Chapter 393

Seven(?) Greedy Ones Ascend (IV)

Anth woke up--in quite the literal sense of things. Despite his silent protests, he eventually gave in and let Cain ‘espouse’ on the beauties of sleep and let the man convince him of giving it a go. It wasn’t... bad. It felt strange, losing so many hours to nothing, but it was strangely refreshing, far more than when he used Mana to dispel the exhaustion.

Voices and noises slowly trickled in as he came to, standing up and walking out of the small cottage into the courtyard. There, scattered about, he saw groups talking and eating among themselves. Though he was slightly worried he would be gutted in his sleep, his worries appeared unfounded. Even if the group was a bit... off, they didn’t seem to have any hankering for chaos.

“You’re finally up,” the middle-aged woman he learned was called Emma called him over to the table with her, Cain, the younger woman called Senna, Daniel, and a black man called Jamal. “He got you to sleep too, huh?”

“Y-yeah,” Anth replied with a faint smile, sitting down.

“Don’t be too embarrassed,” Jamal said. “He makes everyone ‘round him lazier. It’s his thing.”

“No, my thing is my love for all of my chil--friends,” Cain. “That’s my thing. Anyway, these three will be your entourage.”

“Entourage?”

“Yeah, the trio you’ll vouch for. They had a bit of a spat before you woke up and these three kissed my ass the best so I chose ‘em.”

“... haah,” Emma sighed and slapped the back of Cain’s head. “You alright with these three?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Anth nodded. “What about you, Cain?”

“What about me?”

“You are not coming?”

“Nah,” Cain shook his head. “This is children’s time to shine. Besides, I have another story to write. They’re more than enough to keep you from wetting yourself.”

“That’s right,” Jamal heaved his arm around Anth’s shoulder. He was a large man, but just like all the others, he seemed to breathe no Mana. And yet, the pressure the man exuded was beyond enormous. “Just point your skinny lil’ finger, and we’ll be burnin’ holes in their eyes.”

“I-It’s fine,” Anth said. “It’s best we not pick up too many fights too quickly. Standing out... is not exactly the greatest thing you can do.”

“Oh, yeah, good luck with that,” Emma chuckled. “Tell us a bit about the powers, just so we get a clearer picture.”

“Hmm, alright,” Anth nodded. “Beyond the forest, where I come from, is the so-called ‘Inbetweener’, Divinely naturalized land that belongs to no one specifically. It’s home of one of the many Grand Schools, an umbrella term for many smaller schools of thought and magic and fighting. I belong to one of the minor schools, Path of the Umbra Sword. It’s... mostly inconsequential, to be honest. There’s only eleven of us, so we can barely compete with other, larger schools. I’m actually the strongest member, and, well, you can see how I wound up. The girl is another member, though she had joined just recently. She has shown a lot of promise and talent, which is why everyone has been trying to poach her.

“Even the so-called Four Words Under Divine--Brimstone, Swordhaze, Empyrean, and Soulblade. Four greatest groups in this world, by and far. In fact, they are sending their representatives to the annual Cosmic Conquest in just a a few months to compete for the glory and resources and access to the higher-tier dungeons.”

“That,” Cain interrupted. “Cosmic Conquest. Where is it being held?”

“Where it’s always held,” Anth replied. “In Anwathia.”

“...”

“Secondary Realm,” Anth elaborated, noting the dumbfounded expressions. “Where most of the public ceremonies and rituals are held. It’s also the only hub to get to the Divine Halls from what I know.”

“... this year’s a bit ambitious,” Cain mumbled, tapping his finger against the wood. “Maybe next year?”

“Why the hurry?” Senna asked. “Won’t they get suspicious when a hobo-looking dud comes out of nowhere and starts kicking their asses?”

“Really? I think they’d be fairly understanding. Hermit hobo expert and all that.”

“You can’t count on hollow myths to be your barrier,” Emma said. “Why not just have the kids join Anth’s school or whatever and go from there? It shouldn’t be hard to naturally climb to the top within a few years. You can do... well, you things in the meantime.”

“What do you think, Anth?” Cain asked the confused boy suddenly. The latter hardly had a reply; after all, he wanted to call them crazy. Even dreaming of trying to usurp the Four Words was considered a sin. And here they were, wondering whether they can do it within a year.

“Uh... I...”

“Jesus, just be honest,” Cain sighed in exasperation. “Nobody’s gonna main you, whip you, stab you, or burn you ‘cause you called me a crazy cunt or disrespected me or something else stupid. Just be honest.”

“Alright. You are a crazy cunt.”

“See? Didn’t that feel good?”

“... honestly? Yeah...” Anth smiled helplessly realizing that they really just... didn’t care.

“So, why am I a crazy cunt? You think my kids can’t compete with ‘em?”

“Uh, no, it’s not that,” Anth shook his head. “Every Word, not just the main four ones, but every clan or sect or group of note are all presided by a Divine. Trying to force yourself among them would be a suicide, especially since the Divine presiding our group is... aloof.”

“So, like me, he’s a crazy cunt? Haah, the more I interact with those shitheads, the more I just wanna pack my bags and go live my life out in a mountain or something,” Anth’s blood froze; anything but blind reverence toward the Divines was impossible. Not by the mere notion of law, but physically impossible. Only the other Divines or candidates for a Divine and their closest associates could speak freely. “Don’t wring your brain too much. There’s a bitch up there representing us, too. And, just like us, she’s a bit of a crazy cunt too. So, don’t worry your pretty head about that.”

“...” Anth foresaw his future--and in that future he lay dead. Surrounded by these people still laughing and mocking into the evernight.

“We really need to clean up our act,” Senna sighed. “We just always mortify people talkin’ like this. Anyway, we’re leaving in a couple of hours. I’m gonna say bye to Lana and see if Taima’s got some new items up for grabs.”

“Wait, won’t let you hound the entire fuckin’ generation again!” Jamal left just as swiftly, followed by Daniel who remained strangely silent all this while.

“They’ll behave,” Cain grinned. “But you’re gonna need to be their gatekeeper, Anth.”

“Gatekeeper?”

“Yeah, see,” Cain said. “They’re really not that good at taking things in stride, y’know? If a random guy hollers at Senna about her butt or something, she will chop his dick off. And it won’t matter who he is. A random beggar or son of some cunty divine from the above. Jamal and Daniel are a bit better, but don’t let that warm your heart. So, it’s gonna be up to you to either distract them through all those woes, or damage control the fallout.”

“...”

“Or, if that’s too much,” Cain said. “Take Em’ here as your pretend-slave or whatever that you saved from the woods or some other made up story and let her take care of it.”

“Yes, please,” Anth nodded swiftly.

“What about you?” Emma asked.

“I’ll take Ethan and explore other avenues,” Cain replied. “In the meantime, Quinn can hold the fort here. Others are still adjusting, anyway. We meet back here in six months? Or if I catch you quicker elsewhere.”

“Six months? Seems a bit long,” Emma said, stroking her chin. “That’s like 200 masturbatory sessions for you. The poor thing will fall off.”

“... fine, we’ll meet in a year, then.”

“Oi.”

“Secure us a foothold,” he said. “And learn more about this place from the kid. You’re better at listening to others yapper than me.”

“Everyone is better than you at that, C’,” she said. “’cause you don’t fuckin’ do it at all.”

“Hey, I at least pretend,” Cain said. “Others, worse than me, just shoo people off and stuff.”

“Yes, yes, you are the mother of all caring,” Emma rolled her eyes and stood up, pulling Anth with her. “Let’s go kiddo. We have to make so preparations for departing. See ya’, C’.”

“Love you.”

“Ditto.”

Anth let himself be dragged as his mind drifted; he ‘befriended’... strange people. Very, very, very strange people. And he worried--he worried that his choice of friendships was going to cost him. Then again, it wasn’t as though he could thread back any longer. Whatever the future bore... he would deal with it, as firmly as he could. Or he would forever be enslaved.