Chapter 75: A Shadow's Offer!

Chapter 75: A Shadow's Offer!

The camp was finally at peace, the cool night air drifting lazily through the quiet surroundings. After an exhausting day of revelations and tension, most of the warriors had found their way to sleep. Tessa, though restless in her thoughts, had finally allowed herself to drift into a much-needed slumber.

Ecdy, ever the night owl, had just begun to settle down, lying on his back and staring up at the stars. His eyelids were heavy, and sleep was pulling him under when a shift in the shadows caught his attention.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as a figure materialized from the darkness before him. It was Ikehara, the devil incarnate himself. His smile was twisted, his presence as ominous as the night.

Ecdy shot up, his pulse quickening. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He had faced many horrors, but Ikehara… Ikehara was something else entirely.

"What does this idiot want now?" Ecdy's thoughts raced as he tried to steady his breathing. His fingers twitched, half ready to summon his weapons, though he knew they'd be useless against someone like Ikehara.

The villain's voice was a low, mocking chuckle. "I hear you and your friends are looking for the Cloak of Restoration."

Ecdy's heart pounded in his chest, but his face remained impassive, though his body betrayed him with beads of sweat trickling down his temple.

Ikehara's eyes gleamed with amusement, noticing the reaction. "Don't worry, I'm not here to fight. I'm actually offering you something… useful." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I know where it is."

Ecdy narrowed his eyes, not buying it for a second. "Oh really? Sure you do," he replied, his tone laced with sarcasm. But even as he said it, he could feel the weight of Ikehara's words sinking in. What if this madman did know where the cloak was?

Ikehara grinned wider, seeing the flicker of doubt in Ecdy's eyes. "You don't believe me." It wasn't a question; it was a statement. His tone was almost playful, like a cat toying with a mouse.

"Of course I do, with all my heart," Ecdy said, his words dripping with false sincerity. He forced a smile, though his eyes betrayed the lie.

Ikehara's laughter echoed through the dark. "Oh, Ecdy, you're as amusing as ever." He straightened up, his face becoming serious. "But here's the deal. I know where the cloak is, and I can help you find it. Tell Tessa that we can work together. We both use the cloak for our own purposes."

Ecdy tensed at the offer. Work together with Ikehara? Not in a million years. But Ikehara's gaze was steady, his smile gone, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. "Make sure to deliver my message," he said, his voice dropping to a menacing growl before disappearing into the shadows as swiftly as he had come.

Ecdy stood frozen for a moment, his heart still racing. "This guy just pops up like a mole in a damn molehill," he muttered to himself. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind spinning. Ikehara's sudden appearance and his words left a bitter taste in Ecdy's mouth. He didn't believe a word of it, but the fact that Ikehara knew about their quest for the cloak was troubling.

Tired, annoyed, and frankly spooked, Ecdy finally forced his legs to move. He trudged lazily across the camp, heading towards Tessa's hut. His footsteps were heavy, his eyelids even heavier. He needed to tell her, but as he approached, he realized Tessa hadn't fallen asleep at all.

She was still awake, eyes closed but clearly restless, her mind far from the world of dreams.

Ecdy hesitated, his hand hovering over the door. "Nah, this can wait till tomorrow," he mumbled under his breath. Telling Tessa about Ikehara's offer would only stir more trouble, and they all needed rest. Let the idiot disappear for now.

He turned away and headed back to his spot, collapsing onto the ground with a sigh. His mind was still buzzing, but he pushed it all away, knowing tomorrow would bring even more challenges. For now, he needed sleep. Even if the devil himself had just visited, sleep was more important.

Tossing and turning, Ecdy closed his eyes, leaving the madness for the ensuing day.

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By 10 a.m. the next day, the camp slowly stirred to life. Everyone had finally gotten a minimum of six hours of sleep, their exhaustion momentarily pushed back. One by one, the warriors awoke, stretching sore muscles and gathering in the center of the encampment.

Surprisingly, Ecdy, who was typically the first to rise and bring Tessa her signature Blood Moon Flower tea, had overslept. When he groggily opened his eyes and checked the time, he nearly shot up in panic. It was already a quarter past 11.

"Great," he muttered, scrambling to his feet. "One day of rest and I'm a sloth."

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Ecdy stepped outside, only to notice a crowd had gathered near the center. From his vantage point, he could see Tessa standing at the front, her expression like a thundercloud—fierce, intense, and barely contained.

Ecdy frowned, curiosity piqued. "What now?" He quickened his pace, heading toward the group, but as the figure at the center of attention came into view, his heart sank.

The tall, ominous frame of Ikehara loomed over the gathering like a nightmare given form. His twisted smile and dark, glittering eyes were unmistakable.

"This insane bastard," Ecdy muttered under his breath, his temper flaring. "He came again?"

Ikehara's unmistakable, taunting laughter broke through the air, cutting through the tension like a serrated blade. He turned his attention towards Ecdy, a smirk twisting his lips.

"Ah, Ecdy," he purred, his tone mocking. "You didn't deliver my message, and now everyone thinks I'm intruding."

Ecdy glared, his fists clenching at his sides. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, his patience hanging by a thread. "What the hell is he talking about?" he wondered, his mind racing.

"Didn't we have a heart-to-heart discussion earlier this morning?" Ikehara's voice was as smug as ever, his tone dripping with false camaraderie.

Ecdy was fuming now. His eyes flashed with barely suppressed rage as he remembered Ikehara's cryptic message from the night before. He hadn't told anyone, hoping to avoid further chaos, but now the man had the audacity to taunt him in front of everyone.

"This insane bastard keeps appearing in our land like he owns it!" Ecdy spat, his voice louder now as he turned toward Tessa. "Can't we just kill him once and for all?"

Tessa, her eyes never leaving Ikehara, gave a tight nod. Her posture was tense, her hands balled into fists as she prepared to act.

But before anyone could make a move, Ikehara clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Ecdy, Ecdy, I thought we'd become closer. You wound me with your hostility."

His words hung in the air like poison, but he didn't linger on Ecdy's seething expression for long. Instead, Ikehara shifted his focus back to Tessa, his eyes gleaming with cunning.

"I know you're after the Cloak of Restoration," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "And I can save you a lot of precious time. I know exactly where it is. Or," he paused, a cruel smile curling his lips, "you can take another 50 years wandering aimlessly, searching for it in vain."

The crowd murmured, uneasy with the audacity of Ikehara's proposal. Tessa remained unmoved, her anger simmering just below the surface. Her muscles tensed as though ready to strike at any moment, her eyes locked on Ikehara with a predator's focus.

But before she could lash out, the moon goddess's calming voice echoed softly in the recess of her mind. "Tessa, listen… he has a point. Finding the cloak on your own could take an eternity, especially with the way Akanon, the trickster god, operates."

"But if Ikehara could lead the way… it would save time. A lot of time," the goddess continued, her voice soothing but firm. "Though you and Adrian may not age like humans in this solar system, the Rhemonic people would be long gone by the time you found it. The cloak's purpose would be defeated. Maybe you should risk hearing his offer… just this once."

Tessa exhaled sharply, her breath ragged as she fought to control the swirling emotions within her. She wanted to attack, to strike down this tormentor once and for all. But the logic of the moon goddess was hard to ignore. Time was a luxury they couldn't afford to waste, not when the Rhemonic people's fate hung in the balance.

She clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing as she locked gazes with Ikehara. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she spoke, her voice low and cold.

"What do you want in return?" Her words were sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Ikehara's smile broadened, a glint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes. He had won a small victory.

"Good," he murmured, almost to himself. "Now we're getting somewhere."

He stepped forward, his posture relaxed as if they were old friends discussing casual matters. "Let's go somewhere more private to discuss business, shall we?" His voice was like silk, smooth but filled with hidden barbs.

Tessa's fists clenched again, but this time, she held her ground, nodding curtly. There was no turning back now. She needed that cloak—no matter what the cost.