*Whoosh*
The cave's coughing up way more cold energy than usual. She must be fighting a hella tough opponent for her to unleash this much power.
*Bubble*
The stew's reduced again. I guess I should add more stock to prevent it from burning.
As I busy myself with observing the cave and managing the stew, the nearby leaves rustle.
"Good evening, Sir," Adresin greets as he exits the shrubbery.
"Hey, glad you could join us," I say as I motion for him to come into the camp. "Do you want some stew?"
"Oh, that would be wonderful," he replies and takes an empty bowl from the storage box.
"How's our police officer friends?" I ask as I pour him a generous portion.
"They've visited both camps," he replies and scoops a spoonful into his mouth. "They plan on returning to New York tomorrow via teleportation scrolls."
"That's good," I reply with a smile. "How's the stew?"
"Very good!" he says. "I don't know where you learned how to make this but I would like to know the recipe."
"I'll tell you when you can beat an Archdemon in a fistfight," I chuckle.
"Nevermind then," he chuckles in response.
[Back in time]
"Are you looking down on me, Richard?!" Nifa yells as she grips a wooden spoon tightly.
"Just let me cook this time!" I reply while also gripping the same spoon. "We both know that your cooking's as good as poison."
The two of us won't back down.
After we practically decimated the entire mountain with our last fight, we returned to the camp to have one final meal together. Unlike my past runs, I didn't die this time so I would like to eat something that wouldn't kill me.
"Alright fine," she relents. "Let's do that one game you taught me. That rocks, papers, scissors thing."
Hearing her challenge sparks my competitive side.
"Best out of three?" I say seriously.
"Best out of three," she replies smugly.
Rock
Paper
Scissors
"So today's meal is the better version of the stew that you made me the first time," I say victoriously as I don my leather apron.
Meanwhile, Nifa pouts and draws on the ground silently.
"Hey, it's not my fault you always play rock," I say, trying to comfort her.
"But rocks are the sturdiest!" she replies. "It doesn't make sense they would lose to flimsy paper..."
That made me smirk. To think that this person who sucks at rock, paper, scissors is the same one who killed me more than a hundred times without mercy. It seemed such a long time ago when we first met. Was she always this adorable? Wait what?! No, adorable's not a word that can be attached to this one.
"Hey, if you're spacing out, you're gonna cut yourself," she says with her face inches from mine.
Too close!
"Can you just... give me some space?" I say nervously.
"Oh? Look at this guy," she chuckles. "160 deaths and he thinks he's the shit. Might I remind you of how much of a trash you were when we first met?"
Ugh... Don't even remind me. I regret living like a walking corpse all that time. Caras, who basically was my only friend, always enjoyed life. During our fights, he would share that joy with me blow by blow. But after his death, I forgot to live life to the fullest and despaired. Maybe that's why he invoked the [Ogre Last Rites] and sent his sister to help me get back on my feet again. He somehow knew that I would eventually be a piece of shit who needs saving.
After finally getting my space, I manage to focus on improving the stew that Nifa made. She used Timber Wolf meat that she didn't treat properly which is why it was so damn rancid. Once I fix that by putting herbs, spices, and other things, I just add the vegetables and it's good to go.
"Hmmm... I must admit, it smells way better than mine," she says as she wafts the steam from the pot towards her. "Where did you learn how to cook?"
"I just do," I reply confidently.
[Cooking in progress]
[Chance of success: 90%]
No need to tell her that the system is actually helping me out.
"Alright, it's ready!" I announce excitedly and prepare portions for both of us.
The smell is amazing! Maybe I should take up cooking as a hobby. It would certainly help my sanity as I go through the waves.
Speaking of which...
[Time Until Next Wave 6:59 Hours]
I smile a bit as I remember the last time the timer went this far. That was my first death by Nifa's hands.
"Wow! This is amazing!" she says while her mouth is full.
Who would've thought that I'd eat with her like this.
"So, do you have anything else to teach me?" I say while cooling off my stew.
She shakes her head and says, "No. I've already fulfilled my duty as per my brother's final request."
Caras' final request...
"Hey, I'm actually curious. What did he tell you to do?" I ask her.
At that moment, she pauses briefly and sadness fills her eyes.
"I have a friend who's fate is worse than death," she says as if reciting something. "For us, death at the hands of a strong enemy is an honor. But for this one, death is just a cycle he has to go through over and over again. One day, I'll die by his hands since he's too strong for his own good. When that happens, his continuous deaths and endless fight would certainly rip his sanity apart. So I ask, please, help my friend when the time comes."
....
"That stupid brother of mine..." she scoffs. "Like a true ogre, he fought against an immortal opponent and died with honor."
"Caras... knew..." I manage to mutter as a lump of sadness grows in my throat.
"He would tell me about your battles whenever he survives them," she continues. "At first, I didn't believe them. But when the soldiers at the barracks whisper in terror about the magician in the planes, I began to want to meet you."
"You must've been so disappointed," I chuckle as tears begin to fall.
"Of course!" she exclaims. "I can't accept that my brother died to someone so pathetic."
She then approaches me and puts her hand on my shoulder.
"But my brother is an excellent judge of character," she says and smiles softly. "So I believed that with the right nudge, you'd return to being that guy who made many Archdemons shit their pants."
I snicker at the thought of those mighty-looking demons cowering in fear. In Caras' eyes, I was a man who he doesn't mind dying to huh... That in itself is a great honor.
"Thank you..." I say with a sniffle.
"Man, you crybaby!" she says and gives me a smack on the back. "Wipe your tears. Caras didn't die to a sniveling man."
She then shovels the rest of her stew and starts heading towards the forest.
"Where are you going?" I ask.
"What do you mean?" she asks back. "Training's over and you're human again so I'm going home."
"Whaaaat? Just like that? Booo" I reply with a thumbs down.
She gives me a wide smile: something that she's not in a habit of doing.
"Goodbye, Richard," she says softly. "I'll see you later."
Then, at the blink of an eye, she's gone.
"Did she... just Oogway herself?" I mutter in disbelief.
I then glance at my ankle and see the familiar [Sealing Chains]. All this time, this thing's been my companion and the bane of my existence. However, I'm no longer the guy who could get easily beaten by a chunk of processed steel.
*Snap*
Using only a bit of my strength, I snap the cuff in half. It felt liberating in so many ways!
[Lightning Storm]
*Crackle*
With one word, the skies obey me once again and the entire mountain is covered with a blanket of lightning.
Good! I'm ready for the wave.
.....
Or so I thought...
In the Planes of Endel, the demonic army is marching towards the city once again. Were the demons always this weak-looking? I guess this will be an easy wave.
"HUMAN!!" a tiny imp speaks through a megaphone. "THIS IS THE DAY YOU MEET YOUR DOOM!"
I itch my ear and reply, "Yeah, yeah, let's get this over with. You're disturbing the neighbors."
He chuckles.
"YOU THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT HUH?!" he talks back. "AFTER KILLING THOUSANDS OF US, YOU THINK YOU'RE THE BEST?"
".... You do know you just described the reason why it makes sense that I think I'm the best right?" I snicker in response.
"GRRRR!" he grits his teeth as he stomps his foot in frustration. "LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN TALK LIKE THAT ONCE WE UNLEASH OUR BEST FIGHTER!"
"Oh!? I'm excited!" I say mockingly.
"BEHOLD! THE ETERNAL FROST, THE OGRE PRINCESS HERSELF, PRINCESS NIFA!"
What....?
After the imp's announcement, Nifa appears from a cloth-covered pedestal that's carried by demon beasts. She's wearing her hanfu and brandishing the Chinese war sword she used to kill me multiple times. She's prepared for battle...
My head's spinning.
I can't hear anything....
I can't breathe.
No. No, no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.
"Human!" she calls out from across the plane. "I am here to avenge my brother, Caras! Prepare to forfeit your life."
"WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" I yell in despair.
*Whoosh*
True to her style, she doesn't let me get a word in before instantly closing the gap.
Time seems to move slowly.
She's so close to me, yet so far.
We were just having lunch together a few hours ago. This is too cruel...
I focus my eyes on her. Trying to find the answer to this situation. But instead, I see something unexpected.
She's... smiling?
"Please do give me a good fight like you did my brother," she whispers.
Those words snap me back to reality.
That's right... I'm human again.
I know what Caras would want.
I know what Nifa wants.
And this time, I know what I want.
I reply with the widest grin I could give her and yell, "LET'S FUCKING DANCE!"
[Back to the present]
As Adresin's enjoying his third bowl of the stew, the cave shimmers brightly. In the darkness of night, my eyes feel like they've been hit by the brightest industrial spotlight.
"What's happening?!" Adresin asks in alarm.
Grace peeks her head out from the tent and groggily looks at the cave. It seems that the light woke her up.
Then, as if to answer Adresin's question, a shadow appears in the midst of the light.
"She's here..." I mutter with a smile.