BXBX NOVEL Chapter 149: Never again [2/2]
"IT'S TWENTY-FIVE!"
I smiled at their immaturity and innocence. No matter how you looked at it, these girls were barely over eighteen. They were as they should be, laughing without a care in the world. But in reality, as Reapers, every night in this place was a struggle.
'Well, let's see how it goes.' I muttered.
Right now, the biggest problem with the Production Saints was their long cool-down times for blessings. If I could somehow get it to synergize with {Rewind} or {Eat}, I could get all my bullets blessed faster.
A few seconds later, Phillip entered the room and saw Golden Wick hopping like rabbits.
"Ms. Yvonne, what in the world are you and your guild doing? I have complaints from the racket outside."
"Ah. Sorry, Mr. Scrivener. We will leave now. Let's go, girls. Esteemed patron, I will reach out to you again tomorrow, farewell."
"Patron! Thank you!"
"Patron! I have a cucumber in my refrigerator with your name on it!"
"Oy! Eva! What the fuck is wrong with you! Bye Patron!"
"Patron! See you tomorrow!"
"Patron! Take care on your way home!"
After they left, Phillip and I stared at each other for a few seconds without saying a word.
No doubt it was because of Eva's sexual innuendos. I didn't even know why I should feel uncomfortable, that child had been sexually harassing me since earlier. I was innocent.
"Uh, rest assured, Mr. Smith, I will never tell anyone about your sexual preferences."
"Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say?"
"I saw Golden Wick dressed in particularly mature clothing. It seems that you had relieved yourself before I arrived. I don't mind, but please consider going to Arcus Kiss in the red light district instead."
"Phillip, get your head out of your ass. I am not sexually attracted to children, okay?"
"Yes, yes. You are not," he said in a robotic voice.
"Oy! Listen to me, you monocled bastard!"
"Ah, Mr. Smith, I have two matters to bring to your attention."
I didn't know if it was intentional, but the sudden change of subject made it difficult to defend myself from being labeled a pedophile. Regretfully, I asked my clerk to continue.
"What are they?"
"First, I have received your winnings from the Annihilation Ranking. The organizers are asking you to put your winnings back into the prize pool. According to them, if you agree, they would increase your percentage from 1% to 2%."
Hmm. I didn't really need the money at this point, so I had no reason to refuse. Not really caring if the money made a profit, I just nodded.
"And what about the other thing?" I asked.
"Well, the other thing is from Zachary Lynch. He said that your Seeker War with the Saviors has been given a date. It will be this Saturday, today is a Tuesday, so you have four days to prepare. The Savior's full army is expected to be assembled by Friday."
Phillip's words sent a shiver down my spine. The event that would determine my future had been given a date. In less than 96 hours, I would be fighting an army of over two hundred Reapers.
And unlike Maneuverer AB, where the zombies mindlessly walked into a hail of lead, my opponents would be Reapers trained by a Specter.
Fear and unease began to creep through my limbs. A cold sensation like the icy embrace of death wrapped around my body. Just fighting the Slayer would be a challenge. But I would have to fight 29 other Phantoms at the same time.
'And that does not even take the Specter into account. Xander Rutherford.'
My throat felt dry as I swallowed nervously. Maybe it wasn't too late to call in a favor from my allies? Maybe the Sirens?
At that moment, the thought of calling the Sirens crossed my mind. A montage of visions suddenly appeared and forced me to watch them.
A hot, searing pain etched itself into my brain, like a hot iron being stabbed into my eyes, just so I would never forget the pain.
Just like my dream from yesterday, it made no sense, yet it
gripped my heart so tightly that I felt suffocated.
Emotions flowed through me and I could do nothing but drown in sorrow.
One vision depicted Liv's brutal death, battling a thousand undead.
In another, I witnessed Lilly's decapitation by a demon in my stead.
Robyn wasted away, chained to an arch, succumbing to starvation in the third.
The fourth vision left me grieving Josephine's lifeless form cradled in my arms.
Next, Isabella flung herself off the cliff, her gaze fixed on me.
Shortly after, a dog-headed monster ripped Jasmine in half.
The dreadful scenes concluded with Aki being engulfed by a tsunami.
When the last vision ended, I suddenly returned to reality.
"Mr. Smith? Mr. Smith?" Only then did I notice Philip's arms on my shoulders.
But the moment I came back, every single cell in my body felt one emotion.
Rage.
Rage that burned brighter than a thousand suns. Along with a bloodlust that seemed to swallow the entire world. My vision went dark as I felt souls begin to fill the meeting room.
Unconsciously, I released the death resonance at full power, as if to let my emotions run wild. A primal emotion awoke in my blood as the scenes of the girls dying repeated like a loop in my mind.
Pain, more pain than I had ever experienced, stabbed my heart.
It was as if someone had ripped my beating organ out of my chest and replaced it with a smoldering ball of fire. My insides felt like they were melting in agony, but the pain wouldn't stop, no matter how many seconds passed.
"NEVER AGAIN! I WILL NEVER ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN!" words I never meant to say came out as if someone had hijacked my body.
Phillip, who couldn't stand my outburst, was thrown against the wall. Souls surged out of my Soulgem and swirled in the cyclone of overwhelming strength.
At that moment, a familiar voice entered my mind.
[MY LORD! MY LORD! LIMITLESS! CALM DOWN!]
But despite her heartfelt pleas, I felt my consciousness slipping away.