95: On the Road Again

    Barns adjusts his belt one final time as his party arrives at the Dimartino gate. He is greeted by Clancy, his crab, and Jennifer, the new Ambassador to Lantafort. Today, the boy and his crab are escorting her to the Hidden City, and reuniting with Skado.


    Jennifer stands with her hands on her hips, her confident posture making up for the obvious nerves she''s hiding. She''s traded her revealing bikini for a more diplomatic outfit - a well-fitted vest over a high-collared blouse, complete with practical pants and knee-high boots. But despite her best efforts to look professional, Barns can tell she''s still not entirely sure what she''s gotten herself into.


    "Ready for your first diplomatic mission, Ambassador?" Barns smirks, tugging at his belt. "Last chance to back out."


    Jennifer exhales sharply, squaring her shoulders. "Please. I was managing a whole office before the apocalypse. I can handle a few dwarves and whatever else Lantafort throws at me."


    "Confident. I like that," Barns chuckles, throwing a glance at Clancy. The crab''s beady eyes are locked on Jennifer''s chest, which, even under more conservative clothing, is still her most defining feature.


    Clancy clicks his claws approvingly. "GOOD. CONFIDENCE GOOD. GOOD FOR ALLIANCE. GOOD FOR KING."


    "Yeah, yeah, King," Barns says, slapping the crab''s shell. "Let''s hit the road."


    They set off through Dimartino''s northern gates, following the now well-worn path toward Lantafort. The road is in better shape than before. Maria has ordered small-scale repairs, making it safer for trade and travel between the cities.


    Barns falls into step next to Jennifer, with Clancy scuttling beside them at a steady pace. It''s a long walk, but at least this time, they''re not dragging along a caravan of newly resurrected humans.


    "Alright," Barns says, rubbing his hands together. "Road banter time. Let''s get to know our new Ambassador."


    Jennifer rolls her eyes but smiles. "I guess our knowledge of each other is quite limited to certain areas. What do you want to know, Mr. Hero?"


    "Well, for starters, you mentioned working in an office before the apocalypse. What was that like?"


    Jennifer scoffs. "Miserable. Soul-draining. If the world hadn''t ended, I probably would''ve quit anyway. But hey, at least now I can use those skills for something meaningful."


    "Yeah, building a better world and all that," Barns grins. "You know, you''re taking this whole ''apocalypse reset'' thing pretty well."


    "I mean, what else am I supposed to do? Cry about it?" Jennifer shrugs. "We''re here. We''re alive. And we have a chance to actually fix things. If that means making some political deals and navigating bureaucracy, then I''m happy to help. Happier than happy, actually. This feels for the first time like real work! Like I''m making a difference."


    "Wow," Barns says, genuinely impressed. "You might actually be perfect for this job."


    "Wait, did you just now figure that out?"


    Barns winks. "Nah. I knew from the moment I met you."


    Clancy clicks his claws. "BIG CHEST. BIG MOTIVATION."


    The conversation carries them forward, and before long, the pale fog of Francois'' domain creeps into view. The Pale Court looms ahead, its eerie, haunting presence unchanged. The shambling humans are gone, but the city itself remains unnervingly silent.


    Jennifer slows her pace, frowning. "So, uh¡­ is that the vampire place? The one where I was..."


    "Yep," Barns confirms, his expression darkening slightly. "Francois'' domain. She''s still here, but she held up her end of the bargain. The people are free."


    Jennifer''s eyes linger on the white stone architecture, her voice quieter. "What''s she like?"


    Barns hesitates. "Complicated."


    Jennifer tilts her head. "That bad?"


    The young woman assumes that Francois is a complete monster - after all, for all those years Jennifer had been held captive in Francois'' soulless trance.


    "Let''s just say she''s not what I expected," Barns replies. "She''s dangerous, yeah. But she''s also¡­ willing to change. I get the feeling that she only played her role in the apocalypse because...well, it''s what she was made to do. She even offered to help us defeat the First Vampire."


    Jennifer lets out a low whistle. "Talk about a self-loathing bloodsucker."


    Barns chuckles. "Yeah. Something like that." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He cracks his neck. The air under the fog feels less chilly today - as if somehow the sunken valley has warmed. Perhaps the valley itself is a reflection of Francois; even as Barns thinks it, he realizes how silly it sounds. Still, there''s something there.


    As they pass the vampire''s lair, he swears he feels a sensation like he''s being watched - but when he turns around to see, there''s nothing. No Francois, no sign of the hundred or so humans she kept under her control for ''feeding purposes''. Just a quiet, and seemingly abandoned ''Vampire Lily''.


    They move past the Pale Court quickly, not eager to linger in Francois'' eerie presence. Soon, the mist fades behind them, and the looming Chatran Plateau comes into view.


    "Almost there," Barns says, some few hours into their journey. From there, it''s just a short ride up the ''Choo Choo'' to arrive at the Hidden City.


    Thankfully, last time they were here, Skado briefly showed Barns how to activate the train. With a few buttons and the push of a lever, the vertical train begins its slow ascent up the mountain.


    Clancy, who barely fits on the train, darts around with the excitement of a child as it climbs a seemingly impossible angle up the plateau.


    "MAGIC TRAIN! NEED ONE FOR BARNS TOWER."


    "I...think I prefer you not being able to get up there," Barns blushes. "It''s nice to have a place I know you won''t come barging in all the time, King."


    They arrive at the top, and one of the humans who does security for Lantafort meets them to escort them into the city.


    Even for people who have been to Lantafort before, finding a way in is difficult. The careful citizens of Lantafort regularly seal and unseal entrances into the city, keeping potential interlopers in a constant state of confusion. One entrance that works today may never be used again - all of the buildings, structures, and mansions on the surface are a cover for Lantafort''s secret networks.


    As they finally arrive, Barns remembers the incredible view he experienced the first time he arrived. He knows it''s special, and he''s eager for Clancy and Jennifer to see it.


    "Clancy, Jennifer - welcome to Lantafort."


    The underground city is just as vibrant as before, its streets alive with traders, workers, and warriors preparing for whatever the future holds. As they descend, the sights and sounds of Lantafort engulf them - glowing lanterns, shouting merchants, and the faint hum of dwarven singing from the lower levels.


    Jennifer''s eyes widen as she takes it all in - not the first time Barns has seen that look. "Okay, I''ll admit¡­ this is way cooler than I expected."


    "Right?" Barns grins. "Told you it wasn''t just a hole in the ground."


    Clancy clicks approvingly. "BIG HOLE. GOOD HOLE. HAPPY PLACE."


    All this talk about holes makes Barns and Jennifer exchange a flirty chuckle.


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    As they navigate the bustling streets, Skado emerges from the crowd, his usual smirk firmly in place. "Took you long enough."


    "Had to make sure our new Ambassador didn''t get cold feet," Barns says, gesturing to Jennifer.


    Skado appraises her, nodding. "You''ll do fine. Welcome to the madhouse."


    Jennifer raises an eyebrow. "I get the feeling that''s not a joke."


    "Oh, it''s not," Skado grins. "But hey, you''re in luck. Tonight, there''s a little¡­ cultural event going on. You''re just in time for your first taste of true Lantafort nightlife."


    Barns crosses his arms. "Let me guess. A dwarf party?"


    Skado chuckles darkly. "Not just any dwarf party. The dwarf party. The one night a year they let humans down to the bottom floor, no questions asked. They call it...Festivale, I think. I''ve never been. The dwarves are a little¡­vigorous, for my tastes."


    Jennifer blinks. "That sounds¡­ ominous. What if humans try to go down there on other days of the year?"


    "Don''t worry," Skado smirks. "They''re not dangerous or anything. Just a little...insular. Some humans are welcome whenever they like. But only those that the dwarves have accepted as ''Ironblood'', like themselves."


    Barns laughs, throwing an arm around Jennifer''s shoulders. "Well, Ambassador, looks like you''re getting your first taste of diplomacy tonight. You want to meet some dwarves? Maybe become an Ironblood?"


    Jennifer exhales, shaking her head. "What the hell. Let''s party!"

 Chapter 96 - 96: Underground Dwarf Parties

    Barns raps his knuckles against the heavy wooden door of Commander Seifa Brahn''s office. A moment later, it creaks open, revealing Wanda, the dark-skinned, sharp-eyed captain of Lantafort''s defense force. She stands with her usual no-nonsense posture, hand resting lightly on the ornate hilt of her rapier.


    "We heard you had arrived. Please. Commander Brahn is expecting you," she says, stepping aside to let them in.


    Barns smirks, glancing at Skado as they enter. "News travels fast around here, huh?"


    Skado crosses his arms, his expression as smug as ever. "We knew you were coming before you even got on the train. Lantafort exists because we''ve always remained cautious. Not even seven apocalypses could stop us."


    Barns sticks his bottom lip out, making a stupid face. "So you''re saying Lantafort could survive an eighth?"


    "Not testing THAT theory anytime soon," Wanda mutters, closing the door behind them.


    Inside, Commander Seifa Brahn is seated behind a heavy oak desk, her stark-white braid resting over her shoulder. A stack of documents sits neatly beside her, but she pushes them aside the moment they enter. Her piercing gaze locks onto Jennifer first, and she gestures toward the chair across from her.


    "Please," she says smoothly. "Sit."


    Jennifer does, squaring her shoulders and keeping her posture as perfect as possible. Barns notices how rigid she looks, but to her credit, she doesn''t let her nerves show on her face.


    "You must be our new Ambassador from Dimartino," Seifa says, folding her hands together, taking quiet stock of all Jennifer''s quirks and features, including the hard-not-to-notice jugs hanging from her chest.


    "That''s right," Jennifer replies, her voice steady. "It''s an honor, Commander. My name is Jennifer Mowze."


    "Please. You will be my honored and valued line of diplomacy with the great kingdom of Dimartino. Call me Seifa."


    Jennifer nods, taking the comment in stride. "I understand, Miss Seifa. I''m ready and eager to prove myself!"


    "Let''s hope you still feel that way after you''ve spent some time in Lantafort," Seifa muses. "This is not Dimartino. Our people are not easily impressed. But, if Commander Barns has faith in you, then so will I. I believe you will find your place here, and come to love the Hidden City as we do."


    "This place is wonderful!" Jennifer exclaims. "Oh, I''ve always been something of a homebody, so living underground is kind of¡­exciting!"


    Commander Brahn leans back in her chair, observing her for a moment before nodding in approval. "Good. Then we''ll begin your orientation tomorrow."


    The meeting doesn''t last too long - mostly logistics, finalizing Jennifer''s accommodations, and ensuring she knows where to go in the morning. Barns lets most of the conversation wash over him, his job mostly just to make introductions and ensure Lantafort that Jennifer was a real person and not a random woman he picked up at the pool.


    Not that he''d ever do that.


    Commander Brahn also has a quick chat with Clancy - but she quickly discovers that she''s far better off communicating through Barns and Jennifer. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "FELLOW RULER!" Clancy bellows. "POLITICAL MARRIAGE CANDIDATE?"


    Once the meeting is done, Wanda escorts them back out. As they step into the hallway, she stretches her arms behind her back and makes an offhanded remark.


    "Well, if you''re free tonight, you might want to check out the Festivale."


    Barns raises an eyebrow. "Festivale?"


    Wanda smirks. "The one night a year humans are allowed in the lower levels. The dwarves throw a party that makes Dimartino''s wildest nights look like a child''s tea time."


    Clancy immediately perks up. "DANCING? MUSIC? FOOD? WOMEN?"


    "Mostly alcohol," Wanda corrects. "And a lot of other things that probably shouldn''t be repeated in polite company. We keep the police presence minimal on the lower levels, and in exchange the dwarves agree not to let things get too wild."


    Clancy clicks his claws excitedly. "FESTIVALE FOR KING!"


    Jennifer seems intrigued, though a bit wary. "And they just¡­ let us go down there?"


    "They let anyone down there tonight. If you can handle it." Wanda smirks. "But if you embarrass yourself, don''t be surprised if you''re thrown out. Literally."


    Barns exhales, shaking his head. "Why do I feel like this is going to be a mistake?"


    Clancy clicks again. "NO MISTAKE. FUN FOR KING."


    "Alright, alright," Barns waves him off. "Let''s get something to eat first. No way I''m going into whatever madness this is on an empty stomach."


    They stop at a restaurant tucked away in one of Lantafort''s many stone-hewn streets. It''s got a cool vibe - a seafood place. Though Barns wonders where they''re getting their seafood from.


    Unfortunately, Clancy can''t fit inside.


    Barns stands in front of the restaurant, scratching the back of his head. It''s open to the street, but the interior is small enough that nothing will get Clancy in without destroying something.


    The owner, a thick-bearded and no-nonsense man, leans on the counter. "That crab eating too? I can get him a bucket of some fish, he''s welcome to eat it where he is."


    Clancy clicks enthusiastically. "ACCEPTABLE."


    True to his word, the owner brings out an actual bucket filled with smoked fish, steaming hot and juicy. Clancy happily dives in, dunking his claws into the bucket and devouring whole fish with gusto.


    Jennifer, Barns, and Skado sit at a nearby table as humans do.


    "So," Barns says, watching Clancy go to town on his meal, "first impressions of Lantafort?"


    Jennifer wipes her hands delicately on a napkin before answering. "I like it. It''s not quite as cozy as Dimartino, but I can see myself getting used to it."


    "Coziness aside, I think you''ll be quite happy here," Skado notes. "The city''s been abuzz with chatter about Dimartino ever since Barns'' first visit. I think everyone will want to talk to you and hear about our new allies."


    Their meal doesn''t take too long. Barns orders something simple, and Jennifer, ever the professional, eats with proper etiquette despite the casual setting. She wants to make a good impression. By the time they''re finished, the streets outside are buzzing even more than before as it dips later and later into the night.


    Festivale is beginning.


    "Oh, gosh," Jennifer frets, looking at some of the others who are clearly headed to the lower level. "We''re really not dressed for the occasion, are we? Look at us! We''re a pack of dusty travelers."


    Skado ponders for a moment. Most of the men are topless or wearing open vests of some kind. The women, on the other hand, are all in glittery dresses. It seems sequins/shimmer are part of the dress code.


    "There''s a shop nearby that sells this kind of thing. I suppose since it''s a special occasion with my fellow Ambassador, I can shell out some coin for you all."


    They take a pitstop to purchase some clothing. Barns opts for tight leather pants with gaudy gold suspenders - he looks ridiculous, but any lady will be sure to take a second or third look. He''s an attractive man showing off all the right things.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, purchases a shimmering dress in ruby red that her chest barely fits into. If all the women will be gawking at Barns, all the men will be STARING at Jennifer.


    They buy Clancy a shiny fedora, too, and throw it on top of his shell.


    Perfection.


    "Aren''t you getting anything, Skado?" Jennifer asks. Her vivacious side is starting to blossom in her new outfit. Seems like she''s very influenced by what she''s wearing - the consummate professional that Jessica has been today is at stark contrast with the circumstances Barns first met her in.


    "Me?" Skado blushes. "N-no. I wasn''t planning on joining you all. I''m not comfortable showing off any skin."


    "Ohh, you don''t have to!" Jennifer exclaims, smacking him on the shoulder and dragging him to the men''s section. She points out a dapper but conservative jacket that matches the pants he''s already wearing.


    "...Fine. Only since you asked nicely. But I doubt I''ll stay long."


    On that, everyone in their group of four was ready.


    "Alright, gang," Barns says with a cheeky grin. "Time for some underground dwarf partying."

 Chapter 97 - 97: The Dwarven Secret

    They make their way toward the entrance to the lower levels, where a large, rusted elevator awaits. A few other humans are gathered there, chatting excitedly, dressed in their best festival garb.


    "This thing still works?" Barns asks, eyeing the lift warily.


    "It''ll probably hold," Skado smirks. "Unless it doesn''t."


    Barns narrows his eyes. "Not reassuring."


    The operator¡ªan old, one-eyed dwarf with a beer stein in one hand¡ªwaves them forward. "Get in or don''t. I ain''t got all night."


    The dwarf WAS in fact scheduled to work the elevator all night.


    Jennifer steps in first, unbothered, and Barns follows. Skado leans against the railing, and Clancy¡­ somehow fits. Barely.


    The doors creak shut, and with a lurch, the elevator begins to descend.


    The air grows heavier, the sounds of distant, booming laughter and music vibrating through the walls. The scent of ale, roasted meat, and something distinctly dwarven fills Barns'' nose.


    Clancy is practically bouncing on his claws. "FESTIVALE FOR KING."


    Barns takes a deep breath as the elevator grinds lower.


    "Alright," he mutters to himself. "Let''s see what these dwarves can do."


    The dwarves dwelling on the bottom level of Lantafort are renowned for their miraculous ingenuity - they are expert tunnelers, and in fact they designed the entire city of Lantafort. They are also master craftsman, able to work with any material with ease after just a few hours of study.


    They also know how to party.


    Barns'' group is greeted at the bottom of the elevator shaft by two dwarves wearing aviators and flamboyant see-through mesh tops. Each one had a gold chain around their neck and well-maintained beards.


    "Ay papis!" one of the dwarves shouts as he sees the group. "Welcome to the party, daddy, mwa!" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They''re looking at Barns when they talk, blowing him kisses and flexing for him.


    "Ai yai yai - yow! Chica looking fine!" another says, cat-calling Jennifer.


    "I think I had my fun, we can leave now," Jennifer winces.


    "Aw, we just got here!" Barns says reassuringly.


    They proceed into the crowd to a light-up dance floor.


    The dwarf party culture sits on the divide between disco and rave - bright colors, fun music, and tons of freely available drugs. As they walk around, they learn much about dwarf culture.


    "You want some Grook, man?" one dwarf offers, smashing a purple crystal on the table and snorting it up.


    "I''m actually all Grooked up already, dude. Thanks."


    Skado eyes the Grook suspiciously. "Some kind of drug I''m unfamiliar with. This could be invaluable for my craft."


    Skado wanders away from the group, clearly interested in the drugs - not for recreation, but to further develop his arsenal of poison. They leave him to it.


    At the center of the dance floor, it''s not Barns or Jennifer that start garnering all the attention. It''s Clancy.


    The mighty crab takes a hit of whatever Grook is - hopefully it''s not toxic to crab biology - and starts to go wild dancing. His beady pupils are somehow so big that the purple of his eyes is no longer visible, and he''s bobbing and clicking and scuttling like never before.


    Barns claps a hand to his head as suddenly every dwarf in the underground seems to be drawn to Clancy. They offer him some more Grook. The gluttonous crab can never say no to women, drugs, or alcohol, and all three are here in spades.


    He''s got two dwarf ladies on either claw, grinding against him and dancing their hearts out. The other dwarf men cheer him on. He''s quickly the center of attention, and clearly none of them care how or why a giant crab is partying with them.


    "DWARF WANT FOAM PARTY!?" Clancy bellows. He''s cheered on from every corner of the dance floor. And then, Clancy does what he does best.


    He starts spraying his foam in the air, and the crowd goes absolutely wild. Even the few other humans who are raving away on the dance floor get involved, and soon everyone is covered in foam and dancing their minds out.


    Suddenly, Clancy is hoisted into the air by the cheering, Grooked-out dwarves. It''s a frenzy unlike anything Barns has ever seen, but Clancy is clearly a quick darling of the dwarves.


    "Ironblood!" one of them shouts.


    "That''s what I''m saying, homes!" another dwarf declares, draining a flagon of booze. As the dwarves cheer louder and louder, it becomes clear that Clancy has already gained their favor.


    Barns and Jennifer stay on the outskirts of everything as it happens, where they''re approached by a dwarf with a cool headband and shades.


    "That your crab, you sexy little thing?" the dwarf asks, looking to Jennifer. The dwarves are much shorter than average humans, so when he looks up at Jennifer all he sees are her breasts.


    "King Clancy? Oh, no, I''m just his humble servant!" she laughs.


    "I take responsibility for the crab," Barns smiles. "He''s my best friend."


    "That guy," he says, pointing at Clancy. "He''s a cool guy. So where are you all from, ah? You three no like the humans above. They always treat us different, like we from some crazy other planet or something. You three, you keep it REAL! I can tell, one look at you. Maybe not used to our parties but used to having FUN!"


    Barns and Jennifer exchange a smile.


    "We definitely know how to have fun," Barns quips.


    "You must be from that new place, eh? The humans from Dimartino! We used to do some business there. Maybe we can show you something cool, eh?"


    "I''d love to see it anytime!" Jennifer shouts, trying to let her more quiet voice be heard over the sound of the music. "I''m the new Ambassador representing Dimartino, and I hope we can get along."


    "Dimartino Ambassador, Chica? Well why didn''t you say so sooner! We love people who know how to party! You know what, mi amor? You two are Ironblood too!"


    He says it loud enough for the nearby dwarves to hear. They get a rousing cheer and both of them have flagons of ''Rockbeer'' stuffed into their hands.


    "Come on, if you want to be Ironbloods you have to drink the whole flagon!"


    Barns and Jessica exchange looks once more.


    "Eh, what the hell. Ironbloods for life!" Barns announces, taking a swill. It''s fire in his lungs but oh-so-tasty. Jennifer follows suit, taking a huge swig and shouting with joy. The dwarves are clapping and cheering like nobody''s business.


    "You. Come here tomorrow morning. We''ll show our new Dimartino friends something cooler than cool!"


    And so the three of them party well into the night, none of them quite sure how they gained the dwarven favor so easily but glad that they did.


    Skado technically is at the party too, but he''s entered full drug-lord mode, as the dwarves show him all sorts of illicit substances they''d been curating. The young poisoner looks like he''s never been happier, and before the night is over, he too is declared an official Ironblood.


    "Can''t believe I never came here before. The drugs they use are unlike anything I''ve ever seen or tasted before!"


    "Tasted?" but Barns doesn''t even need to ask. Skado''s eyes are straight bugging.


    "Well, sure. I can''t know something''s properties without trying it a little and seeing how it affects me. Whooooo!" he cheers. It''s almost frightening, how ''loose'' the poisoner gets. Before long he ditches his shirt, too, partying shirtless in the foam with the best of them.


    It''s late in the night when they finally decide to leave, and all four of them crash in Skado''s living room.


    When the morning comes, they make good on their promise to what they assume is the leader of the dwarves.


    They arrive back to the lower floor and things are already immaculately clean, with no evidence of the raucous party just hours ago. They''re greeted with apprehension by some as they arrive, but once the head dwarf sees them, it''s all cheers and everyone''s given another flagon.


    "So, Dimartino friends. You come back!"


    "Of course!" Jennifer laughs, putting her newfound diplomacy skills to the test. "Wouldn''t dream of missing this! So, what did you want to show us?"


    The dwarf holds his hands out wide in front of him, in a dramatic flourish. "Right this way, honies."


    He leads the quartet down a long hallway, into a room that''s even lower than where they were. Seems the city of Lantafort also has a basement.


    He walks them into a large hollow, and the group is astounded by what they see. It''s like an underground train station, with tunnels in every direction leading far into shadowy voids.


    They can hardly understand what it is they''re seeing, but the dwarves are quick to explain.


    "Welcome to our biggest secret," he says with a big and exaggerated smile. "Need a ride back to Dimartino? We can have you home in an hour, papis."


    And that''s when Barns realizes what becoming an ''Ironblood'' really means for the representatives of Dimartino.


    They''ve just unlocked dwarven fast travel.

 Chapter 98 - 98: Fast Travel

    Barns stretches his arms behind his head, taking one last glance at Lantafort''s underground. The glowing lanterns, the maze of stonework bridges, the hum of daily life - he could get used to spending time here, and now that the dwarves have just shown him a way to speed back and forth, he might do so.


    But for now, it''s time to head home.


    Jennifer stands beside him, adjusting her new ambassadorial sash like it''s still sinking in that she actually has the job. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways for now," she says. "You sure you boys can make it back without me holding your hands?"


    Barns smirks. "It''ll be tough, but we''ll try to manage."


    Clancy clicks his claws together. "FAST TRAIN. SHORT TRIP."


    Skado snickers. "You say that like you discovered it yourself."


    "Well, enjoy you ride back to Dimartino. I''ll help hold things down here. And Barns?"


    He raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"


    "Try not to get into too much trouble. Knowing you, that might be a tall order," she winks.


    "No promises," Barns laughs, stepping onto the platform leading to the dwarven fast travel tunnels.


    A few dwarves in thick work gear stand near the tracks, watching them with idle curiosity. One of them, the same headband-wearing dwarf who''d welcomed them to the Festivale, gives Barns a thumbs-up. "Ride''s all set for you, mi amigo. Don''t puke, honey!"


    Barns eyes the tunnel warily. "Not planning on it, but now I feel like I should be concerned."


    The dwarf just laughs, signaling to his crew. A moment later, a strange, metal-lined cart rolls up on the tracks, barely making a sound. It''s built for speed, reinforced with dwarven craftsmanship.


    The tunnels are designed for smooth, rapid travel, powered by some underground force Barns doesn''t even want to begin guessing at.


    "Once we launch you, just press the big red button and it''ll send you right back, whenever you like!"


    Clancy barely squeezes into the cart, and Skado takes a seat with a sigh, clearly exhausted from last night''s ''scientific research'' - the boatload of experimental dwarven drugs he consumed as part of his pharmacology investigation.


    Barns slaps the side of the cart. "Alright, let''s test this bad boy out."


    The dwarf operator grins, pulling a lever. "Dimartino, express route. You''ll be there before your boots cool off."


    The cart lurches forward. Then, before Barns can even process it, they''re *flying *straight through the underground.


    Wind roars past them as the cart rockets through the tunnel, breaking the sound barrier. The dark stony walls blur as they whiz by so quickly they can scarcely see. Barns grips the sides instinctively, his stomach doing flips. Clancy, on the other hand, is loving it, clicking his claws with excitement.


    "FASTER!"


    "Oh, shut up," Skado groans, looking slightly queasy.


    The ride lasts only about twenty minutes, but by the time they emerge, all three of them have had their fill. The cart slows smoothly before stopping at a hidden entrance just underneath Dimartino''s castle.


    Barns steps out, shaking his head in amazement. "That was insane. When did they even build a tunnel all the way here?"


    Clancy scuttles forward, still clicking. "KING REQUIRES OWN FAST TRAVEL NETWORK."


    Barns ignores him, focusing instead on the fact that they''ve beaten Maria''s timeline by nearly an entire day. He grins.


    Time to make an entrance.


    He opens a hatch and they emerge somewhere in the castle kitchens. He can''t believe nobody has ever found this place before - although, if they did, all that would have awaited them was an endless tunnel of darkness.


    Clancy is only barely able to fit through the hatch - it takes some jostling about with Skado and Barns'' combined strength to squeeze him through.


    "We''ll...get that widened for you, big guy."


    Back inside the castle, Maria is pacing the grand hall, finalizing strategies with Underhill and Osmond when the doors swing open.


    Barns strolls in casually, hands in his pockets. "Miss us?"


    Maria stops mid-sentence, blinking. "You''re back already? What, did you walk through the whole night?"


    Skado saunters in behind Barns, rubbing his temples. "Let''s just say we''re now officially part of the ''Ironblood'' club."


    Maria pinches the bridge of her nose. "Do I even want to know what that''s supposed to mean?"


    Clancy clicks. "DWARVES FAST."


    Now that''s something that catches Maria''s attention. "Dwarves?" she asks. "You met them, then? What were they like?"


    "I''ll save the details for another time," Barns says. "They let us use an underground railway - although I don''t even know if I''d call that thing a train, to be honest. It got us from Lantafort to Dimartino in twenty minutes, tops."


    Maria is amazed by the news. "This...changes everything!" she exclaims. "Why did this never come up before?"


    "It''s the dwarves that manage the whole network - they''re independent of Commander Brahn and the humans in Lantafort." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Still, to think they''ve been able to keep such impressive technology hidden..." Skado reflects.


    "You can''t tell your mom, okay? Ironblood secret - that''s what they said. Although I guess we already spilled the beans over here..."


    Maria glowers at the two men behind her, Underhill and Osmond. "The secret stays between us, then. Got it?"


    She''s looking straight at Underhill when she talks.


    "Fine, fine," Underhill waves his hand dismissively. "I don''t know why everyone always assumes I''m scheming something."


    "Aren''t you?" Maria snips.


    Osmond steps forward, his usual smirk replaced with something more serious. "Not to interject, my darling dove, but it is quite fortunate that you''ve all arrived early. Seems the ''horde'' we''ve been tracking has been making some unusual movements. We should enact our plan soon."


    "Horde?" Skado asks, looking around at everyone.


    Barns runs a hand through his hair. "Something about zombies."


    "That''s a...light way to put it, Barnie," Osmond smiles weakly. "About two thousand of the undead, just miles away from Ordella and with no vampires to keep them at bay."


    Maria exhales, already rolling over the next hundred steps in her head. She is stressed to no end, but the management of Dimartino is something that envigorates her more than anything ever has. Osmond has no complaints, either - Maria''s nightly ''stress relief'' sessions have the Demon Lord barely able to keep up.


    "Everyone on the same page, then? Let''s get to work."


    Maria details the plan in an elaborate step-by-step fashion. Barns is reminded of the last time he put together plans - it was in Dimartino''s old hotel, and he and Clancy were brainstorming ways to murder the Princess. How the tables have turned.


    Loathe as he is to admit, Maria''s a far better planner. They have organized a pincer formation led by three teams - a central ''baiting'' team spearheaded by Barns and Clancy, and two teams to serve as a flank to pick off outlier zombies and make sure the horde proceeds as planned to the trenches.


    They''d launch their assault tomorrow - and Barns couldn''t wait. Even after the planning session, he can''t get zombie off the mind; it has been some time since his last battle, and he craves some action. With two thousand zombies, he''s sure that means gaining some levels, too.


    ¡­


    In the evening, Barns gets a moment to unwind. He finds himself in the Adventurer Guild, sprawled out on one of the couches. Roscoe sits across from him, polishing Crashing Wave with meticulous focus. The blade is his precious treasure, bestowed upon him by the legendary hero of Dimartino. To Roscoe, it''s the most priceless thing in the world.


    Barns watches Roscoe''s determined care, an inspiring sight in its own way. "You''re really serious about this training thing, huh?"


    Roscoe nods, not looking up. "I have to be. I''m gonna be strong enough to fight by your side, someday."


    Barns leans back, exhaling. "Yep, you will. I have no doubts about that."


    He thinks about the zombie horde - the trenches have been dug, and the operation would commence early in the morning. As much as he''d like to include Roscoe, it was still too dangerous...but he''d find a way to get the young Adventurer some combat experience soon. Maybe the duo could hit up the Mantis Shrimp.


    Roscoe grips the hilt of his sword. "But until then, I have to keep training. I''ve upped the difficulty today, you know. 120 each, push-ups, sit-ups. And I doubled my run distance - ten times around the castle grounds, not just the five you told me to do."


    Barns watches him, seeing something familiar in his eyes - determination, the kind that doesn''t fade. He grins, reaching over to ruffle Roscoe''s hair.


    "You''re improving quickly, huh?" Barns asks. It seems almost too quickly. He worried that Roscoe might be pushing himself too hard.


    Roscoe looks up, blushing slightly. "Well...there might be a reason for that," the boy confesses.


    A slight moment of trepidation creeps into Barns'' stomach. He''s not about to have an ''afterschool special'', is he? If the kid''s on drugs to improve his performance, Barns isn''t even sure what he''d say.


    Roscoe exhales sharply. "I talked to Zelia, and she gave me a skill. She said she can only do it once for me, but it''s a good one."


    Barns exhales. ''Good,'' he thinks. ''Nothing like I was thinking.''


    "Well, what''s the skill?" his curiosity is fully piqued.


    Roscoe grins from ear to ear. "Hero Affinity! S Rank!"

 Chapter 99 - 99: S Rank Hero Affinity

    "S Rank Hero Affinity?"


    The skill sounds fake, at least to Barns. But what Roscoe says next convinces him otherwise. That, and the eager young swordsman has a system prompt that he promptly shows off.


    [Hero Affinity (S Rank)


    Ability: Stamina Recovery (S)


    Description: Passive. Recovers stamina at 200% normal rate. Increases to 300% when training with a hero.


    Ability: Demigod Rising (A)


    Description: Passive. Training has a chance to permanently increase the corresponding attribute (ex., Push-ups & Strength). This can happen once per month per attribute. Chance doubles when training with a hero.


    Ability: Rousing Resonator (B)


    Description: Once per week, half of your attribute points can be added to a hero of your choice, giving them a temporary boost of power. Current duration: 10 minutes. Duration increases with rank.]


    "Roscoe, whoa! These abilities are amazing!"


    ''If I had this at fourteen, I''d be a god by now. This isn''t just an overpowered skill, it''s a fast track to legendary status.'' Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The young Adventurer blushes. "Yep, pretty cool huh?"


    "Beyond cool..."


    Barns reflects on all the information and reads over it once more. If he had gotten these powers, he''d have finished resetting the apocalypse by now - at least, it seems so. The ability to grow his attributes even without leveling made Roscoe formidable indeed. If he had ALSO been given the power of leveling, the young man would be unstoppable.


    Especially with that stamina. With even just the 200% boost, Barns would never need to take breaks for anything. It is no wonder how quickly Roscoe has taken to his training.


    "Do you know how to check your attributes, too?"


    Roscoe nods. Barns starts wondering if he''s the only one who doesn''t know how to navigate the system well.


    He opens up a panel for Barns and let''s him take a look.


    [Name: Roscoe Ralloway


    Level: 0/0


    Strength: 12


    Vitality: 12


    Agility: 13


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    Intellect: 13


    Control: 11


    Charisma: 11


    Luck: 33]


    Barns'' jaw nearly drops at the Luck attribute. No wonder the boy got such an OP skill at such a young age.


    All the other attributes look to be good, but nothing else is shocking. He is surprised to see that Roscoe, a fourteen-year-old, was better than an average human in every single dimension, however.


    Barns wonders if maybe he hasn''t given ''Little Bro'' enough credit. This was all certainly more than the average Adventurer had access to. If the boy learns the Secret Arts, he could already become a force of nature.


    "Roscoe..." Barns says quietly. He hesitates, because he knows it''s a big decision, and he doesn''t make it lightly. But now, more than ever, he''s convinced.


    "Little bro. I want you to come with us tomorrow. I think you''re ready for some real combat experience. What do you say? Want to kill some zombies with me?"


    Roscoe never had a bigger smile than he does now. The moment he waited for his entire life has finally arrived - an adult is taking him seriously.


    "I was born ready, Big bro! Let me at ''em!"


    Barns laughs heartily. "Maybe not right on the front lines, but you can provide defensive support to our logistics team. How''s that sound?"


    It wasn''t the most exciting first mission, but Roscoe didn''t care. The idea of being invited by the legendary hero himself to participate in a field operation was enough for him.


    "You got it!"


    They chat for a while and before long, Barns realizes the time. He agrees to meet back up with Roscoe in the morning, and retires to his tower.


    ...


    The morning arrives, calm and bright. Barns awakens to the sound of chirping birds - they''d taken a particular liking to the ledge outside his window.


    He gathers his things together and heads back to the Adventurer Guild, where his allies have already mostly gathered. There, he touches base with Godrick. It had been a while since he chatted with the Bravuran warrior.


    "G''day, Barnacles."


    "Godrick! Glad to see you''re recovered."


    "Oh, right good, I tell ya. Them nurses in Ordella are miracle workers. They''ve been working the last six years, treating the folks what got maimed and mangled by those nasty vampires. They''re in a class of their own, even developed some new Secret Arts if you can believe it, mate."


    "Really?" Barns says, impressed. He''d been so busy that he hasn''t spent much time in Ordella. Hearing about their world-class medical team certainly puts his mind at ease, and gives him yet another reason to be proud of their burgeoning kingdom.


    Godrick is quick to change the topic though - there''s something he needs to get off his chest.


    "Boy, I sure am sad to hear about old Haima though, aren''t you?"


    The words tore through Barns in an instant. Godrick didn''t know, but Barns and Haima were kind of, sort of dating.


    "Yeah, you''re telling me," Barns mumbled. "You think you know someone, and then...they end up with a lot more than ghosts in a haunted house."


    "Eh...right," Godrick says, unsure of what Barns is referencing. "But to slice up some bugger in their sleep, that''s a tough one. A right shame, too. She had just agreed to go on a date with me and everything, I was looking forward to my recovery."


    Barns opens his mouth to say something, but for the second time that morning, unexpected news from Godrick leaves him unsure of how to react.


    Haima...agreed to go on a date with Godrick?


    Even if it didn''t come to pass, it stings for Barns. He starts to wonder if any of it was real at all, or if Haima was just using him as a cover to her depravity.


    He wonders if the reason she has such a close affinity with ghosts is because she''s a killer herself.


    "There''s...a lot I didn''t know about her," Barns says quietly. He only wants to remember the sweet times, and the times she made him feel not just like a legendary hero, but as someone who she might one day come to love.


    But the darkness surrounding her seems to grow deeper and deeper.


    Barns takes a deep breath. Loathe as he is to admit it, it would appear Haima is not the romantic partner he thought she''d be.


    But he didn''t let it get him down. Bad breakups were part of life, and he has no qualms about getting back out there - once the right girl reveals herself.


    As he steadies his thoughts, Maria calls out from over the gathered crowd.


    "Everyone - Operation: Kill the Horde begins now!"

 Chapter 100 - 100: The Horde

    Barns grips his belt, eyes scanning the field ahead. The open plains stretch out before them, eerily silent except for the distant shuffling of thousands of undead feet. The morning sun filters through the haze, casting a dull, washed-out glow over the battlefield. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He exhales sharply. ''Time to get to work.''


    Three teams. Three objectives. One goal - wipe out the horde, and resurrect two thousand more souls to the Kingdom of Dimartino.


    Easy in theory, right? Except for the fact that zombies don''t go down easily, and beheadings were out of the question. As such, the conventional zombie-killing methods were off-limits. At least they have a trench, already filled and frothing with foam, to lead the undead into.


    Zombies are too stupid to avoid such an obvious trap, after all.


    Barns and Clancy stand in the center of the operation, positioned at the heart of the battlefield where the undead will be funneled.


    Above them, nestled in the branches of an giant tree, Eldrie watches from his elevated perch, his single crimson eye gleaming in the early light. His bow is drawn, an arrow notched, waiting for the moment to strike.


    From his perch, he can see the whole battlefield, and the horde from corner to corner. They were proceeding apace, slowly shambling their way toward Barns and Clancy.


    It''s a rotting sea of bodies, their movements jerky and unnatural. They stretch across the entire plain, a seemingly unstoppable torrent of flesh and bone.


    Clancy clicks his claws and bellows into the air once more. "ZOMBIE! PROCEED! KING COMMANDS!"


    Clancy is on distraction duty - his voice was louder than anyone else''s, and for the past half-hour, he''s been screaming at the top of his lungs to guide them further and further. Now, they''re just moments away from enacting their plan.


    Barns flexes his fingers.


    "No better way to start the day than with some good ol'' fashioned zombie killing - eh, King?"


    Clancy scuttles excitedly. "NO BEHEADING. CLANCY REMEMBER BARNACLES."


    "Eldrie! Start picking off any fast ones. The last thing we need is a sprinter."


    "Already on it," Eldrie calls down.


    A bowstring twangs, and the first arrow whizzes through the air, piercing the chest of a ghoul at the front of the horde. It collapses instantly. Another follows. Then another. Eldrie''s careful not to cause too much bodily destruction, but each of his arrows has the stopping power to blow a hole in the zombies'' chests. His target for each - their spines.


    Barns cracks his knuckles. "Alright, King. Let''s do this."


    Clancy rears back and erupts in a burst of cleansing foam. The white froth spews forth like a divine flood, drenching the first wave of undead. The effect is instantaneous¡ªwhere the foam touches, the rotting flesh boils and sizzles, stripping away the monstrous husks and revealing human corpses beneath.


    The bodies collapse, lifeless once more.


    But there are thousands more.


    Barns dives into the fray. His Silver Rake claw breaks bone, his movements a whirlwind of raw strength and precision. Each swing sends undead bodies flying, limbs snapping like brittle twigs.


    Above, Eldrie continues his barrage. Every shot is perfect. The former vampire''s keen instincts and steady hand make him the perfect support. Not to mention, his glowing vampiric eye has granted him visual acuity unlike anything he''s ever had.


    The horde keeps coming. Even with their first round of attacks, only about forty to fifty zombies are downed. There are thousands more.


    Barns barely has a moment to breathe before another wave crashes upon them.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere on the battlefield¡­


    Osmond twirls his staff, his demonic energy flaring with excitement all over his body. He thrives in battle, and this is no different. He chains an attack of condensed purple energy through the horde, dropping seven outlier zombies in a single instant.


    On his end, Osmond''s aiming for the legs. Legless zombies can''t walk - and once they''ve fallen, all they have to do is wait for their foam bath.


    Maria, beside him, watches the battlefield with a cold, calculating gaze. She''s not here to waste energy, and in fact, her powers haven''t fully recovered. She''s the tactician now - watching over the battlefield with controlled and refined grace. Making sure everything is proceeding apace.


    Underhill leans on his gilded cane nearby, watching as a group of undead break away from the main horde, shambling toward them.


    "Couple of wise guys over here, eh?" he muses, tapping the ground twice with his cane.


    Then he moves.


    Underhill is fast. Faster than Maria and Osmond would have ever guessed - they''ve never seen him fight before. He disappears from sight for a moment, then reappears behind one of the zombies, his cane striking like a whip. The creature''s head snaps backward with a sickening crack, its body falling limp before it even realizes what happened.


    Maria raises an eyebrow. "Didn''t think he''d be much of a fighter," she mumbles to Osmond.


    Underhill smirks - somehow he''s heard her, even from a distance away. "Let''s just say I keep a few tricks up my sleeve!"


    The left flank moves aggressively, cutting down any zombies that veer toward Ordella. They cannot afford stragglers. Every single corpse needs to be accounted for.


    And still¡­ the horde keeps coming.


    Despite their best efforts, the undead keep surging forward, gaining ground quickly. They stomp over the corpses of the fallen, and the trenches they dug out are already full, creating bridges for more zombies to shamble through.


    A thousand have fallen. But a thousand yet remain.


    Barns, bloodied but exhilarated, stands in the middle of the battlefield, his left arm partially transformed with the ''Claw of Death''. He slashes through the undead with ease. His hard-earned training is paying off.


    He glances up to the right flank - where Godrick and Roscoe were. They should have been dropping their foam bombs by now. Did something happen? Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    And then, suddenly, a deep, gravelly wail erupts from the horde. A cry like a banshee, shrill and ominous.


    And then, from the center of the remaining zombies, something rises on bony, battered wings.


    A massive, hulking figure, standing twice the height of a man. Its flesh is stitched together, a grotesque amalgamation of corpses, fused by dark magic.


    Its eyes glow red, burning with unholy rage.


    Barns feels his stomach drop.


    "What the hell is that?" he mutters.


    Eldrie, above in the trees, narrows his crimson eye.


    "That," he calls out, notching an arrow, "is a Zombie Lord."

 Chapter 101 - 101: Boneball

    Godrick cracks his knuckles. "Alright, kid. You ready for your first real fight?"


    Roscoe nods, gripping his sword tight. His hands tremble slightly, but his eyes burn with determination.


    "Just stick close, eh?" Godrick grins. "And when in doubt - hit ''em harder."


    Their team holds the higher ground, a natural incline giving them a perfect vantage point.


    Roscoe raises a foam bomb in his hand, looking toward the incoming horde. "On your mark, Godrick."


    But just before they can start throwing the bombs down the hill, a sudden burst comes from the woods behind them.


    The two whip their heads around, unsure of what they are seeing. Whatever it is - it''s grotesque.


    A writhing mass of decayed flesh and limbs appears to have fallen from the sky, or manifested with magic. An abomination forged from no fewer than twenty humans, and it lumbers toward their group. It''s encased in bony armor, a mix of sharp bones and rib cages forming a protective shell around the meatball.


    The Adventurers with them scatter out in a defensive formation. Their group isn''t supposed to be in direct combat - now, it''s inevitable.


    "Damn things, I remember seeing one before I was killed the first time," Godrick grits his teeth. "Think they were calling them Boneballs, or something."


    The ''Boneball'' retches, oozing something like poisonous vomit. Nearby, Skado emits a soft and excited ''Ooh!'' as he sees something remotely venomous.


    "Come on, kid! Can''t let this nasty mate go on now - we got our own balls to drop!"


    Godrick speeds forward, blades in hand. He weaves them effortlessly through the gaps in the Boneball''s armor, pivoting with each thrust and striking over and over again.


    The Boneball screams in pain, shaking and writhing. But it''s far from defeated. Lanky, mutant arms begin smashing on the ground as it tries to squish Godrick like a bug. Thankfully, the Blade Dancer is far too quick for such lumbering, clumsy attacks.


    Roscoe clutches his sword, Crashing Wave, and swings - activating the weapon''s latent ability. Blades of water fly through the air, peppering the soft inner flesh of the Boneball, tearing it up. The mass shrieks and flails, destroying the carts they arrived with, smashing all of their supplies to bits.


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    And then it changes - adapting to the attacks. It grows and elongates, becoming more of a worm than a ball - still shielded by a carapace of bone to protect its rotting inner flesh.


    The writhing limbs stretch unnaturally, its form shifting from a rolling mass into something more... deliberate. The spine of the creature seems to crack and extend, until it slithers, dragging its broken limbs behind it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, ain''t much of a Boneball now, is it?" Godrick huffs. "More like a Bonecrawler!"


    The newly minted ''Bonecrawler'' is fast - much faster than before. It takes Godrick off guard and rams into him, though he uses his swords to block the attack. He strains every muscle in his body against the mutant as bony arms start to erupt from its flesh, eager to cage Godrick in and consume him.


    "Little help here, mates!" Godrick cries out, his arms shaking.


    "Roscoe, throw a foam bomb, stat!" Skado shouts over the battlefield, rushing to Godrick''s side. He reaches into his own bag and throws a tuft of red mist in the air just as he reaches Godrick''s side.


    "Hold your breath!" Skado commands as a bright red haze spreads in the air over the Bonecrawler''s ''face'' - or at least, what appears to be a face.


    Nothing happens for a brief moment, but then suddenly the Bonecrawler recoils, shrieking even louder than before. The whole creature howls with ungodly pain as it shudders and shakes. Not that the undead are capable of much thought, but the Bonecrawler is suddenly without the capacity for anything as the red mist is sucked up by it''s pussy, decaying flesh.


    ''Ghost pepper powder, mixed with salinated holy water,'' Skado smirks. ''The perfect tool to incapacitate the undead.''


    As the Bonecrawler is stunned senseless, Roscoe lifts one of the heavy foam bombs and chucks it with all his might. It flies through the air and lands with a THUD right on the Bonecrawler''s head.


    It''s already dying from Skado''s well-timed and carefully curated poison, but the foam bomb finishes the job. As the cleansing power of Clancy''s foam seeps through the open wounds left by Skado and Godrick, the Bonecrawler dissolves, leaving only a heap of limbs.


    "That¡­doesn''t look resurrectable," Godrick comments. The crisis subsided, they all look to the battlefield. As they do, they see the same horror that Barns and the others witnessed before - the floating, menacing ''Zombie Lord'' that has just manifested over the remaining horde.


    "Time to step to it, mates. Let''s get these foam bombs rolling!"


    They get into position alongside the other Adventurers. They picked this spot on purpose - it''s the perfect angle to rain death upon the horde, should their first round of defense - the trenches - get overwhelmed.


    Godrick grins. "Three. Two. One. Roll ''em out!"


    A dozen foam bombs tumble down the hill.


    As soon as they burst open, a tsunami of white foam engulfs the undead.


    The results are instantaneous. The creatures caught in the blast shriek and sizzle, their monstrous forms melting away.


    Roscoe can''t believe his eyes.


    Godrick lets out a roaring laugh. "Ain''t that a sight!? Keep ''em coming, kid!"


    Roscoe reloads another bomb, his confidence growing with every second.


    For the first time¡­ he feels like he belongs.


    ¡­


    Maria''s left flank holds strong. Osmond''s magic is tearing through zombies to devastating effect, and he looks like a demon possessed - all the while, Underhill moves like a shadow, striking with effortless precision.


    They see the Zombie Lord manifest as well - large, winged, and deadly. Maria and Osmond look immediately to each other. As far as they knew, they were the only two in Dimartino that could fly - but Maria''s wings and her Ave Maria Royal Art were not yet ready.


    "Looks like you''re up, Ozzie," she says with a wicked smile. She''s eager to see her man prove himself against such a formidable opponent. She knows Osmond is capable of far more than he''s shown anyone yet.


    "Of course, my dove," he says quickly, floating up into the air. "I shall defeat this abomination in your honor!"


    He zips off toward the Zombie Lord with a pulse of chaotic violet energy. As he flies away, Maria is knocked unsteady from his wind.


    Underhill sneaks up behind Maria, watching as well.


    "Oh, you''d better do something extra nice for him tonight, making him fight a big old freaky thing like that," Underhill quips.


    "Please. If it''s to reward Osmond, then I''ll be the one having something extra nice done to them tonight."


    She can''t help but smirk.

 Chapter 102 - 102: Two Lords

    Two lords - A Zombie Lord and a Demon Lord. The necrotic undead hovers over the battlefield on sinewy wings and exposed bone. The demon floats through the air as if gravity has no effect on him, hurtling toward his enemy.


    As Osmond accelerates, the cracks over his skin grow alight with crackling purple energy - his magical lightning coursing through every vein in his body.


    ''Now''s as good a time as any to test out the full scope of my demon powers,'' Osmond thinks to himself. He wouldn''t allow himself to go all-out - he still fears passing a point of no return. But he would learn his limits. Push himself further than he ever has. It''s the only way to get stronger.


    The Zombie Lord notices him before the two collide. He summons forth a wave of necrotic energy - bubbling, dark green with rippling blackness seeping through - corruption that putrifies magic itself.


    The Zombie Lord is incapable of speech or thought - a being of pure hatred, sent to guide the undead to their miserable fate.


    Osmond attacks first, pointing his large, orbed staff directly at the Zombie Lord and shouting at the top of his lungs, his fury unleashed.


    A pulse of violet lightning erupts from Osmond''s staff, warping the air around it. The raw, chaotic magic twists and cracks, laced with demonic power. The blast streaks toward the Zombie Lord, ripping through the air like the wrath of a thunder god.


    But the undead abomination doesn''t flinch.


    With a sickening crack, it unfurls one of its massive, rotted wings and swats the attack aside like a fly. The blast careens into the ground, exploding in a burst of corrupted energy that wilts the very earth beneath it. The flesh-bound monstrosity snarls - no lungs, no throat, just the wheezing death-cry of a creature that should not exist.


    Osmond grits his teeth. The putrid force that shields the Zombie Lord is unlike anything he''s encountered. This isn''t just raw magic - it''s corruption itself. It devours magic like a parasite, a blight that knows nothing but destruction.


    ''Fascinating¡­ but inconvenient.''


    He twists his wrist, flicking his staff to the side. A new incantation, one he''s never tried before. His body pulses with energy, dark veins glowing beneath his skin. The power wells from somewhere deep within him - deeper than he''s ever accessed. His demonic core itself.


    The cracks across his arms and chest widen, jagged lines of infernal purple. He is pushing himself further than ever before.


    Osmond propels himself forward.


    Faster.


    Lightning shoots off his skin, striking the ground below. His movements leave a sizzling trail in the air. The demon twists mid-flight, spinning his staff like a conductor''s baton, and releases a hailstorm of cursed bolts. Each one burns brighter than hellfire as they slice through the undead below, causing absolute devastation.


    The Zombie Lord retaliates.


    With a grotesque lurch, it opens its ribcage.


    Osmond doesn''t have time to be disturbed - but he is. Inside, where there should be a heart, is instead a swirling vortex of liquefied decay. Flesh and bone churn together in a spiraling abyss that looks like an entrance to hell itself. A hideous ooze begins to leak outward, corrupted magic pouring from its core.


    And then it spews.


    A stream of festering necrotic bile erupts from its torso, cascading through the air toward Osmond. The air itself blackens and warps in its wake. A cascade of pure evil. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tch - I hope you''re watching, my love."


    Osmond barely has time to react.


    He vanishes.


    One moment he''s there - the next, he''s behind the creature, his body blinking through space like a distortion in reality. A demonic afterimage lingers where he was, catching the full brunt of the necrotic torrent. The spell should have dissipated immediately, but instead, Osmond watches as his own ghostly mirage rots away before his eyes.


    ''That¡­should not have happened.''


    He doesn''t stop to think about it. He strikes.


    His clawed hand surges with arcane lightning, and with a roar, he drives it into the Zombie Lord''s spine.


    A sickening crunch follows, but it''s not over yet.


    The Zombie Lord twists its head backward at an unnatural angle, its eyeless sockets boring into him.


    Osmond''s skin crawls.


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    And then - it detonates.


    The necrotic core inside its ribcage implodes, then explodes outward, sending an unholy shockwave that nearly blows Osmond out of the sky. He barely manages to raise his staff, summoning a barrier of raw magic that fractures on impact. His body slams backward, the air torn from his lungs.


    The Zombie Lord lunges.


    In a single, horrifying motion, its wings fold inward, carrying its grotesque form toward Osmond at frightening speed. The distance between them disappears in an instant. A rotted, decaying hand of bone swings toward his throat.


    Osmond has no time to dodge.


    Instead, he lets go.


    The crackling energy inside him bursts outward.


    His body erupts in a pulse of violet flame, his eyes flashing with hellborn rage. Just before the creature''s claws can rip through him, Osmond reaches deep into the core of his being and unleashes something¡­ new.


    There''s not a shred of mercy in Osmond. He holds back nothing.


    The air cracks apart as a sphere of black-purple fire explodes around him. The pressure alone rips the nearest clouds apart.


    The Zombie Lord collides with it head-on.


    Its entire front side is incinerated.


    The force of the blast hurls the beast backward, its rotten flesh peeling away like wax in an infernal wind. It screams - not in rage, but in something that almost resembles fear. If such a creature could even feel fear.


    Osmond doesn''t let up.


    His abyssal energy spreads wide, coating the entire battlefield in violet light. The runic cracks along his body pulse like dying stars, his power rising beyond what he has ever dared to unleash before.


    And then - he descends.


    A blur of movement. A comet of violet destruction.


    The moment he reaches the wounded Zombie Lord, he thrusts his palm forward -


    "DEMON ART: MAELSTROM."


    The sky screams.


    The world shatters.


    A tornado of chaotic magic surges from Osmond''s hand, engulfing the undead abomination in an endless, consuming storm of raw destruction.


    The Zombie Lord doesn''t even get the chance to fight back.


    It is torn apart.


    Its body disintegrates, ripped into nothingness by the churning vortex.


    And then - silence.


    The storm collapses inward.


    The sky settles.


    And Osmond, panting, exhausted, grinning like a madman, descends gently to the battlefield below.


    He lands next to Maria, who is watching with arms crossed, an unimpressed look on her face.


    "Finally," she sighs, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Took you long enough."


    Osmond chuckles, his body still sparking with residual energy. He stares at his own hands, still shaking.


    "¡­I think I may have gone a bit overboard."


    Maria eyes the absolute devastation in the sky above, the sky still alight with purple and green magic which slowly dissolves into the air.


    "Let''s just finish up the rest of the horde, hm?"

 Chapter 103 - 103: The Hordes Aftermath

    The silence is striking.


    The battlefield should be groaning - zombies should still be clawing at the earth, dragging themselves forward, driven by some dark, unholy instinct. But there''s nothing.


    Osmond stands in the crater he left behind, panting, violet energy still rippling over his skin. His chest rises and falls unevenly. His fingers twitch. The cracks over his body, the ones that flicker when he fights - they still glow like embers, pulsing wildly, erratically.


    He overdid it - at least a little bit. Normally he can dispel his magic after he''s finished fighting, but his body is overwhelmed.


    He grips his staff tighter, his whole body shaking.


    Maria steps up beside him, her heels clicking softly against the dead ground. She eyes the destruction, completely unfazed. A ruined stretch of land that used to be a battlefield now looks like the surface of a distant planet - warped, scorched, carved apart by the forces of two opposing Lords.


    She doesn''t say anything at first. Just watches him.


    He exhales sharply. "What?"


    She crosses her arms, tossing her hair back. "What, indeed? I''m not allowed to be worried about my boyfriend?"


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    Osmond closes his eyes, centering himself. The excess energy is a problem. He can feel the magic coiling inside him, demanding more, demanding that he keeps going. But there''s no more enemy left. Nothing left to fight.


    If he doesn''t suppress it, his body might actually tear itself apart.


    "...I''m fine, my dove," he says, more to convince himself than anyone else. "Just¡­ trying some new things out."


    Maria''s eyes flick up to the sky, where the last wisps of violet and green magic still churn - a swirling scar left behind in the atmosphere like an aurora of unholiness.


    "Well," she hums, smirking. "That''s new."


    The rest of the battlefield is eerily still. The hordes of zombies that weren''t incinerated have collapsed into lifeless piles, their rotted flesh eaten away by Clancy''s foam.


    The trenches are overflowing, the corpses of thousands of undead piled atop one another, bubbling and purified.


    It smells like hell - literally. Rotting death, burning decay, foam still sizzling over disintegrating limbs. Even the air is heavy, thick with a foul, necrotic miasma.


    Barns tightens his grip on his belt, taking slow steps forward through the graveyard they''ve created.


    "Holy hell," he mutters.


    Clancy scuttles about, making sure to foam any stragglers as Barns prepares the Resurrection.


    Eldrie lands beside him, stepping down from his perch, bow still in hand. His crimson eye flickers dimly - the remnants of his vampiric sight still reacting to the undead energy hanging in the air.


    "It''s over," Eldrie states, voice measured, but Barns can hear the unease beneath it. He''s scanning the bodies, making sure. Because if even one of these things twitches, he''s putting an arrow straight through its skull.


    "You alright?" Barns asks.


    Eldrie exhales. "...I should be asking you that. I got to sit in a tree the whole time."


    Barns huffs a laugh. "I''m always alright. I am the legendary hero, after all."


    ¡­


    On the left flank, Underhill flicks his cane clean, letting the last bits of zombie rot splatter to the ground.


    "I see why it''s better to leave this to the Adventurers," he mutters, rolling his shoulders. "Well, then."


    Maria turns to him. "Surprised you even came."


    "Oh, I thought about staying," Underhill grins. "Not exactly police business, but now that our little murder investigation is solved, I figured I''d give myself the day off. Not that this was a day of R&R."


    Barns is wandering nearby, checking on the corpses to make sure they''ve been purified. He overhears Underhill, smirks, but doesn''t argue.


    For someone so shady, Underhill''s become a reliable ally - and someone Barns values greatly. He almost regrets not trusting the guy outright from the beginning.


    Almost.


    Further out, on the right flank, Roscoe and Godrick descend the hill, their job complete. Roscoe is covered in sweat, but there''s a light in his eyes - his first battle, and he survived. Not only that, but he kept up with some of the greats, like Godrick and Skado.


    It''s the confidence boost Roscoe needed. He can be a warrior. He can make a difference to Dimartino.


    Barns watches him approach, grinning.


    "Well?" he calls out. "How''d it go?"


    Roscoe wipes his forehead. "Exhausting. We fought a Boneball! Or was it a Bonecrawler¡­?"


    Barns claps him on the back. "Well, I didn''t think you''d be fighting, my man - but you did a hell of a job. You should be proud."


    The younger warrior smiles through the nerves, but Barns can tell he''s already replaying everything in his head - mentally breaking down his performance, looking for ways to improve.


    He''s got the fire, alright.


    They all do.


    The entire battlefield is now quiet, the dust settling. Barns cracks his knuckles, moments away from the Resurrection.


    Osmond finally walks toward the rest of them, a little slower than usual, clearly spent.


    Barns raises an eyebrow. "Good show, my man. You''re going to have to teach me how to fly around like that."


    Osmond runs a hand through his disheveled hair, his flesh still sparking faintly. "I''d like to see you try."


    Barns exhales, hands on his hips.


    "So. That''s it, then. The Kingdom of Dimartino adds another notch to its belt."


    They all look out over the field - the bodies, the devastation, the absolute victory. Not a single casualty - just the way Barns likes it. Of course, as long as it was a relatively minor death, he''d be able to undo it with the Resurrection.


    And in that moment, Barns hears a familiar ding¡ªa System Notification appearing in front of his vision.


    His breath catches.


    He''s leveled up some more.


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 10 (260/1400)


    Strength: 17


    Vitality: 17


    Agility: 18


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 10


    Charisma: 19


    Luck: 20] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seems that everything has increased except his Intellect and his Luck - but he knows from his Leveling Guide that Luck is a fixed number. Nothing he can do about it.


    "Alright, everyone," he says to his gathered allies. Clancy gives him the ''good to go'' sign from across the battlefield.


    "Here goes¡­Resurrection!"


    [Progress: 28923/1000000]


    Barns stares at the screen for a long moment.


    Then he smirks.


    "Well. Looks like we''re getting somewhere."


    And the people around him, once zombies, begin to rise from the ground. Reborn at last.

 Chapter 104 - 104: Mo Resurrections, Mo Problems

    Just as the group begins to turn away -


    A sound. Wet, squelching. Aberrant.


    Barns'' blood runs cold.


    He whirls back toward the field, eyes snapping to the trenches, where the last of the foam still bubbles over the awakening humans.


    And then, something moves.


    A figure - but not a zombie. Something else.


    A survivor - but not anything like the others.


    A man dragging himself from the bodies, skin half-decayed but his eyes fully aware.


    He gasps raggedly, his voice hoarse from undeath:


    "Please... help me..."


    Barns'' heart stops.


    The man was resurrected - as an undead.


    The shambler gasps for air, dropping to his knees. Everyone looks to Barns in shock as the hero approaches, cautiously.


    The man has definitively been foamed - that much is certain. And yet he hasn''t fully returned to his human form. He''s something in between - no longer rotted, but still sallow. Not dead¡­but a far-flung excuse for ''living''.


    "Uh, hello?" Barns asks with a tilt of his head, unsure of what to say or do.


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    "Yesss¡­help¡­me¡­it hurts¡­"


    "You''re not gonna bite me, are you?"


    "Why¡­would I¡­do such a thing¡­?"


    Barns gulps. "Listen, guy. Tell me what you remember."


    "I was¡­a Zombie Lord¡­but then an angel¡­smacked me out of it."


    Barns turns to Osmond. "Hey, Ozzie," he calls snarkily. "You''re an angel, you know that?"


    The demon is confused by the comment, so Barns calls him over. Even a powerful Demon Lord like him doesn''t like being around such a wretched creature as this. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oz," Barns says when the demon finally arrives at his side. "This is the Zombie Lord you fought. Look familiar?"


    Osmond''s eyes widen. "You were the Zombie Lord!?"


    "Yes¡­" the man says, heaving. He''s disoriented, and weak - but it''s undeniable. Faint green necrotic energy still simmers along his skin.


    "My guy, we''re going to have to give you another foam bath. Is that okay? It might help."


    "Anything¡­please¡­the pain¡­"


    Barns gets Clancy over, and the bumbling crab blasts the half-zombie with a high-powered jet of foam.


    But the man neither burns away nor looks any more human. An impossibility made reality.


    "It''s possible the magic eroded his very existence," Osmond thinks quietly. "When I fought him, that necrotic power infected even my magic. It''s possible that it''s so corrupt that not even Clancy can undo the full extent of its malevolence."


    Barns glances around. Maria and Eldrie are hard at work gathering the newly resurrected together. It doesn''t look like there are any other shamblers, just this guy.


    "He might be able to use his powers even as a human, the same way Eldrie can with the vampire''s eye," Barns says as an aside to Osmond. "What should we do? Kill him? Or keep an eye on him?"


    Even as Barns asks, he knows the right answer. Thanks to his Crab Intuition, he can scan anyone for murderous intent. This man lacks any sense of bloodlust. That''s not something a mindless zombie would be able to hide - not even Maria, master of manipulation, could disguise it from Barns.


    "There''s so much we still need to learn about your Resurrection," Osmond whispers back. "We''d be fools not to bring him with us."


    Barns nods. Quinn, the mayor of Dimartino, was a demon once. Even though he didn''t keep any of his powers, he did retain some of his memories. It seems that those who held higher ranks and positions have the ability to retain some of the power they had in their Apocalypse-form, whether they were a demon, a vampire¡­or even a Zombie Lord.


    "Can you walk, guy? What''s your name?"


    Barns is having trouble talking to and interacting with the shambler - he''s just too aberrantly grotesque, even though he clearly means no harm. At least his whole body is covered in foam, and it''s hard to make out his more disgusting features.


    "Absalom."


    "Your name''s Absalom? Alright," Barns scratches his head. That wouldn''t be too hard to remember - the living zombie named Absalom. It was almost too insane to forget.


    "I can¡­walk¡­" Absalom grunts. "Who are you¡­people? My saviors¡­"


    "Your angel over here is Osmond, and the crab is Clancy. He''s your new king. Oh, and me? I''m Barnacles, the legendary hero. But call me Barns."


    They lead the people back to Ordella. The town is still quite empty and below capacity - Adon and Adea were running a tight ship, and killing often. The two thousand newly reborn citizens would fit right in to Ordella.


    Specifically, they focus on having the newly resurrected settle the northern part of Ordella - the area that Donatella demolished several days ago. In no time at all, the area is rebuilt with fancy new system-generated housing.


    All that remains is the question of how exactly to handle Absalom. He wouldn''t exactly fit into society.


    "He''s gotta come with us," Barns says to Osmond and Maria, later in the day. Most of the excitement has died down, and the first group of Adventurers has already begun the journey back to Dimartino.


    "We''ll keep him in the castle for now, away from the general population. I think that''s the safest thing to do, both for us and for him."


    Maria snarls. "The castle''s just becoming home to all misfits, is it?"


    Barns laughs to himself. He supposes it''s true - he and Clancy live there, of course - as do Maria and Osmond. They also have Roscoe and Eldrie staying at the castle, and most recently, Skado.


    "It''s the best place for people who aren''t¡­you know," Barns smirks.


    "Well, I suppose that would be no problem. I''ll tell my step-parents about it, otherwise they''ll probably die of shock."


    "Of course."


    Barns hasn''t thought about them in a while - the former king and queen. They mostly keep to themselves in a far-flung corner of the castle. But they are his birth parents, after all. It feels weird to him that they have such a nonexistent relationship.


    He doesn''t press it. It''s time to get back to Dimartino.


    He meets Absalom and Clancy by the gate. It would take them three days to walk to Dimartino if they let Absalom shuffle at his regular pace, so Clancy begrudgingly gives the half-zombie a ride, and off they go, with their company of Osmond, Maria, Eldrie, Skado, and Roscoe. One big happy family, of sorts.

 Chapter 105 - 105: The Vampiress Arrives

    Barns sucks in a deep breath, clenches his core, and dives.


    The water is cool, weightless, and starting to become utterly infuriating.


    His lungs burn within seconds. Too soon. Again.


    He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to focus.


    ''Think like a crab. Think like a crab.''


    But Clancy''s ''advice'' is so vague it might as well have come from a fortune cookie.


    Steel lungs, imagine air bubbles, harden insides - it sounds like good advice, but does any of it even make sense?


    A bubble escapes from his lips, and just like that - his body betrays him. He kicks off the bottom of the pool and bursts to the surface, sucking in air like a man who just barely survived drowning.


    Clancy clicks his claws excitedly from the poolside. "TWENTY-THREE SECONDS! RECORD BROKEN!"


    Barns groans, running a hand through his sopping wet hair to push it out of his face. "Twenty-three seconds? That''s it? I was over a minute last time!"


    "RECORD FOR BIGGEST FAILURE!"


    Barns glowers. He swipes his arm across the pool''s surface, sending a wave of water splashing up at Clancy. It does nothing, of course - the mighty crab is impervious to petty revenge.


    From the shade of a beach chair, Eldrie snorts. "This is honestly the most embarrassing thing I''ve ever seen."


    Barns rolls his eyes. "Says the guy who''s camping out for some girl."


    Eldrie blushes. "Hey! Jordan and I agreed to meet here today, I''ll have you know! We got dinner last night. It was nice."


    Barns sinks lower into the water, shoulders slumping. He hates this. In his first life, learning new abilities and the Secret Arts came to him naturally. He doesn''t have the patience to sit around meditating on ''intent'' or ''form.'' He learns in battle. In motion. When his life is on the line.


    But Bubble Breath? There''s no enemy to punch. Just him, the water, and his damn stubbornness.


    "I can see if Jessica''s around, maybe give you some encouragement?"


    "Shut up," Barns huffs. "The last thing I need is a distraction.


    ''I need something to push me over the edge,'' Barns thinks grimly, kicking off the pool wall for another dive.


    As he drifts to the bottom of the pool, he looks up at the surface, catching the flickering morning light. He knows he doesn''t have forever to learn this technique. Sooner or later, the Sentinels would attack again.


    He needs Clancy to take him to the Underwater Kingdom. It''s his best chance at getting stronger.


    If only he could master this damn technique.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in the castle¡­


    Absalom stares at his hands.


    They shouldn''t be his hands.


    The fingers twitch, the flesh sallow, pale¡ªbut not rotting. He lifts them to his face, studies them, searching for something familiar.


    Nothing.


    His memories are fractured, like glass shattered and barely pieced back together. He remembers being in the horde. He remembers hunger. A need to consume, destroy, multiply. And yet - there was something beyond it. A voice. A presence that guided him, through those dark days. The voice of something beyond him.


    He closes his eyes, whispering.


    "I remember... something... The First was watching. The First was always watching."


    A knock at the door. Soft. Hesitant.


    Absalom tilts his head. "Enter."


    Roscoe steps inside, carrying a tray of food. His posture is stiff, like he''s mentally preparing himself for the worst.


    "I, uh..." Roscoe clears his throat. "Figured you might be hungry."


    Absalom watches him, unmoving. "I don''t need food."


    Roscoe hesitates. "...Yeah, but like. Do you eat?"


    A pause.


    Absalom lifts the tray, examining the meal like an alien specimen. A bowl of stew. A plate of bread. The smell is... nice. Not rotten.


    He dips a single finger into the broth. It doesn''t burn. That''s new.


    "I¡­don''t know," he says honestly. "But I suppose¡­I will find out."


    For what it was worth, the mind-shattering pain that afflicted the zombie yesterday has mostly dissipated. Though Absalom is still weak and slow, he''s starting to feel somewhat alive and grounded.


    Roscoe shifts awkwardly. He''s trying so hard not to be afraid. But Absalom sees it. Feels it. The boy''s heart beats a little too fast, his eyes dart a little too quickly around the room.


    "...Do I frighten you?" Absalom asks.


    Roscoe blinks. "I mean. Kind of? No offense."


    "None¡­taken."


    Silence lingers between them. Not quite hostile, but not comfortable either.


    Then Roscoe mutters, "Barns says you don''t have any bloodlust, though. So I mean, I guess it''s more of an irrational fear."


    "Barns is correct¡­I never had a love¡­of fighting¡­"


    Another pause.


    Roscoe nods, satisfied, and turns to leave. "Well. Guess that''s good enough for now."


    Absalom watches him go.


    He waits until the door clicks shut before looking down at his hands again.


    They still don''t feel like his own. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the day happens without much incident - Absalom keeps to himself, Barns continues his training, and Eldrie gets a second date with Jordan, the hot-blooded, sun-drenched policewoman of his dreams.


    But something does occur. Just past midnight.


    Barns is lying in bed, half-asleep, his lungs sore from hours of training. His mind drifts, caught between exhaustion and that frustrating feeling of being on the cusp of something but not quite grasping it.


    And then -


    A scent.


    Floral. Faint. But unmistakable.


    His eyes snap open.


    The room is dark, but there''s a shadow at the window. The air shifts, and suddenly, she''s inside.


    Francois stands at the edge of his room, her kimono unmoved by the breeze, her red eyes glowing softly in the dim light.


    "Didn''t know you were doing house visits now," Barns mutters, sitting up.


    Francois doesn''t smile.


    Something is wrong.


    "I did not come here to play games, little Barnacles," she says. Her voice is smoother than silk but heavier than the grave.


    Barns immediately sits up straighter. "That bad, huh?"


    Francois steps closer. She looks... different. Tense. And Francois is never tense.


    "Your recruitment of a Zombie Lord has caught unwanted attention."


    Barns feels his stomach drop.


    He doesn''t move. He barely breathes. But every fiber of his being tells him to listen. Not that he could resist - Francois'' allure is as captivating as ever.


    Francois folds her hands, her crimson gaze like frozen embers.


    "Tell me, Barnacles. You handled a horde of two thousand. But can you handle thirty?"


    "Thirty zombies?"


    "Thirty thousand."

 Chapter 106 - 106: Training With Stakes

    "No way¡­"


    Francois flutters her eyelashes. "I am also quite surprised. The horde is far northwest and has not moved for years. And yet, today, they began marching south."


    "They''re coming¡­"


    "Retaliation," Francois smiles. "The First Undead - he controls all the Undead Lords - Zombies, Skeletons, Ghouls - whatever. A being as terrifying as the First Vampire. Just count your blessings that he does not march from the Capital with a horde of several hundred thousand."


    "But if we fight off the incoming horde, what''s stopping that from happening?"


    Francois grins wickedly. "I never told you that your plans for reviving humanity were free from risk."


    She glides to the window, looking out at the moonlit courtyard. The pale light reflects on the quiet surface of the pool.


    "You are learning to breathe underwater, is that right, little hero?"


    The way she says the word ''little'' is both condescending and demeaning, but it only adds to her charm. A deadly woman indeed.


    "You''re pretty well-informed."


    Francois flashes her teeth - large, bloodsucking fangs. "It is one of many perks of my power. I can read the mind of any who lust after me. I always know what you are up to, hehe¡­"


    Barns shifts uncomfortably in his bed. "E-everything?"


    Francois flares her nostrils. "Everything."


    They stare at each other in uncomfortable silence. Were she not so intimidating, Barns would have gone for it - but he didn''t need Osmond nagging in his ear to know that was a risky gambit.


    "You must make your way to the Underwater Kingdom. The Horde will be at your doorstep in just one week."


    "I''m trying, Francois," he says quickly. "I can''t figure out Bubble Breath."


    "Perhaps I can help."


    "You? You know how to breathe underwater?"


    "I know how to push a man beyond his limits."


    His breath caught in his throat. She points her hand out the open window.


    "With me, little hero."


    On that note, she manifests a shadowy hand from her back and wraps it around Barns, who''s still laying in bed. She, yanks him upright and throws herself out from the window, disappearing into a jet of blackness, still carrying him. They fly down to the pool in one clean motion, and as they arrive Francois transitions back into her original form and sets a gasping, confused Barns on the ground.


    Barns looks around, still in disbelief.


    ''Is that Francois'' vampire power? Some kind of teleportation?''


    "Yes," she answers with a sneaky smile. "Some kind of teleportation, indeed."


    She covers her mouth to snicker. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now, little hero. Get in the pool."


    "You didn''t even give me time to change," he protests. He was wearing a comfy pair of pajamas - not exactly what he''d want to swim in.


    "I don''t care. Get in the pool."


    Her voice is commanding, authoritative. And the aura of lust she exudes makes it near-impossible for Barns to refuse. He wades into the cool water, fully clothed, until he''s about waist deep.


    "Now what?"


    Francois steps toward him, walking along the surface of the water. He had no idea vampires could do that.


    "Now you will breathe underwater," she says, calmly. Confidently.


    "I already told you, I don''t know how."


    "I will make you an offer," she smirks. "One that you simply could never refuse. For upon it will hinge the entire fate of your kingdom."


    She stood over him, a specter of malevolent beauty in the moonlight. Their eyes lock, and he quivers from her endless gaze. Osmond had warned him so many times not to look into her eyes, and yet here he is - spellbound.


    "This lustful power of mine can be transferred," she hums, her every word winding its way through Barns'' brain. "It can be yours. Think of what you could do with such a power."


    "You''re¡­going to give it to me?"


    "I will give it to you, yes. But you will have to take it from my body," she says, moving sensually on the surface of the water. "To you, and only to you. But only if you survive ten minutes under the water."


    "Ten minutes!?" Barns exclaims in disbelief. "I can barely do two on a good attempt!"


    "And now you will do ten."


    She places her foot on Barns head and before he can react, she pushes him under the water. He flails, trying to free himself, but the vampiress is immutable.


    She waits above him, keeping him submerged in the water. He''s gasping and fighting under the water, but to no avail - the vampiress is simply too powerful.


    He''s only seconds in, already choking on the water. There''s nothing he can do - her power is too great for him. Even if he tries to squirm away from her, it''s like the entire surface of the water is frozen solid - inescapable. He feels the air, no - the life escaping from his lungs in a dying gasp.


    He''s going to die. If she keeps him under, this will be the end. He can''t do it - can''t use Bubble Breathing.


    ¡­But he has to.


    ''I can''t die here, not like this,'' Barns says to himself, starting to gather up his conviction. ''I''m the legendary hero!''


    He stops struggling against Francois. He thinks only about his lungs.


    Lungs of steel.


    He feels like he''s about to pass out from lack of oxygen, but somehow he''s able to keep the water out of his lungs - for now.


    Harden your insides.


    Easier said than done. He uses ''Harden Body'' reflexively. It doesn''t help with the breathing, but it does help him to focus. He''s bought himself at least five seconds with it.


    Imagine air bubbles.


    He does. It''s all he could think about. The desire to breathe - to thrive underwater. He needs to.


    He just needs to take a single breath. That''s all it will take. His periphery grows dark. He feels himself slipping.


    Just¡­one¡­breath.


    He imagines the air bubbles. How sweet it would feel in his lungs to take one more breath, even if it was his last. He craves it so desperately - even more than the innate craving in his flesh for Francois.


    More than he craves to see Haima again.


    More than he craves to save the world.


    Just a breath.


    He gasps. Suddenly, bubbles flow out of his lungs. And he inhales. No water. Air.


    The foot continues holding him down.


    ''That''s right,'' Barns thinks. ''She said ten minutes.''


    He floats under the water, completely calm. He breathes in and out, lungs finally adapted to his technique. And finally, after all of his training, a window pops up.


    [New Skill Acquired: Bubble Breath.]

 Chapter 107 - 107: Bubble Breath

    Barns emerges from the water slowly, his breath steady, and his body weightless. He inhales deeply when his head breaks the surface - not because he needs to, but out of sheer force of habit. For the first time in his life, he doesn''t need to breathe the air.


    He blinks in the moonlight, water trailing down his face. His lungs feel stronger. Like they''ve been restructured from the inside out, adapted to something beyond human limits. He draws in another breath out of habit, but it''s hollow. Unnecessary.


    He''s starting to truly embrace ''the crab''.


    Francois stands above him, still poised gracefully atop the water, her kimono flowing despite the stillness of the night. A phantom in the dark. Her crimson eyes gleam in the dim light, studying him, unreadable.


    "So¡­that''s it? I did it?"


    Francois tilts her head slightly. "You seem to have survived my little test, yes."


    "That''s a weird way to phrase it."


    She smiles - a slow, deliberate expression that bores into his soul. "Would you like me to hold you down for another ten minutes?"


    Barns shakes his head rapidly. "Nope. No, ma''am. I''m good."


    He wades toward the edge of the pool, planting his hands on the tile to haul himself up. Water sluices off him, soaking his clothes even further, but at this point, it''s the least of his problems. He glances back at Francois, his mind drifting to the deal she offered before she nearly drowned him.


    "You said you''d give me something. Your power." His voice is careful, measured. "You know, as a prize for not dying."


    Francois laughs lightly, a velvet-soft sound that carries too much danger. "Oh, little hero," she croons. "You misunderstand."


    She steps backward onto the air, floating as though gravity is merely a suggestion. Shadows curl around her ankles. Her entire form begins to fade, dissolving into black mist.


    "The power is yours to take - but only when the time is right."


    Barns'' stomach drops. "And when is that?"


    Her voice echoes through the night as she vanishes completely.


    "You''ll know."


    Then, silence.


    Barns groans, rubbing his face with both hands. Of course she left him with cryptic nonsense. Typical vampire behavior.


    Still, he did it. He learned Bubble Breath. And tomorrow, he can finally head to the Undersea Kingdom.


    ¡­Once he tells everyone about the pending invasion, of course.


    The next morning, Barns stands with Clancy in the Dimartino Courtyard, fresh from explaining the news he learned last night - as well as his newly unlocked ''Bubble Breath''.


    Clancy clicks his claws together excitedly. "PROVE COMPETENCY."


    Barns stands at the pool''s edge, fully prepared to flex on his crustacean best friend. He takes a deep breath - not because he has to, but because it feels right - and dives in.


    The moment he submerges, everything feels natural. The water isn''t suffocating, isn''t hostile, but rather it welcomes him now. He inhales beneath the surface, and a stream of tiny air bubbles form around his lips, maintaining a perfect supply of oxygen without a single drop of water entering his lungs.


    ''Feels easy now,'' Barns thinks, watching the bubbles rise like silver coins in the sunlight. He''s now fully amphibian - or half crustacean, depending on how you look at it.


    He stays under for five minutes, long enough to make sure it wasn''t a fluke, and long enough for Clancy to start clicking his pincers furiously from above.


    Finally, he surfaces, shaking the water from his hair and grinning triumphantly. "Well?"


    Clancy''s purple eyes gleam brighter than twin moons. "AGAIN."


    Barns rolls his eyes. "I just did, King."


    "PROVE AGAIN. AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN."


    Barns groans. "I''m not just gonna live in the pool now, Clancy! We''ve got work to do."


    The mighty crab claps his claws together like a king making a royal decree. "IF READY, THEN WE GO. TO OCEAN."


    Barns stops short. "Wait, right now?"


    "RIGHT NOW."


    "¡­You sure we don''t need to prepare?"


    Clancy rotates to his full height, towering over Barns with his full regal majesty. For the first time in a long time, he looks serious. "SHORT TIME. BIG HORDE IN A WEEK." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns feels the weight of those words settle into his gut. The stakes have never been higher, that''s for sure. Francois wasn''t lying. If the First Undead is truly behind this horde, then this is war.


    His kingdom - the bastion of humanity - was on a countdown.


    Barns grits his teeth. He turns toward the gathered Adventurers and Dimartino leaders, who have been observing from the courtyard. He''d explained the horde to them just before as well.


    Maria stands with her arms crossed, watching with unreadable eyes. Osmond hovers beside her, looking as smug as someone who obliterated a Zombie Lord yesterday should look.


    Barns steps forward, clearing his throat. "Alright, listen up!"


    The courtyard falls silent.


    "The King and I are heading out to the Undersea Kingdom. I''ll be gone for three days, max¡ªbut when I come back, we''re gonna have a lot more firepower on our side. At least¡­that''s what I''m hoping for."


    Maria quirks an eyebrow. "And if you''re not back in three days?"


    Barns grins. "Then I probably drowned."


    Clancy clicks excitedly. "NO DROWN. BARNACLES SAFE WITH KING CRAB."


    Barns addresses Maria directly, his expression sobering slightly. "Hold things down while I''m gone. Thirty thousand undead¡ªthat''s not a fight we can afford to lose."


    Maria exhales sharply. "We''ll make as much preparation as we can, but we''ll be relying on you when the time comes."


    "Keep Roscoe on his training. Keep Skado out of trouble. And for the love of everything, someone make sure Absalom doesn''t keel over up there. He seems like a good trump card to have against a horde of undead."


    "No promises on any of that," Maria smirks.


    Barns chuckles, but his stomach churns. This is real. They''re on the verge of war, and he''s about to embark on a mission that will take him away for days. Everything matters now.


    He glances at Eldrie, who simply nods. No words needed. Just silent support.


    He looks at Roscoe, who brims with energy, eager to prove himself.


    He finally turns to Clancy. "Alright, King. Let''s do this."


    The mighty crab lowers himself, allowing Barns to climb onto his shell. He grips Clancy''s back, steadying himself as his best friend scuttles toward the castle gates.


    The last thing Barns hears before they set off is Osmond''s voice, playful but tinged with genuine respect.


    "Don''t get eaten by a sea monster, Barnie."


    Barns flashes a grin over his shoulder. "With King around? We''ll be the ones eating them!"


    Then, with one final lurch, Clancy leaps forward, into the unknown.


    The gates of Dimartino vanish behind them, and the sea awaits.

 Chapter 108 - 108: Sea Serpent

    Clancy easily cuts through the water, his massive claws pulling them forward, the currents bending to his crabby will.


    And of course, they''re powered by a jet of foam that works as well as any engine.


    Barns grips onto his shell, the world around him shifting into a new reality. The deep blue fades into a shimmering world of light as they descend further. Shafts of sunlight pierce the surface, illuminating the vast expanse beneath them. Schools of silverfish dart past in synchronized waves. Strange, glowing creatures float all around them, blobs of light in a dim ocean world. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clancy moves faster, sensing their destination ahead. Barns can see it now, rising from the ocean floor, a palace of coral and stone.


    The Undersea Kingdom is bigger than he imagined.


    Towers of blue and red coral spiral into the depths, their edges shimmering with light. Giant arches carved from seashells connect massive structures, creating a network of bridges that seem too delicate to hold weight. A golden palace stands at the center, its walls gleaming like polished pearl.


    A world untouched by the apocalypse.


    Barns watches in awe as creatures move through the water effortlessly. Some swim freely while others ride enormous seahorses. He spots humanoid figures with shimmering, scaled skin drifting between coral towers.


    And of course, the place is rife with giant crabs not unlike Clancy, scuttling around the ocean floor.


    "King, this place is incredible."


    Clancy clicks proudly. "OCEAN HOME. MANY OCEAN PEOPLE."


    Barns is about to ask what exactly an "ocean person" is when Clancy suddenly stops. The crab''s body tenses beneath him, and his beady eyes narrow.


    The water around them shifts unnaturally.


    Something is coming.


    A shadow moves through the deep, distant but massive. It slithers through the water, its movements slow and deliberate. Barns feels a familiar, creeping instinct crawl up his spine. It is the same sensation he gets when he knows a fight is inevitable.


    Clancy clicks again, but this time it is not excited.


    "SEA SERPENT."


    The bubbles rise out of Clancy''s mouth as he speaks, his voice reverberant and distorted under the water. But Barns knows what a ''Sea Serpent'' is.


    Barns grips the edge of Clancy''s shell as a monstrous figure emerges from the dark. A massive serpent with scales of emerald swims through the water, its sinuous body moving at a frenetic speed. Its head is crowned with jagged fins and golden eyes that glow like lanterns stalk for prey.


    The serpent unhinges its long mouth, revealing rows of needle-like teeth. Its tongue flickers, tasting the water around them.


    Barns clenches his fists. "Guess this is the welcome party?"


    The sea serpent coils its body, ready to strike.


    Clancy moves first.


    The mighty crab propels himself to the side as the serpent lunges, its fangs snapping shut where they had been just moments before. Barns grips tight, his body straining against the sudden momentum.


    The serpent whips its tail, sending a shockwave through the water that knocks Clancy off course. Barns kicks off the shell, flipping through the water to steady himself.


    His mind focuses on the situation at hand. Fire is useless down here. Flame Thrash, his most explosive move, would burn out instantly in the ocean. He needs to fight with raw power alone.


    Good thing he''s got the Silver Rake.


    The serpent lunges again, its jaws stretching wide.


    Barns reacts on instinct. He twists his body, dodging just as the beast''s teeth snap together. With a sharp inhale, he lets his claws take form, Silver Rake glinting in the filtered sunlight. He slashes at its gills, the silver blade carving through the water in a blur.


    The serpent recoils, but not before Barns feels its tail slam into his side. The force sends him tumbling backward, crashing into a wall of coral. The impact knocks the air from his lungs, though he doesn''t need to breathe.


    Clancy surges forward, unleashing a jet of foam directly into the serpent''s face. The beast flails, momentarily blinded by the burning white froth.


    Barns regains his composure, his muscles already adapted to the resistance of the water. He grits his teeth, pushing forward with a powerful kick. The serpent shakes off the foam and turns its gaze toward Clancy, no longer interested in Barns.


    Not happening.


    Barns moves. His body cuts through the water like a spear, closing the distance between him and the serpent''s exposed underbelly. He slashes with both claws - his transformed crab claw, and the silver rake - aiming for the serpent''s soft, unarmored flesh. His silver weapon carves deep, sending a plume of dark green blood spiraling into the water. And then he hits with his crab claw, leaving another deep puncture wound.


    The serpent howls, its entire body convulsing. It lashes wildly, tail swinging toward Clancy. The crab raises his claws in defense, catching the impact but skidding backward in the water.


    "BARNACLES! CAUTION!"


    Barns moves in again. He knows the serpent is fast, but it is reeling. It can''t match his precision, his speed. He grips its gills and pulls himself closer, dragging his blade along its throat. He expects another thrash, another desperate attempt to throw him off.


    Instead, the serpent coils around him.


    Barns'' eyes widen as the world constricts. The creature''s body tightens around him, its crushing force threatening to snap his ribs like twigs. His claws press against its scales, but he can''t break free.


    The pressure builds, his muscles screaming against the force.


    Clancy sees his struggle and clicks furiously. He tries to free his human, but not even the mighty King Crab can wrest away the serpent''s death grip.


    Barns grits his teeth. After everything, including his near-death experience with Francois last night, there''s no way he can die here, wrapped up like a gift for a sea monster.


    With everything he has, he flexes his entire body. He activates Harden Body, his skin turning solid, his bones refusing to break. The pressure still threatens to crush him, but it does not consume him.


    Five seconds. That''s all he has.


    Then, he breathes.


    Bubbles escape from his lips, forming small rings of pure air. They dance around him, shifting and twisting in the water. He does not understand why, but they respond to him.


    The sea serpent''s body quivers and twitches.


    Bubble Breath - it has two uses. It''s not just a tool for breathing underwater. If the skill description is to be believed, he can also use it to put things to sleep.


    Barns exhales fully, letting out a stream of focused bubbles. They are not normal bubbles. They shimmer, dense and compact, like tiny spheres of force. They push against the serpent''s coils, slipping between his skin and its crushing grip. Their magical ''bubbliness'' injects the serpent, finding ways into its flesh. Slowly draining it of consciousness, and stamina.


    The serpent falters, just for a moment. Lulled into a stupor by the bubbling magic.


    Barns twists his body and slashes with everything he has right before his Harden Body wears off. His claws dance through the beast''s flesh, cutting deep in a bloody whirl of dark green snakeblood.


    The serpent howls, releasing its grip entirely. It''s stunned, weak, and vulnerable.


    Clancy seizes the opportunity. The crab lunges forward, wrapping his claws around the serpent''s head. With one powerful squeeze, he cracks its skull.


    The sea serpent thrashes, its massive body writhing in agony. Its movements slow, its tail twitching weakly. Then, with a final shudder, it falls still.


    Barns floats there for a moment, staring at the massive corpse drifting in the water. His breath is steady. His hands are shaking.


    Clancy clicks approvingly. "TEAM CRAB VICTORY!"


    Barns exhales. "Team Crab is unbeatable!" Barns shouts victoriously. He swims back over to Clancy and grabs the crab''s shell, continuing on to the Undersea Kingdom.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Nazakiels Arrival

    Shortly after Barns and Clancy depart from Dimartino, the kingdom receives a visitor.


    But it is not a visitor anyone wants nor expects.


    It is Nazakiel of the Sentinels, the one rumored to be the strongest among them.


    The main gate creaks open as he steps through, emerging from the northern road. He moves with unshaken purpose, his posture regal but unbothered, as if walking into ruins rather than a bustling, thriving kingdom.


    Adventurers on guard immediately tense, their hands flying to their weapons. Some shout orders. Others hesitate, their instincts screaming at them that something is wrong.


    Nazakiel does not raise his arms. He doesn''t need to. His presence alone is enough.


    "Bring me your leaders," he says, his voice calm and unchallenged.


    He walks through the castle gardens, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of the surroundings. The colors. The vibrancy. The life. It is more than he expected.


    For a kingdom that should have crumbled, they have done well.


    Nazakiel stops by the pool. He stares into the bottom, watching how the water ripples with the wind. Even the gentle sway of the leaves above seems more alive than the lands he has seen before.


    Footsteps echo behind him. He does not need to turn. He already knows who has come.


    Maria and Osmond arrive, their gazes locked onto the intruder.


    Maria''s hands clench, and Osmond''s magic begins to hum, crackling beneath his skin like caged lightning. They know who he is.


    "The ones in charge should be a human woman and her demon," Nazakiel muses. "Osmond and Maria, I presume?"


    Maria''s heart pounds. This is the worst-case scenario.


    Barns and Clancy are away. The Sentinel has arrived.


    "And who are you?" Maria demands, her voice colder than steel.


    Nazakiel still does not turn. He does not need to. His sight sees all, his awareness absolute.


    "Nazakiel of the Sentinels," he answers, his tone devoid of arrogance or threat. Just fact. "I come with a request from Emperor Yharan directly. He welcomes the human empire and wishes you all great success."


    He pauses, watching their reflections in the water. The moment lingers, as if he enjoys the tension in the air.


    "And commands the immediate execution of the Boy Hero and his crab."


    Maria stiffens.


    Osmond snarls. "They aren''t here. And even if they were, we would never surrender them to you!"


    Nazakiel inhales deeply, as if savoring the moment. Then he laughs.


    A booming, dreadful sound, more theatrical than amused. A villain''s laugh, one filled with absolute certainty.


    "Aren''t here, you say?" he repeats. "Then I shall wait for them."


    He finally turns. His presence is immense, the sheer weight of his power settling over them like an invisible force. His eyes glow with something beyond magic¡ªan understanding of the very fabric of reality itself.


    "Escort me to your throne room. I shall wait eagerly for their return."


    "Not happening!" Osmond roars.


    His body erupts with violet energy, arcs of raw magic slicing through the air as he prepares to strike.


    Nazakiel merely sighs.


    "Only by Emperor Yharan''s divine grace do you still live. I strive to minimize casualties," he states, almost disappointed.


    "But if you would raise arms against me," he continues, "I shall put you in your place."


    And then¡ªhe moves.


    No stance. No grand gesture. He merely shifts his attention to Osmond.


    Gravity itself obeys him.


    Osmond crashes to the ground, the weight of the world slamming him into the stone with a brutal, crushing force. His body caves under the sheer concept of pressure, his eyes rolling back before he even has time to process what has happened.


    Unconscious in a single breath.


    Nazakiel barely acknowledges him.


    "Have I made myself clear?"


    Maria''s magic explodes.


    "Royal Art: Ave Ma¡ª"


    Before she can finish the incantation, two orbs of hardened light materialize out of thin air. They smash into her from opposite sides, colliding with such devastating force that even her immunity to physical damage is overcome by sheer pressure.


    Her vision blurs. Her body locks up.


    The world tilts, and she collapses.


    Two of Dimartino''s strongest warriors, defeated.


    Nazakiel has not lifted a single finger.


    "If either of you try again," he states, void of emotion, "I will kill you both."


    He steps over their fallen forms and continues toward the castle.


    Panic spreads through the stronghold like wildfire. Alarms ring. Adventurers move. But no one dares to engage.


    Nazakiel speaks one word, and the battlefield is locked.


    "System Art: Encryption."


    A wave of green energy ripples outward, washing over the entire castle.


    Maria feels it. Her mind aches. Her connection to the System vanishes. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She knows what he has done.


    He has blocked their ability to send messages.


    No warnings will reach Barns.


    Nazakiel approaches the castle doors.


    And standing in his way is Roscoe.


    The young warrior grips Crashing Wave, his stance solid despite the obvious tremor in his fingers.


    Nazakiel tilts his head, observing him as one might observe an ant standing before a boot.


    "What is this?" Nazakiel muses. "You send your children into war? I see humanity never changes."


    Roscoe''s teeth clench. His pulse is loud in his ears.


    "I''m not a kid!" he shouts. "The hero of Dimartino entrusted this sword to me, and I promised I would protect this place no matter what!"


    Nazakiel''s expression is unreadable.


    "Protect as you wish," he states. "I have no desire to destroy this place. I seek only Barnacles and Clancy."


    "You''re not getting either of them!"


    Roscoe charges.


    The worst decision he could have made.


    Nazakiel stops him instantly.


    Roscoe barely moves a step before his sword is wrenched from his hands. His body suspends in the air, an unseen force holding him like a marionette.


    "I fail to see this as a place worth protecting," Nazakiel says, his voice void of care, "if they must resort to enlisting children to fight on their behalf."


    His eyes flicker.


    Roscoe lurches. Pain ignites through his body.


    "Today you shall learn a valuable lesson, child," Nazakiel states. "Never raise your arms against a Sentinel."


    Roscoe screams. His arms twist backward, his bones cracking, shattering, folding under invisible weight.


    The moment the Sentinel releases his power, Roscoe crumples to the ground, his body convulsing in agony. He cannot even clutch his arms¡ªthe pain is all-consuming.


    Nazakiel gazes down at him.


    "Know your place."


    He steps toward the castle doors. They open on their own, responding to his will.


    Nazakiel imagines, and the world bends to obey.


    For he does not only serve Emperor Yharan. He possesses the Emperor''s brain.


    He enters the throne room unchallenged, the heavy doors closing behind him.


    And so, the strongest Sentinel waits.

 Chapter 110 - 110: The Crab Sage

    Barns and Clancy descend into a pool of murky black water, near the heart of the Undersea Kingdom. Blissfully unaware of the events transpiring in Dimartino at that very moment.


    The deeper they go, the more the pressure of the water bears down on them. Thankfully, all of the Crab Affinity Barns has built up makes him somewhat resistant to the crushing effect of the depths.


    "SAGE CRAB HERE."


    Clancy''s words are Barns'' truth - for now, anyway. It''s his first time to the Undersea Kingdom, so he just has to take Clancy''s word for it - as he narrows his eyes, he still can''t see a thing.


    As they descend into the inky blackness, it gets increasingly harder to see. Barns can barely make out the tips of his fingers - a deep darkness that swallows even imagination. At least the change in water quality doesn''t affect Barns'' water breathing.


    "You sure there''s not an octopus sage down here? Seems kinda¡­"


    "SAGE CRAB HERE."


    They continue swimming through the dark depths until suddenly, they emerge into a dome of eerie blue light. The water is awash with clear foam, almost like a bubble bath. It holds the suffocating darkness at bay.


    Barns looks forward. Sitting at the bottom of this liminal space is a large crab - bigger even than Clancy. It boasts a spiked green shell, and sits in a cloister of pearlescent light. The crab is also, naturally, surrounded by golden coins, scavenged from shipwrecks over eons.


    "So that''s the sage, huh?" Barns asks as they float above. The green crab hasn''t seemed to notice them yet. "He''s like the strongest crab ever, right? Does he speak human?''


    "HONORABLE SAGE. PAY RESPECTS."


    Clancy drops to the ocean floor and scuttles up to the sage crab, getting ready to involve Barns in one of the most difficult conversations of his life.


    Barns lands next to him, stumbling slightly. He''s still not fully used to maneuvering in a three-dimensional space like this, and walking on the seafloor disorients him.


    He finds himself lost in the sheer presence of the sage crab - a silent green behemoth. His weathered shell is ridged with ancient scars, evidence of former battles, and hardened by centuries beneath the waves.


    Clancy lowers himself as if to bow. "GREAT SAGE. I BRING HUMAN. HUMAN BARNACLES. BARNACLES MASTER MIGHTY CRAB CLAW, MIGHTY CRAB DEFENSE, MIGHTY CRAB BREATH, MIGHTY CRAB INTUITION."


    ''It''s all mighty, huh?''


    The sage crab stirs.


    He shakes the water with his very presence, sending vibrations that rattle through Barns'' chest.


    Then, it finally speaks.


    "WHASH CLANSHE DON BRINGEN HOUMSHIN APOCALYPSH?"


    Barns blinks. "Eh¡­what?"


    The crabs ignore him as they click aggressively at each other, launching into a flurry of incomprehensible dialogue. Barns can only watch helplessly, catching fragments of words that make no sense to him.


    "BARNACLES SAVE WORLD. FORTY THOUSAND HUMAN BOW TO CLANCY KING OF LAND ABOVE."


    "CLANSHE IMPRESH SAGE, BUT HOUMSHIN UNPROVEN. MUSH TESH."


    "BARNACLES. SHOW CRAB CLAW."


    Barns nods - the first thing he''s understood since the conversation started. He''s happy to demonstrate.


    Taking a deep breath, he lets the Crab Affinity flow through him. Energy crackles through his arm, the transformation fluid and instinctual. His left hand twists and expands, snapping into an imposing, armored Claw of Death. The weight is familiar, comforting.


    Clancy clicks in approval.


    But the sage crab''s clicks are harder to earn.


    "I WOOSH STAB HOUMSHIN AND TESH HARDNESS."


    Barns'' ears perk up. He might not understand much of the sage crab, but the word ''Stab'' is heard loud and clear.


    A deafening clang reverberates through the chamber as the claw slams against Barns'' torso, the impact so powerful it nearly throws him backward. But his body holds¡ªhis defenses unyielding


    "GOOD. BUT PROVESH BUBBLE BRESH?"


    "I''m here, aren''t I? Humans can''t normally breathe underwater."


    "SHMART. BUT CAN PROVE MASHTERY OF INTUISHINS? HOUMSHIN, WHAT SAGE THINKSH?"


    Clancy pivots to Barns. "BARNACLES. SAGE DEMANDS MIND-READING."


    "Yeah, I figured," Barns says quickly. He eyes down the crab. Usually, he only uses Crab Intuition to sense murderous intent. He had no idea how to sense other emotions - but as he focuses, he senses a blue-tinged aura around the sage.


    "Uh¡­you don''t want to kill me, and you''re¡­happy?"


    "HOUMSHINS CORRECT."


    "BARNACLES CORRECT."


    "Thanks for the translation, buddy, but I think I''m starting to learn how to speak crab."


    "CLANSHE DESHIRE HOUMSHIN TAKE ULTIMATE ESH RANK TESH?"


    Clancy bounces up and down in agreement.


    "IF THIS BARNACLESH PASH TESH, CLANCHE BE EMPEROR OF LAND ABOVE. BIG HONOR. EMPERORSH OF OCEAN BE CAUSHIS."


    "CLANCY ALREADY KING FORTY THOUSAND HUMANS. BASICALLY EMPEROR. MORE HUMAN SUBJECTS THAN MOST CRABS."


    The sage directs all his attention to Barns, and behind him, a large boulder begins to shift. It reveals a passageway, leading into a darkened hollow.


    "ESH RANK TESH BEGINSH NOW! RETRIEVE CURSHED GOLD MEDALLION FROM CHALLENSH ARENA. BECOME CRAB."


    "Alright," Barns says. He has the gist of it - there''s a cursed gold medallion somewhere beyond.


    "I''m¡­not going to actually become a crab, am I?"


    "BARNACLES HUMAN. BARNACLES CRAB. BEST OF BOTH IN ONE."


    Barns is slightly off-put by the implication of becoming any more crab than he already is, but he has no choice. They''ve come this far, and this is the way he can unlock the true potential of his Crab Affinity. This is what he has to do.


    "I''m ready."


    "LUCKY TIME, BARNACLES!"


    "NO HOUMSHIN ATTEMPT MASHTER TRIALSH IN HUNDREDSH YEARSH. EXSHITEMENT.


    Barns swims through the opening, and as he does, the rock seals behind him. There would be no going back - not until he''s finished his trial.


    He expects a large area, some kind of platforming gauntlet, but as he emerges into the main area of his trial, it''s actually quite small. Just a single room, about the size of his bedroom in Dimartino Castle. The far wall is made of a speckled mirror.


    He walks close, examining his reflection - but something is wrong. It''s him, but not. He notices the subtle differences. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoever''s staring back at him in the mirror is a crabbified version of him, with a golden medallion hanging from his neck. And suddenly, the frightening and familiar figure steps out of the mirror, eyes glowing with an intimidating sheen.


    "Hello, BARNACLES."

 Chapter 111 - 111: Fighting Yourself

    Barns stares at his reflection. It''s him, but it''s wrong. The fact that it just walked out of a mirror seconds ago all but proves that.


    Compared to the real Barns, its shoulders are broader, its arms thicker with segmented chitin, and its fingers are tipped with jagged pincers. Speckled flecks glint across its skin, scattered like barnacles on a shipwreck. A fitting detail.


    What interests Barns most about the figure is its pendant. Hanging from its thick neck is the object of his trial - a glowing, cursed gold medallion.


    "Hello, BARNACLES."


    Its voice is his, but not quite. There''s a deeper, gravelly resonance, an echo of something both familiar and alien. And crabby.


    "Is this one of those ''defeat yourself to grow stronger'' moments?" Barns smirks. "Can''t we talk it out? You''re me, right? So you should appreciate a good pow-wow."


    The clone doesn''t reply immediately. He circles slightly, toying with his footing on the rippling seabed. The pressure in the chamber is thick, almost overbearing. Every movement Barns makes in here feels sluggish. This fight won''t be like any other he''s had.


    "Alright," Barns exhales. "I''ve fought a lot of weird stuff, but this?" He cracks his knuckles, then flexes his claw. "This is a first."


    His Crabbified Clone mirrors the movement perfectly.


    Barns'' stomach tightens. It''s watching. Learning.


    And then, without warning, without a word -


    It moves.


    The clone is fast.


    Barns barely has time to react. A blur of chitin and gold crashes toward him. He pivots just in time, throwing up his arm to block¡ªbut the impact sends a shockwave through the chamber, rattling the coral-lined walls.


    "BARNACLES," the clone says with a hideous smile. "If I can kill you, then we will become crab together. Just like we were always meant to."


    Barns pushes back, but the clone is relentless. It presses the attack, throwing out a flurry of brutal, snapping strikes with its razor-edged pincers.


    Barns ducks, swerves, and throws up a Harden Body just in time to absorb a devastating blow aimed for his ribs. The force sends him skidding backward, his heels digging furrows into the sand.


    "Okay. You hit hard," Barns grits out, shaking off the impact. His arms tingle from the force. "But bad news, Barn-clone. I''m not becoming a crab!"


    The clone cocks its head. A fraction of a second later, its own body hardens in response.


    Barns'' breath catches.


    ''It just copied me.''


    This thing isn''t just a reflection. It''s reacting. Evolving.


    Barns has fought fast opponents before. But he''s never fought himself.


    His clone continues the attack, this time, with perfectly synchronized footwork, mirroring Barns'' stance exactly.


    Barns slips sideways, dodging the incoming strike by a hair''s breadth. His instincts scream at him to counter, so he does - spinning, twisting his weight, and launching a crushing Claw of Death toward its exposed side.


    For a moment, he thinks he has it. But his clone''s hardened shell takes the hit with barely a flinch.


    Barns'' eyes widen. His claw does nothing.


    Before he can even process it, the clone retaliates with a vicious backhand.


    Barns barely registers the movement before he''s flung like a ragdoll across the chamber. He slams into the far wall, shattering the delicate coral on impact .


    Barns groans - that one hurt.


    He jumps back to his feet, shaking the stars from his vision. His clone looms on the other side of the room, motionless. Watching and waiting, with cold, calculating eyes.


    Barns takes a deep breath. No way his inner crab is taking the W here.


    "Alright, crab boy," he mutters, rolling his shoulders. "You wanna play copycat? Let''s see how well you keep up."


    He moves.


    This time, he doesn''t hold back.


    Barns surges forward, kicking up a cloud of sand as he closes the gap. His claw swings in a feint, but at the last second - He cancels.


    The clone flinches, reacting to an attack that never comes. But Barns isn''t finished yet.


    He twists low, driving a knee into its side, then follows up with an upward strike before it can recover.


    It reels back - but barely. Not enough, and Barns still has some fight left.


    Barns channels all his energy and focus into his left arm, creating another crab claw. But this time, he''s doing something that surprises even himself - and his clone.


    "Claw of Death: Crescent Cleave!"


    A shockwave of energy bursts from his attack, carving a deep trench into the ocean floor. The clone reacts too slowly this time - the impact connects directly with its torso, sending it skidding backward.


    Barns doesn''t wait to see the result.


    He dives forward, grabbing for the cursed medallion.


    The second he touches it, an unholy energy erupts from the medallion.


    Barns chokes as his limbs go rigid.


    A force unlike anything he''s ever felt grips him from the inside, clawing at his bones, dragging him toward the mirror.


    The reflection ripples.


    His clone smirks.


    A voice - his voice - whispers from the void.


    "Trade places with me."


    Barns'' mind explodes with visions¡ªof chitin-covered arms, of endless hunger, of losing himself entirely to the abyss of crabdom. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His body lurches toward the mirror.


    "No!"


    At the last second, Barns digs his heels into the seabed.


    He roars through clenched teeth, forcing his will against the medallion''s pull.


    "Like hell I''m letting some crab-freak take my place!"


    His aura ignites. The energy of his Crab Affinity flares like burning tides. The medallion trembles in his grip, cracking along its cursed surface.


    His clone''s eyes widen.


    Barns grits his teeth, and lets his crab claw wrap around the medallion with all his might. He squeezes and squeezes until finally, the medallion is crushed in his grip.


    The world shatters.


    A flash of golden light engulfs the chamber. He closes his eyes, unable to handle the intensity of the light. All the while, a deafening sound like roaring wind overwhelms him.


    Slowly, the glow fades. Barns stumbles forward, gasping from the intensity of the battle.


    As he looks around, he doesn''t see his clone. The mirror before him is empty, devoid of reflection.


    And at his feet, the shattered remains of the cursed medallion.


    He leans down to pick up the pieces. The sage crab never specified the medallion had to be in one piece.


    "Yeah," he mutters. "That was definitely something."


    The stone wall behind him shifts.


    The passage opens once more, revealing the Sage Crab beyond.


    Barns steps forward, exhausted but victorious.


    Whatever happens next, he''s passed the trial, of that he''s sure.

 Chapter 112 - 112: Leader of Crabs

    Barns stumbles out of the challenge chamber, still breathing heavy from the excitement.


    As he does, he notices that he has a system notification - his battle against himself has gained him yet another level:


    [Name: Barnacles


    Species: Human (Irregular)


    Level: 11 (0/1600)


    Strength: 18


    Vitality: 17


    Agility: 18


    Intellect: 15


    Control: 11


    Charisma: 19


    Luck: 20]


    ''Looks like my strength is up another point,'' he thinks to himself. At a value of 18, he''s now 80% stronger than an average human - not counting the extra strength he already has from his weapons and abilities.


    "BARNACLES VICTORY!" Clancy shouts, raising his claws into the air high.


    "SHEEMSHE HOUMSHIN SSHHUCKSHESSFUL. PRESHENT CURSHED MEDALLION."


    Barns takes the broken pieces of coin and throws them at the sage''s feet, adding them to the existing pile of doubloons that surround the sage.


    HOUMSHIN BREAKSH CURSHED GOLD¡­ INTERESHTING¡­ MAYBE HOUMSHIN MORE CRAB THAN REALIZE¡­"


    It''s an unnerving thought - his reflection was all about him ''becoming crab'' too - but Barns pushes it out of his mind. He''s still very human - for now, anyway.


    "How about that super crazy crab power now, eh?"


    The sage raises his claws as well, mirroring Clancy.


    "FINAL SHTEP. PRESHENT SAGE WITH ULTIMATE CRAB DANSH."


    Barns turns to Clancy, raising an eyebrow.


    "PERFORM BARNACLES DANCE. JUST LIKE SCUTTLE ISLAND DAYS."


    Barns blushes. "Wait, you want me to do one of those stup-"


    He takes a deep breath. As a kid, before he regained his memories, he used to love the crab dancing. It was only after coming back into possession of his adult mind that he started to feel ashamed by it.


    ''But this is part of my culture'', Barns realizes. ''I was raised by Clancy, the Emperor of the lands above! And I can dance as good as any of them.''


    Barns takes one more breath, steeling himself. He spreads his legs in a wide stance and brings up both of his hands like tiny claws.


    "Some music, my King?"


    Clancy opens his mouth wide in a freakish smile, and then begans to emit his odd-toned song. Barns sways his hips and starts to get in the mood to dance.


    "BARNACLES DANCE ON SCUTTLE BAY~


    ACTING LIKE CRAB ALL GOD DAMN DAY~


    CATCHING SOME FISH NOW THAT''S SO NICE~


    WISH EVERY DAY WOULD HAVE SOME VICE~


    WANT HUMAN WOMEN, ALCOHOL~


    EAT SOME KOBOLD AND HAVE IT ALL~


    SOMEDAY BARNACLES BIG AND STRONG~


    BIG LIKE A CRAB SAVE EVERYONE!"


    Barns ends his dance with a flourish, after scuttling and clicking around like a buffoon for the entirety of Clancy''s song. He looks expectantly at the sage.


    The big green crab shimmies back and forth. "BEAUTIFUL DANSHING, RIVALSH EVEN MOSH TALENTED CRUSHTAYSHUNS. CLANSHE SHONG DEEP MEANING, BIG LYRICSH. DUO LIKE DYNAMITE IN OSHEN, UNBLASHTABLE. SAGE CRAB HEREBY BESHTOWSH UPON BARNACLES ESH-RANK CRAB AFFINITY!"


    [Your Crab Affinity is now S-Rank!


    Ability Gained: Crab Release


    Description: For a limited time, grant any crab of your choosing the ability to exceed their natural limits, inducing them into ''Kaiju State''. While in Kaiju State, both the user of this ability and the crab have heightened power.]


    "Whoa," Barns says, looking at the System pop-up in front of him.


    "ALSHO, GIFT!"


    The sage scuttles toward the back of his treasure trove and pulls out a large hook-shaped weapon that''s lazily lodged into a treasure chest. He tosses it to Barns, who has no problem catching it - things don''t fall very fast in the water.


    As he holds the cane up, another system message appears


    [Divine Hook of the Crab Sage: SSS Rank


    The power of the crab sage dwells within this hook. While it has no special abilities, all crabs will recognize the owner of this hook as their leader. This weapon also possesses incredible strength, and can block any attack.]


    Barns takes up the hook in his left hand, while his right remains fitted with his battle gauntlet, Silver Rake. He''s all decked out, now.


    As he grips the hook, a strange feeling stirs in his chest. Not just power - but responsibility. The leader of all crabs. Whatever that means.


    "Great Sage, thank you for everything," Barns bows. "It is an honor to receive your blessings."


    "MASHTER CRAB RELEASH, AND RETURN TO ME SHUMDAY. YOU MAY BECOME FIRST HOUMSHIN TO FACE CRAB GOD TRIALSH." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "BARNACLES ULTIMATE HUMAN! RAISED RIGHT. RAISED BY CRAB."


    "Yeah, yeah," Barns smiles, feeling lighter on his feet. "So, what do you say, big guy? Ready to head back home to Dimartino?"


    "IMPOSHABLE!" the sage interrupts, waving his claws in the water defiantly. "RETURN TOMORROW! TONIGHT, CRABSH HOLD BIG FEASHT! BARNACLES NEW HERO MEETS EMPEROR CRABS! MAYBE SHAMPLESH SOME OF THE FINESH CRAB LADIESH?"


    "I think I''m fine without the crab ladies, but I suppose I could ''crab'' a bite."


    Barns looks from Clancy to the sage, hoping one of them would react to his joke.


    "I SHALL INDULGE IN CRAB WOMEN!" Clancy announces.


    "Of course you will, buddy. Just¡­don''t get any of them pregnant? Do crabs get pregnant?"


    "CRABSPAWN ARMY. WOULD HELP DIMARTINO."


    Barns ponders. An army of little Clancies would be quite a big help¡­


    "We''ll see how the night goes," Barns acquiesces. "Let''s feast!"


    As the boy and his crab head off to celebrate their good fortune, the citizens of Dimartino are observing a new kind of world - one helmed by Nazakiel of the Sentinels.


    He sits in the throne room, legs crossed and eyes hollow. He drums his powerful fingers on the armrest of Clancy''s throne, waiting.


    Maria stands at his side, her head down. She''s doing what she can to prevent Nazakiel from killing everyone - and at least for now, his murderous intent is focused solely on Barns and Clancy.


    Dimartino waits with baited breath for their heroes - though doubt and unease hang heavy in the air. It''s no secret that Maria and Osmond were defeated by Nazakiel without him lifting a finger, and news of the horror done to Roscoe - both of the boy''s arms, shattered - has had a chilling effect on the kingdom''s morale.


    Can Barns and Clancy defeat Nazakiel, everyone wonders?


    Only time would tell.

 Chapter 113 - 113: Feast Fit For An Emperor

    "Weird that I haven''t gotten any messages yet," Barns mutters, scrolling through his system notifications with a furrowed brow and a casual flick of the wrist. He thought Maria would be spamming him by now, with news of the impending horde or updates on Dimartino''s planning.


    And yet, there hasn''t been a word from any of them.


    "Oh well," he exhales, shaking the unease from his shoulders. "Time to party, ain''t that right, King?"


    "CRAB FEAST. BEST NIGHT EVER!" Clancy clicks his claws together, scuttling forward with a jitter of excitement. "BARNACLES HONORARY CRAB. GRAND FEAST. MANY WOMEN CRAB."


    Barns laughs, shaking his head. "Alright, I''ll take the food and the drinks, but you can keep the crab women to yourself, big guy. I owe you one for letting me get the girls in the pool a few days ago."


    The Undersea Kingdom is alive tonight. The bioluminescent coral structures glow with soft, hypnotic light, expelling the darkness from the submerged city. Walkways of golden sand carve paths through the vast underwater domain, and everywhere they turn, there''s something new and fascinating that catches Barns'' eye.


    The water thrums with the chatter of hundreds of crabs, mermaids, and all sorts of aquatic life gathered in the grand plaza - a vast, circular arena filled with decor carved from ancient shipwrecks and driftwood.


    Barns and Clancy take their place near the center of the revelry, where an enormous banquet table has been piled high with exotic seafood, oversized shellfish, and a bubbling cauldron of some mysterious oceanic stew. The scent is powerful - briny, rich, and packed with unfamiliar spices that sting Barns'' nose.


    He''s not sure how the fluid mechanics work, of a cauldron bubbling underneath the water - but he doesn''t question it. Crab magic has many facets.


    "THIS¡­ SMELLS¡­ AMAZING," Barns declares, inhaling deeply as a massive, auburn-shelled crab slams down a platter of what looks like fried eel, garnished with potentially radioactive seaweed.


    "LEGenD ShriMP," the crab server proclaims. Its voice is far more disoriented and whimsical than any other crab Barns has met.


    Barns raises an eyebrow. "Legendary, huh? What''s so special about - "


    Before he can finish, Clancy plucks a handful of the steaming shrimp and devours them whole, his beady eyes rolling back in bliss.


    "BARNACLES. MUST TRY. SHRIMP MAKE STRONG."


    Barns eyes the food warily, but he''s never been one to turn down a culinary adventure. He picks up a particularly long eel tendril, bites down -


    And immediately coughs as a wave of unexpected heat explodes across his tongue.


    "SON OF A¡ªWHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Barns sputters, grabbing a cup of seafoam ale and chugging it down in a desperate attempt to cool his mouth.


    He''s still unsure of how the cups are working, but they do. He''s also finding that he''s talking more like a crab.


    The surrounding crabs erupt into laughter, clicking their claws and chanting something in their strange, rhythmic tongue.


    Clancy slaps him on the back. "DEEP SPICE. CRAB FAVORITE."


    Barns wipes his mouth, exhaling sharply. "Alright. Not bad. Could''ve warned me, maybe?"


    He reaches for another, this time prepared for the fiery punch. Once the initial burn subsides, he realizes something - there''s an underlying sweetness, a smoky, complex depth that makes it weirdly addictive.


    He grins. "Yeah. Yeah, I could get used to this."


    The feast rages on.


    Massive barrels of fermented jellyfish brew are cracked open, the glowing liquid sloshing into wide, coral-forged goblets. The Undersea Kingdom has no shortage of booze, and Barns quickly learns that crabs drink harder than any human he''s ever met.


    One particularly massive crab challenges Clancy to a drinking contest.


    Barns watches as Clancy downs an entire barrel without even flinching. The challenger barely makes it halfway through before collapsing into the sand.


    "CRAB KING UNDEFEATED."


    More laughter. More cheers. More food.


    At some point, a group of smaller, brightly patterned crabs start a rhythmic clicking sound, creating a bizarre but catchy beat. Barns recognizes it immediately - crab music. The same kind of rhythm he used to dance to as a kid.


    Before he knows it, Clancy is scuttling sideways in a wide stance, claws bobbing to the rhythm, shaking his entire body. The feast erupts into some kind of square dancing crab festivals as the party-goers become increasingly raucous.


    The sage crab notices that Barns is not dancing.


    "BARNACLES," the old crab calls out, his voice like rolling waves over stone. "CRAB PERFORMSH DANSH OF EMPEROR. HONORARY CRABSH MUSH DANSH TOO."


    Barns snorts. "No way. Absolutely not."


    "MUSH DANSH. YOU ARE CRABSH NEW HOUMSHIN."


    Barns freezes.


    Every single crab is watching him now. Waiting. Expectant. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it," he mutters, rubbing his temples.


    With a deep breath, he drops into a wide stance, raises his arms like pincers, and starts to move.


    The Undersea Kingdom erupts.


    The rhythmic clicking grows louder, the crabs chanting, stomping, shaking the entire ocean floor. Barns'' feet glide through the sand, his body moving in sync with the tide.


    For the first time in years - maybe since childhood - Barns lets himself go. Fully, completely. Surrendering to the bliss of the crab way of life.


    He dances.


    Click. Scuttle. Click. Twirl. Click. Spin.


    He''s starting to get really into it - inventing new moves as he goes. He swishes his hips and does some dramatic sideways clicks, somewhere between ''the robot'' and a hula dance.


    The crabs cheer. Clancy claps his claws in triumph. The feast descends into absolute madness.


    And Barns laughs, breathless, exhilarated.


    Tonight is legendary.


    Before he knows it, he passes out at the party, along the other crabs. "I hope we all wake up tomorrow, or whatever!" Barns slurs, dropping face-first in the sandy plaza.


    Barns wakes up half-buried in golden sand, his head pounding. The warm glow of the coral walls tells him that morning has arrived.


    Clancy is face-down in a pile of discarded seaweed, drooling foam.


    Barns groans, pushing himself upright. The taste of shrimp and spice still lingers in his mouth.


    A familiar voice rumbles nearby.


    "HOUMSHIN SURVIVED. GOOD. MANY DO NOT."


    Barns turns to see the Sage Crab watching him, his beady black eyes full of strange wisdom.


    Barns squints at Clancy.


    The big guy is still unconscious.


    "Gonna be a rough trip back, huh?" Barns mutters.


    But before long, Clancy rouses himself.


    "Time to head back to Dimartino, King. Or should I say, EMPEROR!?"


    With the memories of the wildest night of his life still fresh, Barns stretches his aching muscles, grips the Divine Hook, and together with Clancy begin their voyage home.


    They have no idea what awaits.

 Chapter 114 - 114: Its Showtime

    As Barns and Clancy arrive at Dimartino, there''s not a soul in sight - except for Underhill. He stands at the docks, pensive - as if he is waiting for them specifically.


    Clancy hops onto the dock from the water, and Barns climbs up after him. He waves happily to Underhill, but after seeing the sneaky merchant''s face, he suddenly feels a wave of anxiety wash over him.


    "Clothes, sir," Underhill says, handing Barns a pile of well-fitted armor. "We have a visitor. I hate to ask this of you, boss man, but you need to go to the castle."


    "What? Who?" Barns asks, accepting the gear. It''s lightweight, reinforced armor from the Artisans and Adventurer Guild''s combined efforts. The type of clothing one would go to war in, not exactly something for greeting a ''visitor''.


    "Nazakiel of the Sentinels. He defeated Maria and Osmond, and broke both of Roscoe''s arms. And he has taken up residence in Dimartino Castle. He''ll kill us all, Barns, unless you and Clancy go to challenge him. He''s asked for it specifically."


    Everything hits Barns at once - the realization of Dimartino''s plight. This is the second time the Sentinels have attacked while Barns was away.


    But he''s here now.


    "Nazakiel, huh?"


    Barns looks vaguely in the direction of Dimartino Castle. Nazakiel is supposedly the strongest of the Sentinels. If they can defeat him, the others may give up on their war.


    But one of the weakest Sentinels was a match for Clancy. This strongest Sentinel is rumored to have the power of a demigod.


    ''Is this even a winnable fight?'' Barns frets.


    Clancy is less scared.


    "DEFEAT SENTINEL!" Clancy raises one claw into the air, triumphant. "BARNACLES CLANCY DUO UNSTOPPABLE! BURY SENTINEL!"


    Barns nods. "That''s right, King. Let me get out of these wet clothes. Underhill, tell me everything you know."


    Barns ducks behind a rock to change as Underhill continues sharing his intel.


    "Maria and Osmond were defeated in seconds - they say that Nazakiel did not lift a single finger. And Roscoe¡­"


    "Don''t worry," Barns says. "We''re going to make him pay for what he did to Roscoe. But, Maria and Osmond. Are they¡­?"


    "Alive and well, yes," Underhill confirms. "Nazakiel has not killed anyone yet. What''s more - he said that he won''t. You and Clancy are the only two he''s after."


    Barns takes a deep breath as he finishes changing. As he steps out into view, he looks like a true warrior - claw in one hand, cane in the other, and exuding righteous confidence.


    "Then win or lose, we''ll end this nightmare," Barns says, full of conviction. "But we''re going to win."


    Underhill smiles weakly. Any sense of scheming or mischief he has is long buried, now. All anyone in Dimartino can think about is the upcoming clash. The one that will likely decide the fate of every human living in Dimartino.


    "We''ve not even had time to plan for the horde of thirty thousand zombies approaching," Underhill advises as the trio begins to march toward the castle. "But chances are if you can defeat Nazakiel, even the horde will be discouraged. He is said to be the most powerful living being on the planet, after all."


    Barns gulps. The idea of facing someone with such insurmountable strength is frightening. It''s a good thing he''s got Clancy at his side. The level 38 crab is powerful, and Barns recently learned a new ability that can bring that power out even more.


    "Crab Release¡­" Barns murmurs to himself as they walk up.


    "Hm? Did you say something?" Underhill pries. "Nice hook, by the way."


    Barns holds the weapon up. "This thing?" he replies. "It''s an SSS Rank Weapon. Pretty awesome, huh?"


    "SSS Rank?" Underhill''s eyes blink greedily. As someone who also has experience fighting with a cane, he likes the optics of the crab sage''s weapon. "Maybe you do have a chance. Nazakiel was unarmed, from what I could tell."


    "Of course he was," Barns grits his teeth. "He thinks he''s unstoppable - that he can underestimate us. We''ll show him just how wrong he is."


    "I apologize that I couldn''t do more, nor could anyone else. Maria and Osmond gave it their all," Underhill states. "By the time I''d heard of what happened, the opportunity had already passed. Nazakiel wants nothing but the two of you, and has promised to kill anyone else who intervenes."


    "Don''t worry about it, Underhill," Barns smiles. "I''m the legendary hero, and Clancy is the Emperor of the land above the sea - or something like that. It''s our job to deal with this sort of thing."


    They walk by the house where Haima committed murder, and a brief moment of hesitation overtakes the hero.


    ''If this Nazakiel guy kills me, I guess I''ll never see Haima again. Never have a chance to talk to her for real, without the lies¡­''


    There would be many things he''d be unable to do.


    Somewhere out there, his friend Mina was reborn, after becoming a Medusa. He still never found her, nor any trace of Violetta. Never learned what Francois'' ultimate power would be for him. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There are so many loose threads and mysteries on the horizon. So many things he wants to do. So much progress made, and still so much more to go.


    He re-centers himself. All of that self-doubt would do him no good in the upcoming battle. He just needs to bear through the uncertainty, and fight - fight with every ounce of power he has. Bring it all to bear. That''s the only way he had even an inkling of a chance.


    After all, if he lost here, what would happen to Clancy? He''d fight. Of course he''d fight. He''d keep clicking and clawing until there was nothing left of him but shattered shell and foam. And Barns couldn''t let that happen. Not to his King


    Before he knew it, they were standing at the entrance to Dimartino Castle. Barns feels it - a weight, like the air inside Dimartino has shifted. It''s as if the castle itself has bent to the will of the intruder sitting on its throne.


    He remembers the first time he stood here, ready to engage in a life-or-death battle. But that time was against Maria and Osmond. As powerful as they were for him and Clancy, the opponent that awaits them now took them both down in seconds.


    This would be the hardest trial that Barns and Clancy had ever faced.


    The leaders of Dimartino, the boy and his crab - versus the leader of the Sentinels, the force of nature known as ''Nazakiel''.


    It''s showtime.

 Chapter 115 - 115: The Strongest of the Sentinels

    The castle halls are silent. No guards, no staff, no movement - only the faint hum of something unnatural in the air. Barns can feel it, even before he reaches the throne room. The weight of an overwhelming force. Waiting.


    Barns kicks open the doors to the throne room, nearly knocking the mighty doors off their frame.


    "CAREFUL! MY THRONE ROOM!"


    Clancy scuttles up next to Barns and the two stand defiantly before Nazakiel. Off to the side, Maria puts a hand over her mouth, shocked.


    "Barns!" she cries, stepping forward. "You idiot, run away from here!"


    He braces his new SSS Rank weapon in front of him, posing dramatically with Clancy.


    "Don''t worry, Maria. We got this."


    Nazakiel smiles - a huge, wide grin. The first smile he''s had since arriving at Dimartino. Perhaps the first smile he''s had in years.


    He rises from his throne, rolling his shoulders.


    "You must be the two I''ve heard so much about," Nazakiel flares his nostrils, looking through them intimidatingly. "If you won''t mind, please clear up a debate one of my associates had. Which one of you is Barnacles, and which is Clancy?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "CLANCY IS KING!"


    Barns raises an eyebrow. "I''m Barns. Seems like you Sentinels aren''t all you''re cracked up to be, if you can''t even figure out a couple names."


    "It would be more accurate to say none of us cared enough to get it right," Nazakiel says, his grin persisting. "But I am here now. I do not make mistakes. There is no job I have not completed. And now, Barns and Clancy, my job is your eradication from the face of the planet."


    "If you didn''t care enough to even know my name, then why''s it so important you kill me, huh?" Barns goads. "Seems like you''re afraid, to me."


    "Afraid?"


    Nazakiel pauses, and his eyes cast themselves upward. He reflects while his eyes slowly scan the ceiling, imagining all the ways the castle could come crumbling down.


    "I suppose there is some fear, yes," Nazakiel admits. "Fear that your kingdom will grow large enough that it begins to affect the natural order of things. We are no fools, Barns. I know full well you are capable of destroying the First Vampire, the First Monster, The First Undead - and to do so would cause the Apocalypses they have wrought to meet tragic ends."


    Nazakiel''s eyes flickered back downward to meet Barns'' stoic gaze. "And the Apocalypses are the wishes of Sentinels manifest. You would deprive us of our great contributions to Emperor Yharan. Steal away the proof of our convictions. And that, Barnacles, is what we fear. We fear that your antics would sully our honor. But as to what you can do against us - that has never been a question. Against the Sentinels, you are outclassed. Outsmarted. Outmatched. Outdated, even. For no Secret Arts can compare with the power we bring to bear."


    "That''s a lot of talk for someone whose crowning achievement is breaking a kid''s arms," Barns spat. "How DARE you hurt Roscoe."


    "Ah, yes," Nazakiel inhales, his chest widening. "There it is. Your hate. It is impressive. Perhaps I have looked at you all wrong, Barnacles. The fury in your heart could be cultivated. I could be convinced to let you live, if you surrender to that darkness. What say you, hm? You could become an Eighth Sentinel. All you have to do is wish - make a wish so dark and horrid that the devils cannot resist it."


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Barns snaps. "But I could never become one of you. My wish is to undo the Apocalypse and save humanity!"


    "Would you stick to that conviction, if I killed your Princess?" Nazakiel spoke with thinly veiled intent - Maria, no, everyone in Dimartino is in danger as long as Nazakiel lives.


    "If I killed your crab? The boy - Roscoe? How much killing would I have to do, to make you curse the world itself, and all life upon it?"


    "As long as there is a single human who draws breath, I will never give up my dream." Barns'' soul ignites with the strength of his determination. He feels more powerful than he ever has - ready to duel with the strongest of the Sentinels.


    Nazakiel''s face twitches. "Of course. You''re a legendary hero, a descendant of the Flame Clan. You bear the same burdensome convictions as Emperor Yharan. It''s as if that heroic energy is in your very blood."


    Barns grips his cane-staff tightly. ''What does he mean by that?''


    His wheels spin - Nazakiel is successful at one thing - distracting Barns. Has Nazakiel implied that Emperor Yharan is also from the Flame Clan?


    "I am deeply fascinated."


    Nazakiel raises his arms to the ceiling, looking almost lamentful.


    "You, Barns - I could talk to you for hours. You are such an interesting man."


    "Can''t say the same."


    "EVIL MAN!" Clancy shouts. "NO SPEAK. DIE!"


    "Yes," Nazakiel says. "Fate would frown at me for overindulging. I did not come here to chat. I came here to destroy you."


    The tone shifts. The room suddenly feels cold, and heavy. Nazakiel''s insurmountable presence shifts existence itself as power begins welling up inside him - vast, inordinate power unlike anything Barns has ever experienced.


    This is true power. A being unlike anything Barns has ever known. Even with all his power-ups, levels, and an SSS Rank weapon, he feels small in comparison to such deep, all-encompassing might.


    The throne room trembles. The stone pillars groan under an unseen force. The air itself thickens, pressing against Barns'' skin like a rising tide. Nazakiel isn''t moving - he doesn''t have to. His presence alone is enough to make the castle itself feel like it was shrinking.


    "The three of us shall begin our dance, then," Nazakiel says wistfully. "It will be my honor to guide you into the darkness. Give me a good show, won''t you? I fear if I am left unsatisfied, I may take my fury out on your kingdom."

 Chapter 116 - 116: Sentinel Battle Part 1

    Nazakiel attacks first - without moving a muscle. Through the air, he launches a psychic attack, seeking to end Barns with one decisive blow. A wall of distorted air pushes against Barns to crush him. But the legendary hero is not one to falter easily - he whips his cane through the air, and the defensive magic of the sage crab comes through. The distortion is erased, and Barns is no worse for wear.


    "Defensive magic," Nazakiel narrows his eyes. "Strong enough even to block me, hm? But can it block this?"


    Nazakiel thrusts his arm out, and volatile energy spews from the floor. It takes the form of two giant hands and in one fluid motion, they each swipe at Barns and Clancy.


    Barns swings his cane and vanquishes one of the magicked hands, while Clancy smashes the other into the ground, causing it to diffuse. Nazakiel watches with unbothered curiosity.


    "You''ve already put up a much better show than the girl."


    Nazakiel ushers to Maria. She trembles in the corner, her eyes downcast.


    "To think a human exists who can push back against the force of my imagination. Very well, Barns. I will just have to push farther."


    Nazakiel rises into the air, hovering just inches above the ground. He''s tested Barns enough already to know - he would deign the human worthy of a true battle.


    The Sentinel teleports through the air, appearing directly in front of Barns. He throws a kick, and Barns blocks with his cane - but the force of Nazakiel''s sweeping kick knocks Barns backward several feet.


    The counter comes from Clancy. The mighty crab moves into position and slices both of his sharp pincers through the air. Nazakiel teleports over the attack and lands atop Clancy''s shell. As his feet land on the shell, they become infused with orange light - explosive energy. Like bombs, two blasts rattle Clancy from atop his shell, sending the crab reeling. Nazakiel teleports again in a flash, back to Barns.


    The hero is ready for the attack. The moment Nazakiel appears, Barns thrusts the Silver Rake forward. Nazakiel doesn''t have time to dodge - but he doesn''t need to.


    Instead, the Sentinel simply stares. As Barns thrusts forward, the distance between he and Nazakiel begins to blur. No matter how far Barns seems to push, he cannot reach Nazakiel. It seems impossible, as the Sentinel is standing right in front of him.


    Nazakiel''s power is a great one - the ability to make whatever he imagines becomes reality. And so, simply by imagining that he dodged Barns'' attack, he does - warping physics itself to bend to his will.


    Barns looks at the tip of Silver Rake, dumbfounded. So close, and yet so far.


    And then Nazakiel counters. A ball of orange light manifests between them and rams Barns in the stomach. The hero stumbles back again, the air knocked out of his lungs.


    While Barns is stunned, Nazakiel moves in for the kill. A series of web-like tendrils explode from Nazakiel''s body, twisting and tangling around Barns, constricting him. He''d be squeezed to death, but Nazakiel''s attack is broken as Clancy sweeps back into the fray, snipping the tendrils in one clean motion. Clancy stands between Barns and Nazakiel, hot steam erupting from inside his shell.


    "NO HURT BARNACLES!" Clancy shouts. He scuttles into Nazakiel, swinging his claws wildly.


    The Sentinel dodges each attack effortlessly as time and space shift around him. He''s still toying with them. He can go much farther than this.


    Nazakiel''s eyes spark as he readies his next technique. This time, he aims for a definitive blow.


    The Sentinel imagines his own fist passing entirely through the crab, and then throws a punch.


    His attack connects as he punches through the front of Clancy''s shell, but he is stopped by an invisible force. Nazakiel looks on in disbelief. As hard as he pushes, he can''t quite blast through Clancy.


    ''How is this possible?'' Nazakiel furrows his brow. Nothing can stop his imagination. Nothing. And yet somehow, this crab has.


    Clancy shrugs him off, a piece of his shell falling to the ground. The mighty crab goes in for another attack, attempting to run the Sentinel through.


    Nazakiel''s concentration lapses for a single moment, and Clancy''s attack connects. He impales Nazakiel all the way through with a quick jab, and the Sentinel stumbles back.


    ''I was¡­hit?''


    And another hit. Clancy''s claw tears through Nazakiel''s torso in a blur of motion. For a fraction of a second, the Sentinel doesn''t react - his body still floating in the air, his mind processing what just happened.


    Nazakiel lands on his back, facing the ceiling. He looks down at his wound and blinks. It''s enough to completely seal the wound shut, as if it never happened. He climbs back to his feet, dusting himself off.


    "So you landed a hit on me," Nazakiel laughs. "My fascination is endless indeed. What power is this that you possess? Power strong enough to resist my imagination?"


    "That''s the power of Barns and Clancy!" the hero says, moving to Clancy''s side and bracing his cane, ready for another round.


    "ULTIMATE CRAB EMPEROR POWER! UNSTOPPABLE!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tch."


    Nazakiel shakes his head. "Your powers are still inferior. So you can spar against me. But can you resist this?"


    Nazakiel''s body glows bright as a spasm of light overtakes him. The energy builds in his body for just a moment until it releases chaotically, shooting above.


    The light passes through the ceiling of the throne room, and suddenly Dimartino Castle is undone. The ceiling and everything above them is blasted apart, sending a shockwave strong enough to knock everyone, including Nazakiel, off their feet. The sound of bursting bombs and popping stones fills the air, and in no time at all, they find themselves standing in the throne room with nothing above them but an empty sky.


    Barns'' breath catches in his throat. The castle - his castle - is gone. Rubble and debris rain down, filling the throne room with choking dust. His eyes snap toward the edge of the ruins, heart hammering.


    "Good," Nazakiel smirks, drinking in the open air. "Now our battle truly begins."

 Chapter 117 - 117: Sentinel Battle Part 2

    Nazakiel vanishes, reappearing in the air high above the castle. He floats among the rubble, his eyes glowing violently bright.


    With a snap of his fingers, Barns and Clancy are barraged by bolts of energy. They tear through the remains of Dimartino Castle, leaving deep scars in the stone wherever they slice.


    Nazakiel imagines destruction - and so destruction is wrought.


    It takes all of Barns'' energy just to deflect the relentless stream of magic that cleaves through the air. He has no attacks that can reach Nazakiel at this range. Maria, still tucked into the corner, shouts something.


    "I can give you my wings, but only for a moment!"


    Barns turns to her, barely processing the words. "Then do it!"


    Maria nods, and channels her Royal Arts. She''s enveloped in a wave of golden, gilded magic, which transfers through the air to Barns.


    On his back, a pair of wings in resplendent silver emerge, shimmering with magical energy.


    "You''re a lifesaver!" Barns shouts back as he deflects yet another of Nazakiel''s thrashing attacks. "Clancy, stay safe. I''m going up!"


    Barns takes to the sky, soaring toward Nazakiel. The Sentinel narrows his eyes as a wicked smile creeps upon his lips.


    He imagines Barns'' wings bursting apart - it''s all he needs to do. And when he bats his malevolent eyes, that''s exactly what happens.


    Barns'' wings explode into a mass of feathers, but the hero isn''t ready to give up, not yet. He pushes beyond his limits, through the hail of silver feathers, launching himself with pure willpower alone.


    He strikes at Nazakiel with all his might. The Sentinel deflects the SSS Rank weapon with his forearm, effortlessly.


    Nazakiel moves even quicker in the air. Suddenly, he''s directly under Barns. He launches himself, uppercutting Barns before appearing directly above him. He hits Barns with a downward kick, sending the hero plummeting back to the castle.


    He grits his teeth, trying to stabilize, but the sheer force of the attack sends him spiraling.


    Not yet. He can still fight.


    Barns twists mid-air, flaring his energy, and stops himself just before hitting the ground. He kicks off the air itself, rocketing back toward Nazakiel.


    ''I''m too slow. If I want to land a hit on him¡­ I have to be even faster!''


    Barns grips Silver Rake tightly. A new technique. One he''s never tried before.


    He channels all of his energy into one final charge.


    He moves so fast that the world around him blurs. His cane ignites with power, forming a long, sweeping arc of silver light.


    "Secret Art: Riptide Execution!"


    A flash of blinding silver slices through the air, cutting straight for Nazakiel.


    Barns feels it - this is it. There''s no way even he can dodge this.


    But Nazakiel doesn''t move.


    He doesn''t need to.


    The moment before Barns'' attack lands, reality distorts.


    Barns'' blade passes through nothing.


    Nazakiel imagined himself dodging.


    And so he did.


    Barns'' own attack bends around Nazakiel, curving through empty space as if forced away by an unseen hand. His technique - the perfect strike - undone before it even began.


    For a moment, Barns'' brain short-circuits trying to comprehend it, as he slowly starts to lose momentum in the air.


    Nazakiel smirks.


    "You see it now, don''t you? Your attacks never had a chance."


    Then, Nazakiel flicks his hand.


    A phantom fist materializes out of nowhere and slams into Barns'' chest, knocking him out of the sky.


    Barns crashes into the stone floor, activating Harden Body just in time to prevent himself from splattering. He struggles back to his feet and looks up at Nazakiel. The Sentinel glowers down like the devil himself. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He''s playing with us," Barns says with clenched fists. "After everything we''ve done, he''s hardly broken a sweat."


    "BARNACLES. TIME FOR ACTION."


    "What?"


    "CRAB RELEASE. S RANK AFFINITY. CLANCY READY."


    Barns recalls the ability - he''d only learned it yesterday. The ability to transcend Clancy beyond his limits, even if just for a short period of time.


    "Are you sure, King? We''ll only have one shot."


    "CLANCY READY!"


    Barns nods, looking back to Nazakiel. The Sentinel is eagerly awaiting their next move.


    "Alright, King. Here goes nothing¡­Secret Art! Crab Release!"


    The world seems to freeze for a moment, shocking even the haughty Sentinel above. The air becomes almost¡­aquatic. The ambient water and magic in the atmosphere responds to the ''Crab Release'', and all of that untamed power surges into Clancy. The crab grows bigger and bigger, exponentially increasing in size until suddenly the mighty Clancy is larger even than Dimartino castle.


    As Barns and Maria look up, they can''t even see Nazakiel - he''s blocked by Clancy''s gargantuan transformation.


    "What in the - he can do that!?" Maria gasps, running to Barns. Neither of them can look away.


    "It''s a new thing."


    "He''s the size of a city, Barns!"


    "Yeah, I see that¡­I just hope it''s enough."


    Meanwhile, in the air, Nazakiel is thoroughly surprised.


    He floats directly in front of Clancy, nothing but a speck in comparison. The mighty crab bellows, a torrent of foam leaking out of his mouth.


    "You think it matters how big you are, you -"


    Before Nazakiel can finish talking, he''s swiped by one of Clancy''s claws. The sheer size and impact sends Nazakiel flying at mach speed, tumbling through the air. He travels nearly a mile before he''s able to recollect himself, but in seconds he teleports back to where he was, his fury burning even greater.


    "You disrespectful, overgrown abomination! Very well! If you want to die so desperately, I shall grant your wish!"


    Nazakiel imagines the kaiju crab being surrounded by chains - not just any chains. Ones created from pure, diabolical magic - barbed with spikes that could penetrate even Clancy''s shell. Loaded with explosive power - the more Clancy would struggle against them, the more they would sear into the crab''s shell. They would tighten and tighten until eventually Clancy gave way, and the chains would crush him to pulp.


    His imaginations begin to manifest - but as the chains begin to wrap around Clancy, summoned from nothingness, the mighty crab breaks free of them. The shattered chain links fill the air with debris and a wall of ferocious wind ravages Nazakiel.


    The Sentinel gathers himself. "So, you truly can resist my imagination. Your death is not a precaution but a necessity, you vile creature. How dare you. How dare you!"


    Clancy swings again, but this time Nazakiel is ready. He catches the claw - easily a hundred times larger than himself, with his bare hands. All Nazakiel has to do is imagine himself as strong as the crab. Miraculously, he''s able to push back against Clancy, as the two lock into a power struggle.


    Nazakiel''s arms quiver against Clancy''s overwhelming might, but the sheer power of imagination keeps him going. The Sentinel gnashes his teeth in anger.


    "Why won''t you just DIE!" Nazakiel roars, pushing all his strength into Clancy. Nothing he could do - nothing he could imagine was strong enough to deal a definitive blow to the crab. Clancy has some power, something unknown - that allows him to defy and alter fate itself.


    ''Nothing could have survived those chains. Not without a specific ability to counteract me. Could this crab be¡­''


    He shook the thought out of his head. It wasn''t even worth considering. Regardless, Nazakiel has an attack ready that not even Clancy could dismiss.


    The Sentinel breaks away from Clancy, teleporting backward. He stares at the massive crab from a safe distance as the King braces himself for another round, holding his pincers up defensively.


    "PROTECT DIMARTINO! ALWAYS! EVIL SENTINEL, GO AWAY!"


    "Insolent creature, you can barely even speak the common tongue! Where does this power come from!"


    "POWER OF FRIENDSHIP! BARNACLES!"


    Nazakiel laughs. "Friendship? Can your friendship survive THIS!?"


    Suddenly, the skies above tear open, creating a portal directly into outer space. Exactly as Nazakiel imagines.


    And from the portal, something begins to emerge. Flaming, giant - large enough to level the entirety of Dimartino. A meteor of epic proportions, even greater than Clancy, falls from the sky.


    Existence itself trembles in the wake of the meteor. Nazakiel throws his arms open wide, cackling.


    "What will you do now, you stupid crab!?"


    It falls - closer and closer. Everyone - from Lantafort to Ordella, can see it. It looks like the end of the world.


    Barns had seen powerful enemies before. He had fought against demons, vampires, monsters that defied reason. But this? This wasn''t a battle anymore. This was a fight against the end of the world itself.


    He and Maria stood side by side, unable to exchange any words. Even with their obfuscated view underneath Clancy, they could see what was happening before them.


    The heavens weep - the sky itself cracks. Nazakiel throws his head back in awe at the devastation he''s wrought. It''s a power he only used once before. The power that created the seventh apocalypse, and destroyed an entire subcontinent.


    "And so comes the end of the human empire of Dimartino!"


    The meteor, seconds from impact, seems to move faster and faster with every second. The only thing between it and landfall is Clancy.


    The world holds its breath. The sky itself unfurls as the meteor descends, flames licking across the heavens like an omen of death. Maria, Underhill, the Adventurers, even Nazakiel himself - no matter where they were watching from, none spoke. No one moved.


    Then, Clancy stepped forward.


    He raised his claw high, the ocean itself bending toward him. He clicked once. Twice.


    "PROTECT DIMARTINO!"


    And then he struck.

 Chapter 118 - 118: Sentinel Battle Part 3

    Clancy stands tall - titanic in size, his massive form casting a shadow over all of Dimartino.


    The meteor is monstrous, a burning, spiraling cataclysm of fire and destruction. Its flames roar like the burnout of a dying god, and its heat warps the sky. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And only Clancy stands in its way.


    The Kaiju Crab Emperor rears back, massive claws raised high, and slams into the meteor. The impact shakes the heavens. A deafening explosion ripples outward as the sheer force of his resistance stops the meteor''s descent - but only for a moment.


    Clancy pushes.


    Even his mighty, ocean-forged and transformed body can scarcely manage to hold it back. His claws dig deep into the molten surface, his shell steaming as waves of heat lick at his form, trying to consume him.


    From above, Nazakiel watches.


    The Sentinel hovers like a god of war, his arms outstretched, his expression twisted in cruel amusement. He scoffs. "Impressive."


    Then his eyes burn blue.


    In an instant, the sky erupts.


    A barrage of flaming blue comets tears through the air, screaming toward Clancy. The first slams into his back. He lurches, but holds steady. The second strikes his shell. The third, the fourth, the fifth - they rain upon him, an endless bombardment of divine fury.


    Clancy roars in agony. The sound shakes the entire kingdom from the onslaught.


    All around, the citizens of Dimartino look out their windows, horrified - some others stand gathered in the town square, pointing and fretting over the scene unfolding above. It''s the end of the world - or at least, as close to the end as any of them could ever imagine.


    This, coming from a town of people who were almost all monsters, zombies, vampires, and slaves a month ago.


    The craters on his shell deepen, his glorious red carapace blackening from the relentless onslaught. But still - he does not let go. He can''t. His claws dig deeper, the molten rock burning into him, searing through his flesh.


    "Yes!" Nazakiel bellows, eyes ablaze. "Burn! Suffer! Know your place, beast!"


    More comets, each one larger than the last, pierce through the atmosphere. They collide into Clancy, driving him deeper and deeper into the ground. His legs tremble, his mighty shell cracks, and a low, pained click escapes him.


    And yet - he does not let go.


    Clancy is the King Crab.


    Clancy protects Dimartino.


    And most of all, Clancy protects Barnacles.


    Barns watches below, fists clenched. "King¡­" he breathes. He finds himself on the verge of tears. The damage he''s taking - he doesn''t think his King will be able to shrug it off. He''s giving his all, but Nazakiel''s power is too much. It''s unfair.


    But Clancy cannot fail.


    Not here.


    Not now.


    The Kaiju Crab Emperor musters every last ounce of strength, every ounce of will, every last piece of himself.


    And pushes.


    His claws strain.


    His muscles surge.


    A wave of power erupts from within him. Suddenly, the crab glows with resplendent golden light, reinvigorating him and coating his shell in another layer of magicked armor.


    The earth quakes beneath his might.


    The meteor halts.


    Then, in a single, incomprehensible act of strength -


    Clancy heaves.


    The meteor - this world-ending mass of death - is lifted.


    Barns can only watch as Clancy, the Mightiest King of the Land Above, throws the meteor back toward the sky. The force of it sunders the clouds and sky. The meteor, its descent reversed, soars toward the heavens.


    But Clancy isn''t done.


    Not yet.


    The ocean trembles.


    The air grows thick with rising foam, an impossible, all-consuming tide building deep within the mighty crab. His pincers snap. His body quivers with the power of the ancients.


    Then - he unleashes it.


    A colossal, torrential blast of cleansing foam erupts from Clancy''s mouth, an unstoppable deluge of holy water, racing toward the sky like a comet of its own.


    The foam strikes the meteor with divine fury.


    For a moment - it seems nothing happens.


    Then, suddenly, the fire dies.


    The flames flicker out.


    The molten rock collapses, dissolving, crumbling, disappearing as the purifying foam devours it whole.


    The meteor is gone. Dimartino is saved.


    Clancy''s body trembles.


    His massive form sways. His shell is charred, his flesh seared, and his strength is completely spent.


    Barns screams.


    "Clancy!"


    The King of Crabs falls.


    A resounding crash shakes the earth as Clancy collapses, his gargantuan body slamming into the ruined remains of Dimartino Castle.


    Barns is at his side in an instant, climbing the crumbling remains of his mighty friend.


    Clancy''s breath is shallow. His massive eyes dull.


    Barns'' heart pounds.


    He''s never seen Clancy like this.


    "BARNACLES¡­" Clancy grunts. "NOT¡­FINISHED. EVIL SENTINEL¡­MUST BE STOPPED."


    Clancy raises his weak claws into the air. Power untold begins to surge through the air, changing the atmosphere itself. Whatever the King Crab is doing, it makes the air heavy - it becomes difficult for Barns to even stand under the intense gravity.


    Nazakiel floats above, watching the crab incredulously. The Sentinel couldn''t believe that Clancy was able to repel the meteor, but it was no bother to him.


    "I''ll just make another one."


    Suddenly, the air twists - the intense magical pressure coming from Clancy collides with the force of Nazakiel''s imagination. As their respective powers surge through the air, it overwhelms - the air itself becomes supercharged with light, and hisses, groans from the churning powers that rise in defiance of each other.


    "NEVER NAZAKIEL! SENTINEL NEVER DEFEAT DIMARTINO! NEVER!"


    All over the kingdom of Dimartino, from the castle to the beaches, even as far as Ordella and the Pale Court, the ground begins to erupt with geysers of cleansing foam. The impossible amount that launches up from the depths would be visible to onlookers from outer space.


    Nazakiel''s eyes dart around, watching the new ability unfold. Though he is not worried one bit - the cleansing foam of Clancy has no effect on him. Despite his wicked power, Nazakiel is still human. There''s no monstrosity within him to cleanse.


    "What are you doing, crab?"

 Chapter 119 - 119: Sentinel Battle Part 4

    A deep, reverberating hum shakes the world as the foam spreads over the land, launching through the air, gathering in certain places in giant, floating balls of power. It evaporates the lakes and rivers, absorbing all the moisture it can to bolster itself, stronger and stronger.


    Nazakiel rolls his shoulders, flexing his fingers as though shaking off a light drizzle. He lets the foam coat his arms, watching it trickle harmlessly down his skin.


    He exhales, long and slow, his grin widening. "You put on a fine show, I''ll give you that. But you still don''t understand, do you?"


    Nazakiel swings his arm violently, and all of the foam clinging to him is blasted away. "There''s nothing you can do, you stupid crab! You think I fear FOAM!?"


    On the surface, Clancy continues to generate more and more foam - the entire kingdom of humanity coated as if it had freshly snowed. Dozens of orbs the size of cities float in the sky, a collection of his cleansing powers. They grow ever more massive - building up to Clancy''s ultimate, final attack.


    Nazakiel''s fingers twitch. What should he do? He flicks through all of the possibilities. The only downside to his power is the strength of his imagination. With so many futures foreseen, Nazakiel isn''t sure which would bring him the most delight. Should he impale the weakened crab with a spear of light? Or should he rain more meteors upon the kingdom until nothing at all remains? S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nazakiel cackles, sinister and defiant. Too many choices - he''s paralyzed with indecision. Each moment gives way to another dark thought - another way to imagine the brutal end of this battle.


    On the surface, Barns holds his hands to Clancy''s shell.


    This isn''t how the battle is supposed to unfold.


    Clancy is supposed to be invincible. And Barns is supposed to be the legendary hero. They were the ones who were destined to reset the Apocalypse. Weren''t they?


    "Clancy! Talk to me!" Barns cries, trying to get through to his crab. But Clancy cannot speak - all of his intellect is singularly focused on his task.


    Nazakiel, still hovering above, blinks his eyes. Their color shifts from the crackling blue of comets to green. A sickly green. The color of rot - Nazakiel has finally decided what he would do to Dimartino.


    "I will spit in the face of this accursed cleansing foam," Nazakiel smirks. He can imagine it so clearly - necrotic green magic not unlike that of the Zombie Lords, ravaging the land. He will despoil all life. Not even the lush vegetation of Dimartino will remain - he plans to scour the earth, leaving nothing but the rotted and infertile soil of a kingdom doomed to never rise again.


    But before he can do it - a dark form flies through the sky, colliding with him. Barns looks up in disbelief. He recognizes that ability. He''d seen it only days ago.


    Francois.


    The vampiress manifests in the air behind Nazakiel, and in one fluid motion, she bites down on the back of the Sentinel''s neck. He stiffens up and screams loudly as her vampiric venom surges through his body. Her touch alone - the great power of Lust she possesses, overwhelms Nazakiel''s mind, if only for a moment.


    In his daze he''s unable to react in time. Francois bites down on him again, using her fangs to shoot her blood into him. She''s not just trying to kill him - she''s turning him into a vampire.


    To an ordinary human, becoming a vampire would only make them stronger. But to someone like Nazakiel, who already has powers, it threatened every aspect of his existence.


    He screams and keels over in midair, shaking Francois off. She darts back in the air a few feet. Almost, but not quite - his transformation isn''t complete. She just needs one more bite -


    But he reacts quicker than she can. The green power ignites in his eyes as he looks upon Francois and unleashes the full extent of his power.


    The vampiress flies defiantly in front of Nazakiel in one moment - and in the very next moment, she is gone. A cloud of dust and ash where she was just seconds ago. Nazakiel''s ungodly power, his imagination - vaporizes her like she is nothing at all.


    Barns watches in horror as he sees Francois turned to dust quicker than he can blink. Nazakiel rolls his shoulder, annoyed.


    "Pitiful vampire bitch."


    He turns back to Clancy and Barns, but before he can use another ability, Clancy is finally finished with his. Suddenly, all the world turns white. Neither Clancy, nor Barns, nor Nazakiel himself can see a thing. But as their eyes adjust to the spectacular and dazzling display of light, the true nature of Clancy''s technique becomes clear.


    As Clancy lay motionless, his colossal body riddled with craters, the last wisps of his Kaiju State expand from his shell, projecting an even larger, ghost-like image of Clancy over the entire southern corner of the continent. It expands from The Pale Court to Ordella, encompassing all of the lands Barns and he have freed from the clutches of evil.


    And then, the foam spheres in the air began to move - to react to Clancy''s projection.


    The gathered foam spiraled upward and around in dazzling streaks, lifting far into the sky as if obeying a force beyond reason. What had once been a chaotic deluge of holy foam now coalesced into something greater - something impossible.


    A wall - no, a barrier.


    The foam pulsed, forming a radiant dome over all of Dimartino. The once fragmented geysers of cleansing light merged together, forming hardened pillars of cleansing light that expanded into the sky and formed a single, impenetrable shield that wrapped itself around the entire kingdom.


    And as the barrier manifests, it launches Nazakiel away, forcing him to the other side. He looks on in disbelief as he is repelled away high into the sky.


    He watches the barrier form - a shield of effervescent light, roughly in the shape of a crab.


    His eye twitches. Never before has he experienced such humiliation.


    "A barrier, huh!?" Nazakiel screams, his voice cracking - but he''s so far away that nobody can hear him. "As if a barrier can keep out Nazakiel, the leader of the Sentinels!"

 Chapter 120 - 120: The Kings Will

    The people of Dimartino gasp as the light overtakes them.


    "What is this?"


    "Look at the sky!"


    "The foam - it''s surrounding us!"


    In Ordella, where the newly resurrected still reel from their return to life, a young woman reaches out toward the foam as it encases them, only to find it did not burn. Clancy''s cleansing power foam does not purge - it protects.


    "This is the will of the gods!" The woman shouts to those around her. "A blessing of the great King Crab!"


    And at the now-ruined castle, Maria stands frozen, golden eyes wide as she watches the impossible unfold.


    "This wasn''t just an attack," she murmurs. "It was a gift. Divine protection¡­"


    "Oh, Clancy," she whispers, an unfamiliar emotion tightening in her chest. "You foolish, stupid, wonderful crab."


    From Maria, a higher compliment could never be received.


    Barns staggers to his feet, still trying to comprehend what just happened. His breathing is ragged, his body heavy with exhaustion, but as he looks up at the towering dome of swirling, celestial foam, his chest swells with something beyond words.


    A shield. A barrier of cleansing magic, forged from Clancy''s final act of defiance.


    "Clancy¡­" Barns mutters, his voice hoarse. "What the hell did you just do?"


    Above, Nazakiel''s wicked grin falters.


    He could feel it¡ªthe world has shifted.


    The Sentinel reaches out, summoning a spear of pure annihilation, its energy crackling with enough force to pierce the heavens. Without hesitation, he hurls it toward the barrier, watching as it streaks through the air. A lance of light - unbridled destruction. His most powerful attack, from the perspective of sheet destructive power on impact.


    It collides with the foam.


    And disappears.


    Not shattered. Not deflected. Erased. As if the attack were nothing at all.


    Nazakiel''s pupils dilate as his own attack is swallowed by the cleansing barrier. He raises his hand, preparing to summon another¡ªonly to pause as something unthinkable happens.


    The foam pushed back.


    Like a living tide, the radiant wall of light surges outward, repelling him. Not an attack, but outright denial.


    Barns looks up at Nazakiel, though it''s hard to even see the tiny dot floating far above.


    The Sentinel''s expression twists into something close to disbelief.


    "This¡­ should not be possible!" Nazakiel howls, his voice raspier than before.


    Barns smirks, taunting the Sentinel even though he can''t hear. "Guess you''re not as unstoppable as you thought."


    Nazakiel''s jaw clenches. For the first time since arriving in Dimartino - no, for the first time since ascending as a Sentinel - his absolute certainty has been shaken to the core.


    Clancy''s final act, whether intentional or the last desperate grasp of a dying king, had created an impenetrable divine barrier.


    Dimartino, Ordella, and even the Pale Court are now untouchable, enveloped in a shimmering cage of translucent, foamy light.


    The First Undead''s horde could not breach it.


    The Sentinels could not corrupt it.


    The Emperor himself would have to face a new reality. Humanity has been granted a shield that not even Yharan''s greatest warrior can pierce.


    Barns kneels beside Clancy''s fallen, monolithic form, pressing a hand against the crab''s cracked shell.


    The King is still alive - but barely. Between Nazakiel''s attacks, the swarm of comets that devastated him earlier, and the sheer exertion of his god-level abilities, his vitality is all but sapped.


    His body shudders with shallow, pained breaths. The strain of his final miracle had drained him beyond anything he had ever endured.


    Barns clenches his fists.


    He has to save Clancy.


    But even as he presses his forehead against the rough shell of his friend, he knows the truth.


    Even if he somehow saves Clancy''s life, the King of the Land Above would never fight again.


    "Clancy!" Barns shouts into the shell. The crab is so big, he''s not even sure if he can hear.


    "Damn it, Clancy! Don''t you give up on me now!"


    Tears begin to stream down Barns'' face.


    The gargantuan crab takes one pained, stilted breath. His shallow breathing makes the entire castle quiver, from its impossible scale.


    "Clancy!" Barns roars, growing increasingly agitated. "Say something, King! So I know you''re -"


    Maria climbs onto the shell and lowers herself to Barns'' side. She puts her hand on his back, but doesn''t say a word. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why don''t you say anything¡­you can''t just do something this cool and then die over it!"


    The heavy shell underneath Barns and Maria shifts - ever so slightly. The faintest sign of life.


    "BaRNacCLEs¡­"


    The mighty king''s voice is haggard, tired. As huge as he is, it''s still barely a whisper.


    "LeAVE¡­BeST KINGdOM¡­EVER MaDE¡­TO BEST FRIEND¡­CRAB eVER Had¡­"


    "CLANCY!"


    One final inhale.


    "CLANCY, STOP JOKING AROUND!"


    One final exhale.


    "KING! PLEASE! I¡­"


    The tears stream down Barns'' face. Maria holds him tighter.


    "I need you."


    Deafening silence.


    Impossible stillness.


    Time itself lurches to a grinding halt.


    A shimmering ripple spreads across Clancy''s colossal form, a faint, wavering light that flickers like a dying ember in the dark. Barns presses his palm against the shell, his breath caught in his throat, watching - waiting - for any sign of movement.


    But instead, the light begins to escape - burning off the crab''s shell, sending a stream of vibrant, dazzling energy up into the sky.


    It dissipates freely - beautiful, but also haunting.


    Clancy''s massive frame, once burning with radiant, divine energy, now dulls - the vibrant reds of his shell wash away, and the deep, royal hues of his carapace bleach into a stoic gray. The cracks along his shell widen, and power that once surged through him seeps away, evaporating into the air like mist under a hot morning sun.


    Maria tightens her grip on Barns'' shoulder. "He''s¡­ turning to stone."


    Barns'' throat tightens. "No."


    His fingers curl over the shell. "No, no, no. Wake up! We can fix this! We''ll figure something out!"


    The light in Clancy''s violet eyes darkens.


    And then, all at once -


    The golden glow that once coated his entire body releases like a flock of nesting birds startled into the sky.


    It flees in sweeping waves, his enormous form shedding the last traces of his god-like state. His once-mighty limbs stiffen, losing their fluid, crab-endowed strength. His claws, powerful enough to split mountains in two, fall slack. His entire body settles, motionless, an unshakable, monolithic husk.


    The world holds its breath.


    The once-living titan is now a monument. A testament to the might of the Greatest Crab That Ever Lived. Clancy. The Emperor of Humanity.


    From the ground, the people of Dimartino look on in silent awe. There are no cheers, no cries of triumph. Only reverence. Even from far away, Clancy''s mighty form is visible. And what is happening is clear.


    In Ordella, they press their hands together in quiet prayer.


    The King of the Land Above, the savior of Dimartino, the greatest hero they had ever known¡­


    Now stands as an unmoving, eternal guardian, at the epicenter of a barrier of light that defies all evil that would threaten humanity.


    Barns stares at the empty husk beneath his hands. He knows Clancy is still inside, somewhere. The real Clancy. The one who would click his claws in excitement at the sight of food, the one who would shout absurd, ridiculous things about prostitutes. The one who stood beside him, always, through every battle.


    His guardian, his mentor, his teacher. His best friend. His companion.


    The other half of the ''legendary hero'' tag-team.


    But now, there''s nothing.


    No warmth.


    No movement.


    No sound.


    Only silence.


    Barns'' chest tightens, his pulse pounds against his skull.


    Maria shifts beside him, voice soft, measured - yet laced with something rare. Not her usual dry amusement. Something else.


    Grief.


    "Barns¡­"


    He doesn''t move.


    "Barns."


    Still, nothing.


    Maria swallows hard, her eyes burning with unshed emotion. "¡­He knew. He did it for us. For all of us. He couldn''t win. So he did what he could."


    Barns exhales sharply, his vision blurring.


    She continues, her voice quieter now as if saying it too loudly would undo his sacrifice. "This was never a fight we could walk away from."


    Barns clenches his fists. "Then why?" His voice cracks. He stops, forcing himself to breathe. "Why did he¡­why didn''t he tell me?"


    Maria doesn''t answer.


    Because there''s nothing to say.


    Because Clancy was never going to let himself lose.


    Because Clancy had already decided, long before this battle even began, that Barns would be the one to carry on.


    The weight of that realization crushes him.


    Barns lowers his forehead against Clancy''s shell. His best friend. His first friend. The one who raised him, who gave him his name, who stood by his side when no one else would.


    Now, Clancy is nothing more than a gray, lifeless husk.


    A silent guardian, standing watch over the kingdom he died to protect.


    Maria exhales softly, brushing a hand over Barns'' back, grounding him.


    "Dimartino still stands," she murmurs. "Because of him. A more legendary hero there has never been."


    The words sting.


    Barns shakes, pressing his eyes shut, trying to fight back the sickening grief clawing at his throat.


    But he can''t.


    And so, for the first time since he was a child, the Legendary Hero of Dimartino buries his face against the cold, unmoving shell of his best friend, and lets himself break.


    All the while, Maria holds him steady.

 Chapter 121 - 121: The First Cold Day in Dimartino

    Eldrie creeps into the dilapidated throne room, hours later. There, he finds Barns and Maria, resting side by side, kneeling on the desiccated carcass.


    Osmond lingers nearby, but he makes no attempt to interfere. He can see as well as anyone what occurred in the throne room.


    Eldrie''s eyes lock onto the spectacular, stony visage of Clancy. He saw from far away, of course - but staring the monolithic guardian right in the face like this was another thing entirely.


    "Barns, the¡­"


    Eldrie''s shoulders drooped. Did he have any right to step in?


    The young hero''s eyes lidded up, glowing blue in the dark shadow cast over his face.


    It shocks Eldrie. He''d certainly never seen Barns'' eyes glowing before. He wonders if the hero has unlocked a new power.


    "Resurrection didn''t work," Barns says quietly. "I knew it wouldn''t, but I had to try."


    Eldrie sighs. "Barns, the castle isn''t safe. The damage -"


    "No," Osmond replies. His demonic nature made him more sensing than the average human. He could tell just by the way his feet felt on the stone floor of the throne room what condition the rest of the castle is in.


    "The castle is sturdy - stable. The King ensured even that."


    Eldrie nods. "I see¡­"


    His eyes, one red, one blue, glance at the mysterious shimmering barrier above them. It encapsulates the entire visible sky.


    "There are a lot of people gathered around the castle. Skado, Jordan. Some others. Roscoe, too¡­"


    Barns stares forward, seeing through Eldrie. His eyes continue to radiate blue light.


    "Say, Barns. Was Clancy a Guardian Beast?"


    The hero''s eyes flick toward Eldrie, as if noticing him for the first time.


    "A what?"


    "I don''t know a lot about them myself," Eldrie says quickly. "But I befriended a hawk, once. I may have mentioned it before. She was no ordinary hawk. Her name was Edelweiss, and she could speak, like Clancy."


    Eldrie grips his chest tightly. "When a guardian beast dies, they leave behind a manifestation of their aura. For Edelweiss, it was like a small, white marble¡­"


    Barns blinks, intrigued by Eldrie''s words. He allows the former vampire to continue.


    "I lost Edelweiss'' marble during the Apocalypse, Barns, and it was the worst moment of my life. Because I was taking it somewhere¡­trying to. Some place where the magic to revive Guardian Beasts was practiced."


    The hero''s pupils dilate wide, almost hiding his glowing blue irises.


    "Guardian Beasts can be¡­revived?"


    "It''s what I was told. But Edelweiss and I never made it."


    Barns closes his eyes, sighing. "It''s a nice thought," he muses. "But I have no idea if he was or not. And I haven''t seen anything like what you''re talking about."


    He rises to his feet, the tears long dry. He''d play it off as doing his duty, but he wants to search around. If there''s any possibility of such a thing - a marble that contains Clancy''s soul - he would find it.


    He leaves the throne room with only a few words. "I''ll tell everyone what happened."


    He grieves for his friend so much that he can hardly process the loss around him. The once beautiful castle is in ruins, though his tower still stands. Much of the lower levels remain intact, though the upper levels have been obliterated. More of a shattered fort than a castle, now.


    The moment he steps out of the front entrance of the castle, the crowd silences. All turn to him, eager to hear his words.


    He pans over the crowd. There are a lot of faces he recognizes - though many he does not. A collection of humans representing the nearly thirty thousand of their kingdom.


    "As I''m sure many of you know, the Kingdom of Dimartino was attacked by a man who calls himself Nazakiel," Barns starts. He surprises even himself with how stalwart and tamed his voice is - the storm of grief inside him rages relentlessly, but he refuses to let it show. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Barns must project strength more than ever.


    Not for himself, but for Clancy.


    "Nazakiel is a member of a group that calls themselves ''The Sentinels''," he continues. "Who have today shown that they lack any regard for any of us!"


    He points his hand behind him, the towering statue of Clancy clearly visible over the castle for all to see - even now, they stand gathered in its shadow.


    "Our King fought bravely today. He gave every ounce of his strength for us. And when it wasn''t enough, he surpassed his limits entirely, and created a miracle!"


    Barns clenches his fist over his heart, determination surging through him as a cool breeze blows past.


    "I don''t know what became of Nazakiel," Barns admits. "But I believe this barrier will hold. That crab up there - maybe you just know him as the King. But he''s my best friend. And this sanctuary he''s created will protect Dimartino. I know it."


    Barns closes his eyes. What is there to say?


    He can think of nothing. His mind thinks only of Clancy.


    He steps away from the gathered citizens, excusing himself back into the castle - before he can get away, Roscoe steps out of crowd and calls out to him.


    "Barns!"


    He turns to face the boy. His arms are bandaged, and he winces in pain, but it doesn''t stop him from saying what he must.


    "I know how it feels to lose the most important person in the world."


    Barns breath catches in his throat. Of course Roscoe would say something like that.


    Barns himself held Roscoe''s dying sister in his arms, and delivered her dying words to her younger brother.


    "You''re way stronger than me, so I know you don''t need to hear it, Barns¡­but you''re not alone."


    "Hear, hear!" Godrick says from nearby, overhearing Roscoe''s impassioned words. "Every human living is cause our mate up there, now twice-over." He ushers to the sky, but focuses on Barns. "Your grief is our grief, Barnie boy. Not a dry eye here."


    It''s hard to breathe. Barns looks out over the crowd and confirms exactly what Godrick says. Everyone - absolutely everyone - seeps with devastation and loss.


    "We''re the Crab Kingdom of Dimartino!" a nearby Adventurer shouts, performing the pincer salute.


    And everyone, all together, throws the salute - not to Barns. To the legendary hero of Dimartino, King - no, Emperor Clancy, who rules over all the surface.

 Chapter 122 - 122: Friends

    The next day, Underhill creeps around the throne room, investigating the situation. Nearby, Maria sits at their strategic planning table, still covered in debris from the Sentinel battle.


    Underhill ducks, looking into the crab''s slightly-open mouth.


    "Gods, it''s like a whole world in here," he says, barely able to be heard as his echoes bounce off the stone inner walls of Clancy''s shell. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Maria sneers. "Get out of there. How disrespectful can you be!"


    "Just one minute," Underhill shouts, but to her his voice is barely heard. He descends deeper and deeper into the open cavity of the statue, his thirst for adventure consuming him.


    "Hmm," he thinks to himself, activating a device on his cane. The tip of his gilded weapon lights up, spreading light throughout the crab shell.


    He''s in a space so vast it defies reason. The stone shell left behind Clancy is greater than Dimartino castle, and towers over its wreckage. And the insides are completely hollow - an empty husk.


    "Gods, I bet we could use this for something¡­" he thinks to himself, walking forward some distance before something on the ground catches his eye.


    Right at his feet rests a small red marble - glowing with a faint sheen of light.


    "The hell is this?" he says aloud, picking it up. He turns the marble over in his hand a few times, inspecting it.


    He can sense from within there is some great power, though he knows not what. He looks around some more to see if he can find any others, but he only locates the one.


    "Is this an egg, big guy?" Underhill chuckles, talking to the hollow shell. "Swallow something you shouldn''t have?"


    He stares back at the marble. It was illustrious, divine.


    He pockets his find. "Well, it''s mine now, whatever the hell it is."


    He walks out of Clancy''s mouth, swinging his cane in an arc. Maria shakes her head in disagreement.


    "Done desecrating the King?"


    "Now, now, I was just checking it out," Underhill smirks, turning back to the entrance. "The big guy''s completely hollow, you know that? Lotta space in there. There''s gotta be somethin'' we can do with a room that big, eh?"


    "Why don''t you ask Barns that question?" she hisses.


    "Eesh. Yeah, point taken, lady."


    He ponders. "Barns is a reasonable businessman. I just need to find the right angle."


    As he devises a million-and-one ways to make good economic use of Clancy''s husk, Maria slithers out of her chair and walks away, leaving him to his own musings in the hallway.


    As she paces down the ruined hallway, Roscoe pokes out of the corner. His arms, still bandaged, hang in splints in front of him like a robot.


    "You see Mr. Hero around?" Roscoe asks. "I, uh¡­have to tell him I''ve missed training two days in a row¡­"


    Maria looks at the kid in disbelief. "I think he knows," she says, walking away. She curls around the hallway and walks down a flight of stairs, into a more stable part of the castle. Down on this level, it''s almost hard to tell that the castle was destroyed at all.


    As she turns another corner, she nearly runs into Osmond.


    ''God damn, can''t I be alone anywhere?''


    "Oh, my love!" Osmond smiles, racing to her side. "My sweet, beautiful, darling Maria! I''ve been wondering where you got off to."


    "I''m busy."


    "O-oh. Right! Of course. My sweet Maria is always so busy¡­"


    She ignores him and continues on her way. He sniffles a bit as he watches her go.


    "Well, guess I have no plans for today," the demon sighs, clicking his tongue. "Ah¡­to have friends¡­"


    He wanders into the castle library - his first time there in a while. He''s happy to see it still stands, in excellent shape as always. Maria took exquisite care of this library for the last several years. He couldn''t imagine losing it.


    Inside, Eldrie is sitting at the large central table, flicking through a book. As he sees Osmond, he rises to his feet and salutes.


    "Hello, Sir. If you need the room, I can -"


    Osmond shakes his head and flicks his hand. "Stay, stay," he insists, sitting across from him at the table. "We''re hardly strangers, don''t call me ''Sir''."


    "Oh. Of course, Osmond. It''s just your wife - girlfriend - whatever she is, usually likes when I call her Ma''am, or Lady Maria, or Princess, or -"


    Osmond rolls his tongue and smiles. "Call her whatever you want. She won''t mind. And she is my darling fiance! Though she''s put off wedding talks for many years, now¡­"


    Eldrie''s eyes drift back to his book, turning the page. "I can imagine."


    "So what brings you here, Eldrie?" Osmond asks curiously. "Not that I mind. But I don''t believe we''ve crossed paths here before."


    "Ah," Eldrie says. "I like reading, but things have been so busy lately. And now that we''re in a¡­lull, I suppose? I had nowhere else to be."


    "I''m surprised you aren''t enjoying the day with some human friends," Osmond smiles. Loathe as the demon is to admit it, he too yearns for human friends. Outside of Barns'' inner circle, he''s still a demon, and to many people in Dimartino, he was once their executioner. Didn''t make him feel very sociable.


    "I suppose I have a kind-of girlfriend," Eldrie smiles to himself. "But friends? Not really. The former vampire with a glowing red eye doesn''t exactly inspire confidence. Most people kept away from me even before the eye. Now, it seems like the villagers look at me like I''m a monster."


    "I can relate - and I don''t imagine I need to explain why."


    Eldrie''s eyes dart to Osmond''s demonic horns. "Yeah."


    A moment of silence between the two of them stretches just a second too long - Eldrie breaks it.


    "If you need a friend, Osmond, we can hang out anytime. I think after yesterday we all need a friend, huh?"


    The demon''s face lights up, just like he did when Barns and he became ''bros''.


    "Friends. Yes, of course."

 Chapter 123 - 123: Post-Apocalyptic Planning

    Barns and Maria stand in a huddle at the edge of Dimartino''s ruined castle, peering over her System UI. As she types the final words of her message to Jennifer, they read over the message one final time.


    [Attn: Lantafort:


    This is Barns. Yesterday, Dimartino was attacked by the Sentinel known as Nazakiel. While he has been successfully repelled, Dimartino has suffered heavy losses. King Clancy was killed in action and the castle has been partially destroyed.


    Before his death, King Clancy erected a barrier around Dimartino, Ordella, and the Pale Court - this may be visible even from Lantafort. The barrier appears to be stable, and it has thus far been able to repel all evil, including the Sentinels, from stepping foot anywhere in the Kingdom.


    This is a developing situation and we will keep you apprised of any further information.


    In current developments - the road between Lantafort and Dimartino is no longer safe. 30,000 undead traveling in a horde have begun to surround the Dimartino barrier. They cannot advance, but they do not leave. We are working on a solution.]


    "It''s cold, but it''ll do," Barns says meekly.


    Maria nods, sending the message. She doesn''t expect an immediate reply - there wouldn''t be. Messages took time, and Jennifer''s first goal would be to report this information to Commander Brahn.


    "Well, that''s that."


    Barns closes his eyes. "Now for the rest."


    The throne room is all but gone - it rests above the castle in ruins. So where the leadership of Dimartino once gathered around the mighty stone war table in the back of the throne room, they have now found a new place to meet - the map room, in the lower levels. Just a room away from the Administrator Zelia''s domain.


    Barns sits with Maria, Underhill, and Godrick, maps and hastily scribbled reports spread between them. While usually present, Eldrie and Osmond are not present - they went to collect the most recent reports from the scouting parties earlier and had not yet returned.


    "Them undead buggers," Godrick mutters, tracing a finger along the outskirts of their territory. They''ve drawn a boundary line around where the barrier has fallen to understand the full scope of the area of protection. "They''re packed in tight, all the way around this north side. Barrier keeps ''em out, but they''re not goin'' anywhere, mates. Seems right like somethin''s holdin'' em there, just as we thought. Another Zombie Lord like that Absalom - maybe more."


    Barns exhales through his nose. "Could be the First Undead¡­how are we going to do this without Clancy?"


    "Early scout reports already got me thinkin'' the barrier works just like the big guy''s foam did," Underhill explains. "So we just gotta get that horde to walk through the barrier - should cleanse ''em right up, and drop ''em on our doorstep - then bing, bang - resurrection time, Hero."


    Barns grips his chest tightly. He could barely fathom performing his Resurrection without Clancy around. Though perhaps in some way, having the barrier is a way to always have access to Clancy''s powers.


    "I say we hold," Maria states, arms crossed and eyelids heavy. "The kingdom can''t take another fight. If Nazakiel comes back -"


    "No. We''ll take the fight outside the barrier if we must." Barns narrows his eyes, determined. "We can''t hold. There''s no telling if the barrier will last forever. We have to press on as much as possible."


    "Barns, have you already forgotten what we saw yesterday?" Maria snaps. "Clancy transformed could barely leave a scratch on Nazakiel! Sending anyone out of the barrier at this point is too dangerous. Do you not think that the Sentinels will want revenge for this humiliation?"


    "Next time I see him, I''ll kill him." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone in the room looked to Barns, a mix of surprise and worry. His conviction is strong, but he speaks the impossible.


    "I will."


    There''s a moment of silence that spreads throughout the room as nobody knows for sure how to respond. Of course they all want Nazakiel dead¡­but none of them are sure if it''s possible. Barns and Clancy lost as a team, and now Clancy, their strongest warrior, is gone.


    Maria sighs. "Well, I suppose my opinion doesn''t matter, because the legendary hero of Dimartino has decided otherwise. Is that right?"


    Underhill fidgets with the red marble in his jacket pocket, looking back and forth between Barns and Maria. It''s unusual to see them at odds with each other - but every disagreement between others is an opportunity for Underhill. He ruminates in silence, for now.


    Barns and Maria exchange a tense look. For all the bonding they''d done over the last 24 hours, there was still as much calculated ferocity as ever in the Princess.


    "At least for the horde, I don''t want to do anything dangerous," Barns assures her. "But I am sure of this. The barrier isn''t something for us to hide in. It''s a stronghold from which we can plan our counteroffensive."


    Silence stretches, long and uneasy. Then, finally, Maria sighs, rubbing a hand over her face. "Fine. We try it."


    They discuss other particulars of the meeting for some time, and eventually break off to complete their respective tasks. Barns, lost in thought, decides to go for a walk.


    The hero walks the outer paths of Dimartino''s burgeoning town, hands deep in his pockets as his thoughts drag behind him like weights. The night is quiet, despite everything. But not a peaceful quiet - a somber, grim quiet that suffocates their civilization.


    The King is dead.


    He nearly misses them¡ªEldrie and Osmond, sitting on the broken steps leading up to what used to be the castle storehouse. Now, it is a hill of rubble.


    "So no, really, you haven''t lived until you''ve tried fresh bayou crawfish," Eldrie says, gesturing with his hands. "They''re huge, man!"


    Osmond snorts. "I still think that sounds like something a desperate man eats. I prefer to eat full-sized animals - ones that can fight back."


    Barns stops in front of them. "When did you two get back? And get so chummy?"


    Eldrie leans back, smirking. "Since ten minutes ago, apparently."


    Osmond shrugs, tilting his head. "Strange times."


    Before Barns can respond, movement shifts above them. A shadow at the far side of the courtyard.


    Absalom.


    He stands half in the dark, his form thin, stretched, almost like the light doesn''t quite reach him. His voice is hoarse, his words deliberate. "The horde is moving."


    Barns stiffens. "Moving how?"


    Absalom lifts his head, his eyes reflecting something unreadable. "Changing."

 Chapter 124 - 124: Absalom,

    Absalom, the half-zombie, twitches and jerks as he stands there in the shadows, facing the trio of Barns, Eldrie, and Osmond. There''s something deeply discomforting in the way he shuffles about, somewhere between life and death. At least his mind is intact.


    "Changing¡­"


    "Absalom, you okay?" Barns frowns. "What are you talking about, anyway?"


    The former Zombie Lord shambles toward the three of them, holding his arms out.


    "The Lord of the Horde is different than¡­what I was," Absalom quivers. "He speaks to the First directly. The First speaks to him¡­"


    Barns has many questions - including about this ''First Undead'' that has been mentioned so many times. But Absalom does not appear to be in the mood to answer questions as he flails about, consumed by his madness.


    "There is one like me, Masters. One caught¡­between life and death, that can speak and act and retains his mind. But even awake, he chooses the path¡­of evil. He does not need to be controlled because his soul is corrupt alone. He¡­leads the horde."


    Absalom continues to shuffle toward them, standing just a few feet away. He''s no longer enshrouded in darkness - now, the moonlight shines bright upon him.


    Barns watches the half-zombie cautiously. He''s looking a little healthier¡­but that''s not saying much. The former Zombie Lord is still half-rotted and sallow - but now he presents like he''s only been dead about a day, instead of weeks.


    That''s as much of an improvement as anyone could hope for in Absalom''s condition. Not everyone can turn around their life the way Eldrie did.


    "Do you think you''re good to answer questions?" Osmond asks sheepishly. "Not to offend you or anything, but¡­you are a wee bit unapproachable, Sir Zombie."


    "What¡­questions do you have?"


    Absalom''s voice is earnest, albeit slow and sickly.


    "A lot. Barnie, would you like to go first?"


    Barns gives Osmond the side-eye. "Sure. Absalom, what can you tell us about the First Undead, or about this Zombie Lord controlling the horde?"


    "Tell¡­many things. But¡­I can¡­show you more¡­"


    Barns tilts his head. "Show us? What do you mean?"


    Absalom raises a shaky hand to the sky. "My mind¡­the zombies¡­all connected. The undead¡­perceive the world¡­but not as it is. They live disconnected from¡­time itself."


    His words create more questions than answers, but finally he says something striking.


    "A zombie in the present¡­is locked in the past. What they see¡­is not the real world¡­they are¡­living in a dream."


    Absalom closes his eyes. "Let me¡­show you¡­and you will see¡­the First Undead."


    The air begins to thicken. Boil. Churn. Distort.


    Barns staggers backward as the world around him fades out of view. He''s surrounded by blackness, locked in a void.


    His instinct is to panic - but he senses no malevolence. He hasn''t known Absalom for long, but there is a distinct lack of evil that radiates from the former zombie. Only sadness.


    Barns takes a deep breath and lets the darkness swallow him. It comes slowly, cautiously - as if Absalom himself is afraid to reach too quickly. He too understands - this is an unnatural experience, but one that is needed to convey the information Barns seeks.


    He opens his eyes, and he''s floating someplace else. The world is black and white, like a dream. Around him is a busy city.


    He recognizes this place. He''s been here before. This is a scene from the past, he''s sure of it - with his own eyes, he saw this city destroyed.


    It is Ravinatra, a city just hours away from where Barns grew up in his first life. A desert oasis of sin and debauchery, not dissimilar from Dimartino, but with a heightened interest in gambling.


    It was a place where people came from all over the world to try their hand in poker, blackjack, slots - you name it. Everyone hoped to gain Lady Luck''s favor, and visitors arrived in droves from all over the world.


    The neon signs blinked to life in the flashback - though he could not see the colors he could imagine them - the deep, violet hues, the electric blues - a city of overwhelming energy.


    He jolts suddenly when he sees Absalom floating next to him.


    Barns stares. Not at the city, but at the man beside him. At first, he doesn''t recognize him. His hair is lighter, and falls in gentle curls around his shoulders - his face is unblemished. It''s not just that he looks human. It''s that he looks... young. Alive. Real.


    And his piercing eyes survey the bustling city below.


    "This is how we control the undead," Absalom says gently. His voice is no longer a slow whimper but rather deep, strong, and confident.


    "We bring their minds into a world of illusion, disconnected from their bodies. When they attack a human, they might think they''re fighting off a wild beast. Some saw fire. Endless fire. Others sat at dinner tables that no longer existed, talking to children who had long rotted away - without even realizing they were devouring their own kind. Horrific, is it not? To lose control so thoroughly that they do not even realize¡­"


    Barns looks down at the city, still unsure why they''re here of all places. "You''re not going to make me do anything against my will, are you?"


    "Absolutely not. You have given me a second chance at life. For you, for Dimartino - I would die in an instant, to repay your grace. It is more than I deserve." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They float over the city, moving forward. Barns tries to move, but he''s unable to - Absalom controls this space. He lets the moment take him and looks around at the ''Strip'' - the most iconic part of all Ravinatra. The epicenter of its hedonistic and vibrant culture. Clancy would have loved this place.


    "Why are we here?" Barns asks, turning back to his floating guide.


    Absalom blinks slowly, pondering over the monochrome city of sin. "This is where Emperor Yharan met the man who would help him become the First Undead."


    "Wait¡­you mean to say -"


    "Yes. Emperor Yharan, overseer of the Sentinels. He is the First Undead, and he is the one who controls the hordes that roam the world in lifeless hunger."

 Chapter 125 - 125: Absalom!

    Absalom guides Barns through the busy streets of Ravinatra in a world of greyscale, hovering to a building off the strip.


    They come to a towering skyscraper - a black monolith of sharp, jagged edges and a triangular shape that rises high into the sky. Compared to the other buildings around, it feels out of place - devoid of traffic, light, and grandeur. The type of place someone would walk by and never fully notice, despite how conspicuous it appears.


    Absalom leads Barns inside. In their ethereal forms, they pass through the walls of the edifice like ghosts, and they find themselves in one of the top rooms of the tower.


    A man sits at a large and official desk, facing away from them. Dark shadows blanket the scene, making him hard to see. As Barns floats there, immobile, he squints his eyes in the dark office to try and make out the figure, but it''s impossible.


    In that moment, the door of the office bursts open, rattling on its hinges as if blown open by a maelstrom.


    Despite the suddenness, nobody appears at the other side of the door. Not yet.


    Barns flinches, instincts screaming for him to move. But he can''t. The absolute certainty that whatever comes through that door is something he isn''t meant to see - it fills him with a creeping sense of dread. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Who - or what - opened the door in such a forceful way?''


    It''s all Barns can think about.


    "Absalom, what is this?"


    "A memory of a dream. The First Undead - Emperor Yharan, uses his power to control all other undead. He must have never imagined something like this would happen - that one of his undead could break free, resurrect - with memories of the dream."


    "So¡­are we peering into something he doesn''t want us to see?"


    "Something he would never want you to see. You are the one who he fears most, after all."


    "Me?"


    Before Absalom can answer, A shadow appears in the doorway. Dark, mysterious - shrouded in absolute blackness.


    A sickening sound like cracking bone emerges from the shadow.


    From the shadow comes a voice - feminine, but inhuman.


    "Nice to see you again, Yharan. Or should I say¡­"


    The voice speaks another name, but as she does the sound in the room distorts. It''s unintelligible.


    Barns raises an eyebrow and turns to Absalom. "What''d she say?"


    The former zombie doesn''t speak, he just points back at the feminine shadow.


    "I''ve brought what you asked for." the shadow says. "A perfect vessel."


    Another figure steps out from the shadows. Their identity is completely obscured, and they stand in the hallway wearing a white spacesuit. They step into the room and perform an exaggerated, flamboyant bow.


    From the cosmonaut''s helmet, an ugly, screeching voice that speaks way too fast fills the room.


    "Yharan! You''re the only one who can help me and give me the most BEAUTIFUL gift, YESSS?"


    The man sitting on the other side of the desk chuckles.


    "Beautiful?"


    Barns gulps. It''s the first time he''s ever heard Emperor Yharan''s voice. It''s strong, bold¡­and familiar. Too familiar. But as Barns racks his brain, he can''t understand why.


    "Yes, beautiful! Soooo beautiful! I want it, I NEED it, it''s the only thing that can take me to the next level! My flesh is rotten and POOR, SO POOR, Mr. Yharan! Ohh, it''s the reason I wear this STUPID suit because anyone who looks at me just VOMITS from how awful I look. Do you want to see? DO YOU THINK you can hold down your lunch?"


    "You. Wish-giver. What is this? He''s insane."


    Yharan''s voice again. It sounded so familiar. Barns is sure he''s heard the voice before, but it''s different. Deeper than he remembers¡­it''s hard to place.


    He holds his head, straining to picture where he''s heard it before. In Dimartino? Or¡­"


    The shadows that still lurk by the door curl up in quiet anticipation like a breath that never releases.


    "You didn''t wish for a sane vessel¡­" it says, somewhat amused. A skeletal hand emerges from the shadows, holding a red book. It hangs open, one word visible scrawled across both pages.


    ''CONTRACT''


    Barns looks from the book back to Yharan, who still faces away from them all. If only he could see the Emperor''s face¡­


    "I accept," he says coolly. His presence commands the whole room, even with the eclectic cast around him.


    "Then he will become the bearer of your wish. He who shall inherit the power of the undead. A pestilent plague, infecting others and spreading darkness in your name."


    "Yes, YES! Please, I want nothing more than to DIE but never DIE! Let me do it, let me become WHATEVER you want me to become!"


    Emperor Yharan rose from his chair, but still Barns cannot make out any of his features. But just before he turns around, the world fades away, leaving Absalom and Barns in an empty, dark void.


    "Absalom!" Barns shouts. "What was all of that, what did I just see!?"


    The former zombie closes his eyes.


    "The fruits of Emperor Yharan''s wishes."


    "Explain like I''m five," Barns says, overwhelmed.


    "Emperor Yharan made a deal with darkness itself - the shadow which held a red book. She is a being beyond comprehension. A weaver of dark fate. A being closer to godhood than any I''ve ever known."


    "And the astronaut?"


    "Emperor Yharan becoming undead was never part of his plan - the misguided wish of another cursed soul. He sought someone who could bear his power. That man in the spacesuit was recruited by the darkness. Someone so reviled and evil he relished the idea of becoming a lord of death."


    "Yharan was able to transfer his undead powers to someone else?"


    Absalom hesitates for a moment before answering. "In theory, Yharan became immortal as an undead, but without the drawbacks of undead corruption. He passed that corruption to the man in the spacesuit with a contract - one they both accepted and uphold to this day."


    Barns takes a deep breath, processing everything.


    "Then¡­the man in the spacesuit. He''s the one who controls the horde outside Dimartino?"


    Absalom nods. "The very same," Absalom says. "And if you defeat him, Barns¡­if you take his power¡­"


    Barns feels the weight of the words before they''re even spoken.


    "I can give you Necromancy."

 Chapter 126 - 126: Necromancy

    "Necromancy¡­?"


    Absalom and Barns remain suspended in the void, locked into each other. As the dreamworld of Ravinatra faded, so too did Absalom''s more human look. The longer they spend in the void, the quicker he becomes more dead-looking.


    "The power to control the dead. Now that you''ve lost King Clancy''s cleansing foam, this may be the only way for you to reach your goals - is it not?"


    Barns ponders the thought. He didn''t like the idea of having a horde of undead - not one bit. But if such a power is something he could turn on the Sentinels¡­it''s worth looking into, at the least.


    "I imagine you could control the dead - zombies, monsters - and force them to dash themselves against the King''s barrier," Absalom notes in somber silence.


    "That''s¡­way better than the idea I just had," Barns smirks.


    So even now, Clancy is giving him a way to resurrect humanity. It''s hard to see it any other way - Clancy is and forever will be his miracle. The path to restoring all humanity.


    But as uplifting as it is, Barns'' heart sinks just thinking about it. He recalls a conversation he had with Eldrie the day before - about Guardian Beasts, revivals, and marbles¡­


    Barns wishes with all his heart that such a thing could be possible, but he''d found no trace of any ''marble'' anywhere.


    No matter how slim, he clung to that hope fervently. He wants to reset the apocalypses, but more than anything, he wants to reset the apocalypse that took his best friend away from him.


    At least in the moment, however, Barns has just one clear goal.


    "Then it''s settled," Barns says. "We''re gunning for that astronaut, and you''re going to help me steal his power, Absalom."


    "Yes," the former undead nods. "To repay my debt to Dimartino, and to get my revenge upon the ones who cursed me so. I refuse to die until I have made good on this promise to you. Together, we shall deliver a crippling blow to Emperor Yharan."


    "Now we''re talking!"


    As he speaks, the darkness fades around from them. He blinks his eyes a few times, and he''s standing back where he was before.


    In front of him, Absalom has returned to his ghoulish form. And at his side, still sitting on the stone steps, Eldrie and Osmond look up at him.


    "What the hell happened, bro?" Osmond raises an eyebrow. "You and¡­that guy, just suddenly went into a daze. You wouldn''t respond to anything for a whole minute!"


    Barns shook himself out of it. A strange experience, indeed - was he truly a mindless zombie? But the fact it was only a minute¡­it seems some time distortion exists with the undead control as well.


    "Absalom showed me our next trial," Barns says, his voice full of conviction. "The leader of the horde outside Dimartino. It''s¡­a zombie lord in a spacesuit, if you can believe it."


    Osmond locks up immediately. "No¡­" he says, his eyes widening. "I''ve heard of this, he''s -"


    "Corpsie," Eldrie replies sullenly. "He visited Ordella once or twice, to see Adon and Adea. How could I forget something so grotesque? I was a vampire at the time, and even then it made my skin crawl. The one person - thing - that seemed even more unhinged than the twins."


    "You both are aware of this guy, then?"


    Osmond shrugs halfheartedly. "Just from my memories - the ones implanted in me when I was created. All these years, I''ve never forgotten. That jerking, dancing, mysterious thing in a spacesuit¡­it''s enough to even give a demon nightmares, boys."


    "Sounds like it''s waiting for us in that horde," Barns says quickly, his hand gripping his sword. Already he feels the tension of the battle to come. For this astronaut to have made such an impression on Osmond and Eldrie, it must truly be a horror.


    "Then the next mission of Dimartino¡­is to end the nightmare."


    Osmond groans. "Maria won''t like this one bit," he sighs. "I''ve told her about this¡­thing, before. One of only two memories I have that cause me fear. The other is Lamashti, the demon Sentinel¡­"


    "Adon and Adea were the only nightmares I''ve ever had. And Barns showed us that even they could be defeated. I''m not afraid of anything, not with the allies we have."


    Barns takes a deep breath. He feels the same way, even after the bout with Nazakiel. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next time he sees Nazakiel, the Sentinel will die. It doesn''t matter if it''s in a week, or a year. Barns will give everything - even his own life - to ensure the Sentinel falls.


    ''Rebirth Flame,'' Barns thinks. ''I''ll destroy him with that if I must. Even if there''s no way to reincarnate.''


    Barns looks to the dark horizon. It''s getting pretty late, but things just haven''t been the same since Clancy''s death. His whole rhythm was thrown.


    "I think the cafeteria in town is still open," Barns says quietly. "Have you all eaten, yet?"


    "...No¡­" Absalom shudders.


    "Now that you mention it," Osmond starts.


    "I''ve been busy all day and I haven''t made it down to town yet," Eldrie finishes.


    Barns looks around at the group.


    A former zombie, one that still looks half dead.


    A former vampire, with a glowing red eye that still held powerful vampiric magic.


    A current Demon Lord who once enslaved Dimartino - under Maria''s guidance, of course.


    "We''re quite the bunch, aren''t we?" Barns laughs. "Hope we don''t scare anyone when we show up."


    "We should be fine," Eldrie smiles. "I feel out of place all the time, Barns¡­but you''re the legendary hero of Dimartino''s best friend. With you, none of us could ever feel insecure. If we belong at your side, we belong here."


    A smile creeps up on Barns'' lips. "I''ve been demoted from ''legendary hero'' to ''legendary hero''s best friend'', huh?"


    He glances upward, at the towering stone visage of Clancy''s final act. "You always find a way to take all the glory, Clancy. And you know what? I wouldn''t have it any other way."

 Chapter 127 - 127: Barns Gambit

    Barns finds Roscoe sitting on the edge of a ruined fountain, arms still locked in their casts, his usual energy dulled. The night is thick and clammy, as the unnatural cold which overtook Dimartino yesterday lingers and persists. Though the kingdom is in a momentary peace, the air still carries the weight of the battle that tore through it just a day before.


    Barns, alone, bid farewell to his companions just moments ago - Absalom, Eldrie, and Osmond all gone their separate ways. Now, as the hero approaches Roscoe, it''s nearly midnight. It''s unlike the boy to be out and about so late.


    Roscoe looks up as Barns approaches, and his face lights up despite his exhaustion. "Barns!" His grin is wide, unshaken even in the face of pain as he greets his hero. "Another day in the books, huh? I can¡­hardly believe it¡­"


    Barns folds his arms, looking over the wreckage of Dimartino Castle. It''s functional - Clancy''s kaiju statue holds everything firmly in place - but visually it''s a wreck.


    "Clancy''s gone, and the barrier holds. Some Adventurers who are more adept at barriers and the like report that this barrier is as permanent as they get. But even still, Ros, you''ve heard of the horde, haven''t you?"


    The boy shifts uncomfortably. Mention of the horde sends memories flowing through him he''d rather forget. Another reminder of their kingdom''s powerlessness on a grand scale.


    "The horde isn''t budging. And we both know it won''t, not unless we make it."


    Roscoe''s smile falters just a little, but he nods like it''s obvious. "Right. We take the fight to them, same as always. You''ve got a plan, I take it? I might not be much help this time¡­"


    "I do." Barns sits beside him, gaze steady. "You''re not fighting, but I need you. Rousing Resonator - your active ability. I think I need it, Roscoe. Without Clancy, I''m not confident in my ability to defeat a Zombie Lord, and this¡­Corpsie, they call him¡­he won''t be an easy opponent."


    Roscoe''s face flashes with something between pride and anxiety. "Barns, you really think my power can make a difference!? I mean, I''m happy to¡­but¡­"


    Roscoe tries to raise his arms to show his twin casts.


    "I''m not¡­"


    "I know," Barns interrupts, voice calm but firm. "I wouldn''t ask if I didn''t think you could do it. You''ve never let me down before. And I know you won''t now. Is it possible? If it''s not in your condition, then please don''t worry. But if you can¡­"


    For a second, Roscoe just stares at him. Then, his breath catches slightly, and Barns can see it - the reverence, the bright-eyed admiration that never quite faded, even after all they''d been through. Even though they''re more akin to brothers than anything. Roscoe can''t help but look up to his first and only hero.


    "You really think I can make a difference?" Roscoe murmurs, voice quiet now.


    Barns grips his shoulder. "I know you can."


    A spark ignites behind Roscoe''s tired eyes. He nods, swallowing hard, and his grin returns, though this time, it''s softer. "Then I''ll do it. Whatever it takes. You''re the hero of Dimartino, and I won''t let you down!" He laughs a little, shaking his head. "You ask for the impossible like it''s nothing. But that''s you, ain''t it?"


    Barns smirks. "Only because I know you can do it."


    Roscoe exhales, shaking his head in amused disbelief. "Guess I better not disappoint you now, huh? Want to try it out?"


    Barns nods. "Hell yeah."


    As the two work on their synergy, the rest of Dimartino settles into their nightly routine. Osmond and Maria in particular find themselves engaged in one of their usual proclivities nearby in their castle bedroom.


    Maria lies against cool silk sheets, wrists bound in red rope, the candlelight flickering over her bare skin. The scent of incense wafts through the air, embers flickering on their bedside table.


    Normally, this is the part where she gives in to the moment, where she lets herself drift into the safety of sensation and commands Osmond to do his worst.


    But tonight, even between all the forceful bondage, her mind and heart are miles away.


    Osmond, looming above her, notices before she even says a word. His hands rest on either side of her, steady, patient. He doesn''t push - not yet.


    "Dove," he murmurs. "You''re ruminating. You haven''t even asked for the cattle prod yet. We can stop if you''d like."


    Maria exhales slowly, eyes half-lidded, staring up at him. She''d sit up but her arms, legs, and neck were bound so tight she can barely move a muscle, like a bug in a web. "Dimartino is barely holding together. Our King is dead, and now Barns wants to jump right into another fight. This is insanity. This is not what I signed up for. And Nazakiel¡­he''ll find a way back here. I can feel it."


    Osmond''s eyes hover over her body, admiring her contours. "And what''s your alternative, my Sweet?"


    She shifts against the restraints, rolling her wrists. "We take Dimartino for ourselves. You and I - we run it. I become the new Queen. It''s clear Barns has no taste for ruling. If we step in now, we can salvage what''s left. We''ve done enough saving lives. The more we push, the more we endanger all the progress we''ve made."


    Osmond watches her carefully. Then, with agonizing slowness, he leans down until his lips are brushing against the soft inners of her thighs. His voice is a whisper, soft but unyielding. "And if I say no?"


    Maria''s entire body tenses. "Then you''d be a fool who forgot his place. Do you not remember who''s in charge here?


    The words hit deeper than she expects. She sees it - the flicker of something uncertain in his eyes.


    "Osmond¡­would you say no to me if I did what I thought was right?


    "You don''t want to give up on him," Osmond continues, voice gentle. "I know you don''t. But you''re afraid."


    Maria swallows, tilting her head back slightly, exhaling through her nose. "Fuck you. I''m not about to be psychoanalyzed by a demon."


    Osmond raises his head to look directly into her eyes. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Too late for that, love." Osmond shifts, his hands grazing down her sides. But the air between them has changed. This isn''t just their usual dance. This is something new.


    Maria closes her eyes briefly, as if steadying herself, then opens them again, sharp and composed. "Untie me."

 Chapter 128 - 128: A Little Tied Up

    He doesn''t answer immediately.


    "I said untie me."


    "I will, my dove," Osmond says submissively, but with a hint of restraint. "But I need to be very clear with you. I do not support your plan. I will not support your plan. You are the love of my life. My muse. My everything. But¡­"


    "But what?" Maria argues. "You promised me when we got together you''d do whatever I wanted. I think Barns is going to make a mistake with this horde. Thirty thousand undead, Osmond? That''s one for every citizen of our kingdom and THEN some. What will we even do with another thirty thousand people? Our resources won''t last forever, and the daily quests aren''t going to support a doubling of the population. Oh, and not to mention - going outside the barrier is certain death!"


    Osmond''s inner world is a whirlwind. He knows to choose his words carefully, lest he incur even more of Maria''s ire.


    "I hear you, Maria," he says, his voice as delicate as a glass rose. "I hear everything you say, always. It almost hurts, my love. How much I cling to your every word, and your every desire."


    "You hear me, but you don''t listen," she criticizes. "This Apocalypse Reset experiment is over. We lost. The crab is dead. What part don''t you get, you miserable demon? Survival should be our only goal now. Just as it was before we ever surrendered to that ''hero''."


    Osmond takes a while to respond - long enough that Maria becomes visibly infuriated by the time he finally speaks.


    "You have changed since we met Barnie," Osmond reflects, his quivering voice afraid to rise above a whisper. His fingers trail along Maria''s hips wistfully as he pauses all other motion. "I saw a side of you I''d never known before. You were willing to compromise. You went beyond your own perspectives. You did things you disagreed with for the benefit of our common cause."


    "Yes. I was blinded by a boy and a crab who seemed destined to succeed with everything they set their minds to," Maria snarls. "And now that I have seen Nazakiel in action, I know how stupid a dream it was. I''m embarrassed to have ever entertained the idea."


    "Nazakiel -"


    "Defeated us BOTH," she interrupts. "In seconds. Or did you forget? We were less than children before him, Osmond. We were a sand castle on the beach, and he is a tsunami."


    Osmond slumps his shoulders. It hurts - not just because of the conversation, but because how much he agrees with her. It''s easier to agree. To yield to common sense. To give in to his lover, his Princess - his Master. It''s what she expects. It''s what he has always done.


    "Maria. Barnie has changed me as well."


    "Made you a better lover, maybe, but a much stupider man."


    Osmond presses his hand against Maria''s chest. He''s not just firm, he''s unyielding. His fingers dig in just enough to make her inhale sharply. He stares into her, into the fire she''s trying to stoke, and smothers it with something she''s never seen before - absolute refusal.


    "Before Barns, I was the Demon Lord in possession of the aspect of Gluttony, ruler of Dimartino and the creatures of the apocalypse that resided here."


    Maria blinks, unsure of where he''s going with this.


    "I am also your lover, Maria. You are my life. You are my soul. I am nothing without you. That was true before Barns, and it remains true. Always."


    He pauses for just a moment. She waits for him to speak, though her face betrays her reaction.


    "But now, I am more than that Demon Lord. I am Osmond. Oz. Ozzie. I am someone who doesn''t deserve a thing that they have. Not you. Not the respect and trust Barns has placed upon me. And I - "


    "Don''t you dare say it," Maria hisses, interrupting Osmond''s flow.


    "Shut up, and don''t you dare interrupt me again."


    His words stun her. Her mouth hangs open as she stares at the half-naked demon hovering inches above her.


    "Maria, I won''t entertain a single one of your thoughts if they involve betraying Barns. I am loyal to him. I am loyal to you. He would never make me choose between you and himself, and I will not let you make such demands of me."


    He continues.


    "You may have lost your faith - in him, and Dimartino - but I will never. If we fight to the very last man, and all that remains of Dimartino are you, me, and Barns - I will still have the utmost faith in him. And if you still desire me, Maria, then you must accept this. I will not change my mind. This is not negotiable."


    Maria sinks lower into the bed, yielding to Osmond''s presence. As she and her lover''s gaze refuses to break, the realization pours into her.


    She''d lost control over Osmond.


    Her puppet. Her benefactor. The Demon Lord that gave everything to her found his limit. And his limit is Barns. Of all people¡­of all things¡­ sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maria weakens. The ropes, the BDSM, the rough play, the cattle prod - all of it.


    What was it for?


    Her left eye twitches.


    To surrender control, even superficially.


    To relinquish something she craves.


    To punish herself.


    But now, when she tries to wrest back control, she''s denied by the one who was meant to enable her fantasies. She''s willing to cede control to Osmond - but only on her terms. Could she accept this side of him?


    "Osmond."


    The demon''s eyes widen as he looks down at his lover. He waits for her words on razor''s edge. Words that would either spell the end of their relationship or signal the beginning of a new chapter. With Maria, it''s hard to tell until she speaks. It always is.


    She breathes in. Steadies herself. Fine. If she can''t control him, she can control the conversation. She lifts her chin and speaks the words that will shatter him.


    She plays the only card she has left.


    "Barns had his way with me when I first went to Dimartino to meet him. He never told you. Can you still respect someone like that?"


    Osmond''s breath catches.


    "That explains a lot," he says slowly.


    "You''d give your mindless devotion to someone who sullied your Princess?"


    Osmond smiles. "If it happened, you must''ve wanted it too. In fact, it makes me feel better."


    Maria''s head lurches back. Not the response she was expecting, by any means.


    "If my hero can tame you, then so can I. So I say again, Maria. No. I am loyal to Barns. And you will be, too. Or I will leave you."


    The room is consumed by silence so profound that Osmond isn''t sure if the world just ended or not.


    He tries to hide his fear. As best as he can.


    And Maria makes her decision.


    "You won''t leave me," she growls. "You''ll never leave me. I won''t let you."


    More silence. Maria is still pondering her next words.


    "Because I will support your decision, and I will be loyal to Barns."


    She pouts, turning her head to the side.


    The Princess of Dimartino has been defeated in the one arena she once believed herself to be the supreme champion - in conversation.


    "Well?" she smirks, fighting against her restraints. "You got what you wanted. Now finish dominating me, you stupid demon. If you think you''re so full of conviction, prove it. I''ll submit to you fully. But you better make this a night I won''t ever forget."

 Chapter 129 - 129: Barrier Breakers

    Meanwhile, at the Sentinel''s Headquarters¡­


    All seven of the Sentinels sit around their meeting table in silence, waiting to hear Nazakiel''s report. The leader of the Sentinels stares off into the distance, not saying a word.


    "Is he going to say anything?" the one known as Franzel Ahrman says quietly to the demoness on his left. He pushes a tuft of his purple bowl-cut hair out of his eyes and adjusts his thick glasses.


    "Hmph."


    Franzel''s bickering doesn''t amuse Lamashti.


    Solana, sitting next to Nazakiel, murmurs in quiet contemplation.


    "Returned from afar - Our Leader prepares his speech - On the enemy."


    Donatella puts her feet up on the table. She doesn''t speak - she''d probably just get tongue-tied if she tried - and she knew better than to speak up in front of Nazakiel.


    Within the Sentinels, they all have a rank relative to one another. And at #6, she''s not in a position to complain or question anything."


    "Donatella thinks - Though I do not know of what - Her brain is spoiled."


    She glares at Solana, the musically inclined Sentinel who can enthrall and control a person with a single strum of her instruments. The two women have been at each other''s throats for years, but as the higher-ranked Sentinel, Solana revels especially in the abuse. After all, Donatella can''t fight back.


    The other Sentinels - the petite woman with silver hair, and the menacing bloodhound, say nothing. They simply await Nazakiel''s words, as they have always done.


    "I believe we all owe Donatella an apology," Nazakiel says slowly, though his words do not sound sincere. "I doubted your abilities when you returned from Ordella and failed your task. But no longer. The crab known as Clancy was a formidable opponent."


    Donatella opens her mouth to correct him - according to her memory, the crab''s name was Barnacles - but he doesn''t offer her a moment to interrupt.


    "He is dead. Though in his dying act he created some type of barrier around Dimartino. I was unable to kill his human tamer."


    The room falls into stunned silence. None of them were expecting such a revelation - the great Nazakiel, undefeated and almighty¡­he failed to complete his mission.


    "The human was no threat, lest you all worry¡­" Nazakiel says darkly. "With their king dead, Dimartino will fall into ruin. What''s more - the hordes of the Corpsi have collapsed upon the barrier. A group thirty thousand strong. The humans remaining inside are trapped like the rats they are."


    "But the barrier," Franzel ponders, rubbing his hands all over his face. "It''s intact, isn''t it? It must be? Surely it''s intact. What did you do, Nazakiel, to try and break through this barrier? Nothing? Everything? I must know."


    Nazakiel flips his hair nonchalantly. "It is not a barrier that can be broken with force. And no creature of the apocalypse will be able to pass through. It is made of a special substance that cleanses evil."


    "Every barrier has a weakness," Franzel cackles. "We just need to find out what it is. Oooh, a lovely job for me. All for me! Does anyone object? I want to figure out how to break open this barrier. It sounds so much fun."


    Solana rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, making herself look small.


    "A task fit for you - Break into the barrier - None of us here care."


    Franzel is oblivious to Solana''s words - his cold and calculating brain is already scanning through eons of data on Secret Art barriers and the tools with which to undo them. It wasn''t a matter of IF he could break through. It was a matter of WHICH tool in his repertoire was right for the job.


    He all but vanishes from the conversation, lost in his own hideous inner world. He laughs to himself and squirms in his chair. So many ideas, and no little time to try them out.


    "I must lay my eyes on it and see¡­" he mumbles. "Yes. Seeing is believing. And believing is how we work through our problems, isn''t it, Franzel? Yes, yes¡­"


    He continues talking to himself, jolting and twitching in his chair. The others hardly pay any mind - it''s not an uncommon behavior for him.


    "I don''t care what happens to Dimartino," Nazakiel states plainly. "I have done my task. The crab is dead, and with him, their ability to revive the dead¡­"


    "But that isn''t true, is it?"


    Everyone turns to the speaker - the small woman with the silvery white hair. She sits with her legs up in the chair, and her arms wrapped around her knees. Her long hair falls over her face, obscuring her.


    "The barrier is made of the power to cleanse darkness, Nazakiel. You yourself noted this ability. Which means the human with Resurrection can easily use it as a conduit. We''re no better off than we were."


    "Blatantly false," Nazakiel counters. "It may be a boon to them for now, but it is also their prison. Corpsie is there among the horde. I have explicitly told him to not let a single human leave that barrier. If they do, the horde will be set upon them in an instant."


    "You seem to have made excuses for yourself, Nazakiel. Did you forget your place?"


    He lowers his head. The only person he fears in the world was her - within the walls of Headquarters, anyway. She had a power beyond imagination that extended only as far as the outer walls of their geometric castle - the power of totality. Everything in this space is as she wills it - including the people inside.


    Within this space, she could undo even Nazakiel. Tear him apart at the atomic level. And she could do this without rising from her chair.


    "The human was our primary target. You control Emperor Yharan''s brain. I fail to see how this is unknown to you."


    "I did what I could. That''s the end of it, Edel. I can''t get through the barrier."


    She blinks slowly - almost¡­bored.


    "Truly a dark day for the Sentinels indeed."


    "I agree, Edel - First, Donatella''s failure - Now, uncertainty."


    Edel doesn''t address Solana''s comment. Rather, she simply addresses them all.


    "We have grown weak these past years, my fellow Sentinels. There have been no trials on which we could sharpen our blades. Refine our skills. It has made us sloppy. And that is not the will of the Emperor. We are supposed to be perfect. We are the ones who bore the Emperor''s burden for all of these years. The ones who made his every wish come true. If he could see us now¡­"


    Franzel peers at her from over his glasses, his eyes boring down on her.


    "He can see quite well," Franzel winks. "And that''s why I know it is my time. You - all of you - every one of you - fools, fools, fools," Franzel says with a dramatic flourish. "You Nazakiel. You Solana. You think you''re better than me because you have stronger attacks, but ah! AHA! You''re fucking IDIOTS is what you are. Yes. Yes. Donatella too. Of course her too. The failure who couldn''t make a single wish come true.


    "Idiots. Failures. Idiot failures. You rely on strength. I rely on my mind. I will show you all. Listen to me Edel. LISTEN. I will solve the problem. I will make the Emperor happy. I will undo their barrier. I''m the only one who can. You all know it."


    Donatella huffs and flicks her hand. "I don''t know anything about bagic marri- magic barriers. If you want to make a fool of yourself, Franzel, do it."


    "Barriers hear naught - I admit I am useless - Like Donatella."


    "Bitch," Donatella murmurs.


    "Then it''s settled then. Even the great Nazakiel couldn''t break it but I can. I know I can," he giggles. "And then you''ll all see who the real leader of the Sentinels should be. Who cares if Nazakiel can punch a hole through a wall, huh? HUH? I can build the future itself."


    Edel tilts her head away, thoroughly disinterested in all that Franzel might have to say. Nazakiel, on the other hand, has words.


    "I support your effort."


    Everyone froze.


    ''Nazakiel¡­being supportive? That''s one for the books,'' Donatella thought to herself.


    Lamashti, the demon general, rises from her seat. Blood drips from her arm - she''d clawed through her own flesh during the conversation as a means to distract herself from it.


    "I agree with Nazakiel. The crab is dead and the threat is neutralized. Franzel, spend your life rotting away with the undead, trying to figure out a way into the barrier. I have better things to do with my time."


    Franzel glares across the table at the one person who hadn''t yet spoken - the man who goes only by ''The Bloodhound''.


    "What about you? Quiet over there, I see. Thinking a lot, aren''t you? I could use you. We could team up. Your abilities. Your skills. My eyes. Your nose. My intellect. It''s all so perfect. A match for the heavens. We can do it together." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Bloodhound spit. "Is this an official mission?"


    Edel flutters her long eyelashes and leans back in her chair, curling into a fetal position.


    "Yes, Hound. Consider it official. You and Franzel will find a way to destroy the barrier, and I won''t have you back here until it is done. Such is the will of Emperor Yharan."

 Chapter 130 - 130: Preparations

    Barns wakes in a hurry. There''s a lot that needs to be done if he and the Kingdom of Dimartino are going to defeat a horde of thirty thousand undead - and the operation begins now.


    As he walks through town, he sees that the morning fog yet clings to Dimartino''s cobbled streets, thick and strange in its stillness. The kingdom''s capital stands strong - untouched by Nazakiel''s attacks, but quieter than usual. Not silent. Just¡­watchful.


    Trepidation clings to the air from the days before. Dimartino is not in a period of victory following Nazakiel''s withdrawal - it''s in a period of unease.


    Barns steps into the mist, walking alone. These days, most stay off the streets, preferring the safety of stone walls and drawn curtains. Barns can hardly blame them. Donatella destroyed a whole neighborhood of Ordella, and now the castle of Dimartino is in ruins thanks to Nazakiel¡­not to mention the loss of Clancy.


    Dimartino is still without an official ruler, though everyone has been acting under the assumption that the new king would be Barns himself.


    He begins his rounds, heading first toward the police station.


    The station is well-lit and bustling, a rare pocket of energy in the chilled morning. Inside, a dozen officers shuffle reports and check weapons. Halfway through yelling at a rookie, Jordan sees Barns walk in.


    "Hero sighting!" she calls out playfully, waving a thermos. "You want the bad news or the worse news?"


    Barns looks her over. ''Jordan,'' he remembers. The girl Eldrie''s been going on about nonstop - the curvaceous and big-breasted friend of Jennifer and Jessica.


    "I''m here for Underhill," Barns replies. "He around?" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure thing! Back left office, can''t miss it."


    He finds the police chief behind his desk - leaning against it with a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and a cigarette tucked behind his ear like a threat. His gilded cane, usually twirling around his hand, is perched on the wall.


    "Didn''t know you smoked."


    "Well, lookee here. The Legendary Hero, come to visit me in my humble office! Come to ask for backup, or just feel like breathing the same air as us regulars?"


    Barns rolls his eyes. "You done?"


    "Almost," Underhill shrugs. He pulls the cigarette from behind his ear and throws it on the table. "I don''t smoke. Pinched this off a kid. Figured it was nothing for a nine-year-old to have, even if we don''t have any laws about it."


    Barns nods. Made sense to him. "Yeah, Clancy wasn''t very good about making laws¡­but anyway, that''s not why I''m here."


    "You want the sitrep? We got about twenty of them Clancy bombs still. Not really crap against thirty thousand rotters. Horde''s mostly focused on the north side of the barrier. Perfect wall of flesh preventing us from getting back to Lantafort easily."


    Jordan strolls over, flipping through a thick sheaf of papers. "Defensive line is still intact. We''re gonna post guards at all seven perimeter zones, with sensory teams watching for pressure changes along the barrier. If that horde tries to push again, we''ll know."


    Barns nods. "You planning to use the bombs all at once?"


    Underhill snorts. "What, and blow our load? Nah. This has gotta be a slow operation. We don''t have the fighters for an all-out assault. This ain''t nothing like the horde we did outside of Ordella."


    "Chipping away."


    "That''s the plan. Unless you''ve got a better one?"


    Barns doesn''t answer right away. He''s already thinking about ''Corpsie''. About Nazakiel. About Clancy. And how they''re all gone, or out there, or both.


    "It feels slow."


    "So''s dying of old age," Underhill says. "But most of us still do it. Don''t like it? Blame the universe. Me? I prefer it to getting eaten alive."


    Barns sighs, thanks them both, and heads back out.


    His next stop is the training yard. Godrick is there, shirtless despite the chill, swinging a training hammer with practiced ease. Sparks fly from the anvil with every strike. The sound echoes off the stone walls around him, a steady heartbeat of the city''s resolve.


    "Barnie Boy!" Godrick greets without looking up. The Bravuran Blade-Dancer is in good spirits today.


    "Morning."


    "You got that look of someone who''s had a right week, don''t you, mate?"


    "What look?" Barns replies, somewhat defensive. "You a blacksmith, too?"


    "I know me way around a hammer. Artisans are busy with some new projects, figured I''d take a swing."


    Barns leans against the fence. "Underhill wants to chip the horde down over time. Use the bombs sparingly. It could take weeks, maybe months to go through a horde like that."


    Godrick hammers once more before setting the weapon down. He wipes sweat from his brow with a cloth and finally turns.


    "You don''t like it, I reckon."


    "I don''t know. I want to hit them all at once. End it. No breathing room."


    Godrick shrugs. "Not every battle needs to be won in a day. Sometimes you win by outlasting."


    "It just feels like waiting to die. Who''s to say the enemy doesn''t figure out a counter while we''re out there just knocking off a few dozen a day?"


    "Maybe. Or maybe it''s how you keep people alive. You''re right to burn out in a hurry if you keep chasing that quick result."


    Barns is quiet for a moment. Then, he nods. "I''ve been hearing that a lot lately."


    "Then maybe it''s worth listening to, mate."


    He takes the advice with him as he heads for the edge of the barrier.


    The walk is long and unhurried. He passes through the market square, half-shuttered but slowly waking. A few vendors set up without speaking, their movements small, careful. People step out of their homes to watch him go, their eyes filled with silent questions.


    He walks past the town square where he once saved Clancy from being boiled in a giant pot of water. Past the old tavern where the crab solicited prostitutes in the early days of the kingdom. Past the library, past a heavy iron gate, and through the narrow streets where the scent of ash still lingers beneath the surface.


    Dimartino, in all its glory.

 Chapter 131 - 131: The Barriers Edge

    He spots Eldrie on the outskirts of town, getting in some practice with his bow. With his new visual acuity, he hits the bullseye with every single shot.


    "Hey, Barns," Eldrie says quickly, lowering his bow. "Wasn''t expecting to see you around this morning!"


    "Eldrie, I just saw Jordan," he says teasingly. The former vampire blushes.


    "Yeah? I¡­haven''t hung out with her in a bit, actually," he says nervously. "I mean¡­it''s not like I''m avoiding her or anything, I just -"


    "You''re not sure how to take it to the next level?" Barns wonders.


    "Something like that," Eldrie agrees. "I dated Incantra for so long it''s like I forgot how to date."


    Barns chuckles. He knows something about that feeling. His first date with Haima had been a complete disaster, he realized - and though his second date went better, it wasn''t exactly traditional. They went to go talk to ghosts, after all.


    "This new world we''ve built is uncharted territory," Barns says, offering his advice. "I say tell her how you feel. How you really feel. I doubt she''s got many suitors who are best buds with the legendary hero, eh?"


    Barns punches Eldrie''s arm playfully. The sharpshooter''s demeanor changes in an instant - no longer serious, but aglow with warmth.


    "It''s good to see you feeling better, Barns."


    The hero blinks quickly. He hadn''t realized it, but he is in a bit of a better mood. It''s not that Clancy''s loss is weighing any less on him. It''s more that he knows, deep down, that Clancy would want Barns to be happy. To keep going at 100%, no matter what.


    For all the self-indulgence Clancy was guilty for, the King Crab looked out for Barns like no other.


    "Yeah," Barns replies after a while, his eyes still starry and drifting.


    "So, what''s on your agenda today?"


    "I need to see the edge of the barrier," he says. "I know the police force is setting up a perimeter. Our scouts are doing their best as well¡­but I want to see it for myself. I''ll never know how to deal with this horde until I know what we''re looking at. Thirty thousand undead is hard for me to even imagine."


    Eldrie nods. "Makes sense. Absalom didn''t show you the horde in his vision-thing?"


    "Not the horde. Just its commander."


    "The Zombie Lord in a spacesuit," Eldrie shudders. "Corpsie. Should be easy enough to spot - in theory. Can''t imagine many other zombies wearing something like that."


    "No¡­me neither. What do you say, Eldrie? Want to go check it out with me? Sounds like the horde is mostly gathered north - I imagine they''re just past the Pale Court."


    It feels weird to mention the Pale Court without addressing the elephant in the room - Francois.


    She appeared during the battle with Nazakiel, and though she got a few good attacks in on him, she was ultimately defeated - burst into dust¡­


    "Sure. I''d be glad to go. I want to see, myself."


    They agree and share a snack before heading out on the road, cutting through the Dimartino jungle northwest until arriving at the main gate of Dimartino just north of the castle. They begin their descent north, into the foglands of the Pale Court.


    "I thought this fog might dissipate once Francois was dead," Eldrie quivers. The pendant she gave him to help manage his vampiric powers hung around his neck, an eternal reminder of Francois - and also of Adon and Adea.


    When they arrive at the Pale Court, they look around. Supposedly, there were a hundred humans still left here in Francois'' thrall, but as they peer through the vampire''s base of operations, they see no signs of anyone.


    Even so, there''s a lingering presence in the Pale Court that''s hard to discern. It feels as if they''re being watched.


    "Completely abandoned, and this place is still a nightmare," Eldrie winces as he looks around another corner. "I can almost feel her presence, still. Can''t you?"


    Barns looks into the sky. "I can," he replies. That seductive, otherworldly pull yet lingers in every corner of the Pale Court.


    A Master Vampire is only able to be killed by a blood relative, and yet he saw Nazakiel vaporize her right before his very eyes. Barns believes that Nazakiel must be so strong he can defy the very laws of existence.


    "Let''s just keep going," Barns suggests. "I don''t think there''s anything left here."


    They proceed further north, getting closer to the edge of the barrier with every step.


    At last, they arrive, a few hours into their journey.


    The shimmering perimeter of Clancy''s divine barrier stands like a curtain of light - quiet, alive, humming gently in the morning stillness. This is where the horde should be. Where thousands upon thousands of undead were gathered to build a blockade and potentially find a way to break through. And yet, as they arrive¡­


    Nothing.


    Barns stops. He steps closer.


    No scratching. No groaning. No movement. Not a single soul in sight - or lack thereof, in the form of a shambling corpse.


    His heartbeat quickens. He scans the treeline. The hills. The ruins. Nothing.


    "Maybe the horde is a bit further out?" Eldrie wonders, inches from the barrier. "How''s this work, anyway? I''m not going to be struck down by Clancy if I try to pass through, will I?"


    Barns glances at Eldrie - specifically at his prominent red eyeball.


    "No," Barns says. Somehow, he can tell. Clancy''s barrier is possessed of more intelligent magic than any of them could possibly articulate, but Barns knows the truth. Eldrie - even Osmond - would be free to come and go through the barrier as they please. The true power of the barrier is that it is infused with Clancy''s Crab Intuition, and will only block those who seek harm to Dimartino or its people.


    As they ponder the situation, they are alerted by a rustling sound from the nearby trees on the far side of the barrier.


    And then-


    A figure appears.


    White. Reflective. A space suit?


    It limps toward him with a twitching gait, a marionette held too loosely.


    It raises a hand.


    And waves.


    Barns doesn''t move. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His instincts scream. His Crab Intuition lights up like a flare. It''s like the whole world goes red, with how intense the malevolence is.


    Something is terribly wrong.

 Chapter 132 - 132: Bad Talk

    Suddenly, it gyrates - the cosmonaut who ostensibly stares at them from the other side of the barrier.


    "AH! AH! AH!"


    The astronaut air-trusts over and over, grunting every time it does: "AH!"


    "What in the¡­"


    "Yep," Eldrie says, nervous. "That''s him. Corpsie."


    The spaceclad zombie stops mid-thrust and points a hand in their direction.


    "Came here for me, you naughty boys?"


    It''s impossible to tell, but it seems like the crazed zombie would have winked or made a kissy face after that.


    And then, in a flash, the zombie is just inches away from them, its arms rested on the barrier wall.


    The head tilts, the black glass on the helmet completely obscuring the face inside.


    "It can touch the barrier¡­" Barns frets.


    "OH ME? YE-UH! Space suits aren''t evil, you silly! SILLY!"


    The second ''silly'' is a screech so loud that Barns almost falls off his feet in surprise.


    It paws at the barrier, sickly, twitching, tweaking hands grabbing at whatever it can.


    "Come play¡­" it says, sad and dejected.


    Barns has never seen an aura so malicious. The bloodlust radiating off the deranged creature is palpable.


    "Please?" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barns takes a step back from the barrier. "It''s two against one," he whispers to Eldrie. "What should we do? The horde is nowhere in sight. We can end this before they arrive, and run back into the barrier."


    "Which one of you is Barns? You''re cute. Mister Emperor didn''t tell me you''d be cute. Tee-hee. I bet it''s YOU!"


    The zombie makes a dramatic flourish toward¡­Eldrie. The former vampire crosses his arm over his chest, trying to hide himself.


    "...Is what I would say, but damned if I don''t have eyeballs in here. What''s it like? I don''t even remember. Oh, boys¡­don''t they feel so small when you''re looking around? I remember how shocked I was when I ripped one out and saw how big that bad boy was! Hehe, not the first time I was surprised by something unexpectedly big¡­like the one time I slurped up an entire intestine. You know an intestine can wrap around the whole planet, or some bullshit like that? It also fits nicely in my tummy."


    "I don''t -" Barns starts, but he can''t continue. The overwhelming sense of dread throttles his mind so strongly he''s disoriented. Can barely even think.


    "Mister Emperor said such nice things to me the other day," the cosmonaut says, pining. "Not that I met him or anything. He talks RIGHT into my brain. Like a droning voice that never turns off. It just talks and talks and - oh, you wouldn''t believe it. It''s enough to DRIVE SOMEONE FUCKING CRAZY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE."


    It bangs its head against the barrier so hard the glass on its helmet begins to crack. "We should really play, you know. I had the horde walk away so we''d have a nice big open field to run around and chase each other in. Can I be ''It''? I''m ''It''! Yes!"


    The zombie dashes away from the wall, beckoning them forward. "Come on! Chase me!"


    "Let me try something," Eldrie says coolly, nocking an arrow.


    He aims it with precision and fires quickly - the arrow shoots through the barrier and passes through the cosmonaut''s head, breaking through the glass. The zombie flies back from the impact of the arrow through its skull and lands on the ground.


    "Too easy," Barns says. "No way it''s dead."


    It lays there on the ground, completely immobile - arrow sticking out of its head.


    They wait there for a full minute, making sure it doesn''t spring back up and do something horrible.


    "Should we¡­" Eldrie finally says, another arrow prepared to fire.


    "Yeah. Whatever trick it has prepped, we''re ready."


    They step out of the barrier - cautiously, and approach the corpse.


    As they stand over it, the astronaut certainly appears to be dead.


    "There''s no way," Barns says. "Wasn''t this thing on the level of Adon or Adea?"


    "That was¡­my understanding."


    "Helllllooooo!"


    They turn to a sudden sound, where they see another figure standing about twenty meters away.


    It''s wearing a spacesuit. It''s waving. It''s dancing. It''s hard to deny, but the figure is identical to the one they just killed.


    Barns glances back to the corpse - it''s different, now. No longer wearing a spacesuit. Instead, all he sees is a festering pile of tar and flesh, vaguely in the shape of a human.


    "What the - !"


    "That''s not how you play hide and seeeeeeek!" the cosmonaut shouted from far away. "You were supposed to catch me! With your hands! Oh wait, that''s not hide and seek, that''s tag!"


    "How did you do that!" Barns roars.


    "Do what?"


    "Change places, you freak!"


    "Oh. I didn''t change places. You killed that guy. Which is kinda bad! Poor fella. He didn''t even want the cool spacesuit."


    The zombie starts dancing again, lost in its own world.


    "Should I shoot again?"


    "I don''t think it''ll work, for some reason," Barns says with a glower. "It''s hard to say what''s going on here. Are there multiple Corpsies? Or did it somehow swap places with another zombie?"


    "If there were multiple, wouldn''t this thing be mourning the death of a comrade?"


    "Highly unlikely. These Corpsies are insane."


    The zombie screeches at them again. "If you asshat fuckos don''t want to chase me, you could have just said so!"


    Barns withdraws the blades of the Silver Rake, uneasy.


    "That''s okay! We can switch it up! I''ll be a good little zombie, I promise! Tee-hee!"


    For as innocuous as it acts, the being is pure terror. The unpredicatbility hide a hideous hunger for blood that made Barns'' skin crawl.


    "How about this!" the zombie shouts, putting both hands up to its helmet and leaning toward them. "I''ll be the chaser, and you can both be ''It''!"


    Realization dawns quickly as the zombie begins to run. Despite being undead and wearing all that heavy equipment¡­


    It''s fast.


    Impossibly fast.


    On them from a hundred meters out before they can even turn around.

 Chapter 133 - 133: This Zombie Lord Is Insane

    It tackles Barns to the ground right before Eldrie slips back into the barrier. The former vampire turns and shouts.


    "Barns!"


    "Got you! Tee-hee!"


    Corpsie rises to its feet, thrusting an arm into the air in a victory pose and putting a hand on its hip.


    "Now THAT''S how you play tag!"


    Eldrie fires off an arrow before he can have time to think. Before Corpsie even drops to the ground, suddenly there''s another one, standing just behind Barns.


    "See, I figured that might happen," Corpsie sighs. "So I had another body locked and loaded! Aren''t I just the cutest little zombie?


    Barns scrambles back to his feet, his breathing uneven.


    "I''ve never seen people so WORKED UP over tag," Corpsie pouts, putting both hands underneath its chin.


    "Barns, we should get back in the barrier! Hurry!"


    Barns nods, dashing back into the relative safety afforded by Clancy''s shield.


    Once they settle, the Corpsie lurches, the top part of its body turning toward them even as the legs stay planted where they are.


    The torso hangs slightly crooked on its legs. "You''d think I tried to KILL you or something," it laments. "Just another couple rude old humans. See, that''s the thing with you so-called ''free-thinkers''. All you ever do is assume the very WORST in someone like me. You want to know a secret?"


    Barns and Eldrie happen to blink at the exact same time - a split second where the cosmonaut isn''t visible to either of them.


    In that precise moment, it was able to slip away.


    Its strongest power - as long as it is unseen by the living, it can move at an impossible speed.


    And in that moment, it appeared behind them. Behind the barrier.


    "Can you believe I''ve never killed a human who didn''t already attack me first?"


    Barns and Eldrie both gasp as the voice comes from over their shoulders. They turn to face the intruder in unison, ready to attack.


    "Well, it''s true. See, people seem to think I''m a LITTLE CREEPY, if you can imagine. THEY ALL just start running, or swinging, or slapping me around. Hide-and-seek, tag, ''manhunt''. All I ever ask is to play. It''s absolutely insane how much people hate playing those games with me."


    "How did you get through the barrier!" Barns screams, ready to impale it with his Silver Rake.


    "I was able to-"


    Before the zombie can finish, Barns thrusts the weapon into it. Holy energy sparks through the inside of the spacesuit and builds up enough to create an explosion. The suit bursts to pieces as Barns immolates the undead.


    "I was able to touch you before, so now it''s kind of like you and I are bonded, Mr. Barnacles."


    The voice comes from behind them, and another astronaut walks up with that same deathly cadence, finishing the sentence of the other without missing a beat.


    "What the hell is going on!" Barns cries into the air, frustration overtaking him.


    "I also learned quite a lot about you. It''s amazing, right? The power of a single touch? Oh, but don''t let ME tell you. There''s a certain ''silly Susan'' named Lamashti that can tell you all about the finer points of being touched. I kind of like her. She and I have a lot in common. People take one look at us and say: ''Gee, I wouldn''t want to be touched by that person!'' Isn''t that so rude, though?"


    Barns frowns. "Eldrie, what are we going to do? It''s still inside the barrier and it won''t die!"


    "God, I''d rather have it just shut up," Eldrie replies. "It''s talking total nonsense, and it''s creepy as hell!"


    "Isn''t it SO FUCKING RUDE?" the zombie shouts, twitching unnaturally in the immaculately clean spacesuit.


    It strikes a pose, pointing one hand to the sky like a rock-and-roll star as it thrusts its hips once and throws a leg into the air.


    "Aiyaiyaiyeah!" it shrieks. "Ah! That''s right. You two don''t like dancing either. That was a few me''s ago, so me''s memory is fuzzy, tee-hee."


    The cosmonaut contorts back into an upright pose. "I suppose I should just give up on you two. I don''t think you''ll ever be my friends¡­"


    "Barns, look out! He''s starting to move more seriously!"


    It rolls its shoulders. "After all, you both tried to kill me. More than once for archer boy."


    Barns braces his SSS Rank cane. When it attacks, he''ll be ready.


    "This is the Dimartino welcome, I suppose. MURDER anyone who comes up to say hello. Assume the worst out of even the best¡­"


    It freezes in place, positioned like an Olympian poised to start a race.


    "I shall repay your welcome¡­with my own kindness!"


    Corpsie flies through the air like a dragon, moving unnaturally as if guided only by its right leg, and launches a high-speed kick at Barns.


    "Harden Body!"


    The kick is stopped by Barns'' bare arm as he uses it like a shield with his crab technique. Then, he swings his crab cane in a crescent arc.


    The Corpsie dances through the air to dodge his attack, making it look almost effortless. Like a joke.


    It lands on the ground behind him and spins around in a quick circle, rapidly drawing a rune on the ground with its dragging boot. Then, the Corpsie clasps its hands together as it shouts at the top of its lungs.


    "Summoning Jutsu!"


    They both freeze in terror just three feet away from striking. They look around in a mutual panic, looking at whatever was summoned, and from where. They can''t see anything, but -


    "Oh, that?" Corpsie shrugs. "Never tried it before, wanted to see if it''d work. APPARENTLY NOT."


    "You stupid fuc-"


    "Ooh! Wait, maybe it did!" It points and jumps, looking over their shoulders. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They turn again to see something truly horrific.


    It''s a giant, undead creature. The top of it is humanoid, about forty feet. The torso of an astronaut, clad in spacegear, connected at the hip to a bottom that is more reminiscent of a spider. The bottom half is not covered in spacesuit but rather made visibly of fleshly undeath. The grotesque monstrosity towers over them, its gloved hands each large enough to hold one of them and crush them.


    A Giant Undead Astrospider.

 Chapter 134 - 134: Astrospider

    Barns and Eldrie whirl around - but the smaller astronaut is gone. No voice. No trace.


    It''s a relief - but also deeply chilling. Barns prefers knowing where the unhinged Zombie Lord is.


    But for now, he has bigger - no, much bigger things to worry about.


    The malformed creature remains.


    The towering Astrospider, with its humanoid torso clad in reflective spacegear, looms over them. Its lower half skitters with the grotesque gait of spider legs made of rot and sinew. Every movement sloshes with the sickly sound of wet decay. It twitches with excitement, hands flexing like it''s imagining them already squirming in its grip.


    Barns tightens his stance, cane extended. "I''ll take point, Eldrie. Cover me."


    "Be my guest," Eldrie mutters, already stepping sideways to find a vantage point. He wants to be NOWHERE near that thing.


    The Astrospider makes the first move. Its frontmost legs slam the ground and catapult its massive form forward, aiming a full-body slam at Barns.


    "Harden Body!"


    Barns braces, planting his feet and swinging his SSS-rank cane upward in an explosive arc. The clash sends a shockwave through the earth. The impact rattles his bones, but the barrier holds. His crab-enforced body strength absorbs the blow, just barely.


    The Astrospider reels back, surprised by the resistance. Barns doesn''t give it a second chance.


    "Flame Thrash!"


    A burst of fire spirals up his cane and down his limbs, wreathing him in flame. He lunges, slamming the burning weapon into one of the spider legs. It recoils from the flame as he strikes.


    The leg he hit catches fire. It burns but doesn''t fall off - the Astrospider is made of sturdier stuff than that. Still, the pain slows the creature down considerably as it''s no longer able to walk properly.


    Eldrie takes his moment.


    His red vampiric eye glows with violent intent. His bow, already nocked, begins to pulse with unnatural energy.


    The power he inherited from Adon - he''d practiced in isolation many times to learn how to use the unholy power. Now was his moment to finally shine.


    "Bloodthorn Grip."


    Red vines of hardened blood spiral out from the arrow as it flies, finding their mark in the gaps of the Astrospider''s flesh-body. The vines erupt from the point of impact, twisting into thick, barbed tendrils that snake around the torso, binding arms and spider legs alike.


    The creature shrieks. Its upper body convulses as the blood-vines constrict, leeching vitality from its undead core.


    Barns seizes the opening made by Eldrie and launches his next attack.


    He runs up the front leg like a ramp, flames trailing behind him, and jumps - bringing his cane down like a guillotine on the center of its torso. The flaming strike cracks through the helmet, revealing a truly horrific sight - the creature has no head or face. It''s just a writhing mass of worms that now spill out the front of the helmet like hungry tendrils. Somewhere in the mound of worms is a vertical gash lined with teeth - something akin to a mouth.


    The body thrashes violently. Eldrie squeezes his hand shut, focusing his vampiric power. His blood-vines tighten, keeping the hellish monstrosity locked into place. But it refuses to go down easily.


    A clawed hand lashes out, catching Barns in the side and flinging him like a ragdoll. He bounces across the dirt, rolling to his feet with a grunt. His arm smokes, but he''s still standing.


    "I''m good!" he shouts to Eldrie, having activated Harden Body a second before the blow.


    Eldrie presses his hands together, his solitary red eye glowing like a blood moon.


    "More thorns!"


    He channels more of his vampiric magic, summoning a second volley of barbed blood, this time anchoring the Astrospider to the ground itself. It roars - an awful, primal noise of sheer hatred.


    Then, the Astrospider begins to glow.


    Not fire. Not magic.


    Radiation.


    Green and sickly light pours from the cracks in its torso and joints. The creature emits a bone-deep rumble that rattles the stones beneath their feet. Its remaining spider legs root into the ground and spread wide. Then it begins to pull.


    Barns feels the pressure before he understands it. Gravity itself begins to twist. The world dips toward the Astrospider like it''s a sinkhole.


    "A gravity pulse?! What kind of monster IS this!?"


    Eldrie shouts. "It''s trying to pull us in!"


    Barns plants his cane, digging it into the ground. "Oh, no you don''t, you damn mutant!"


    He summons every ounce of strength and activates Flame Thrash again, driving his body forward against the pull. Each step is a battle. The vines stretch, groan, and some even snap.


    Eldrie fires arrow after arrow into its joints, trying to destabilize it further. One shot hits deep in its lower thorax¡ªwhere its spider abdomen meets the humanoid torso¡ªand the creature stutters.


    Barns roars as he struggles against the gravitational grab. He can''t resist it - he''s going to have to land his decisive attack now. He rips his cane back out of the ground and withdraws the claws on Silver Rake, leaping forward with flames blazing across both arms.


    He drives the Silver Rake deep into the creature''s center mass. But he''s not done. He strikes again with the SSS crab cane, swinging with the stopping power required to cut the entire creature in half.


    The radiation flickers.


    The vines re-engage. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eldrie channels every drop of energy into his vampiric eye. "This is it!" he shouts, locking the creature in a tangled cocoon of bloodthorns. The Astrospider trembles.


    Barns flips backward, charging another attack. He must end it here. With only three seconds left to go on Harden Body, he''ll be sucked up and eaten by the monster if it''s not stopped now.


    He lunges.


    "Flame Thrash - Crescendo!"


    The impact is monumental. Fire bursts outward like a crustacean comet. The vines ignite in fire, wrapping the monstrosity in a flaming cage of barbs.


    And the strike from Barns cane itself is enough to cause the Astrospider''s body to begin tearing apart at the seams.


    The Astrospider releases one final, freakish wail that echoes for miles. Harsh popping sounds erupt from its joints as it twitches and breaks down. The gravitational pull subsides, allowing Barns and Eldrie to finally plant their feet on the ground normally.


    Thoroughly dead, the Astrospider begins to melt - rot, bone fragments, and radioactive ichor turning into sizzling mush. The air turns acrid.


    Silence follows. Blessed silence. A world without the droning of Corpsie.

 Chapter 135 - 135: Reappearance

    Barns pants, hand resting on his knee. "Please tell me that was the only one."


    Eldrie lowers his bow, eyes still glowing faintly. "No promises. Whatever that thing was, it wasn''t the Corpsie we were talking to earlier. That thing is still around, somewhere. I''m sure of it."


    They stare at the pile of steaming filth.


    Then, slowly, the hero and the archer begin to walk back toward the barrier.


    "Now what?" Barns asks, looking around them in every direction. "That thing can get through the barrier. We need to find and kill it before it can go any further."


    "Do we have any idea how to do such a thing?" Eldrie shoots back.


    Suddenly, a cold envelops them - an unnatural pall of chilly fog.


    Barns shivers. There''s something familiar about the cold, but it couldn''t be - the Pale Court and its fog were far behind them now.


    "Miss me?"


    Barns turns suddenly, his eyes widening. He recognizes the figure standing before him, though her face is obscured by a large black umbrella dipped just low enough to hide herself.


    "F-Francois!?"


    The vampiress performs a polite bow. "The very same."


    "But I thought - "


    Francois tips the umbrella up enough to reveal her eyes, and she winks at Barns. Suddenly, the aggravating, lustful allure of the vampiress activates. It''s all Barns can do to stay still and not dive into her like an animal.


    Eldrie, knowing better, doesn''t look into her eyes, keeping a safe distance from her allure and perfume. At least out here in the middle of nowhere, she didn''t have such a concentrated presence.


    "You thought I was killed by the Sentinel Nazakiel, of course," Francois says sweetly. "And¡­he did hurt me quite bad, didn''t he? But remember. I know Osmond told you quite clearly. A Master Vampire can only be killed by a blood relative, and Nazakiel is no kin of mine."


    "There was nothing left of you!" Barns objects. "You were¡­dust!"


    He recalls it vividly - watching her be reduced to atoms with just a look from the Sentinel. Not before she got a few good bites in, though.


    "Nothing left of me, but you admit there was dust. Do you think me so lowly a creature that I can''t survive being ''dust'' for a day or two?"


    "Uh, yeah, I think that lowly of everyone," Barns argues back. "That''s not exactly something survivable. Master Vampires are truly something else, aren''t they?"


    "We got lucky with Adon and Adea..." Eldrie reflects.


    "Not lucky, little Eldrie. You simply had me on your side."


    She turns to Barns, folding her arms in her kimono and allowing the umbrella to tilt slightly to the right.


    "I cannot die. I promised you a gift, did I not, Barnacles?"


    Barns nods. She did - the day he unlocked Bubble Breathing. A gift that only she could give, though he still did not understand the meaning of her words fully.


    Her blood red eyes scan the horizon carefully.


    "I may have another gift as well, in the form of knowledge. It would appear you have encountered the Corpsie."


    "Encountered is a word one could use to describe it."


    Francois chuckles. "And I suppose you have no idea how to deal with it."


    "Do you know, Francois?" Barns asks, desperate for answers. "Please, tell us!"


    She takes a deep breath. "The enemy holds a strange power. One not even I can counter. And I do not know everything."


    "We need to know. Anything."


    Francois nods. "Of course. Corpsie. It can move anywhere. As fast as you can imagine. But only when it is unseen. If eyes are on it, it is severely limited. But, as I am sure you observed, it is still quite fast."


    "So we can''t look away once we encounter it. But how do we kill it? It was...coming back. Over and over. And then it created a huge monster!"


    I only have my speculations," Francois notes, her voice lush with otherworldly allure. She shifts her weight slightly, her black and red kimono fluttering in the breeze. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But I think if you could kill it and keep the spacesuit itself under 24/7 surveillance, you might be able to stop it from grabbing another corpse to possess."


    "Are you serious!?"


    "Perhaps there is another way," Francois muses. "But this is the solution I came up with. You are welcome to find your own."


    "Barns¡­it''s possible," Eldrie offers. "Next time we see it again, we grab hold of it. Take turns blinking, and bring it back to Dimartino. We can surrender it to the police and have them create a task force to watch it, day-in and day-out."


    Barns shakes his head. "And then have that thing IN Dimartino? That''s way too risky¡­and so many resources would be required to¡­"


    Suddenly, a memory flashes into his head. Something Absalom, the former zombie, told him last night.


    There was a way to steal Corpsie''s Necromancy powers and transfer them to Barns. Absalom knew something. But it required defeating Corpsie¡­


    "You''re both right," Barns realizes. "It''s possible. And Absalom might be able to help us with that. I think he knows some way to control or mitigate Corpsie''s power."


    Francois smiles. "Yes. Your zombie ally. How could I forget? I imagine he knows more about Corpsie''s power than any of us, since he was once a user of it himself."


    Barns sighs. "The only problem now is how to find Corpsie again. That thing may have acted like an idiot, but it''s frighteningly clever. I can tell. If it knows we have a plan to capture and defeat it, there''s no way it will come out easily."


    He scans over the corpses left behind by the spacesuit-wearing zombie. All of them were reduced to mush. Even if they cleansed them with the barrier, he wouldn''t be able to perform a Resurrection, not in their sorry state.


    "We should return to Dimartino and regroup," Barns decides. "Francois, will you join us?"


    She ponders for a moment. "In your court you have a Zombie Lord and a Demon Lord. Would you really want a Master Vampire around, with powers like mine? I might drive your human men mad."


    There was a time when Barns couldn''t trust Francois - now, it''s clear to him she''s an invaluable ally.


    "If you''d rather stay in the Pale Court, I can accept that. But Francois - I want you to come with us. We''re stronger together."

 Chapter 136 - 136: Future Planning

    When Barns returns to Dimartino, it''s with a new ally - and quite the story to tell about the maniacal Corpsie. Thankfully, whether because it can''t or doesn''t want to, the Zombie Lord doesn''t show up within the boundaries of the kingdom.


    Francois, the reconstituted vampire mistress, claims a secluded corner of the ruined castle as her domain.


    "I will of course be back and forth with the Pale Court. There are still a hundred humans I must take care of," she says with a sly smile, one fang peeking out. "Poor things. Under my thrall, but I''ve grown rather fond of them."


    Barns nods, though he''s still wary. Francois might be an ally for now, but she''s unpredictable.


    As she probes about the castle, Barns sets about to see his other duties to completion.


    ''First thing''s first,'' he tells himself. ''I need to catch up with Absalom.''


    He finds Absalom near the edge of the old courtyard, overlooking the towering statue of Clancy. The air is still, and scattered fog clings to the air. Eldrie stands nearby, having just informed Absalom of the broad strokes of their encounter with Corpsie.


    "You found Corpsie, then?" Absalom says without turning.


    Barns joins him, arms crossed. "Saw, fought, barely survived. It''s not like any zombie I''ve ever seen."


    "It''s not like any¡­undead anyone''s seen. Not even the Emperor¡­could have foreseen¡­"


    "What did Eldrie tell you about it?"


    "Only that¡­you saw¡­his true power."


    "Yeah," Barns says quietly. "I''ve never seen anything move like that. It swapped bodies mid-fight. Spoke in riddles. Wasn''t even trying to win. Just¡­to play. At least, that''s how it seemed."


    Absalom finally turns to him, his voice softer but still grating and full of death. "Corpsie is¡­happy in his undeath."


    "I should report to the others," Eldrie says, his eyes darting from Barns to Absalom. "You two can finish up here, yeah? Excuse me¡­"


    Eldrie performed a solemn salute and left the two to continue their conversation. As he trots away, Barns watches him in quiet contemplation.


    Barns exhales. "I think I have a plan, Absalom. But¡­you have to tell me if it''s crazy or not."


    Absalom shudders in the wind, his frail body almost knocking over from a strong gust. "I¡­shall hear it¡­"


    "It got through the barrier. I don''t know how - but all of us need to be ready. I talked it over with Francois, and here''s what I think we should do. If Corpsie ever appears inside the barrier - anywhere - my plan is to have all Adventurers, Police, whatever - surround it immediately. Don''t engage, just keep eyes on it. Don''t let it escape. Someone calls for backup. Priority one becomes neutralizing it and keeping eyes on that spacesuit.


    "You think¡­the suit is a magical item¡­?"


    "I think it''s more than that. It let him touch the barrier. He didn''t melt like the other undead. Even switching back and forth between bodies was possible with that suit. Absalom¡­maybe it''s crazy, but I think Corpsie isn''t a zombie at all. I think it IS the suit."


    Absalom gives a slow nod. "A¡­interesting idea...it would mean that Corpsie is undead, but not a zombie at all¡­more like a possession. A ghost."


    "Be careful," Absalom warns. "He''s not alone. He never is. A mind like that¡­ it breaks, and in the breaking, something else moves in."


    Barns doesn''t ask what. He doesn''t want to know.


    "If that''s true, it''d be a shame," Barns thinks to himself. "We had someone in Dimartino who was something of a ''ghost expert'' once. But she''s long gone¡­"


    His mind flickers. Memories of Haima - the good, and the bad.


    Absalom sighs and leans over the railing, watching the streets. "When I first came back to the living¡­I didn''t think I''d be here for long. I thought I''d vanish into the night¡­be forgotten. But now¡­ seeing you fight, hearing the way you talk, knowing how you plan¡­you will change the world, Barns."


    "I used to think that too," Barns mutters. "But now, I''ll be happy to just save the piece we''ve got."


    Just then, Osmond and Maria approach from the castle steps. Osmond is unusually solemn, fingers clasped behind his back, horns casting long shadows in the mist. Maria wears a curious expression - neither confrontational nor submissive, just watching.


    "Barns. A word?" Osmond says, overly formal and polite.


    Barns nods, raising an eyebrow as he joins them both. They walk together toward the ruined balcony at the castle''s edge. The view overlooks the whole of Dimartino.


    "I''ve been thinking," Osmond begins. "About the horde. About our options."


    "So have I. And I''m not liking any of them. Don''t even get me started on the day Eldrie and I had¡­"


    "Osmond had a great idea, you should listen to him."


    Maria speaks with a certain curtness that makes Barns nervous. Something about the way they''re both acting seems off-character. Like whatever their plan is, they know he won''t like it.


    "There is a way to handle the horde even as large as it is," Osmond says. "One that frightens even me. But I believe it can work, Barnie. If you really consider it."


    Barns narrows his eyes. "Why are you both acting so mysterious? Get to the point."


    "Well, Barns, as you know, I am able to turn humans into monsters and exert no small measure of control over them¡­"


    "Yeah?" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Osmond and Maria exchange a hesitant look.


    "My idea," he continues, "Is to take the citizens of Dimartino - everyone who can''t fight normally¡­and turn them into monsters."


    Barns'' eyes open wide in shock.


    Osmond remains calm. "I lead them out of the barrier. I transform them. Every civilian. Every craftsman. I give them forms capable of fighting the horde. They fight alongside our police and Adventurers - the people who are more than capable of holding their own."


    Barns glares. "And then what? We lose half the population and pray we can fix them afterward?"


    "No," Osmond replies. "We use Clancy''s barrier. It cleanses evil, right? It can turn them back. The zombies will defend themselves from monsters, but they won''t eat them. Our casualties would likely be minimal."


    Maria folds her arms. "We want to turn every single person in Dimartino into a weapon. Yes, Barns. It sounds like a horror story. But if we want to actually defeat a horde that size, it''s our only option."


    Osmond meets her gaze. "Yes, my dove speaks true. It''s survival."


    Barns runs a hand down his face. "This isn''t a few test mice. You''re talking about a city."


    Maria looks to Barns. "It''s dangerous," she admits. "But you''re the one who insisted this is the path we take, and this is the solution we''ve devised."


    "I don''t want to lose anyone else. I don''t want to force anyone to fight who doesn''t want to."


    "Then let them decide," Osmond says. "We offer it. We don''t impose. Let them choose to become warriors. To become monsters, if it means saving everyone else. We can get the word out to all people of Dimartino and Ordella."


    Barns doesn''t speak for a long time.


    "I''ve lost friends," he finally says. "Too many. Every time I make one of these decisions, it''s like I''m gambling with their lives."


    He thinks of Yunie, who he lost to the vampires - and to Clancy, lost to Nazakiel. But it isn''t just them - there have been other deaths. And others, like Haima, who''ve been lost in other ways¡­


    "Allow the people the chance to volunteer. That''s all we ask."


    Barns gulps. It''s not a decision he ever thought he''d have to make.


    "If the people agree, we go forward. If¡­if this is the way they want to contribute, I can''t say no. Even if I hate the concept."


    Maria sighs, leaning against the crumbling stone. "Then I guess we have our answer, Osmond."


    Osmond bows slightly. Maria just nods, her eyes heavy.


    Far beyond Dimartino, beyond the veil of Clancy''s glowing barrier, a vast congregation of the dead gathers.


    Thirty thousand strong.


    Zombies as far as the eye can see - lurching, twitching, standing at unnatural attention. The moans have ceased. The shuffling stopped. They wait.


    And among the trees nearby, two Sentinels observe.


    Franzel Ahrman crouches in a nest of moss and bark, scribbling furiously into his notebook with a charcoal stylus. The Bloodhound beside him sniffs the wind.


    "Incredible," Franzel whispers. "Just incredible. The structure, the layering. This is a living seal. An ancient defense system turned holy. But there''s a flaw. There''s always a flaw."


    The Bloodhound''s voice is gravel. "I can''t track the Corpsie. It''s switched bodies a few times."


    "Good!" Franzel grins, eyes wide. "Means he''s learning. Means he''s adapting. Means he might not be so useless to our plan after all."


    He closes his book and rises to his feet. The air is thick with rot, even from this distance. The horde''s scent rides the breeze like a living entity.


    "They''re dormant for now," Bloodhound mutters. "But even active, they''re little use against this barrier."


    Franzel''s fingers twitch excitedly. "Exactly why I need to find a way into the barrier."

 Chapter 137 - 137: Army and Soul

    The leaders of Dimartino gather in front of a crowd nearly twenty thousand strong - the people of Dimartino are gathered together to fight in a way that Barns never thought possible.


    Many of them are Adventurers - those skilled in the Secret or Martial Arts that can hold their own in battle. Thanks to the Daily and Weekly Quests provided by Zelia, most of them have B or A rank equipment.


    They are the vanguard - the fighting force that has protected Dimartino all this time.


    Underhill is also present with his ''Royal Police Force''. While they serve a different purpose than the Adventurers, they are also each battle-hardened and ready to meet the challenge of the day.


    But what surprises Barns most are the thousands and thousands of volunteers who have no power whatsoever - who are willing to sacrifice their very existence in order to fight.


    Osmond stands before the ground of twenty thousand, pacing back and forth. There are so many he can''t see them all.


    "Oz," Barns says. "Promise me this can work."


    "It can work, Barnie."


    They stand near the edge of the barrier, just outside the safety provided by Clancy, and though the horde is not visible from their current location, the Dimartino scouts have confirmed - the horde is just minutes away. Inert. Waiting.


    "Those of you who will stand and fight as monsters, raise your hands high!" Osmond shouts over the crowd. "Send the message back, reach high for the sky!"


    Osmond lifts up off the ground, floating in the air. From above, he can see more of the crowd - nearly all of them, though from up so high they seem small.


    "Barnie, I''ll head back to Dimartino immediately, as we discussed. Once I convert those gathered here."


    "Got it!" Barns calls, looking straight up at the Demon Lord. "Maria''s there too, right? In position?"


    "Of course! My dove would never forsake her meticulous planning!"


    Osmond begins to crackle with violet energy.


    "They''ll all obey your every command, Barnie. You''ll lead our horde into battle against the enemy."


    "Right."


    Suddenly, Osmond''s magic pulses through the crowd of gathered citizens. The magic begins to morph and change them - the result of his aspect of Gluttony.


    In minutes, there is sweeping change. Where once stood an army of meek and uncertain humans, Barns now overlooks a sea of kobolds, goblins, orcs, skeletons, even some trolls that tower in the back.


    There''s no way to tell what type of monster a person might turn into. It all depends on their unique constitution.


    The monsters begin to arm themselves with the weapons scattered throughout the crowd - all of the extra stuff that the Adventurers Guild had no use for. C and D rank weapons. They weren''t great for humans, but for monsters they were just fine.


    Osmond floats back to the ground, still hovering inches above the grass.


    "I shall take my leave, then - for the second part of our operation."


    "Osmond. I''m counting on you and Maria. We have no idea if Corpsie will show up there, but we can''t allow it to have its way with our kingdom undefended."


    "If it shows up, we will subdue it. There''s nothing Maria and I can''t handle."


    "Promise?" Barns says nervously. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Promise."


    Osmond flies away, and Barns turns to the rest of his party. Eldrie, Underhill, Godrick and Roscoe stand at attention. Three of them are ready to fight - and Roscoe is ready to use his special ability to empower Barns beyond his normal limits. Everything is in order.


    Barns raises his cane to the air, and the army of monsters behind him stands at attention. "Godrick, you lead the Adventurers. Underhill, the police. Roscoe and Eldrie, with me."


    They march forward quickly - for such a large army, they move quite quickly. Monsters are possessed of boundless energy, and all of his Adventurers and Officers are conditioned and ready for the operation.


    This is war.


    Twenty thousand fighters and monsters of Dimartino versus thirty thousand undead.


    Dimartino is commanded by Barns - and the horde, presumably, by the shape-shifting, impossibly fast zombie spacesuit known as ''Corpsie.''


    They march for only ten minutes when they spot the horde in a clearing. The army moves through the forest and lines up at their side of the meadow. Across from them, the undead horde stares back at them with hungry, darkened eyes.


    Even from this distance, Barns can smell it - rot itself. Not that the monster army at his back smelled any better.


    Barns scans the undead horde. He doesn''t see any spacesuits or anything in the crowd.


    Though the tricky part of Corpsie is that it can truly be anywhere until it''s spotted.


    Barns takes a deep breath. This is the moment. If they fail, it is the end of Dimartino. If they succeed, a powerful enemy will be defeated, Barns will attain the power of necromancy, and Dimartino will have gained an additional thirty thousand citizens.


    The stakes have never been higher for Barns. And he''s never felt more alone.


    ''Clancy¡­I''m going to make you proud.''


    As he says the name of his best friend, Underhill, standing just feet away, suddenly jerks up in surprise.


    "Agh!" he squirms, dropping something on the ground. The small red orb rolls away, toward Barns.


    Barns'' eyes tilt downward, staring at the small red marble. He picks it up before Underhill can, and inspects in his hand.


    "What is¡­"


    Eldrie steps close to him. "There''s no way!"


    Barns and Eldrie exchange a look before turning to Underhill.


    "What¡­what is this, Underhill?" Barns asks.


    "Hell if I know," the shady merchant lord says with a shrug. "Found it a few days ago by the big crab statue. Damn thing just started burning HOT, though. You can touch it?"


    Barns looks down into his hand. The marble wasn''t hot at all. Perhaps even cold¡­or at least, moist¡­


    "Barns," Eldrie says. "Do you remember what I told you about Guardian Beasts, and Edelweiss?"


    The hero nods.


    "I¡­I think that might be Clancy''s soul."

 Chapter 138 - 138: Dimartino vs. The Undead

    The battlefield groans beneath the weight of a hundred thousand feet, though most of them are inhuman. Dimartino''s vanguard has gathered in force - an army of twenty thousand, monsters and men alike, lined at the edge of the clearing where the undead led by Corpsie have made their stand.


    The horde across the field is dead still, and the thirty thousand rotters are packed tight, shoulder to shoulder. A sea of death - soulless humans without will. Their groans are muffled by the sheer volume of their number. It''s less a sound and more a pressure. An omen.


    Barns breathes deep and hoists the Silver Rake above his head. Fire catches in his eyes, but his hands do not shake.


    "Adventurers, no - FIGHTERS OF DIMARTINO!" he roars. "CHARGE!"


    The monsters scream. Kobolds yip and howl. Trolls bellow. Skeletons raise rusted swords. Adventurers tighten their grips. Underhill''s Royal Police fall into formation. Godrick leads the first surge, his twin blades flashing like arcs of lightning.


    And then, the two armies finally collide.


    The sound deafens as flesh creaks against bone. Secret Arts crack through marrow and blast enemy undead apart - though true to Barns'' orders, there is a refined focus not to destroy the bodies so much they can no longer be resurrected.


    The undead army faces no such handicap - it means that Barns and the forces of Dimartino must simply fight even harder.


    His monster army tears into the undead like a tide of fury. Barns doesn''t wait to lead the second wave - he''s already running, Flame Thrash igniting up his arms. Eldrie looses arrow after arrow from behind, bloodthorns lashing out like living snares as his vines capture zombies in bloody cages.


    The battle is chaos incarnate. Claws meet teeth. Shields shatter. Acid blood sizzles in the grass. Trolls slam zombies into the ground, shattering limb and bone. Barns slashes down a hulking undead, only to turn and block a flying ribcage hurled like a boomerang. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Roscoe! Use it now!"


    Roscoe, hiding behind a formation of armored orcs, activates Rousing Resonator, his unique ability. A pulse of glowing rainbow light surges through Barns'' body and empowers his every attribute.


    Every strike becomes faster. Harder. The Silver Rake hums with excitement as the weapon ripples with energy unlike any it has ever known.


    Across the field, the undead push back. Their numbers seem unending - for every one that falls, three more push forward. A ghoul latches onto a goblin''s arm and rips. A banshee screams and causes a wave of monsters to stagger.


    Godrick rallies the front. "HOLD, YOU BASTARDS! THIS IS OUR HOME!"


    Even Underhill is on the field. His cane twirls between blows, jabbing and stabbing any who dar get too close. He moves with the undeniable grace of a warrior, which only deepens the mystery as Barns catches a glimpse of his fellow cane-wielder.


    Eldrie''s arrows light the sky. Each one bursts into red vines on contact, pinning undead against trees, against each other, against the ground. Still, they keep coming.


    Time becomes a blur. Minutes stretch into an hour. Undead corpses build into mountains. The ground turns slick with ichor and mud. Yet the fighters of Dimartino hold the line.


    Then - only when the tides of undead begin to falter - the Zombie Lord makes its appearance.


    A low, deranged groan rises above the din. A sound like laughter through a megaphone made of bone.


    From within the ranks of the undead, a figure stumbles forward.


    "AH! AH! AH! YOU DIDN''T THINK I''D MISS THE PARTY, DID YOU?"


    The cosmonaut.


    Corpsie.


    The silver suit gleams in the misty light. The barrier''s glow behind Barns reflects off the helmet''s glass. The thing waves.


    "BOO."


    Barns feels the shift instantly. The air sharpens.


    "FORM RANKS!" he shouts. "NOW!"


    The trap is set.


    Adventurers, police, and spellcasters peel away from the melee and converge like gears in a clock. A shifting wall of armor and will. A circle begins to form around the cosmonaut.


    Corpsie twirls. "Aww, a spotlight for me? You SHOULDN''T HAVE!"


    It moves. But not faster than the eyes trained on it. Dozens¡ªhundreds¡ªlock their gazes. Eldrie doesn''t blink, his red eye locked on like a hawk. And nearby, Roscoe channels every drop of his energy into empowering Barns to his absolute limit.


    "You''re not going anywhere," Barns growls.


    Chains fly from all sides. Runic, glowing, sizzling with divine power. Corpsie shrieks. It twists, turns - but there''s nowhere to go. The circle tightens.


    A shriek. A SNAP.


    The body changes. But the suit does not.


    The moment the form melts away, Underhill''s squad descends. The empty suit falls limp and is immediately sealed in a reinforced crystal case - something that can be seen into from every direction but traps the spacesuit neatly.


    "Got you," Underhill mutters, sweat pouring down his brow.


    Corpsie is captured.


    And the morale of Dimartino explodes.


    The monsters roar. The adventurers surge forward. Even the wounded drag themselves up for one last charge. What was desperation becomes fury.


    "FOR CLANCY!" someone shouts.


    "For DIMARTINO!" another echoes.


    Barns plunges into the fray again, Silver Rake lighting the battlefield. Flame Thrash cuts glowing arcs. Eldrie fights with a broken bow in one hand, his vampiric eye blazing red. Roscoe continues to sing, fueling Barns with power that makes him faster than lightning.


    They fight. And fight. And fight.


    Until the last undead, a twitching jawbone riding on a spinal column, is shattered under Godrick''s boot.


    It is done.


    Barns drops to one knee. His limbs scream. His lungs burn. But he is alive.


    Around him, silence settles. The wind finally moves through the grass. The smell of rot fades.


    But he isn''t finished.


    He reaches into his cloak.


    The red marble. Still cool. Still wet.


    "Clancy," he whispers. "Time to come through one more time."


    He lifts it high.


    Behind him, the barrier pulses¡ªthen explodes outward. Osmond and Maria, watching from the rear, release the full wave of cleansing light. It spreads across the battlefield, holy and bright.


    All fallen bodies¡ªmonster and human, zombie and warrior¡ªare touched by the light.


    The ground trembles.


    A hum rises, deep and resonant.


    Then¡ª


    Life.


    Flesh regrows. Bones repair. Rot reverses.


    One by one, the fallen begin to move.


    Eyes open. Hands grasp. Voices whisper.


    Then shout.


    Thirty thousand new lives, gifted in the span of a heartbeat.


    Dimartino is reborn.

 Chapter 139 - 139: Franzel Ahrman

    Barns sends a message to Maria back in Dimartino. She opens it hesitantly and scans the contents.


    "They caught the Corpsie," Maria informs Osmond, who stands to her left. "But that''s the least of our problems now, isn''t it?"


    The man standing before the two of them twitches, his eyes hidden behind two thick glass lenses.


    "It was so easy to get through this barrier, I have to admit," he gloats. "But my stupid stupid comrade couldn''t do it. No matter. I''m here now! Here to kill every last one of you humans!"


    The man is Franzel Ahrman - one of the Sentinels. The purple-bowl-cut, menacing, scheming narcissist who volunteered himself for this very mission just to prove he could do what Nazakiel could not.


    And in that moment, he stood in the center of Dimartino''s town square, his arms high in the sky.


    "I did it! I did it! All by myself!" he cackles, leaning over himself and clutching his stomach. "It was I - the great Franzel Ahrman! Of course it would be me! All the other Sentinels are too stupid. Too caught up in their own powers. It''s not about power, though. Is it? It''s about this."


    He taps a finger to his temple. "My big, beautiful brain. Now, you must be the Demon Lord Osmond and his bitch pet Maria. Do I have you pegged correctly?"


    He adjusts his glasses. Osmond and Maria stand side by side, at the ready.


    "We were prepared for Corpsie, but this is one of the Sentinels we read about, my dove."


    "Good," Maria scoffs. "I''ve been waiting to get revenge on one of these demented fucks after what Nazakiel did."


    "Oh, you''re telling me," Franzel snickers. "I''d have helped you get revenge on him too. He''s the worst. But that''s not why I''m here - I''m getting revenge in my own way by proving that I''m better than him!"


    Osmond wastes no time and fires a bolt of purple energy at Franzel. The Sentinel watches the attack and phases away from it at the last second, moving unnaturally.


    Maria attacks next, screaming out her Royal Art and throwing a barrage of light-spears. Franzel sidesteps each attack like it''s nothing.


    "The hell?"


    Franzel smirks. "Didn''t you read all about me in your little dossier? I can read the future of whoever I can see. I can tell every movement you''re going to make. You might as well give up now, or this fight will be quite bothersome. Let''s just skip ahead to the part where I bash your skulls in - approximately five minutes from now if you keep up your stupid, pathetic attacks."


    Osmond starts to glow - more vibrant than before. He shoots an array of attacks in tandem with Maria, hoping to catch the sneaky Sentinel in an unwinnable situation. But try as they might, Franzel slips through their every attack.


    "I told you - I can see everything you do," he giggles, adjusting the thick frames of his glasses. "With these eyes - the eyes of Emperor Yharan himself - you''re hopeless! Attack all you like!"


    Maria fires off one more magicked dart at lightspeed, but Franzel dodges it before it even leaves her hand. He sticks his tongue out at her like a child.


    He begins to approach them both, walking slowly but with a large knife in his hands. "I''m not a fighter like the others, so please excuse the crudeness of my execution methods. When you''re untouchable like me, you really don''t pay much mind to HOW you go about killing. But I know neither of you can escape because I''ll have done THIS and blocked off your escape routes!"


    He snaps his fingers and a cage of dark energy appears around them, locking them close together. He continues to approach, twitching and shaking.


    "I haven''t cut up a real human in a long time. And never a demon. Oh, but I''ve certainly fantasized all about it¡­it''s not good for me. It''s a stain on my genius, having to do such messy things. If only that stupid Bloodhound made it through the barrier. He was supposed to do the dirty work."


    "How did you make it through, anyway?" Maria snarls.


    "Oh!" Franzel pauses, posing dramatically for them. "I''m SO glad you asked, you ignorant woman. It was quite simple. The barrier repels everything, but it doesn''t repel, say, AIR itself, now does it? Of course not. So how does it discriminate? What does it do? The answer is OBVIOUS, even if you barbarians could never figure it out. The barrier repels hatred, evil. So all I had to do was pretend to myself that I was coming here because I just wanted to help you all out SOOOOO much. The stupid barrier, like the stupid crab that made it, was only too easy to fool."


    Osmond clenches his fists. "Maria, my love," he says quietly. "I believe our secret plan for taking out Corpsie might actually come in handy here."


    "Just do it, Osmond, he''s going to kill you otherwise!"


    "Both of you," Franzel corrects. But before he can reach them, suddenly the courtyard is filled with howling monsters.


    They pour out of all the nearby buildings - well over five hundred - a mixture of goblins, kobolds, and pig-faced orcs. They rush Franzel from every direction.


    This is the trap they''d readied for Corpsie - what they were waiting for, in case the Zombie Lord showed up in Dimartino. An opportunity for them to surround it with watchful eyes and take it hostage.


    But against Franzel, it also works - he can read the future of anything he can see. But what if there are so many enemies, he can''t possibly see them all.


    "What the-" Franzel starts, slashing the throat of the first monster to reach him. "Hell is this supposed to be!?"


    He cuts them down, over and over - if he looks at any one of them, it''s as good as dead. But the problem isn''t his visual acuity - it''s the sheer numbers.


    He quickly becomes overwhelmed as more and more monsters barrel into him. Suddenly, his arms are restrained by a pair of goblins. They hold him down with all his strength as he struggles against them. Even in this situation, he doesn''t go down. He''s still a Sentinel, after all.


    More and more swarm him, and he kills more and more in a bloody fury. But he''s distracted. He can only see what''s right in front of him.


    And as such, he doesn''t notice Osmond and Maria, both flying in the sky above him.


    "Royal Art: Heavenly Splinter," Maria murmurs, readying her strongest attack - the very same one that brought Adea down.


    "Demon Art: Spear of Purgation," Osmond mumbles back as they stare into each other''s eyes. Their two attacks mix, a brilliant swirl of purple and gold in the air above - and in an instant, they zoom down toward Franzel.


    He catches sight of it just in time, and he throws all of his strength into deflecting the attack. A wave of dark energy extends from the Sentinel and snuffs out the magic with ease.


    But as Franzel stares up at the sky, the next wave of monsters surrounding him makes their move. He''s distracted for a moment too long.


    Goblin teeth sink into every one of his limbs at once. Kobolds nick his tendons with thin silver knives, and a thick orc hits him over the head with a wooden bat.


    Franzel falls to the ground, twitching. His glasses crack on the pavement.


    "No¡­" he says, reaching for his broken glasses. "No, no, no, you''re kidding me, no!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He doesn''t get any further. He can''t see shit without his glasses, so the barreling shapes toward him lack any sort of meaning.


    Maria and Osmond land back on the ground to watch the carnage unfold as Franzel is brutally beaten to death by the horde of monsters meant for Corpsie.


    The beating takes at least twenty minutes - as a Sentinel, he''s got quite a lot of vigor to him. It only makes it all the more satisfying to Maria as she hears his disoriented wails begging for forgiveness.


    It''s only when the crying finally stops that Osmond commands the horde to stand down. Maria prepares one final attack.


    "This is from Dimartino - a message to you and yours," she hisses. "Heavenly Splinter!"


    Her magic rises from the ground and impales Franzel, rocketing him into the sky. He flies only as high as the barrier lets him as her mighty thorn of light skewers his corpse to the barrier, leaving him hanging up high in the sky.


    "Wonderful work as always, my sweet, darling Maria."

 Chapter 140 - 140: The Throne of Dimartino

    The skies above Dimartino are finally clear.


    A full day has passed since the battle.


    Barns activated the barrier and returned thirty thousand to life.


    The Kingdom of Dimartino is now 61,755 strong.


    The streets are filled with movement again, not chaos, but coordination. The town square is being scrubbed. Monster blood and ash hosed down by volunteers, children tossing buckets, adults laughing for the first time in weeks. There is music.


    Hope.


    It''s infectious in Dimartino. The trauma of losing King Clancy is beginning to fade, and all anyone can remember is this most recent victory.


    A horde of thirty thousand undead, slain and resurrected under the guidance of Barns.


    A monstrous Zombie Lord named Corpsie, successfully detained and currently held underground in the police station.


    And - the biggest moment of all - Osmond and Maria. The two new heroes of Dimartino. The ones responsible for killing one of the legendary Sentinels - a group of villains they once believed to be infallible now is down one member.


    Barns walks through the heart of it all, a cape now tied around his shoulders. Not crimson, not gold¡ªbut blue, sapphire, like the waters of Scuttle Island. The color that reminds Barns most of Clancy. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A gift from Maria.


    Everyone watches him. Not because he demands it, but because they want to. Because he''s the one who brought them back. The one who stood in front of the undead. The one who bled and lost his best friend to fight for the kingdom he now oversees.


    He approaches the castle - what remains of it. The east wing is in ruins, held up by the kaiju statue of Clancy. The old throne room is gone. But what the castle represents - the Kingdom of Dimartino - is as strong as ever.


    Osmond and Maria flank the steps of the castle. Godrick stands with the Adventurers. Underhill rests a boot on a crate, in full uniform as he taps his foot impatiently. Eldrie nods from his perch nearby, watching over everything with a measured contentment.


    A silence falls.


    Barns takes the crown offered up by Maria and places it upon his head.


    It isn''t dramatic. There''s no system alert. No magical choir. Just the weight of it. The meaning.


    A young girl in the crowd shouts, "LONG LIVE KING BARNS!"


    The crowd echoes.


    "Long live King Barns!"


    And with that, Dimartino has a ruler.


    ¡­


    Later, in a private chamber deep beneath the police station, Barns, Absalom, and Underhill stand guard cautiously, surrounded by no less than seven police officers assigned to monitor the situation.


    The containment field flickers in eerie pulses. Inside it, the empty spacesuit that once held Corpsie floats slightly above the floor. Runes glow beneath it, keeping it locked in place.


    No movement. But the monster is clearly inside.


    "This SUCKS!" comes a shrill voice from within the suit. "Let me out, King? We can play some more. You can''t keep me in here forever, and you can''t kill me. So you might as well LET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"


    The possessed cosmonaut slams against its constraints, but to no avail. It can''t escape - not while the police force''s watchful eyes remain on it.


    "It will¡­take me some time¡­but I can extract the power of Necromancy from it."


    "Like HELL you will!" the spacesuit rattles.


    Barns nods. The kingly look suits him well.


    "No rush, Absalom. Though I don''t think I''ll be visiting again until you''ve figured it out. This stupid astronaut has already made me lose enough sleep."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a quiet grove outside the kingdom, a figure steps from a tear in space.


    Edel.


    She moves barefoot across the grass, untouched by the wind, her silver hair unbothered by the world around her. The birds scatter, fleeing her unnatural presence. She lifts a hand, and the very air turns dark.


    She watches the barrier from afar, her eyes reflecting every death, every life, every soul.


    "So the crab truly did it," she murmurs. "An impenetrable barrier. Hmm¡­"


    Behind her, the Bloodhound emerges.


    "Franzel failed."


    "Of course he did," Edel replies. Her eyes cast themselves skyward. Even from this distance, she can recognize the corpse of her fallen comrade pinned to the top of the barrier. "But he did what I required. The throne is filled. The pieces are aligned. Now, we begin the final game."


    She reaches into her robes and removes a blackened bone.


    It pulses.


    "Emperor Yharan. It would appear your half-brother has ascended the throne of Dimartino. Curious."


    ¡­


    Back in Dimartino, Barns stands alone in the broken throne room, watching the horizon.


    The kingdom breathes. The people are alive.


    He rests in his chair. There''s a lot to ponder. But for now, he''s earned himself a moment of rest.


    They all have.


    Eldrie leads the efforts to acclimate the new townsfolk to Dimartino, while Maria and Osmond are enjoying their new status as ''heroes'' of the Kingdom.


    Lives were lost in the battle - many who could not be resurrected, even with Barns'' power. But it was not for naught - the kingdom is strong. Stronger than ever.


    Quinn the mayor struggles to handle his new responsibilities, and Underhill oversees the monitoring of the evil being known as Corpsie. In the lower levels, Roscoe, still recovering from his injuries, fiddles with Zelia''s console in an attempt to make more useful discoveries for the Adventurer Guild.


    "Just one other loose end for now¡­"


    Just as Barns thinks it, a figure emerges from the shadows. Cool, calculating, with a sensual aura and a sweet voice. Francois.


    "Thinking about a girl, are you?" she says, her red eyes the only thing visible in her shroud of darkness.


    "Yeah. Haima."


    "Hm. She will be back. I can sense it. She has a very important role to play¡­as do you, little King."


    "Little?"


    Francois'' eyes lid downward. "Mine is the power of desire itself. You know it as Lust. But it is the power to attain that whichever you want most."


    Barns nods. "But it''s not Haima I want most¡­"


    "I know. So then why don''t you check in your pocket?"


    Barns raises an eyebrow before reaching into his pocket.


    All he has on him is the small red marble he recovered from Underhill.


    "Yeah, what abou-"


    As he spoke, the marble began to crack. And from it, a small little red crab pops out.


    Barns'' eyes open wide. He can''t believe what he''s seeing - can''t understand it.


    But it becomes clear in a single moment.


    "BARNACLES!"