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Akashic Chronicles: Paradise Lost

"Attachments are unneeded" It was both the first and last thing my old man told me. To be an effective killer you must not feel for the enemy. To be an effective mercenary you must not feel remorse. A contract is a contract. The Client is god for us. To us the value of money is more important than ideals. Hope won't feed you. Sometimes those very same ideals could poison your entire being. Possess you into something more than what you aimed to be. Embrace nothingness, Coin is God. That was the mantra of every mercenary. That was what I believed for so long, until I met her. She pulled me out of that murky swamp. Shining an inexhaustible light, creating a solid path we could tread on to. She was the reason I could keep on moving forwards. The only reason I gave a damn about anything. However, soon enough, like all roads, it soon crumbled into rubble, nothing but relics of bygone memories remained. Plunging me back down deeper into that black and murky waters once more. I reveled in it. I let it consume me, become the very thing we swore to destroy. The very same thing my old man told me about. A monster borne from the hypocrisy of those ideals, yet desperately clinging onto it like a mad man. This is the tale of a fool who once known love, oh so beautiful yet poisonous it consumed him. A tale of a fool who yearns for redemption yet revels in his own self hatred. A monstrosity borne not from necessity, but from anguish.

ArlecchinoSIMP · Fantasi
Peringkat tidak cukup
99 Chs

Emergency Teleportation

Every Exam participant were covered in blue light. They covered their eyes from the bright flash. When they opened their eyes once more all they saw was the very same arena they were at hours ago.

Minerva was onstage checking if any participant didn't make it. With furrowed brows she frantically checked and after a while breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems that everyone made it alive and in one piece at that. Congratulations. We will be evaluating your preformance later today you may all go to the receptionist hall and claim your rewards. You will recieve bonus rewards tommorow if your performance is more than satisfactory."

"Hell Yeah!" Everyone cheered. As they newbie adventurers left. Haruki and Rhistel and many more veteran adventurers chose to stay. "What's the situation?" Rhistel asked Minerva directly.

She sighed and opened a holographic screen.

"A few minuites earlier a Nexus event happened right inside the examination area. This caused a disturbance on the natural ecosystem since it was a big one. A walking gigantic skeleton big." She said as she showed an empty grass land shine in blue light and a normal sized skeleton appeared.

It stood up looking confused then it roared. It slowly grew in size. Soon enough it was taller than the trees itself. This prompted the surrounding monsters to escape as soon as they sensed the danger causing a stampede.

Everyone frowned at the sight. "Could it be another anomaly?" One adventurer asked. "I don't think so but, all signs point to atleast a maybe. Later we will be scouting the area and asses it's danger level. In anycase the rest will be on elimination duty. Don't let any of those goblins and slimes disrupt the other places. Dismissed!"

The moment those words left her mouth the veteran adventurers scrambled around and made their way to the armory. Haruki on the other hand was staring intently at the screen. 

'So Magus... Can I take on that thing?' 

[Maybe... It's just an enlarged skeleton.]

'Can I even get... like blood from that thing?'

[Are you an idiot? It's a skeleton. You'd be taking their life essence. Blood is just a concentrated form of life tht's all.]

'Oh... Well, I just hope it's stronger that the rest. Everything has been so boring so far.'

Minerva raised her eyebrows as soon as she spotted Haruki from a distance. She sighed and appreached him. "This is an adventurers only meeting." She said as she narrowed her eyes. Haruki shrugged, "I was just curious. So can I--"

"Absolutely not." Minerva cut him off before he could finish. "I was gonna ask you out for dinner." He said cheekily. She rolled her eyes, "Same answer. I better not catch you sneaking off."

Haruki raised both his hands, "Alright, alright. See you around Miss Minerva." He said as he went away. Rhistel immediately approached him. "You're sneaking out, right?" Haruki shook his head, "How can I betray Miss Minerva's expectations of me?"

The two then laughed loudly garnering the attention of Minerva. Bellona smiled and then stared at Minerva, "He's planning on sneaking in is he?" Minerva shook her head, "Of course he is. That man has given me a headache since day one."

Bellona just laughed softly, "Are you planning on stopping him?" Minerva scoffed, "This is a teachable moment. What about you? Won't the Lucius Theocracy put a stop to a newbies recklessness?"

Bellona just shrugged while smiling, "Just as you said. It is time to learn. The world outside is far more dangerous than what Elysium appears to be." Minerva tilted her head at her words but eventually shrugged her shoulders. "Well then Miss Handler good day. I need to prepare the adventurers." Bellona nodded at her words.

"Alice! I'm going to need a coffee for this headache." Minerva beckoned one of the guild assistants that was near her. Bellona watched Minerva as she slowly disappeared.

Bellona snapped her fingers and a phone appeared in her hand. She dialled someone swiftly. "Hello? Aergia? There's been a big problem. There has been a nexus event near the exam area. How soon can you deliver the replacement anchors?"

From her phone a languid voice resounded, "I told you a million times, in about a month. I'll have it replaced within next month, so don't worry. Nothing will happen to elysium."

Bellona couldn't help but sigh, "It's just that we need to minimize casualties. The singularities are getting more and more irregular." She said.

Aergia clicked her tongue, "Fine! I'll try to rush. So don't you use that sweet voice to me it annoys me." After a second there was a beep to signify that the call has ended.

"Hopefully nothing goes wrong..." She said with a sigh as she looked towards the direction Haruki left.

Meanwhile during the night, Haruki and Rhistel were already knee deep in ale celebrating their victory.

"So I climbed up the tree and with a swish! I dropped 5 goblins! Ain't I amazing!?" Haruki said as he told his story while on top of a table. The others laughed at his demonstration.

Meanwhile the barkeep sighed as he wiped mugs of ale. "As rowdy as ever you lot. And you, Kaz! Keep it down! Get down from the fucking table!" Jacob and Trish were facepalming at the sight. 

"Ugh! Why are we even here? I don't even drink..." Trish said as she sighed. "C'mon! Loosen up!" Jacob said as he downed a glass of ale. Marco raised his eyebrows. He was about to stop Jacob from drinking but ultimately shrugged his shoulders. "Ah! What the hell. I'll make today an exception. As for you missy I suggest just eating the good food. Afterlife's got some good stuff."

Trish groaned, "Fine, But if you idiots get too rowdy I'm tying you all to that pole." Marco smiled and nodded his head, "Now that's the spirit." He then turned towards the rowdy duo and ordered a mug of beer as he joined the fun.

They spent the entire night drinking their worries away.