Chapter 388: Overthrow The Gods (1/2)

The monk and the girl seemed surprised about the change in Arthur's demeanor, as it came abruptly like lightning. As for the bookkeeper, its cloak tried to wiggle free from Arthur's grasp.

”You will be hunted down like a dog if you dare do anything to me! I'm the one overseeing the archives of his Majesty. Do you know how important I am?”

”All I know that the Spirits Realm will be better off with one twisted bastard less,” his chains wrapped around the tree to hold down the bookkeeper, who seemed to have given up resisting.

”Threatening seems to be of little effect on those who are ignorant about their status,” the bookkeeper's attitude changed as if it took off a mask. ”How about we make this a trade? I tell you where your friend is, and you tell me your name.”

”I propose a better offer: your life in exchange for the answer,” Arthur refused to fall for his schemes. The bookkeeper shook his head with a sigh.

”Can you kill what's not there?”

As it said so, the cloak fell helplessly on Arthur's chains, and the bookkeeper's presence disappeared. Arthur frowned and brought his hands together, sending his chains everywhere to look for the spirit.

”Dammit,” Arthur spat as he realized the bookkeeper was gone. However, his bicycle and cloak were still here.

”It is over there!” Hana shouted and pointed toward the trees far ahead. Arthur turned to look but didn't see anything. ”Quick, it's going to escape!” The little girl shouted in a hurry.

”Send your chains, boy,” the monk nodded, and Arthur's chained launched like missiles. The bookkeeper gave a shrill scream as one of the chains struck it, sending it flying away.

The snow caved in as the bookkeeper's invisible body fell on it. Arthur controlled his chains to surround the area the spirit, which seemed annoyed as it grumbled.

”Annoying little brat, I'll cut off your ears!”

”That's no way to talk to a child, bookkeeper,” the monk shook his head as he walked beside Arthur. ”I always told you: for a storyteller, you have a foul mouth. Look at where it got you,” Lin Zhao shook his head.

”Hm?” A voice of recognition came from the direction of the bookkeeper. ”Ah, it's the wandering monk, Lin Zhao. What are you doing here, following after this anomaly?”

”I'm thinking of taking him as my disciple,”

”Disciple?” The bookkeeper stood up. ”Are you insane, monk? This creature is not something you should associate with.”

”Don't say bad things about Mister!” Hana shouted with anger that surprised Arthur. He thought his earlier deposition would scare away the monk and the girl, but they seemed to be taking his side.

”I have been labeled insane long ago,” the monk shook his head as he played around with his mustache. ”But this time, I believe myself to be quite sane.”

”Foolish,” the bookkeeper spat before turning silent. Despite being invisible, Arthur could tell that it was glaring at him now.

”What is it going to be, bookkeeper?” Arthur took a step forward, and his chain hovered around the spirit. ”Are you choosing death?”

”I am made of words, and words never die,” the bookkeeper said heroically.

”Fine, then perish.” Arthur waved his hand, and the chains destroyed the trees, but they didn't strike the bookkeeper. ”For a spirit which never dies, you sure run away a lot.” Arthur glared at the space above him.

”I've seen enough anomalies today, so I'm not going to risk my life for petty principles,” The bookkeeper landed a distance away. ”It's a simple deal. You get what you want, and I sate my curiosity. Tell me your name.”

”Why do you want to know his name?” Lin Zhao interjected as he held his chin. ”You said he was an anomaly. What do you mean by that?”

”Lin Zhao,” Arthur barked as he glared at the monk, who shrugged in response.

”I need to learn a lot about my disciple,” the man shrugged. ”Unless you already know what he's talking about, then you should be as eager to listen.”

”Don't ignore,” the bookkeeper seemed more offended by being ignored than being attacked. ”I will tell you,” it seems he couldn't keep it to himself. ”This man is an anomaly to this timeline. He shouldn't exist at this moment, but he does.”

”Is that why you want to know his name?” Lin Zhao seemed unperturbed by the revelation. ”Shouldn't you have a record of everyone in the Spirits Realm, including their lives?”

”I... should...” the bookkeeper's answer came in a whisper. ”However, it doesn't make sense how he came to this timeline. Suddenly, he was there.”

Arthur silently stared at the space where the spirit should be. It should be talking about his arrival to Alva after he had traveled into the past from Earth.

”I agree,” Arthur calmed down as he answered. ”I agree with the trade you proposed.”

”Hm? Why?” The bookkeeper seemed confused as if Arthur was following a different script.