"I know you won't want to let me join in, but I planned to force my way in. And also, I'm not sorry in the least for all the abuses I gave you."
Dearth...
Her voice trembled at the end. "I would've really loved to follow you guys... Feel the world again, outside this eternal duty of escorting the dead..."
Her grip on the scythe tightened, knuckles pale against the weapon's dark material. Her expression hardened, a wall of resolve.
"Take care of Alicia, Fenrir Babysitter."
With those final words, she signaled the darkness spirits.
They shot forward, and in a flash, Alicia and I were hurtling away at rapid speed.
"Dearth!!" I screamed, my voice lost in the rush of wind.
She stood there, her back to the Leviathan, facing me with a sad, expressive smile.
"I know you can do it!" I yelled, desperation lacing my words. "You're strong, after all. Just know that someone out there is rooting for you!"
That's the journey of life, isn't it?
You find companions, you lose them. New ones come, and they leave too...
But deep down, I didn't want to believe Dearth planned to face that monster head-on. Surely, she'd find a way to escape—she could create portals, at any rate.
I hoped.
She just wanted to buy us time. To give us a chance.
Thank you... Dearth. I'll never forget you. I'm eternally in your debt.
In mere minutes, a forest came into view, and within seconds, we landed on dry, sandy ground.
These spirits—like my Specter Wolves—likely harnessed the shadows around us, slipping through the darkness to accelerate their movement, subtly teleporting.
As soon as they delivered us to safety, they vanished into the wind, as if they had never been.
Sigh.
We were saved.
But this ache in my chest... It wasn't going away.
This is what I'll carry as I continue my journey, huh?
A heavy burden indeed.
"Ruby?" Alicia's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
Ah, right. I had a (begrudging) responsibility to look after her.
I'd do my best—not for Bond, not even for her—but for myself. I wanted the satisfaction of finally accomplishing something properly.
"Are you... okay? You weren't scared, were you?" I asked, my eyes scanning her for injuries or swelling.
I made sure to avoid looking at her chest, still a bit conscious of her... maturity.
Her clothes were almost dry, thanks to the spirits' speed, but I wasn't taking any chances.
"I'm fine! I keep telling you!" She pouted and pulled at my human nose. "I know you'll protect me no matter what."
Argh!
Cute.
And with every word, the weight of responsibility piled higher. If she was going to rely on me like that, I had to step up.
But seriously, she thought too highly of me.
And she didn't miss home?
To her, I bet, this was probably one big, thrilling adventure. Meanwhile, all I'd been hearing recently were death bells ringing in my head.
Ah, to be innocent.
Speaking of death bells—yeah, I was hearing one right now.
Oh... God.
It hadn't even been two minutes yet. An eerie presence washed over me, a terrifyingly familiar one.
I drew Alicia behind me, turning toward the sea several feet away.
The water stirred, its surface rippling as something enormous moved beneath.
And then, a creature emerged, its head breaking through the waves.
Ugh. Creepy.
It stepped out of the water with an unsettling grace, as if it owned the very element.
The creature had the shape of a human woman—especially at the chest, which was unnervingly prominent.
Her yellow eyes, slit-pupiled and unblinking, watched me with a predator's focus.
White hair flowed like seaweed, and her grey, scaled skin shimmered with the sheen of wet stone.
Webbed fingers and feet, fins for ears, and two whip-like tentacles sprouting from behind her torso added to the marine horror of her appearance.
Golden, archaic markings etched across her exposed skin, pulsing faintly like living tattoos.
And she was massive—three times taller than a human. Not just a large person, but a true giant.
There was no doubt—this was Leviathan.
Everything but her form confirmed it.
My life is a mess.
And thinking back... Gihon, the world I'd fled from, had been rowdy and violent—but not nearly as chaotic as this.
Sarvest and Leviathan in a single day? What kind of hellish luck was this?
Alicia, in contrast, stood behind me with a serene, almost bored expression.
She truly believed I had the strength to take on something that could likely spar with Sarvest without breaking a sweat.
Nevertheless, I needed to assess the situation.
"G-Good day, Leviathan." My voice came out shakier than intended.
"Likewise." Her serpentine voice slithered into my ears, soft but menacing.
Oh... it talks!
Heaven hadn't completely abandoned me yet.
Now, time to flex my high-level negotiating skills and talk my way out of this.
"What about my friend who stood to face you?" I asked, my heart in my throat.
I couldn't help but worry about Dearth.
I didn't want to imagine the worst. If she was dead... I'd never forgive mysel—
"Do you speak of the death reaper?" Leviathan's expression remained unreadable. "The moment you hastily left us, she began to beg for her life, subsequently revealing to me your exact destination. So, I let her live."
"..."
I was stunned.
Really?
Death gods—or reapers—were not good allies at all.
Chivalry doesn't exist in their minds.
Dearth literally sold us out?
Was it part of her plan all along?
What about those suicidal last words, like some chivalrous knight?
Or maybe it was because I said I didn't trust her.
Yeah, that's probably it. Case closed.
But why did Leviathan not just destroy the snitch indifferently, instead, chose to seek me out?
Before I could voice my confusion, Leviathan spoke.
"You are... That Dark Fenrir, Ravenswood, am I correct?"
"No, I am not."
Not a lie. I'm Ruben now.
And I don't even look like a Fenrir in this human form.
But seriously, what's with villains knowing my name lately?
Is this what they call the wrong type of attention?
It's getting unsettling.
And not just my name—my old name.
What could she possibly want from me?
My hand in marriage?
I wish.
Directions?
She could've just asked Dearth.
Pluto's head?
I hope so; I'd gladly sell that con out anytime.
Or wait—did she want a Pact?
I can't do that anymore!!
Though… I wish it had been the Pact.
"You lie. I smell you like I did 200 years ago."
Excuse me?
I mean, uncultured.
Smelling me? What are you, Alicia?
And she knew me 200 years ago? That was back when I was in my youth and prime.
"Ravenswood, I wish to defeat you."
…Eh?
Defeat... Did that have another dictionary meaning besides destroy? Someone help me check.
Just minimize the app for a bit; I'll wait, I promise.
I know one thing: for monsters, defeat basically meant "death by maiming."
Maybe I should hurry and apologi—ah! She already started running towards me!!