Heavenly 'Procrastinator' Cooking

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm quite the same person you once knew…" Rokas shrugged. "Anyway, since I'm a loan, I don't count as an active vassal, so no one has to go to make space for me."

"I thought I'd have to make at least two spaces just for you," I replied.

"It's funny that you're calling me fat when your body-to-fat ratio is higher than mine."

"Shut up, nerd."

"You're the nerd who studied all the time." He chuckled. "Just because you were good at football, that doesn't erase the fact-"

"And this is why you had no friends."

"I'd rather have no friends at all than be surrounded by pretenders and ass-kissers."

"Uh-huh." I nodded. "Now explain to me how you ended up here."

"Because I have the full inheritance of the Dragon God, of course." He replied casually. "I sort of ate him. Your System spun a wheel of individuals-"

"Sort of?" I raised an eyebrow. "How do you eat a divine spirit?"

"I have a special ability to consume."

"That's… jokes. You really are a fat shit."

"It is pretty ironic, I'll admit." Rokas nodded.

"So, you were moved here like me? In your own little timeline?"

"Something like that."

"Have you won any Blue Wind Ranking Tournaments?"

"I haven't directly won any tournaments, actually. " He shook his head.

"... Still a loser, huh."

"Totally." He replied sarcastically. "The peerless sword prodigy Ling Yun would've put me in a body bag."

"No doubt."

"You guys are definitely best friends." Beatrice chuckled.

"Best friends?" I scoffed. "Only reason I knew him was because his ass was in the same tutor group in school as me. Well, we also went to the same schools for ten years…"

"So, what's the strategy here?" Rokas looked around.

"My System called you, and I quote, 'The Strongest'-"

"The strongest?" He raised an eyebrow. "Holy glaze. I think that was a bug or something. Systems can have errors just like any program, too."

"Let's see if you're a fraud or not." I glanced to my side. "Wuxin, slap him up."

"Sending your strongest to fight me straight away? That's a bit sudden-"

BANG.

She punched him in the face, and he flew back several hundred meters.

I was slightly disappointed… but I knew this prick better than that. He was having a laugh.

Sure enough, he teleported back with an even cleaner face than before.

"All air." He chuckled. "It's weird seeing you, considering poor old Yun Che got swallowed whole by a particular dragon in my universe."

"You ate him too?" I questioned.

"Correct." He nodded.

"What didn't you eat? Jesus Christ…"

"I mean, he had the Heretic God's-"

Yun Wuxin's eyes flashed crimson, and she channelled her Phoenix flames. A Phoenix silhouette appeared in the skies that was several hundred meters large. It soared down, straight for Rokas.

"Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing!!!"

"Now you're taking this more seriously."

Rokas didn't look all that amused, though. He simply stood still, and a crack in space opened up, swallowing the Phoenix whole. Not a single scratch on him.

"Your bloodline is a bit shallow," Rokas remarked, tilting his head.

Wooosh woosh woosh.

Yun Wuxin dashed forward with the Star God's Broken Shadow and started punching him… or tried to, at the very least.

Rokas moved his body in a lazy way yet managed to dodge each one.

"Where's your heavy sword? You're not quite living up to your father's legacy."

He flashed back, creating ten afterimages. It was a technique that I was familiar with… but the difference between his version and mine was astronomical.

"Ten afterimages with the… Star God's Broken Shadow?" Jasmine watched with a dumbfounded expression. "The eighth stage is the highest…"

"Why don't you stop running?" Yun Wuxin frowned.

"I'm a runner, I'm a track star." All eleven versions of him chuckled, flying all around her.

She didn't know which one to hit and, realising this, decided to hit them all at once.

"Star Scorching Demon Lotus!!!"

A colossal flower made of Phoenix flames bloomed at the centre of their fight.

"You don't even have the fire seed quite yet… this technique would actually hurt you more than me," Rokas stated, stretching out his palm.

The flower seemed to be dragged into his palm and condensed considerably with each passing moment until it fit perfectly. He flicked its beautiful petals, looking back at Yun Wuxin. He really turned her technique, which probably would've torched everything below the Tyrant Profound Realm in its vicinity, into a nice flower.

"At least it's pretty."

Before Yun Wuxin could even move, the flower became a highly refined ray of light in his left hand while he dragged out the same Phoenix silhouette she had created earlier… condensing that one, too. He joined them together and…

Shew.

Shew.

Shew.

In the blink of an eye, a single ray of light pierced every vassal in the chest.

They all dropped to the ground simultaneously. Even Yoggy was silent.

I hardly even knew what the hell happened.

"... You're strong, alright."

I couldn't deny it.

Though, really, it felt strange… Rokas was always clearly beneath me at everything (except eating and running to the cafeteria). Sure, I could acknowledge he had some talent, but he wasted it by being a lazy cunt. He lacked confidence, had no friends, always underperformed, wasted his time on pointless things… he looked up to me.

And now… I was vastly inferior to him.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Don't sweat it too much, James." He looked away, his tied brown hair swaying with the wind. "I have a couple centuries worth of experience over you. And, well, I'm not proud enough to object to a god's bloodline. That was pretty crazy-"

"Hmph." I chuckled, shaking my head. "It's alright. I just have another goal to strive for now."

"Oh?" He tilted his head, grinning slightly. "You think you can beat me?"

"Damn right."

"You always had a screw loose in that head of yours." He remarked, smiling slightly. "You'd sooner conquer this universe than be able to scratch me."

"I'm a patient person."

"I take it you learned the Star God's Broken Shadow from me, didn't you?" Jasmine questioned.

"Mhm."

"Did you rizz up?" I asked.

"Who?"

I glanced at Jasmine. "I'm guessing you had her as your baggage for a while, too, since you killed that Yun Che guy as well."

"Baggage?" Jasmine questioned, raising an eyebrow. "If anything, your stupidity is baggage for me."

"Stupidity? I'm carrying you like crazy while you snooze in your bed 24/7 like a baby. Name me one thing you have struggled with since I became the host of the Sky Poison Pearl… tapping some foreheads?"

"Hmph, sharing forbidden arts with so many people outside of my realm is not so much of a simple thing."

"Well, you guys can keep arguing… I'm just going to get settled somewhere at the edge." Rokas said.

"One moment-"

He flashed away.

As good at disappearing as ever…

When he disappeared, all of my wounded vassals returned back to normal as if they had never been killed in the first place…

…

While James started his journey to the Blue Wind Imperial City, Rokas had built himself a little tall island at the far edge of the throne room. It looked like a mini-paradise with palm trees, a shimmering beach, soft golden sand and a modern-ish house built into the island.

Deep within the confines of his study, the industrious individual found himself engrossed in the simultaneous orchestration of a myriad of projects. The space resonated with the hum of creativity as he seamlessly transitioned between the realms of weaponry, armour, and even the crafting of minimised profound arcs. The room bore witness to his relentless dedication, every inch cluttered with meticulously crafted mini models, both messy and intricate drawings, and the tangible evidence of a mind ceaselessly at work.

(Clean up when you're done, Narrator)

His focus turned when he noticed a visitor had entered his domain.

"Who… are you?" Jasmine questioned, bewildered by the great mind at work.

"Just a guy doing what he likes."

"How did it end… in your timeline?"

"End? Nothing has ended." Rokas smiled slightly. "Unless you mean the shadow hanging over your life right now… that was settled by my Jasmine."

"Your Jasmine?"

"Mhm, my Jasmine. The one I love." Rokas reaffirmed, nodding. "That doesn't mean I have any particular interest in you, however. You certainly remind me of her younger self since you have the same face and personality… but my heart wouldn't skip a beat if you vanished."

"I see… that makes sense. I don't know how many 'timelines' there are… but it doesn't seem to be small. From what I gathered, you might even have the ability to travel between them at will."

"Yeah… there's a good number. I'm mature enough to know that it simply wouldn't be wise to repeatedly become attached to the same yet… different person." Rokas shrugged. "Otherwise, I'd have way too many of you. One is enough."

"Hmph, what's so good about you, anyway?" Jasmine took a closer look.

"You'll never find out."

Rokas flicked his fingers, and she was forcefully teleported out.

"Hmph… that's fine; this princess wasn't intent on staying around in that dusty room for much longer anyway!" Jasmine crossed her arms.

~

Given the sudden disappearance of their Crown Prince for what was nearing half a year, the Blue Wind Empire's capital was eerily quiet. With the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament less than twenty days away, there were many who grew worried, and the dark clouds looming over the city represented that perfectly. The Blue Wind Emperor, Cang Wanhe, was at the forefront of that group.

He looked through his balcony, which had a view of the entire city for another day… waiting for the return of his pride and joy.

"Chao'er always had a reckless and wild nature… he'd often go out on his own." Cang Wanhe remarked with a saddened expression. "Freedom was his greatest pleasure; like a dragon, he'd soar wherever his heart desired. Perhaps… this time, he soared too high and far."

"You should not despair so soon, you Majesty." Dongfang Xiu managed a smile. "You know he is a young man who loves a dramatic entrance."

"... I should have sent you to look after him."

"He slipped away willingly…" Dongfang Xiu's expression changed when he saw some of the clouds disperse and display golden rays of light. "This aura…"

A loud trumpet resounded across the city, followed by bells and other instruments, leading to a majestic, regal sound.

The gates of the city opened almost instantly at the sight of the figure that led the group.

"There he is…"

…

"No more years of hurt, no more need for dreaming… it's coming home."

James led his entourage of Itachi, Yun Wuxin and Beatrice through the entrance of the city all the way to the royal palace… singing his version of 'Three Lions'. Along the way, he gathered nearly the entire city behind him. The crowd was so large there was hardly any space to breathe, let alone exist without being squashed.

"Glory to His Royal Highness, Cang Chao!"

A hundred guards on each side had kneeled along the stairs to the Blue Wind Imperial Palace. At the top of the staircase was Cang Wanhe, finding it difficult to suppress his widening smile. At his side was Cang Yue and several of the other princes.

"Quite the welcoming party," James remarked, stepping forward.

"Is that all you have to say, you unfilial boy?" Cang Wanhe frowned.

"… Right, forgive me for being away for so long without informing you."

"How did a 'month-long training session' turn into five?" Cang Wanhe questioned.

"... Things happened." James smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "Though, you shouldn't fret so much, father. I'm a responsible young man who would never dare to die before fulfilling my ambitions."

"Hah…" Cang Wanhe laughed. "You better be prepared to win!"

"I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't." James grinned slightly.

"Come on in, Chao'er. There's little time to waste. You might even be late to the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament and face automatic disqualification."

"Of course, time is of the essence." James nodded. "I won't take long."

~

I said my hello's and goodbyes to most of my family, who heard me brag a little about winning it all. Some believed me, some didn't. Either way, I had no intentions of losing… nor was there a single person my age who could defeat me in the Blue Wind Empire.

However, before setting off, I paid the Blue Wind Profound Palace a visit. I heard of a young master of the Heaven Burning Clan moving in. Fen Juechen, the third son of their Clan Master. Apparently, he would've been one of the other three participants representing the royal family. In my absence, he ranked first.

I opened the door to the 'number one' chamber and walked right in.

"What's a spawn of the Heaven Burning Clan doing in the Blue Wind Profound Palace?" I questioned.

"To walk in so arrogantly…" Fen Juechen stood up rather casually, turning to me with a look of contempt. "It's none other than the heavenly genius of the Blue Wind Imperial Family… no wonder."

"You haven't answered my question, junior brother." I raised an eyebrow. "The next minute could be the difference between me throwing you out like a dog or… us coming to more than agreeable terms. Answer plainly."

"... My older brother humiliated me." He answered, frowning slightly. "I've decided to avenge that humiliation in this Blue Wind Ranking Tournament."

"And so… you chose the Blue Wind Profound Palace, out of all places to represent?" I stroked my chin.

"It is not a sect." Fen Juechen stated indifferently. "I do not have any other motives."

"Interesting… and how strong are you now?"

"The second stage of the Spirit Profound Realm."

"..." I chuckled. "You don't think you'll just go ahead and get humiliated again?"

"The other reason was because… of you." Fen Juechen looked into my eyes. His gaze was as calm as a pool of still water. "Everyone knows that you have a myriad of heaven-defying pellets in your possession."

"And… why should I give any to you?" I questioned, turning away as I paced around his room. "First and foremost, you represent the Heaven Burning Clan. That is where you were born, and that is where you will ultimately return."

"I… would swear fealty to you-"

"Oh?-" My eyes lit up. "Now we're talking."

"-Only if I defeat my older brother in the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament."

"See, now that depends on you… not me." I chuckled, shrugging my shoulders. "Even if I set you up for victory, you could just fuck up intentionally and reap all the benefits."

"... I would not intentionally lose to my bastard brother." Fen Juechen's calm eyes suddenly flared with a flame of anger. "Even if I had a slither of a chance, I would crush him."

"How strong are you?"

"The second stage of the Spirit Profound Realm."

"You do realise your brother is in the late stages, bare minimum, right? This really is a hopeless effort on your part." I remarked, shaking my head.

"I thought you were capable of making the impossible… possible."

"I am, indeed, but it would take more than just the loyalty of some Heaven Burning brat." I sighed. "What's the use of your loyalty? What good are you to me?"

I released some of my profound energy, and he fell to the ground from the pressure.

"This…"

"This is power, Fen Juechen." I turned to him, looking down on the boy. "See how insignificant you are to me?"

"If I am to put precious resources into an ant like you… I expect your fealty from the very beginning."

"..." He frowned deeply, struggling to clench his fists while the ground under him almost cracked.

"Forgive me if I may seem unreasonable… it's just that the Heaven Burning Clan has been unjustly arrogant regarding my Blue Wind Imperial Family's affairs. Nevermind them being nosy in our politics… your eldest brother, Fen Juecheng, comes and goes as he pleases while trying to court my sister, who has absolutely no interest in him. If I saw him on this occasion, I would've crushed his skull for all to see."

"... Aren't you… afraid of the Heaven Burning Clan?" Fen Juechen questioned.

"Afraid?" I chuckled. "They have far more reasons to be afraid of me, junior brother. I could wipe it off the fucking map in a single day."

"... Just… how strong are you?"

"More than strong enough." I let go, watching him sit up and take several deep breaths as sweat trickled down his forehead. "So, what is your answer? Do you choose to be tossed out like a dog and return to the same brother who wiped the floor with you… or kneel your head to me and absolutely crush him in the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament?"

"You can make that… into a reality?" His eyes widened slightly.

"Only I can." I chuckled. "Fifteen days for you to jump half a realm or so? That's really, really, stretching it. I'm going to need to hook you up with some cheats. Though, as long as you put forth your all, I guarantee victory!"

"Even so… what do you have to gain?" Fen Juechen questioned, shaking his head. "It is as you said; to you, I am nothing."

"You could one day take over the Heaven Burning Clan, no?" I stroked my chin. "Couldn't you?"

"Possibly…"

"Then that is the day the entire Heaven Burning Clan swears absolute fealty to me and the Blue Wind Imperial Family."

"... It is true." He remarked, nodding. "Your ambition knows no bounds."

"Is that a yes or no, my Heaven Burning Clan friend?"

"I agree."

"Then it shall be so."

And so, he swore fealty to me.

…

I did take one night of sleep in my palace. You know, it was a good idea to unwind after intensely training for months. Of course… Beatrice accompanied me in bed, and we cuddled. Perhaps a little affectionately.

Anyway, as I drifted off into my dreams…

I came to imagine myself in the lap of a face I knew all too well.

"I'll see you in the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament, my King."

Of course… I closed my eyes and sighed.

My mind was too wishful.

"Stupid faker."

~

Before officially setting off, I did another thing: check up on my latest addition to the throne room. The Wild Card - so to speak. Rock-Ass seemed to be completely impervious to my authority and did whatever he well pleased. It was slightly irritating… but simultaneously, that was a breath of fresh air. He was completely genuine.

'What the fuck…'

I flew over to the edge and saw a whole fucking tropical island-house. The man turned my throneroom into his own little resort.

I stepped inside the house and damn… that shit was clean. I wish I had a house like that. It was modern and seemingly styled specifically to his tastes. I saw a training room, a library, an aquarium (where the fuck did the fish come from?)...

Eventually, I made it to the room he was actually in. It was at the far end of the main corridor.

I opened the door and walked in. The first thing I saw was him chilling on his gaming chair and munching on… profound cores? Half-step Emperor Profound Realm cores… my cores?

"Yo, what's up? HUM-" He opened his mouth wide and sucked in a core that was bigger than his whole body like a vacuum.

"... You fat fuck." I remarked, frowning as I looked at him. "Don't tell me you're eating my hard-earned cores!?"

"I need energy, innit." Rokas rolled his eyes. "Consider it an investment-"

"An investment!?"

"Mhm…"

I opened the Sky Poison Pearl and looked inside it's world… only to see that the mountain of loot had completely shrunk!

There was hardly anything left…

I turned back to Rokas.

"How… much did you eat?"

"Does it look like I was counting?" Rokas blinked with a stupid-looking expression on his face.

"You…"

"Don't get mad, lil bro. It's not like you would've used those corpses effectively anyway-" Rokas shrugged.

"... You better have a good fucking reason to have done all of that, or I'm yeeting your ass back to whatever shithole you came from."

"'I'm a patient person'... my ass." Rokas sighed, pointing to a bunch of little toys on his desk. "See those?"

"... What? Wow… you built a ship model, little toy swords and plastic figurines? What am I gonna do with those?" I raised an eyebrow. "Place them below my window? Have a toy fight?"

"Hahaha… sure, you could." He stood up from his chair and looked at me. He seemed a bit taller than before. "Come."

In the blink of an eye, we both teleported outside. We were floating over the 'mainland' of the throneroom, just a bit away from his island. All of the 'toys' flew around him constantly. He spread his palm open, and all the weapons grew dramatically in size.

SHEW. SHEW. SHEW.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

They crashed into the ground, all unleashing a separate aura… though each and every single one was powerful. Some were blazing with fire, others with ice, some with wind… some were colossal swords, spears, maces, while some were merely daggers.

"These are all high-grade Emperor Profound Realm weapons at the bare minimum, with some barely scaling to Tyrant Profound Realm."

Rokas announced, glancing at me. He flicked his fingers once more, and all of the figurines crashed down in the same fashion. All along, they had been mannequins…

One piece of armour caught my eye immediately… a golden set of fantasy medieval-esque armour with a crimson cloak draped over it. It had a golden lion forged into its chest, staring proudly with crimson eyes.

I flew down and took a closer look. It was like a dream had come into reality.

I looked back at Rokas.

"This… wow."

"I knew you'd like that one." Rokas grinned slightly.

"All of this is mine?"

"Yes, everything." Rokas nodded. "Realistically, while none of it is exactly poor quality for it's level since I made it… garbage is garbage, no matter how good it looks. I certainly don't intend to steal anything from you."

"How did you make all of this?"

"A very convenient thing called the Essence of Creation." Rokas stroked his chin. "Though, for you, the best way to replicate this would be undertaking the art of blacksmithing."

"Teach me."

"... Sure thing." Rokas nodded. "Also, I'm not quite done showing off yet."

"What else… wait, the ship?" My eyes widened. "Did you build a genuine profound arc?"

I always wanted one. Ever since I knew they existed. I mean, who doesn't want a sick flying ship that practically teleports across the sky?

"Mhmm, that I did."

"Show me."

"Heh…" Rokas chuckled. "Behold…"

He flicked his fingers in dramatic fashion.

"His Majesty's Ship… Victoria!"

WOOOSH.

My eyes widened as I saw the brilliant sight before me. A ship-of-the-line that towered over everything. The aura it possessed alone was frightening. No doubt, this was where the majority of the cores went.

Not only that… but it was a replica of one of the British Empire's most famous ships, only far larger. How could my heart not swell with pride and love at such a sight?

"Did we… just become best friends?" I glanced back at Rokas.

"You did call me a fat fuck hardly a minute ago."

"... Eh, I don't remember that." I lied, smiling slightly. "I recall saying that you were a very smart individual with a brilliant mind for craftsmanship."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Rokas chuckled. "Have fun with these new 'toys'."

"... I will. Also, don't worry about profound cores or any of that. Have as much as you need if you're going to cook like this."

"The well is running dry, though…" Rokas remarked. "I need more resources."

"Can't… you get them yourself? Aren't you 'the Strongest'?"

"About that, I can't fight for your sake." Rokas chuckled. "It would be all too easy. If I'm going to cook, you're going to need to provide the ingredients… 'King James'."

"So, instead of being weakened by the System, you're idle when it comes to fighting instead?"

"Yeah, something like that. My nerf is not being able to fight for you… if I did that, my vacation would be joever." He smiled, tilting his head. "But that shouldn't be a problem, right? You have enough cheats as it is. I mean… it is a little ridiculous to have a servant with the Heretic God legacy while your growth rate is only accelerated."

"Yet I am sidelined when it comes to an opponent of Wuxin's level." I remarked, frowning slightly.

"In Chess, the King hardly ever fights." Rokas countered. "If you die, it's checkmate. You should get used to playing the pieces on the board and sitting back. That's what a King does."

"Hmph… I'm a King that carves the path to victory."

"You still have the mentality of a striker, huh." Rokas chuckled, shaking his head. "Then rizz up Yun Wuxin already, you fool."

"... I'm working on it."

"Clearly not."

"I know the virgin isn't telling me how the game works." I raised an eyebrow.

"Virgin?" He laughed. "Sure, buddy."

"I bet you're drowning in pussy, to be fair." I shrugged my shoulders. "Despite that puffy face… your power alone should be enough to get you anything you wanted."

"This appearance is only so that you recognise me… my true appearance would simply steal your limelight. This isn't my story - it's yours. I'm just that cool side character that shows up for an arc or two."

"Cool… is a stretch. You're not cool at all."

"I could just reverse everything I did with a snap of my finger, you know" Rokas replied, stroking his chin.

"Who am I kidding? You're totally amazing." I spoke with a sarcastic tone, deciding to change the subject. "… I want to know, who was it? The girl that took you from a stuttering mess to… this?"

"It was none other than Cang Yue…" Rokas' lips curled into a genuine smile. "My first wife."

"... I see." I turned away and stroked my chin. "You want to go for a repeat?"

"Nah… I've sworn to stay away from attachments in this universe. There's really no use since my stay here is temporary."

"What about Xia Qingyue?" I questioned.

"What about her?"

"You hooked up in your timeline?"

"She's my second wife."

"Fucking hell. Chu Yuechan?"

"Didn't talk to her."

"Hum… Jasmine?" I stroked my chin. "She was your teacher, right?"

"We married too."

"... You horny bastard." I chuckled, punching his shoulder. "How many fucking wives do you have?"

"Too many."

"Well, won't it be weird if I… you know-"

"Nah." Rokas shook his head. "Even though they have the same name, my wives all look different and have different personalities to an extent… in essence, I have no attachment to the characters in your story at all."

"Still, I'd like to see Cang Yue happy for once…" I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. "You can't pull through?"

"Why don't you do it?"

"She's my sister, you dumbfuck-"

"Eh, that never stopped true love."

"You're disgusting." I shook my head and decided to swiftly change the subject. "So, why are you here, really?"

"I'm on vacation, don't you see?" Rokas put on some purple-tinted aviators. "I get to have some peace for once. It's nice."

"Do you… still have no friends?" I questioned.

"My wives are my friends."

"Come on, they don't count. I mean, real friends you can shit talk, talk about stupid shit all the time, and just chill with…"

"Nah, zero." Rokas put on a smile, and HMS Victoria condensed into his palm. Then he turned to me. "It's lonely at the top, don't you agree?"

"... Yeah." I nodded.

"Indeed… we both have egos that aren't the best for making genuine friends," Rokas admitted, smiling slightly. "It doesn't help that there isn't anyone who can be on equal footing as us. Have you ever seen a lion make friends with a sheep?"

"I guess this is what happens if you gain power, huh…" I chuckled. "You become a bit like me."

"Perhaps… that is why I'm here." He tossed the ship model to me, and I caught it. "To see if a lion can make friends with a dragon."

"Which one is the lion?"

"Which one has that silly wild golden hair?" Rokas chuckled.

"Lions are obviously weaker than dragons."

"Hmm… well, wouldn't you know? Yet both are just as proud as the other and stand as rulers of their respective lands."

"... So, when does your vacation end?" I questioned.

"Whenever I feel is a good time."

"Bloody brilliant…" I chuckled. "Do I get anything when you dip?"

"A thousand rolls."

"A… what?" My eyes widened.

Did bro say… a thousand rolls!?

"That should be enough, right?" Rokas stroked his chin. "I mean, I'd say that having me alone is worth it but-"

"Hell yeah. You can fuck off right now."

"That's cold." Rokas chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm good."

"I'm joking, you can stay here as long as you like. Make yourself comfortable. Feel free to become a prince consort, even-"

"-Just go win the bloody tournament."

"Right." I smiled, nodding. "It's nice having you here. Truly."

"Mhm… you know, flattering me isn't going to get you any of my abilities like your vassals."

"That's too bad. You can teach me though, can't you?"

"Now, what could I teach to a peasant who doesn't even have the slightest bit of divine blood?" Rokas tilted his head.

"... If you're so good at the shit you do, you'd be able to explain it so easily that I'd be able to learn it - divine bloodline or not."

"You know, I do like the path that you've taken." Rokas nodded. "Rather than becoming a god through the legacies of other gods, you've chosen to become a God yourself… isn't that right?"

"You could see it that way, yeah."

"Heh, it's a bit funny, I am the ultimate culmination of countless bloodlines… while you seek to have none at all - other than your own." Rokas chuckled. "Sure, I'll teach you. Perhaps… the Lion will grow his wings and contest the Dragon one day?"

"Perhaps he'll smack him up?" I grinned.

"Perhaps not."

"You posh wanker."

We both laughed about it and, well…

I kind of began to realise it then;

I had truly met my best friend.