Task 3 - Leap into the death - 'Medium-Hell Difficulty' (1)

---gasp---

With a sudden stroke, Krisillis woke up from his bed. His mount Grenard jumped to the corner. The guy started breathing soundly. By looking out of the window, he attempted, ""WHAT'S THIS SUDDEN PRESSURE?!""

Grenard blinked his eyes and stood at the window, "Master, it's coming from the first earth!!"

---step---

Immediately, Krisillis put on a black t-shirt and walked out of the room, "Let's go to check it!!"

{A moment ago}

A massive round pillar whose diameter was a kilometre with height piercing through the red sky amassed its background with numerous residential colonies constructed in dozens of concentric circles followed by purple-shaded forests and hills.

In between the enormous pillar and the concentric colonies was a gap consisting of footpaths, itinerant sellers, food streets, parks, fountains and viewpoints.

The round pillar had four massive doors on its four sides where if you enter from one side, you would later come out through the other side. There were entities of all races. Everything seemed peaceful and tranquil until,

---gasp---

an unknown presence took away their attention by surprise. Everyone's calmness shattered after feeling that sudden pressure. Whilst quivering, their gazes turned towards the tower.

---step---

A brown hooded man looking at the ground stepped out of one of the doors of the pillar.

---(rumble)---

The nearby people felt like the surroundings were breaking apart inside their heads. But they were deluding unnecessarily. The hooded man had a keychain with the design of a peacock feather hanging unto his left ring finger. The keychain exuded a voice, "Master, your presence is suffocating these people!"

The guy flinched, "Damn it, I thought Kriassilis would leave me in the middle of a battlefield!!"

As he said, he was sent to that place by the origin of aftermath. And he was none other than me. The peacock-feathered keychain was Kendor concealing herself. Before anyone could notice,

---flick---

I vanished from the place using a flick movement.

{Back to scene}

People's notions calmed down. Things began to go back to normal. That's when Krisillis entered the scene looking for the one who pressured him. He kept walking into the crowd in a hurry. However, he failed to notice me standing on the roof of a two-story building with a dome-like roof. Kendor turned into a bird and leaned on my left shoulder, "Master, that guy's cloak is in the same colour as your coat. Not to mention both have hoodies!"

I asked her, "Is that what you observed?!"

She responded, "If you are asking what I observed, then all I can say is the tiny lion on his shoulder. Without a doubt, he's Grenard, a ravager, celestial of the afterlife. He was born not long ago!"

I attempted, "When was he born?!"

She stated, "Five trillion years ago!"

[... That's not too long? Guess all celestials are loaded with everlasting lives.]

I then remembered Death Sovereign's words, 'Do not go looking for my disciple right when you enter that place. Try to complete at least a quarter of your mission before meeting him!'

[Although his warning was to stay away from that guy, why did he show me a visual of him at the last second? What a complicated guy?]

I commented, "Since I found him, I can meet him after the conditions are met. But still, an african, eh? A tribal at that. Makes me wonder how complicated he is going to be!"

Kendor commented, "Master, it's so shocking to see living beings and infinitos residing in harmony!!"

I corrected her, "Careful girl, once a living being or infinito enters the afterlife, they cannot be called by the same term!"

Kendor became puzzled, "Then what do we call them?!"

I interpreted, "Dead infinitos go by the term 'Souls of the Dark' whereas dead living beings go by 'Souls of the Light'. In short, 'Dark Souls' and 'Light Souls'!"

My celestial bird nodded her head, "Oh, that's new for me!"

I commanded, "You should also keep in mind that dead souls have their blood dyed in silver. They may be skeletons with only bones but not for people like us who have the 'vision of afterlife'. Even they themselves uphold such a vision!"

She exclaimed, "I know!"

I then turned around, "Let's go!"

She attempted, "To where?!"

I emphasized, "To meet a bartender?!"

[Was what I said but didn't expect to meet this guy here. What's with my luck?]

I was in a bar full of golems serving drinks to the customer tables. The tables had no stand and were levitating. They were surrounded by the same support-less chairs floating in mid-air. Instead of discos, there were flies giving off multiple shades of light trapped in spherical grills attached to the ceiling.

A dog standing around like a human remained at the exit. He was wearing a black and white bouncer suit. The bouncer beside him seemed to be a cat.

And I, for one, sat in front of the stall of the bartender. The only annoying thing was he was the guy whom I was told to distance myself from, Kriassilis' grand law, Krisillis. The african was standing before me in a complete white dress. What's more, he disguised himself as an american.

[Kriassilis told me to keep my distance from him until I reach a quarter of my goal.]

Kendor communicated through my mind, 'Master, he is trying to gauge your innate abilities!'

I ordered, 'Let us pretend like we're talking amongst ourselves like normal people. The fact that you're able to tell what he was doing could only mean he is not stronger than you!'

She then climbed off my shoulder and started licking her wings. She reported, 'That Grenard is hiding underneath the table!'

'I know!', I said and stated, 'Let us begin the act!'

She nodded and looked into the bartender's eyes. The man attempted, "Ahem, good afternoon, gentleman. May I know your order?!"

I said, "One French 75 and an Old Fashioned Bourbon!"

He flinched, "Uh, please tell me who I should deliver the second drink to?!"

I said, "My pet!"

He then looked at my bird. She glared at him. I interrupted, "Stop looking her in the eyes. She's quite aggressive to those who peek at her like perverts!"

He flinched, "... I'll keep that in mind, sir!"

[I will conceal my power down to Crimson Emperor for now.]

The next instant, his thoughts entered my mind, 'He might be covering his face with a hoodie. But his dress is the same as the guy who pummeled me in my dreams!'

[... Huh?]

I looked at Kendor. She too was staring at me speechlessly, 'Did he say… you pummeled him in dreams??!'

I replied, 'Yeah, but that is my least concern. How are we able to hear his thoughts?!'

She guessed, 'Death Sovereign told us that he never reads the thoughts of others but rather guesses them with precision. Is it something like that?!'

I closed my eyes to check something in which, "…!", no thoughts entered my mind. But when I opened my eyes, 'I should be on my guard around him!', Krisillis' thought entered my mind.

[I see, looking at his face is making me figure out his thoughts. That's pretty instinctive.]

I then attempted, "But something's weird about you?!"

Disguised Krisillis' jolted, "I don't understand!"

I questioned, "Generally, whenever I went to bars during my life, the bartenders dab against one another or shout out order names to one another. But the ones beside you are quivering at your presence. By chance…!"

He clenched his fist. I continued, "Are you a trashy goon that goes around punching others for no reason?!"

"......!!!!", his face formed a spellbound expression but at once twitched in anger. I questioned again, "Judging by your reaction, I think I hit the spot!!"

He calmed his angry face, "I'm sorry, sir. But people cannot pry into one another!!"

---tap(x2)---

By placing a thin and long glass of white drink alongside a thick and short glass of brown drink, he exclaimed, "Here's your French 75 along with an Old Fashioned Bourbon to this little bird!!", and turned around. I started sipping my glass. Kendor observed me to know how to slurp his bourbon.

---gasp---

At once, both of us jolted at the cocktails. Kendor asked, 'Master, this taste is awfully awesome!'

I said, 'I did not get you but all I can say is this guy rocks with his drinks. Is this really the talent of a tribesman?!'

Suddenly, the bartender beside him jumped in, "This guy's no goon, sir. It's just his talent and appearance that makes people surround him, pushing his colleagues aside. Since you came so early, you wouldn't know!!"

Another bartender interrupted, "During weekends, many people come flying to this place just to get a cocktail from him!!!"

I responded, "Oh, then today's wednesday. Why is he here?!"

One of them said, "He came here all of a sudden and told us he was having leisure. That's why we insisted that he spend his free time here!!"

[Does that mean it's a coincidence? No, he probably kept searching for not me but my dress. There's also the dream he kept thinking about. Let's set it aside. I have more things to figure out.]

I then looked at the two tenders that jumped in. The one at the right had a broad nose while the one at the left had a broad chin. I chose the broad-nosed brat, "You, the one on the right, stay here. The stone chin can go!"

Krisillis was standing behind. I said, "You may go to this guy's spot. I need to have a talk!!"

Without hesitation, he walked away. His tiny lion turned into an insect and flew around him. Kendor said, 'He is making sure we do not doubt him!'

'What a weirdo?!', I commented.