Ultimate Level 1 - Book 6 - Chapter 324

So much flesh was bare, the scales removed with a precision that made Max wonder what all his skill could truly do.

He savored the bite of food in his mouth, a breakfast cooked in the Faction house, still okay, having been preserved in the dimensional storage.

Now there were enough dragon scales to outfit an army. Every tooth was in storage, as were the claws and some organs as well.

You didn’t leave much, did you?

Would you have considered leaving anything if your friends were here and this was just another normal creature you killed?

You’re right… still that part of me that isn’t… lost aches for what this dragon… for what Kuneoss must have felt. To have a child used against someone… that is an evil I never want to become.

Sometimes good men must do evil things in order to fight those who are evil and will never do good things. If you do not stop Igarra, many more will suffer. The other… she is something far worse, I am afraid.

The last piece of food in his hand suddenly lost its appeal, and after staring at it for a moment, Max tossed it aside.

He saw the purple portal glowing against the wall. It had appeared after Kuneoss had died.

You’re certain resetting everything was worth the cost?

Choosing between having every skill at our disposal is far more important than the power it took. Yes, it was more than I desired to use, but trust me, our odds of survival are much greater if we can make it back to town and fight. Now tell me, are you certain you are ready for what comes next?

I will do what I can to avoid the harming of innocents. Still, she must be destroyed.

Then fix your new collar and put on your cloak. We need to not stand out as we return.

Max chuckled as he held the piece of metal in his hands. He had taken the one off Kuneoss’s body, easily snapping it, and found there was no power inside. With his magic he had heated it, bent it, healing the wounds that formed from the hot metal until it was the shape he needed it to be.

From there, he put the hot metal around his neck, bending it till it looped and almost touched. The smallest sliver of space lay between the ends.

None of the pain had mattered. Every bit he almost relished as Max plotted what he was going to do upon his rebirth.

Let’s go.

Covered in a full cloak from his storage, Max wished for one that hid everything.

Wrapped around his chest was the whip, and Max sighed, wishing he could wear everything under the cloak but knew he couldn’t. A simple shirt covered the whip, barely able to fit his body anymore as it had grown more muscular.

Happy birthday again.

Max frowned as he stopped a few feet from the portal.

Yet another reason we need to hurry. It has been almost a year. There are others who need to learn the truth.

***

The rabbit kicked, slashed, and bit, yet Max didn’t even flinch as he held the creature tight.

“Stop fighting and settle down,” he whispered, watching the furball go limp as he recognized Max’s voice.

Lowering his hand, the first words he heard were ones of utter shock.

“If… Ifrit?”

“Yes, now answer me truthfully. Did you know Aimee had Romandis murdered?”

Jazzjak shook his head rapidly from side to side, and Max could feel his heart beating, a sudden skip having taken place at that question before returning to normal.

“I… I did not… but it makes sense now… how… how did you find out?”

“I’m going to let you go, but if you try to run, know I won’t hesitate to kill you. It has nothing to do with you, my friend. I’m just a little excited right now.”

“Understood.”

Max took one last breath and set the vorpal bunny down, watching him slowly take a step before turning, eyes widening at the cloaked man who stood before him.

“How? Where? I mean… Igarra?”

Sighing, Max nodded.

“It was a trap, as I thought. Forty days of monsters that never ended and a silver dragon that guarded the portal out. Tell me. Is she still around?”

“She’s always around,” Jazzjak muttered as he stared at Max. “Forty days? How much sleep did you get?”

“None… they never stopped. Every creature was pressed against another almost. Like a thick stew.”

“And… you survived?”

“No… I grew. Now tell me, can you return home and be safe, or will you be in danger if you try?”

Jazzjak hung his head and shook. Both ears flopped over his face.

“I tried… about ten or so days ago. I was denied getting to leave, and the look I received told me that asking again wasn’t in my best interest. Since then I have stayed mainly in here. No one comes by. It's been weeks since I saw someone watching the house. I’m certain at some point I’ll be forced to leave here one way or another.”

“And the skill shards? You’re not weak, are you?”

Chuckling, Jazzjak shrugged. 

“Compared to who? You? I couldn’t even hurt you. Compared to some? I could easily kill them. I’m a little over twice as strong as I was before, but I could sense your power and knew if I tried, you could snap my head off. Honestly part of me thought you were Igarra, coming to finish the job herself, except there were no golden scales.”

“Listen. You’re not going to like this, but things are going to get bad, and I need you to be safe. I’m going to do something stupid.”

“Worse than usual?” Jazzjak asked with a toothy grin.

“Way worse. I’m going to kill Igarra.”

Max knew the look on his face wasn’t a kind one. He could feel his eyes and how they shook. His face was hot from the rage he felt inside.

“Well, what should I do?”

“Act normal. Go shopping. I’ll slip out a little after. I need to pay someone a visit.”

***

Purple eyes bulged, and the way Quilazmore was struggling to breathe almost made Max chuckle.

“That wasn’t smart,” Max said as he punched the dark elf in the stomach again. “No questions. Don’t ask how I got in here, don’t ask how I’m alive, and for the love of everything, don’t even think of trying to attack me again, do you understand?”

“Yes…” 

The squeaky gasp that escaped the elf’s throat reminded Max he needed to ease up a little more.

Quilazmore began to quickly take bigger breaths as his ability to breathe returned.

“You have two choices, as I was saying. One allows you to live, the other is a guaranteed death. Decide which one you want.”

“But… you can’t defeat her… no one can,” Quilazmore stated, his voice still struggling from the pressure Max was squeezing his throat with. “None have succeeded. All have failed. What makes you think you will win?”

“How many times did you bet on me?”

“What?”

Ignoring the confused look, or perhaps the lack-of-air look on the elf’s face, Max gave him a little shake.

“How many times in the arena did you bet on me to win?”

“None… I… I always expected you to lose.”

“And every time I have proved you and her wrong. Now tell me, are you finally ready to bet on me and live? Otherwise, I’ll walk right into her property, you in tow, and you’ll die for certain. Your only other option is to help me. Then if I win, she can’t kill you, and you live.”

Max lifted the little elf off the ground again, bringing their faces close to each other.

“So you better ensure we are able to do what I want; otherwise you’re as good as dead because if I think for a moment you’re lying, I’ll snatch your beating heart from your chest and let you watch as it slowly stops.”

It was hard to imagine a dark elf with skin so black suddenly turn a shade lighter, but Max saw it happen.

“Now then, take me to where Igarra keeps her treasure.”

***

After two bruised eyes, as they were already black around the purple area, Quilazmore finally quit trying to play games as Max broke a third finger.

“I warned you, yet you continue to play games… Do not test me any more.”

He is a stubborn elf and at least committed to his master.

He’s an idiot elf. Surely he must realize now I’m capable of so much more than he thinks…

We’re already this far into her home. I’m simply surprised we haven’t been found out yet.

No thanks to this fool!

The sobs stopped as Max gave Quilazmore a shake.

“Try to lead me in front of guards again, and I’ll end you. I’m serious. I can search the rest of this place on my own and stuff your body in a box or something. It will be days before someone finds you, and then what?”

That question made Max think about something, and inside he groaned, knowing what he was about to do next went against so many things.

“Tell you what… let me make this easier to understand. You know I am aware of where you live. That is how I found you and snatched you away. Perhaps we should return to your home and see if anyone or anything is there. You could watch me do to them what I promised to do to you.”

Max saw the last thread of commitment to Igarra snap when Quilazmore’s purple eyes went wide, and tears began to form.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes…” he managed to squeak out. “But we can’t get through… It’s locked and warded.”

“Let me handle that part,” Max replied, flashing a grin. “You simply get me there.”

***

An hour later, Max stood before a large metal door that gave off waves of energy that warned anyone foolish enough that touching it wouldn’t end well.

That is impressive. I count at least three different spells that are guarding this place, all set to do large amounts of damage to anyone foolish enough to touch it.

“How thick is the door and wall?”

“I’m sorry?” Quilazmore asked, his eyebrow rising slightly. “How thick is it? I don’t know,.I have never been inside. I am only aware of where it is, same as all her servants.”

“To ensure no one ever comes here and ‘attempts’ to enter by mistake?”

“Exactly. No one would be that foolish… well, perhaps other than you.”

Ignoring that remark, Max took a few steps back, grabbing Quilazmore’s arm and dragging him along.

This should work, right?

It should work, but if not, you should survive whatever spell tries to kill you, thanks to your Negate Death ability. The real test would be if each one triggers separately… Hopefully, I could reset your ability in time, even if that would cost far more power than I want to think about.

And he should be fine if I wrap him up tight and use the skill?

You keep asking, and I keep telling you, I don’t know. We’ve not tested these skills, and as such, I’m not certain. You could make a copy of yourself, send it into the door, kill it. Then you could toss that little elf at the door and kill him. From there, hopefully the spells don’t reset or recharge, and you can try to run through, dying once, avoiding it, and perhaps then we could get through. Either way, we’re about to find out if this plan of yours works or not.

Max couldn’t help but chuckle and ignored the look Quilazmore gave him as he did.

“Uh… what’s so funny.”

“I know you’re not an elf… or at least you tell me you’re not one, but I’m going to tell you something. I heard elves were lucky, and right now, you better pray that rumor is true.”

“Wait, what—”

Quilazmore’s cries went unanswered as Max wrapped his arms around the tiny elf, having him face forward as he ran toward the door.

“AHHHHHH!” echoed through the hallway as the dark elf probably saw his tiny life flash before his eyes.

[ Phasing ]