Chapter 7, Undertaker
"Another shelter is being devoured by them... isn't it crazy? How can they do something like that! Isn't it only make our life worse!"
"Yes, there's already too many Earthling increasing the population, Natives survivability can be improved if we use the Shelter as a way to control the mass of Earthling! I doubt the Earthling can do something even we, Natives can't think off!"
"Indeed! The option of destroying the Shelter and take its core to his hand is something never passed in our head… but, demolishing a Shelter to test what kind of advantage it can give, isn't something I can try… Emperor of Destruction, you might want to try it?"
"You jest… even I only had a Grade 4 Shelter, instead of me, shouldn't it be you, the Emperor of wealth that should try to do it? You can spare a shelter or two with your wealth, after all."
"Surely you jest…" The man called snorted, and mockingly answer.
The Island Lucas resides in have a name, it's called 'Scrap Island.'. Within the seas surrounding Anvil, there's four Continent surrounding a central continent which being divided by islands. A continent created by archipelago, so many they can't count off.
Those Island, which is surrounded by four vast continents is branded by what's inside them, and the Scrap Island is one of the many Island in the archipelago, which had nothing the four continents wanted for.
There's no resource needed in the Island, and the resource in those Island is counted as scrap for them, the person in the main continent.
Those of the four continents called themselves the main continent, and the one resides in the archipelago as extras.
Even though the central continent is obviously vaster than each of the four continents, the vastness isn't something possible to explore.
Even now, the four continents had trouble exploring their own continent, not to mention a dismembered continent like ones in the central continent, where each Island is big enough for them to spend their life on.
Not to mention the treacherous sea in Anvil, that needed at least Grade 7 or higher ship to travel with, even with that the nearest Island they can reach from the Main continent take half a year to sail.
The journey takes too much time, there's an impossibility to explore a vast place like these without 9th Grade Job, and ability.
Even an 8th Grade Emperor can't nonchalantly explore the island without extra preparation. Not to mention the explorer.
In this Scrap Island, there's no more than 10 Emperor… After adding the newly emerged Lucas, even.
Even after 90 years, a 9th-grade saint powerhouse isn't more than 2-digit number in the tripartite war between 3 worlds.
However, that Tripartite war, is actually a war between Island, not something can be counted as a world-class war.
This world is vast.
Far vaster than a universe.
Scrap Island only had a Grade 5 shelter, and that Grade 5 shelter is the only one they know of the existence. However, each and every one of them, that sat on the table, know that there's more…
Some of them hide one, even.
Lest did they know, what's secret to them is an open book for Lucas.
"Has Dark shade found more intel on the 4 factions?"
"East, West, and North faction had a hidden Grade 5 Shelter like you said, my liege…"
"Okay, what about the south Faction."
"They… they don't have anything, but it seems, your prediction that they're the spy the Main continent hid is true… my liege…"
"Humph, they really are huh… there's no way I can deal with them, establishing a faction is a mere pipe dream for me… I can't handle those from the main continent… hell, I'm only early-stage Emperor, while those factions have hundreds of late-stage ones… leaving aside which one it is, take your investigation off the South faction, and go make a deal with them…"
"But… my liege…"
"I know, dealing with them will make us in the short end off deals. However, we need to bow down for now… you know how fearsome a bunch of 9th Grade saint is, right? Not to mention how big the main continent is, even a small clan there have a half-step Saint within them, not to mention the alliance of the main continent…"
"But, we'd be scrutinized by them… moreover, they'd easily kill us if we disobey them once they know of our existence…"
"Indeed, I seem to be hasty in my decision… What do you think should I do here, Alphonse?"
Alphonse which sat beside Lucas answer.
"Just continue with the status quo, don't hinder any plan South faction want to do… keep track on whatever they do, and just try your best undercover…"
Nodding at Alphonse words, Dark shade's ninja gone off from their sight.
"As expected of my disciple… my mind gets rustier by the day, I trained too much…" Lucas said while messaging his forehead.
"Don't be, master… you're already stabilizing you Grade after this year, I'm already 15 today… and it's been 8 years since you've accepted me as your disciple… but, I'm still in the 5th grade…"
"Indeed, unlike me, that stay the same, you've already grown up, huh…"
"Yes, master… it seems that Saints like me won't stop my growth… I wonder why? If it continues, then I'll be older than you, Master…" Alphonse said dejectedly.
"Hahaha!" Laughing at the remarks, Lucas went up from his seat.
"I'm sick and tired of sitting here and hearing the report… let's spar, my disciple!"
Alphonse became pale, he suddenly vanished from his seat and stealthily leave through the window, and get caught by Lucas by the scruff of his neck.
"Please, teacher! You dare to call that sparring! I don't want to get beaten up again!" Alphonse said, wriggling his body to leave Lucas' grasp.
"Hmm, see, no matter how old you are, I'm still your master after all!" Lucas said while dragging a thrashing Alphonse to the sparring field.
…
"Leader, you've back!"
"Order from the boss, we'd kept our status quo but lessen our observation density on South faction. We need to, just, keep their doing in track…"
"I'll deliver the mission…"
"Report"
"Yes, Our Dark Shade Organization already reach the 10.000 Earthling mark, with this we've already surpassed our target, and ready to start a blanketed search for a missing shelter in Boss' prediction…"
"Go and do that, but keep in my our furtiveness, stay alert, and keep in mind we're a secret organization…"
"As your order, sir."
"How about the Shelter progress?"
"Out of the 350 Grade 1 shelter, 300 Grade 2 Shelter, 400 Grade 3 Shelter and 50 Grade 4 Shelter, we've acquires 300 of 1, 150 of 2, 100 of 3, and 10 of 4… as expected, the 5 Grade 5 Shelter being strictly guarded, without Boss' personally deployed in our mission, it'd be impossible for us to take any one of the Grade 5 shelters…"
"sigh… who would've thought, in a mere 4 year, we can grab more than 50 percent of the Shelter in this Scrap Island…"
"We've progressing smoothly, sir…"
"However, all we've got are only those unknown and hidden Shelter. Be more careful in our 'Liberation.' The natives in this world aren't as soft as the aboriginals in Earth."
"But, these Natives really bad in their government… to actually have half of those shelter unknown to them, and only taking note of those at the Grade 4 or higher…"
"Well, we still don't know much of this world, after all, furthermore, even our boss already realized those from the main continent by the time we've still busy in our survival… sigh… how about the corpse we've found?"
"We've already recorded more than a million name in our list, and is still increasing…"
"Sigh… what a tragedy…"
"I don't know which sick god summoning us to the main continent breeding ground, however, if there's a chance, I'd blast them to smithereens…"
"I can't agree more… however, I deeply respect Boss' farsightedness... to actually know that, there's a spy hidden within Factions…"
"I thought that they're sick of dividing and named their faction to a direction, but, they're copying the 4 main continents huh… with the south faction, hiding using South name, while in fact a faction, which possibly not from the South continent…"
"Leaving those aside, what about the double-spy team doing?"
"They've succeeded in making Boss as a sole perpetrator, and those from the Faction leader conference gave Our boss a nickname, while still unknown of our existence…"
"What's he called?"
"Undertaker"
Chapter 8
8 years is more than enough time, for Lucas to establishing his foundation on Anvil. Furthermore, all this time, he doesn't only train with Alphonse.
Most of his time spent on hunting the zombies and ghoul to leveling up his Imbued weapon along with Alphonse.
As the time spent, he purposely gave 'salvation' to the Earthling in despair, and gave them a slight hope and gather them, to create an organization called Dark shades.
With his experience as a Ruler, in his previous life. He can easily take control of creating a community, not to mention a small information gathering group.
It's developed rapidly as he hunts more to level up his Imbued weapon, and Dark shade became a big organization that gives 'salvation' to the Earthling while still hiding in the shadow.
As time passed, the dark shade lurking in the shadow of Lucas' rampage.
Along with the focusing 4 faction, Dark shades can easily sabotage the whole island by themselves and rescuing the Earthling under the 4 factions' captive.
As days passed, the news of Dark shade grown so big they unable to hide it anymore. And the world still paid no attention to the much smaller threat than Lucas.
Out of the 4 factions, 3 already fall under the palm of Lucas. Along with the already Teens and unable to grow up anymore Alphonse, Lucas sat on the Throne called, Ruler of the Island. Leaving the northern Faction carefully eyed.
Fearing the Saints from the 4 continents Lucas carefully played with the North faction, and give them payment every year in order to let himself developed steadily, and carefully hid the fact that the other 3 faction already became Dark shade.
As the Earthling counts that either within Dark shade ranks or fallen increases, the world steadily passing 20 year…
And the last batch of Earthling summoned to the scrap island in anvil ended.
The situation becoming more turbulent, and the world start to rot from the inside.
Training in the courtyard, Lucas steadily increasing his cultivation. Within the threshold of Emperor, he can't step on the last foothold reaching the Saint of Spear, a half step.
A half step saint, Semi-Saint of Spear is what he is.
Unknown to the Northern faction that lives in delight knowing they are given tribute and pompously telling the other they are someone from the main continent, they lavishly rotten from the inside as they feel they're at the peak of the scrap Island's force.
Without knowing that the other faction already devoured by Lucas.
It's already 40th year, and Dark shade have multiple half-step Saint, along with dozens of Emperor.
Even without Lucas being there, they can hold themselves and rule the scrap island as the supreme ruler of the island, even annexing the islands beside them.
Sadly, the envoy from the main continent already come and realizing the threat hid within the scrap Island.
Without being able to do anything else, Lucas can only choose to shut the Envoy, the saint…
Killing the saint on that day leaving Dark shade injured.
Heavily.
Without any other way, out of multiple Semi-saint and dozens of Emperors, there's only a Semi-saint left and 5 Emperors.
Lucas is the only Semi-saint left, and along with Alphonse there're only several other emperors left.
Mad as he was, they realized the chasm between a semi-saint a real saint.
Between the South Continent and the Scrap island, there's 4 year distance, counting the news that would never arrived to the Southern continent, since the Nothern Factions already disassembled by the Dark shade.
After 4 year, the Southern Continent would realize their envoy already dead in the scrap Island, and warn them to send reinforcement.
8 years, within that long time…
Lucas need to reach sainthood, and even go beyond it…
Southern Island had 45 Saints, even within the sainthood, it's differentiated between 7 type. Initial-Early-Intermediate-High-Peak-those above- and Complete Saint.
An Initial Saint already able to put Dark shade to the brink of destruction, while within Southern Continent Island there's 20 Complete saint and the other lower ranked saint.
Each sainthood is a valley, to reach Complete sainthood there's uncountable time and effort needed.
Knowing the data, Southern continent will at least sent a Complete Saint, or in the worst case scenario, all the saint will come at once and decimating the Scrap island.
A saint isn't a piece of pebble they can found everywhere, even the big Southern continent had only 45 saint…
It already showing how hard one needed to make an effort for in order to reach that realm.
With 8 year they had, only 3 year can be used.
5 year is needed to restore the injured Dark shade, and Lucas. Even injured Alphonse still doing the thing he needed to do, and unexpectedly restore Dark shade within 3 year.
With another 2 years, Dark shade already higher than their peak before the Envoy came, and the scrap Islands make alliance to prevent the oncoming southern Continent assault.
With a delay of 1 year, the Southern continent come and rampaging the Scrap Islands, leaving the surrounding 100 thousand km within the alliance devoid of any living thing, coloring the sea with blood.
Fearing the advent of 15 Complete saint, those inside the scrap Island fallen into despair, and writhing in fear.
Even though they also had saint, including Lucas and Alphonse there's 30 Saint within their rank. Sadly, the highest is Lucas with High rank sainthood.
Astonished as they do, when Lucas already at the High rank, he can already feel the gorge separating him from the one above rank Saint, not to mention a complete saint.
As expected in the battle, the alliance can do nothing.
Seeing the saints slaughtered like cattle in the slaughterhouse, Lucas that already lost his imbued weapon and an arm cried with tear of blood.
Smiling sadly, he flies to the sky and stared at the complete saints.
"Farewell… my disciple"
Is what he said, when he explodes himself, creating barrier protecting the scrap islands from those complete saints.
Those explosions are imbued with ancient power, using his life and cultivation Lucas create an impregnable cage to not let any complete saint to enter the Island, protecting his disciple and those in the island from the Complete saints' rampage.
Succeed, a complete saint dead and others run away from the boundary of the shield. Within the barrier Alphonse could only see his master's body wrenched dry, not even a blood or ashes left of his body.
"Master…" Is what Alphonse can only said while staring dagger towards the Saints investigating the barrier surrounding the 100 thousand km of the scrap island.
…
While Edwin might seem to be dead, he's in fact still alive as the barrier. The shield that protecting the surrounding 100 thousand km of the scrap islands.
Lucas Edwin Dragon unable to move, leaving Luniere in the Saber alone, aside from the unconscious Lucas within the room of beginning.
As the slave in Zhield, he'd more than enough time to actually having many identities in between. As he's a criminal slave that noteworthily having more freedom out of his great performance.
Alas.
He's still a slave, after all. So, the discrimination is severe.
While Edwin still alive as a barrier, Luniere that already become a saint in Saber already had his name resounding throughout Saber.
The youngest Dual Saint.
Saint of Magic Spearman.
Having the name as a Those above saint, he's someone respected, however the difficulty in reaching a complete saint is harder than the grade is.
By the time Edwin already became a barrier, Saber situation increasingly heating.
The kingdom and empire put their blade under each other's throat and annexing smaller country. They want to reach a higher Level.
Although there's more than 70 Saint in saber, with 30 of them already complete one. Not one of them able to defeat Luniere one vs one, a Dual Those above saint, can easily battle against a Complete saint.
They can only have a draw at most, though.
Even if a Dual type Level is something rare, it can't break the rule. At most, it can arrange the rule to favor them.
As strong as Luniere is, he's able to reach the sainthood with the Support from the academy, under the wing of Wizard Emperor, he can study to further his knowledge and experience in ease. Different from Edwin that need to gather his own resource, and count on himself.
Luniere able to teach his student in relaxingly with the Wizard Saint name.
Wizard emperor became the first saint in Saber, after his attainment in Sainthood, the academy got increasingly more powerful.
As the first, he actually triggered his academy to create another saint, alas, the third and so forth goes to another Empire's Emperor. Thus, as the last but strongest (perceived to be) Lucas Luniere is feared by the other Saints.
Of course, the source of their fear wasn't him but the warmongering Vice-principal of the Academy. The second saint reaching sainthood, as well as the 5th strongest in Saber.
Knowing full well that Wizard Saint leave everything else to the guy, other saint sharpen their blade.
Once knowing that Wizard Saint leave the academy to wander to another planet, seeking even higher Grade than saintdom. They unleash the blade and attack the Academy all at once, killing most of the student except Lucas' Special grade student.
Excruciating pain felt in his heart, Lucas that only a Those above grade Saint unable to counter, not even defend or evading the combination attack of all the saint attacking the academy. While the vice principal already running away not long after the assault.
Pained with his student death, Luniere choose the same option as Edwin.
Creating a barrier to help the surviving students.
Both of them didn't die, as years passed.
They stay alive as the barrier.
Lucas in the room of beginning awaken, given the same option in the room of beginning once again. His brain from the future, Luniere, and his brawn from the future, Edwin, forsake him. Thus, making him a blank plate.
He chooses the same option as his first, and once again transported to Zhield.
Of course, there's difference between his first and second try.
While in his first try, he's alone.
In this second try, he's along with his 2 companion he met in the prison.
Living their life in the prison as the Death Slave, and saved by the New Earth Kingdom. Only to be destructed by the native and ran while losing one of his companions, holding one of his companion's offspring with a companion of his.
Running away is hard, they've failed and almost being caught again while blending inside other survivors.
In order to let his companion and the dead companion's offspring, he chooses to sacrifice himself, as the saint's tutor he's worth a lot more than bunch of survivors.
Once apprehended he's branded with even more higher-grade enslavement mark, leaving his sanity dwindling.
As he's a Grade 8 Emperor, it worked less than those lower, but…
Bit by bit, his soul was branded and leave him insane…
As he survives the war with the other Difficulty world, the 3 world's time converged and Saints head into the battlefield.
It's sad that, his end is the same as before…
*****
"Am I just die?" The young man frightenedly touches his head.
Kneeling on the floor, he shouted "JUST TELL ME I'M DIE!! Shit!! I don't want to feel all those experiences again! Damn it!"
The end