19 Chapter 19: The fruit of victory (1/2)
”So how do I use this thing?”
I held the fruit up in my hand as I knelt in front of the disembodied head.
”Ah...that. Bring it to the temple and you'll understand.”
I raised my head and glanced at the temple, which was now exposed to the elements now that the protection of the forest had disappeared.
”I hope you're not asking me to eat it.”
”…”
Asura didn't reply. His metallic mask and green, glowing eyes gave off an eerie feeling, but there was no longer any hostility or killing intent. I wouldn't go so far as to say I trusted him, but I at least knew that he wasn't going to attempt anything.
I grimaced when Asura didn't reply. There was no way I would eat a fruit that served as a heart of a demon and been inside his body for goodness knows how long.
But there was another thing that concerned me. The Forbidden Fruit served as Asura's core, the source of his power. If I ate it…
”What will happen to you when I take away your core?”
”…”
As I waited for an answer, the knights bustled about me. The surviving soldiers surrounded me excitedly, staring at the defeated boss and my kneeling figure.
”He actually defeated the Blooming Buddha!”
”That kid…he's really strong, isn't he?”
”Shouldn't we recruit him to our order?”
”Yeah, he'll make a fine knight!”
I ignored them and focused my gaze on Asura's head, waiting patiently for a reply. When he didn't, I prodded him.
”Will you disappear?”
”Kid…are you pitying me?”
I closed my eyes and placed my staff down on the concrete floor, shaking my head.
”Not really. But I do feel that it's a waste to kill off a fellow follower of Lyia, especially when there's so much I can learn from you…Senpai.”
”Whatever you need to learn, you can learn from the temple. Now that you're the victor, all its resources will be made available to you.”
Asura seemed to hesitate a little, but then he continued.
”As for me…don't worry. As per the conditions of our battle, now that I have been defeated, I will die.”
The Blooming Buddha didn't seem very dismayed at his fate. Rather, he sounded very pleased and satisfied.
”It has been an honor to lose to someone smarter than me.”
”I'm not smarter than you.”
”You give yourself far too little credit.”
Asura's eyes shone a little, and for some reason I had the impression that he was smiling.
”You knew that you couldn't win me in direct combat…that you were far weaker than me in terms of physical and magical capability. So you devised a plan to corrupt me from within. Very impressive. I revise my opinion of you.”
The Blooming Buddha boomed with laughter.
”Rage? No. I admire such deviousness. That is the path of all who worship the goddess of knowledge. To rely on our intelligence instead of raw power. For me to have forgotten all that…I must thank you for reminding me…Kouhai.”
I bowed my head respectfully, then rose to my feet. While I did so, the knight commander stepped forward.
”Honorable sir…”
”I'm not any honorable sir,” I responded wearily. The knight commander shook his head.
”Nonetheless, you saved me and my men. I would like to express my thanks.”
”No problem.”
I allowed my curiosity to get the better of me and used Absolute Appraisal. The knight commander's information immediately materialized in front of my eyes.
Name: Dante Infernius
Species: Human
Job/Rank: Knight/Captain
Special Abilities: Swordsmanship, Charisma
”Captain Infernius…?”
The veteran knight raised an eyebrow, taken aback when I addressed him. It was clear that he was wondering why I knew his name.
”I am very sorry for using your men like this. I'll put them to rest immediately.”
”No…not at all.” Dante looked sorrowfully at the zombies. ”I'll admit that seeing my men like this does not sit well with me, but in the end you saved our lives.”
”Yeah! You killed the demon!”
”You were amazing, kid!”
”As long as you bury our dead, all is cool and forgiven.”
The knights added their support. I glanced at them, and then bowed.
”Right.”
I dismissed Thousand Astral Graves and was about to dispel the Reanimation spell that I casted on the zombies when the Blooming Buddha's voice boomed out again.
”Wait.”
The knights and I turned to him, surprised, but he continued, unfazed.
”There are new enemies approaching.”
”Huh? Enemies?”
I tensed up, and the knights drew their swords, only for the Blooming Buddha to chuckle.
”No, not for the humans. For you.”
”I'm a human, though?”
”Former human,” the Blooming Buddha's beheaded head corrected. ”You're an undead. Anyway, even if they're allies of those humans, they're not necessarily your allies.”
”What are you talking about?” one of the knights demanded, but his question was answered abruptly as a horde of horses stampeded into the clearing.
”Hey, get out of the way!”
The lance-bearing knights rode ferociously into the temple grounds, placing a gauntleted hand on one of the swordsman knights to shove him aside. At the arrival of the newcomers, the first group of knights spun around.
”Eh? You guys are…”
”Be careful.”
Before I could crane my neck to get a good look at the newcomers, the Blooming Buddha drew my attention back to him.
”Be careful, kid. There are many deadly enemies among the humans. Among them are their so-called heroes, the Chosen of the goddess, Evelyn. Even I cannot predict their future, but I can see that your fate is closely intertwined with theirs.”
I smiled ominously. ”I wouldn't have it any other way.”
The Blooming Buddha regarded me for a few more seconds, and then understood the meaning behind my words.
”I see…so you've chosen the path of vengeance. Is that the reason why you seek knowledge?”
”Uh, no. well, maybe.”
I thought for a while, and scratched my head.
”It's not the only reason. I don't need a reason to seek knowledge, do I? I like to learn. Knowledge is power. It'll help me have an advantage over those so-called heroes, but that's not all. Knowledge is beneficial in general.”
”That's a good answer.”
”Really?” I glanced at the fruit in my hand and scoffed. ”I'll probably end up upsetting a lot of people. But then again, that's the whole point…”
”Yes. Now enter the temple. The torch of knowledge has been passed to you. I hope you'll make better use of it than I ever did…”
The Blooming Buddha was about to say something else, but someone stomped on his head, cutting him off before he could finish.
”Hey!” I snapped, glaring at the intruder. Like the knights who had fought by my side earlier, he was dressed in silver armor, but his heraldry was different. Unlike the crimson heraldry with double lions and crossed swords, he sported a cool, blue heraldry with a snake coiled around a spear. Sneering, he pointed his spear at me.
”So…you're a necromancer, aren't you?”
I pushed my glasses up as I regarded him. Behind the solitary armored figure, dozens of spear or lance-bearing knights formed up behind him, putting on a show of intimidation.
But I didn't fall for it.
”Yes. So what if I am?”
”Be careful.”
Dante Infernius stepped forward, and I could tell that he was being cautious.
”They're the 5th Lancer Dragoon Company. One of the strongest knight orders in our kingdom of Legnica.”
”They're also known for being extremely ruthless,” one of the surviving red-heraldry knights added, his voice quivering.
I watched them warily, but the name sounded familiar. And then it struck me.
”5th Lancer Dragoon Company? The ones who were supposed to reinforce you earlier?”
”That's right,” Dante affirmed. I snorted.
”Some reinforcements they are. Showing up late to the party, long after we've defeated the demon.”
”Hey,” one of the knights whispered to me urgently. ”You don't want to mess with them. They're extremely dangerous.”
”As dangerous as the heroes?”
”No, but…”
”Then whatever,” I cut him off impatiently before turning back to the lead lancer knight. Narrowing my eyes, I scowled at him. ”Hey.”
The lancers stared at me, stupefied, but I didn't have the patience for them to wrap their heads around the simple fact that someone could be unintimidated by their aggressive appearances and arrogant attitude.
”Can you move your leg?” I asked, gesturing with my hand.
The lead lancer responded by grinding the Blooming Buddha's head further into the concrete, cracking the helmet.
”What's wrong? This is a demon, isn't he? I'm giving a demon the proper treatment that he deserves.”
Uh, what?
I held his ominous gaze evenly. Unlike Dante, his face was concealed behind his helm, but I could almost see his glowing eyes that were supposedly hidden behind his visor. There was no question that this guy was strong.
But I wasn't afraid.
”You got a problem?” the lancer sneered. I sighed and shook my head.
”Well, for starters, he is my senpai. And for another, I was talking to him. If you continue stepping on him like that, he won't be able to answer my questions.”
”Hey, brat, do you know who you're talking to?” the lead lancer snarled. I'm the second in command of the 5th Lancer Dragoon Company.”
He slammed his spear against the ground before infusing it with divine energy. The entire shaft of the silver spear glowed white.
”And your attitude is pissing me off.”
”Wait, Monka…”
Dante Infernius tried to step in, but the lancer dismissed him.
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”Ah, Captain Infernius. Commander of the 8th Knight Company from the Order of Blood. I see that you're still alive.”
”I ask of you, Monka, this kid means no harm. Please do not…”
The lancer named Monka didn't even wait for Dante to finish his sentence. He lifted his spear and aimed it at me. A white blast lanced out of the spearhead and arced toward me. I instinctively ducked, and the immense beam sailed over my head and shoulder. It slammed into a tree in the forest behind me before detonating.
”!”
My jaw dropped when I saw the enormous explosion wipe out an entire segment of the forest, erasing a dozen trees and leaving a colossal crater in the woods.