Chapter 8: Loyalty
The bloodied body of the wolf collapsed, and Finn muttered, "48." Behind him, another wolf fled through the remains of countless slain wolves. Finn leapt high and brought the green sword down on the fleeing wolf, striking its head and leaving it lifeless.
"49," he continued counting. Behind him, a loud, deep howl echoed from the depths of the cave filled with corpses. From the darkness emerged a massive, fiery wolf, spewing a torrent of flames. Finn didn't flinch, walking into the fire unharmed. The wolf, stunned by this, was met with Finn's sword piercing between its eyebrows.
The wolf's eyes filled with blood before it fell lifeless. "This thermal insulation is truly amazing," Finn muttered, clenching his bloody fist.
[50 Monsters Defeated]
[Mission Reward: 100∆]
[+Reward for Defeating a Entry Phase Wolf: 20∆]
"What's with this 'Entry Phase' term?" Finn grumbled, pulling his sword out of the wolf's skull. This was the second time he'd heard the word but forgot to ask about it the first time.
[Entry Phase refers to the second Realm in the dimensional ladder of worlds.]
"So much confusing information, Sika," he mocked, as her explanation only complicated things for him.
[The dimensional ladder ranks the strength of all creatures as follows:
- Beginner Phase
- Entry Phase
- True Phase
- Spiritual Phase
- Earth Phase
Each Realm consists of ten stages before advancing to the next.]
"And which Realm am I on?"
[You are currently at Stage 3 of the Beginner Phase.]
"Only?!" he exclaimed, shocked by his low rank. "But I defeated two creatures you said were from the Entry Phase."
[Abilities and weapons do not count towards the ladder ranking.]
Finn realized that his magma power and powerful green sword allowed him to surpass Realms. This didn't bother him; it was actually exciting. The idea of defeating higher-ranked opponents thrilled him.
"Is this Finn's previous level?"
[No. Combat experience, understanding powers, and rigorous training impact the essence and spirit of a person before their physical body. Finn was at Stage 2 of the True Phase and capable of fighting late-stage True Phase monsters.]
"Wow, that strong." Finn couldn't deny it.
[Yes. Reaching such a level at his age made him a rare genius.]
"Was," Finn remarked with a sly grin. He exited the cave, standing in the middle of the fiery lands. As he approached the border between the scorched earth and the grasslands, he turned to see the distant, small silhouette of the Fire Kingdom's castle, home of the Flame Princess.
Although he wasn't Finn, he possessed all of Finn's memories and feelings. Unlike the show, the Flame Princess didn't leave Finn because of the letter incident. Instead, she requested the breakup for an entirely mysterious reason, telling him he would never see her again. Finn had been furious, upset, and heartbroken. Of course, Finn still wanted the Flame Princess—not just for himself, but also for revenge. But for now, he had a priority.
As he continued his journey, he spotted another castle in the distance, this one pink. Princess Bubblegum. She must fall at any cost. The two most important women he sought were Princess Bubblegum and the Flame Princess because they ruled the largest kingdoms in Ooo. Controlling them meant Ooo would become easy prey.
Returning home, he opened the door, climbed to the second floor, and into the living room. "Oh, finally!" Jake shouted, leaping onto his head.
"The Ice King kidnapped Princess Wildberry! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?" Jake groaned.
Finn grabbed Jake and tossed him down the stairs. "Handle it yourself."
"What?" Jake grumbled from the bottom of the stairs, climbing back up. "Are you serious? Our work calls us. Don't be lazy!"
Finn opened his mouth to respond, but Sika interrupted.
[Don't you think fighting some local enemies would help increase your strength?]
Seeing her point, Finn decided to join Jake. Jake enlarged himself with long legs, and Finn climbed onto his back.
"Classic brotherly missions, huh? Isn't this awesome, Finn?" Jake tried to spark a conversation. Finn remained silent, lying down. Jake felt a pang of sadness; he was the closest person to Finn and had immediately noticed the change in him.
After a while, they arrived at the Ice Kingdom. Entering through the triangular window, Jake shouted, "Ice King! Show yourself so I can kick your ass!"
The Ice King emerged from a room holding a giant, living Wildberry Princess. Finn stood observing the old man in a blue robe, with a massive white beard and a golden crown adorned with three red jewels. "What's his level, Sika?" Finn asked.
[Stage 9 of the Beginner Phase.]
Finn stared at the Ice King, an idea forming that brought a smile to his face. He leaped forward, grabbed the Ice King, and tossed the princess to Jake before escaping out the window with the Ice King.
"Hey! Where are you taking me?!" the old man protested stupidly, but Finn knocked him out. When the Ice King woke, he found himself shackled in a dark room without his crown. "Gunter?"
In the living room, Finn examined the crown. "Sika, can I use this to gain ice powers?"
[You can, but this crown is highly dangerous and affects the brain. Why do you think the Ice King is nearly insane?]
Scrapping the idea of gaining ice powers, Finn pondered. He recalled that the Ice King wasn't the only one to use the crown; another character might still reside within the Ice King or the crown itself.
Entering the dark room, the Ice King mumbled, "Is that you, my dear?"
Finn placed the crown on the Ice King's head and stared at him. "Sika, can you investigate the crown?"
[Yes, but I doubt it will be fruitful.]
"Just do it," Finn commanded, placing his hand on the crown. A faint green glow emanated from his palm and entered the crown. Finn waited for several minutes before Sika responded.
[There is indeed something unusual.]
"Is it..." Finn muttered.
[I know what you're thinking, and you're correct. It's another consciousness, but it's weak.]
"Can I talk to it?" Finn asked. After a long silence, Sika delayed further.
"At least say someth—" Finn was interrupted.
"Please... help me," a weak voice echoed in his mind. Finn processed the realization after a moment.
"You... Simon?" Finn asked.
"Yes... my consciousness is fading... Please, hurry," the voice was fragmented and frail, as if it were teetering on the edge of oblivion.
"Alright. But will you pledge yourself to me, obeying my every command?" Finn proposed, leaving Simon cornered.
"I'll do... anything," Simon rushed.
"Then say it," Finn demanded.
"I swear... my loyalty to you... my lord."
[Congratulations!]
[Pawns: +Simon]
"Sika, can you extract him?"
[You'll need to pay 150 LIB coins.]
"Do it," Finn instructed. A surge of green light erupted from his hand, engulfing the Ice King. The blackness in the Ice King's eyes vanished, and he screamed and writhed violently.
Moments later, the light faded. At Sika's request, Finn stepped back as a pale blue glow radiated from the Ice King's body.
The Ice King's form shifted entirely into a glowing blue mass, expanding and contracting in mid-air. Finally, the light coalesced into the shape of a middle-aged man in a black suit and glasses.
The man collapsed unconscious on the floor. Finn looked at him with slight disappointment. What he'd been expecting wasn't Simon but the Winter King from the Fiona and Cake universe.
In that parallel world, there wasn't just a Winter King but also an Ice Queen. It was known that Simon's consciousness resided within the crown, and in Fiona and Cake's series, the Winter King turned back into Simon. This meant the Winter King was simply a transformation of Simon, but one he could control, unlike the Ice King.
Initially stunned that the Ice King wasn't that strong, Finn recalled that the Winter King was far more powerful. It made sense that with the Ice King in this dimension, things were different. His theory seemed validated by luck, suggesting there was an Ice King and Queen in parallel dimensions, but only one Winter King—who should have been before him.
The man groaned weakly, adjusting his glasses as he struggled to his feet. His blurry vision caught the outline of the 13-year-old boy.
"You..." Simon muttered in confusion, searching for the great warrior he had pledged loyalty to. The one capable of deciphering and breaking the crown's code must have been extraordinary.
"Don't strain your four eyes. I freed you," Finn said with mild annoyance at Simon's reaction.
"What are you talking about?" Simon asked, his weak voice laced with disbelief.
"You pledged loyalty—not to a child but to your savior. That's me. So, don't think or ask," Finn snapped, turning his head away. "I should be the one asking questions. Tell me, did I just free a useless old man with no powers to offer?" Finn scowled.
Simon stood, regaining composure. "Technically, yes and no. I am indeed an old man, but I have my secrets," Simon replied with a faint smile.
"What's his level, Sika?" Finn wondered.
[Stage 6 of the True Phase.]
Finn stared in amazement. Simon's body began glowing faint blue. His suit turned white like his pale skin, a long blue cape touching the ground, and his hair turned completely white. The crown's jewels now adorned his shoulders. Compared to the Ice King, Simon was far more elegant.
"As I said, I am at your service, my lord," Simon declared, kneeling before Finn. This brought a faint smile to Finn's face.
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Have any of you read the novel Against the Gods?