Chapter 42: Two Fathers of Opposing Sides (I) - Beginning

I got to see him again, my father. Even if many things have happened to me to make me hate him. The way he betrayed all of us and Hell made me resent both him and Mother, but at the same time, I was happy to see him right in front of me, alive.

Just seeing him made me cry because he still came to me and saved me from Lucifer.

"Sorry for being late Haruki..." That is what my father said to me.

Lucifer has a big smile on his face when he saw my father appeared; pointing Nightslasher at my father, Lucifer said with confidence to him. "Jarren Hotaru, I hereby announce that I, Lucifer. Will finally take my revenge from losing to you and defeat you here once and for all!"

My father smiled at Lucifer's word. "Then, I guess I'll have to defeat you again Lucifer!"

As both looked at each other for a while, they then ran toward each other in a blink of an eye.

Their swords touched and let out a loud ringing sound.

And as I'm seeing them fight, I was in awe of their movement.

Their arms moved so fast, that it was impossible to think that they're blocking each other's hits.

My father tried to went for Lucifer's leg, but Lucifer immediately blocked it.

Then, Lucifer tried to go for my father's head, but my father teleported away.

Lucifer was smiling when my father teleported, and with one swing of his sword; my father was cut deeply in the chest, even if he's far away.

He was applying pressure to his chest and teleported behind Lucifer.

"Nice try!" Lucifer shouted and blocked my father's hit again.

Lucifer then shouted again. "Bountiful of the Devil of Pride!" Flames from the pillar then again were absorbed by Nightslasher.

A giant star again was formed above my father's head, but this time it's a giant blue.

But this time, instead of Lucifer saying activate, I freaked out when Lucifer instead said. "Detonate!"

My father then thrust his sword and jumped to the star to slash it.

"Too late Jarren! Flareblitz!"

The ground started to crack after Lucifer said that, and giant explosions came out.

It's like a firecracker that was lit up, but instead of Lucifer using a firecracker as a weapon, he uses explosions as his firecrackers instead.

Seeing him laugh uncontrollably in the distance, made me think that why are the three Archdukes I met are like a child.

Because as of right now, Lucifer is like a child enjoying a view of someone getting injured from a firework show, and as I remember what happened in the past, Satanael was also like a child once, and my Master has a mindset of a young child.

Thinking about it made me dumbfounded to the point I can't explain, because those three are seriously known back on Earth as vicious beings, but in reality, it's much different than anyone has imagined.

Even far away from them, I can hear Lucifer shouting in joy. "This is fun!"

And my father was also smiling like it was just a joke, and when looking at him I thought how he didn't change even if he's dead because, like any old person, my father is forgetful.

Because he forgot that the star above him is now starting to explode.

Bang! Let out the giant supernova from the star.

After the explosion happened, I was shocked that I was still alive from that type of explosion.

In front of me were the two, who I exactly guessed it, they're unscathed even from that type of explosion.

Even the ground wasn't damaged at all, there's no trace that a supernova from a star happened,

"*Sigh* That was fun Jarren, but I guess I've weakened a lot since the day I was killed, so you win this time again, Jarren." Lucifer said that to my father and reach out to him for a handshake.

My father smile in joy and shook Lucifer's hand, saying to him with pride. "You now have three loses in a row, so be sure to get more training old man."

Both of them then looked at me, who was still sitting on the ground shaking in fear.

My father smiled when he looked at me and went closer. "It's been a long time Haruki, I'm happy that you're still alive."

"Is that really you? Father?"

"Of course Haruki, when I was passing by the area I saw Lucifer attempting to help or kill you, I couldn't take it anymore, so I came to help you, Haruki."

Help...? Is he joking? Why would I need that from him anyway? Why would I need help from a person that betrays both the hope and ideals of the citizens and Archdukes? I don't get it, I can't understand what he's saying right now.

Even if I know that I was in complete joy when I got the chance to see him again, but my anger due to what my father has done, is making me regret feeling happiness seeing him.

"Are you okay Haruki? Did something exciting happened to you?" My father asked in a calm voice.

Hearing him asking me that, I was bewildered. "Okay..? Okay? Okay?! Stop screwing with me! Don't tell me that you don't know what I saw? It was constant pain and fear, seeing those people die and you making their death more gruesome-"

"I see... It must've been hard for you to see my dark past Haruki. Yes Haruki, to answer the question in your head, your mother and I are working with Yahweh and Satanael, and this sword that I'm currently holding are made out of the blood and flesh of my two best friends which are Millie's true parents."

"But why?! What happened to what you said to me?! Where did the quote of the King should protect the citizens go?! You exactly said to me many times that a true King should protect their citizens and not be protected by them?! So is all of that is a lie?!"

"No Haruki, all of that is true. We did this to protect Hell and the citizens, we did this for the future of Hell and the next generations of devils."

"Then! Is sacrificing the citizens part of it!? is making everyone suffer and getting their sins part of it!? Is the suffering of Millie part of it..? Tell me! Every time I hear the word war, I feel pity and sympathy for the victims who experienced the war, I get to enjoy life back on Earth and every one of my friends here and every citizen in Hell gets to suffer. Every time I remember the fun things I did back on Earth, I cry inside because the people who I was supposed to protect were suffering on that day."

"But even if I said that many times, making sacrifices and gaining more power is essential to any war, even back on Earth, since wars are like that. A sacrifice and new strengths are always needed to fend off enemies, and do you think that dying in Hell as a child and not having fun on Earth is better than growing up safely and getting love and joy; also surviving the war to return to his people. Do you think that your life on Earth isn't bad at all?

"....." He's right, I know that... But what would the people who have died think of this? Me being safe, while they're dead? Won't they resent me for surviving while they didn't?

My father sat next to me and looked at the sky. "You know Haruki, there are things in the world that's better to leave it be and trust what it is. Telling you why we betray won't do good, but you and Millie building a future for Hell that we didn't is better than ours. People tend to have different opinions, so some might say that what I did was right, but others might think I'm wrong. Despite that, making what you want bigger is more preferable, than finding out the opinions of others."

"..."

"So as the current Ruler of Hell Haruki, I ask this to you not as your father but as your enemy, which would you rather pick? Be influenced and stuck to the past decisions and doings of your enemy? Or create a new one that differs from the other person?"

"Choose..? But why do I have to..? In the end, everything will be back to normal."

"No, it isn't Haruki, even if I only found out about your parents betraying Hell when I was dead and waiting, what your father said will affect the future, because if you pick one then the other option disappears, and the option you pick will be intact here in your brain." Lucifer declared with pride.

"Then! What would change? Neither of what he said is something that I can understand or do, because of my weakness and stupidity, I can't protect Hell from Yahweh and Satanael. In the end, I can only rely on the strength and intellect of my friends..."

"Hmm... Haruki, didn't we all retain our stupidity since birth? As Lucas told you, the smart is nothing without the dumb, and the dumb is nothing without the smart, that's what he said to you before right? But, there's misinformation in that that I didn't tell him. And it's none of those matter because what matters is what the dumb and smart would do to their future, yes it is indeed true that one wouldn't exist without the other, but having a future different from the other is what's best right?"

"I don't know... My trust in you has lowered when I saw what you did, and I don't know if my trust can ever return."

"I'm not asking for you to trust me again and I doubt that the other Archdukes are the same too, but at least once, I ask you to trust me just today and tell me what's the option you want to make deep in your heart."

"Sure, I'll trust you for now father, but the next time we meet, remember that I would never trust you again, and even if you send mother to me I still won't trust any of you."

"Sure..." Even if he was saddened by what I said, my anger toward them is still intact

"....." But picking huh? Even to this now, I don't know what to say or who to trust, I'm just tired.

"Had a hard time picking Haruki? Then can you think of someone that'll help you decide?"

Help me? But who though? I don't know who to think of.

Lucifer and my Father smiled, and seeing them smiled I then heard someone walking toward me from behind.

I tried to look back on who it is, but before I got to do that, the person hugged m from behind; whispering. "It's nice to see you again in person Haruki, even if you're not the same, I'm happy that I get to hug you again."

That voice, it rings a bell because I've heard it before, but who is it? It's a voice of a girl, but it's not someone I've met before, but it feels like I've seen her.

When I moved a bit to take a pick, her hair fell on my shoulder and seeing her hair made me remember who the girl behind me was.

Even if I haven't met her in real life yet, but when I saw her I knew that I'm destined to meet her.

Her hair was golden blonde, and when I looked behind me she was the same person I saw.

It was the blonde beautiful girl who I saw when I got my skills for the first time, and when we fought Milicas, she's exactly the girl I saw.

Just by seeing her, I was shocked because I thought she's just an illusion, but for whatever reason, tears fell on my eyes when I saw her.

I don't know why I started to cry, and I don't know how I'm feeling both sadness and happiness at the same time when I saw her face for real.

She smiled upon seeing my face and shed tears; hugging me again tightly. "I miss you! I miss you very much Haruki!"

I'm confused, why is she hugging me when I don't even know who she is? Why is she saying that she misses me when I haven't met her yet? Why am I happy and sad that I got to see her? I don't know. But this feeling that I think she's someone important to me, makes me more confused.

So I asked her. "Who are you?"

She let out a hysterical smile. "I guess that it's normal for you to not know me Haruki because you haven't met me yet."

"Of course I haven't met you, but why are you talking to me like you know me? And why am I crying that I met you?"

She let out a hysterical smile again; saying to me. "You'll find out soon why, but what matters now is your decision."

"My decision, but how would I decide though?"

"There's only one answer Haruki, and it's both."

"Both..? Why?"

"Because that's what you're doing right now right Haruki? You're learning about the past while making a new future, isn't what you're doing right now? Then isn't better if you stayed the same?"

"I see... Yet again I didn't think of that, because-"

"Because you're stupid? Seriously, you need to stop saying that, because you are what you are, and nothing should change you except yourself."

"*Chuckle* I don't know why, but I got the feeling that you are somewhat right, *Sigh* Then there's nothing I can do because both my gut and heart say to is trust you, so I guess I'll go with that."

She smiled upon hearing that, and father sighed and let out a smile; asking me. "So is that you're final decision Haruki?"

"Yes."

My father pulled out the sword and reached it to me. "Then hold this sword, say what you decided and shout its name. Ignisvem!"

"Sure..." I reached for the sword, but I was shaking again from fear, because of what this sword has shown me.

The girl touched my hand and said to me with a smile. "Let's do this together Haruki."

I don't know why, but my fear was driven out when she said that to me, so I replied to her. "Sure."

So both of us held the sword together tightly and I shouted its name. "Ignisvem!"

Light shone below my foot, and I get to see my body slowly disappear, and seeing the three smiled and saying goodbye, made me think that there are chances in this world that luck is not a bad concept.

I also realized that I don't know her name yet, so before separating from them, I shouted. "Wait! What's your name!"

She replied with a cute smile and said. "You'll find it out soon in your journey."

And when she said that, I finally disappeared and left this dream world.

"So are you satisfied with that?" Jarren asked.

"Yes, as long as I get to see Haruki safe, then I'm okay, so it's our goodbye Lucifer; Jarren, and thank you for giving me the chance to talk to Haruki." The girl said that and disappears in front of their view.

Lucifer looked at Jarren and asked him. "So do you think she's telling the truth to us? You know that what she showed us is impossible right?"

"*Sigh* Yes, because the moment I laid eyes on her, I instantly knew that she's connected to my son, somehow."

As I opened my eyes slowly, I saw some of my friends looking at me worriedly.

When they saw me open my eyes, all of them sighed in relief and joy.

Noticing what happened to their mood, I asked them. "What happened?"

Sora who was in tears; angrily shouted at me. "Seriously! Do you know how much I suffered from Akemi when my skills didn't work on you at all! You better have a good excuse for sleeping for an entire day!"

Wait... Did I sleep for an entire day? Seriously, that dream might've been longer than I thought, but looking at Sora, Lucas, Talya, and Flint inside the room worried, I guess they're telling the truth.

Sora shouted again. "So why did you sleep for an entire day!?"

I replied to him with a smile. "I had a wonderful dream."