" Azazel, change of plans. First, I need to get there. Second, I need new weapons, lots of weapons. Third, I'll preempt your question already - yes, I'm crazy, and I'm fine with it, and no, I've never tried it. Theoretically, it is possible. Practically, if I don't burn myself alive, I will be fine. "
' Andddd… What do I have to do with it? '
Ramiel's words aroused Azazel's curiosity. It is rare for a hunter to admit that he is crazy openly.
This means only one thing. He wants to do something truly spectacular... something that breaks the rules of all logic.
The simple thought was enough to make the demon's heart beat faster. He liked Ramiel's attitude, although he had no clue what the man meant by the word madness.
The ring resting on the hunter's right hand vibrated, releasing five different weapons from within. One at a time was a gladius, once the backbone of every Roman legion.
Two short axes are often seen in movie productions telling the story of the Vikings.
A bullwhip ending in a sharpened hilt and a short glass dagger.
The five weapons circled around Ramiel as he floated freely in the air.
" He weakened them in some way so that I could use them. You know... do your hocus pocus hocus mary."
Azazel had never felt so humiliated. Calling his spells hocus pocus spells was derogatory to his dignity.
It overlooked the fact of Ramiel's absurd request.
' Did I understand correctly that you want me to interfere with the structural design of something you call a weapon to reduce its weight and get rid of scribbles that didn't even stand next to real runes? '
Ramiel nodded in confirmation. He felt his heart covered with painful thorns at the thought of sacrificing a weapon of the rank of Disaster... They were some of the weakest things left in his ring...
Unfortunately, life is a cruel creature that loves to kick the lying man. As they say - "Difficult times call for difficult solutions..."
" Can you do something like this? "
Despite the fact that I am the almighty and undisputed ruler of Hell, I have never played blacksmith. Although I don't like to admit it, even I have limits to what I can and cannot do. Don't blame me if your toys get broken in a fight. '
Ramiel wasn't the main character of the first better Internet novel, who succeeded in everything he planned. He was a realist who came to terms with the fact that sometimes things don't go as he planned in life.
' I will take your silence as an answer... and now you know the rules. '
Unintentionally, Ramiel's fists tightened. He had nothing to offer Azazel.
His soul? Long ago, he signed a pact with the devil for its meager remains. Literally, he had nothing left to give him.
" You don't want to become a good Samaritan by any chance? You see, I've been wronged enough by life. "
' HAHAHAHAHAHA. Kid, you're funny... ' Azazel's fingers bumped against each other, stimulating his gray cells to life. His piercing gaze fell one last time on Ramiel's soul, specifically the place where the heart should be beating. It was the only place that hadn't been touched.
It tempted Azazel, of course, but even he wasn't foolish enough to be annoyed by what had been quietly watching him all along. Still, that doesn't mean he can somehow use it to his advantage.
' There may be one thing you can do for me, or more precisely, not you, but your body. '
Ramiel read the lurking deception in Azazel's words. But was there anything he could do about it? No... if he wanted his help, he had to agree to the conditions placed on him
" Why not me? "
' Don't be interested. Either you accept my conditions, or you can forget about anything. '
Azazel was adamant. He couldn't let the hen that laid the golden eggs pass him by. Such an opportunity comes once in a lifetime.
" What do you think I should do? "
' Not you, but your body. When you meet me in my true form, you should do everything you can to free me. Otherwise, you will never use mana again. '
The demon's words remained a mystery to Ramiel. Perhaps he would meet him in the mythical land of the dead or something else. However, the man didn't need to understand them. It was enough to subtly make the space around his heart move.
Seeing this, a satisfied smile dawned on Azazel's face.
" Do I have any choice? "
The demon's answer came even faster than the question.
' No, you don't. This isn't a wish concert. You can always fight with your bare fists if you don't like it. '
Ramiel felt that this was a hopeless idea ... but once you live. Nothing bad should happen if he ignores his instincts a second time...
" Fine... and now, can Your Majesty be so gracious and enlighten me about how and where I should meet you? I don't know if you know genius, but I'm not likely to bode a long future. "
Azazel snorted under his breath at Ramiel's petty taunt.
' You don't have to worry about it. Consider it a high-risk investment. Now, do you want something else? If not, do something else for a while. It will take me a while to rearrange your toys. '
Ramiel looked at the raging snowstorm inside, where the Night Deuce was trapped. Never would he have predicted that the combination of Infirnyt crystals with the Frost Touch Lily and the Dark Spectrum element would have such a devastating effect.
Apparently, I underestimated the power of the crystals. - A brief thought appeared in the man's head.
" Azazel, one more thing, hide Avi inside your domain. "
' What for? '
A peculiar smile dawned on Ramiel's face. For a moment, a flash of genius mixed with a bit of excitement could be seen in his eyes. A certain doctor in a white coat, who had a mania for blaming the peckerwood for all the wrongs that had befallen him, would have been proud of Ramiel.
" Remember when I said I was going to do something crazy? "
' I already like it ... Tell her, keep her still. He will isolate a patch of space for her, where time will flow normally. She shouldn't get a shock that way. '
" Ramiel? " - The worried voice of the fairy resounded over the man's head. " What are you talking about? What domain? Where do you want to send me? What do you want to do again!?! "
Understanding the context of a conversation when hearing only one side borders on the miraculous. Avi was confused. She trusted Ramiel, but common sense screamed not to do so.
" Do you trust me? "
The answer was obvious.
" You really have to ask such things ... "
" Then you should know that I won't do anything to hurt you. "
"..."
Ramiel felt Avi's emotions agitated like the sea during a storm. He partly understood her. He would hesitate if someone told him to jump into the unknown.
" I have to get to Caera and Asme, and I must get there now... If it were me from a year ago, I would teleport us with my eyes closed... but now? I have to combine... "
With lightning speed, Avi found herself at the man's exposed collarbone. Ramiel only felt a specific burning sensation at which he smiled under his breath.
His hand went to the area of the fairy's head and stroked it gently.
Avi clung to Ramiel with all her strength. She didn't want to leave him at any cost, and she was afraid that if she did, she would never see him again.
She didn't know the details of the conversations between him and the alleged Azazel, but from what she inferred, it was't good.
This isn't how she imagined saying goodbye to Ramiel.
' YOU ARE A STUPID IMBECILE I HATE YOU! ' Tears gathered in Avi's glazed eyes. The fairy tried to hide it, but a subtle tremor betrayed her.
" Don't you have anything else to say to me? Type, you are great. It was great to meet you, and I'm glad I met you. While you were sleeping, I ate your candy. "
' I hate you! '
Ramiel smiled like a fool. For a moment, he felt sorry for Avi. He didn't want to leave her alone in the dungeon. He didn't know who the future Master of the Dungeon of Damnation would be or what his attitude towards the fairy would be. The thought that she might suffer at the hands of some brute filled his heart with anger and unbridled bloodlust.
" Avi, I'm glad you were with me all the time... even when I was unkind, conceited, abusive, arrogant, and laughed at the stupid things you did. I... I'm really glad you were my fairy... I wish I could have spent more time with you... we did a lot of great things, I would have shown part of my world... but... but I don't have it... "
Towards the end, Ramiel's voice broke slightly. He wasn't one of those people who cried a lot, but he took goodbyes badly. Especially when the thought of leaving people he cared about haunted him.
' Why-Why does it sound like-why does it sound like a goodbye? '
Ramiel bit his lower lip. The amethyst eyes he was so proud of betrayed his hesitation.
It is said that the bitter truth is better than the sweet lie... Only it is never told that it is twice as painful and more difficult to accept.
" Because this is goodbye, Avi... " Ramiel put more emphasis on the first word. Not hearing the answer, he continued.
" I want to do it now... while I still can. As soon as Azazel finishes, I won't have time to do it... "
' Kid, your soap opera is really engaging, but I would advise you to hurry. '
Ramiel sighed heavily, pulling Avi away.
" I'll see you in a few minutes... As soon as I get there, Azazel will let you out. "
Avi's glassy eyes gazed sadly into the man's face
" You could... you could smile... I don't want to remember you like that. "
Ramiel tried his best, but it didn't work out well. The ugly grimace on Avi's face spoke for itself.
" You are hopeless... "
With these words, Avi vanished from the man's eyes. A cold expression returned to his face.
' How do you want to get there, kid? Not that it's anything, but it's a bit far. '
Azazel didn't have to wait long for an answer.
BOOM!
Dark clouds were gathering over Ramiel. From time to time, bright lightning flashed through the impenetrable darkness. Their roar destroyed the ice statues of the Night Rippers.
' HAHAHAHAHA, you are crazy. '
Azazel couldn't believe what he saw. He knew Ramiel very well and more or less knew what was in his head.
If he succeeds... he should cross the boundary of understanding space... HA that old bastard will get jealous. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, kid.
" You're right. I doubt if anyone was as fucked up as me to try to move along with the lightning. "
Ramiel's carefree tone gave the demon a heart attack.
'This man doesn't know what he's doing.'
' Kid, do you understand what you are saying? Do you realize that millions of beings before you have died an idiotic death trying the same thing as you? Literally, you are trying to tame lightning. An element that stands on par with darkness in terms of destruction. To say more, you want to merge it with space. Do you even understand the laws of nature? '
" Who said it would be easy? Without risk, there is no fun. "
' O.o '
An unequivocal snort rang out in Ramiel's mind. ' It was nice to know you. '
" Don't frown. Just restore my mana when it runs out. Creating and maintaining lightning will not be easy. Now shut up. I don't want to end up in a million pieces or fried alive. "
Ramiel closed his eyes and concentrated on the flow of mana above his head. In short intervals, energy particles gathered under the lightning element's influence to create one of Mother Nature's most dangerous weapons.
This lasted literally a fraction of a second. In that time, he not only had to catch the deadly electrical charge but also hold it in place and bend it to his own.
This was very different from throwing a simple Spark. It could be compared to switching from a horse to driving a space shuttle.
However, this was the easiest stage that awaited Ramiel. The real challenge awaited him a little further down the road.
He didn't yet know how he would do it, but he had to become one with the lightning. It seems simple, but it is definitely not so. Not when you are dealing with an element aimed at pure destruction.
Then, he had to somehow get his act together and transform back into a human being.
The success rate was 50%. Either Ramiel succeeded or didn't. There was no point in getting wrapped up in unnecessary calculations.
" Once you live ... "
BOOM
A massive lightning bolt struck where Ramiel was standing. In a split second, his body fused with it.
Ramiel moved just below the cave's vault in the form of an electric charge. Not everything went as smoothly as he anticipated. All the while, he faced degradation while keeping the right direction and himself in one piece.
An electric charge passed through his presumed body millions of times in a single second. He literally felt as if he were on fire.
During the journey, he lost consciousness several times, going off course in the process. By far, it was the worst thing he had ever experienced. Ramiel wasn't entirely sure, but he preferred to return to an endless loop of deaths rather than travel like this.
Ramiel had no idea how or when, but he was perfectly above Asme. All he remembered was excruciating pain and a close bond with the element of space and lightning. Nothing else.
' You sick bastard, you did it ! '