One week later, after disposing of the last bits of the festival rubble, Albus emerged from underground in front of Jogid.
“Trouble at the border,” said a panting Albus. “It requires your attention…you must come quickly!”
Trouble? We’re still recovering from the last time we had trouble. Who dares test my patience at this moment. Puzzled, Jogid followed quickly as Albus took flight, the pair of megnac guards buzzing behind. He’d handle it quickly and then start his training.
They descended upon the grassy borderlands. Jogid spied a peculiar party of five. These were…dragonfolk.
Familiar dragonfolk.
Two he recognized instantly. The smaller jet-black dragon with violet eyes he had not seen in years was none other than his mother, Jaxalla. Beside her towered the hulking, crimson-and-gold form of Elder Japoo, legendary chieftain of Jogid’s home village.
Jogid and Albus crashed landed before them. “Mother, I…I can’t believe you’re here. What are you doing in Calmo?”
“Jogid, my son! We feared we’d lost you!” his mother cried, trying to approach.
But Jogid took a step back. “How can I forgive you, Mother? For abandoning me when I needed you most?”
Jaxalla’s expression faltered. “We had no choice, Jogid. The beetles... they were destroying everything. We did what we thought was best.”
Elder Japoo, who had been silent till then, suddenly bristled with rage. He glared at the megnac guards and growled, “Those creatures... They brought ruin to our home!”
Jogid raised a firm and commanding hand. “Elder Japoo, stand down. This is my home now, and these megnac warriors are my allies. You are not welcome to threaten them.”
The elder’s IDM spiked dangerously. “Your new family? You turn your back on your own blood for these...insects?”
“Jogid, our village... We couldn’t recover from the devastation. We’ve nowhere left to turn,” Jaxsalla said. “But we can start over, together.”
Jogid’s wings twitched and trembled. “No! You banished me!”
Japoo, unable to contain his fury, lunged forward, claw poised to strike. “Disrespectful whelp! You dishonor your own kin!”
Jogid stood his ground, eyes ablaze with a mix of sorrow and resolve. “I am not the same dragonfolk you exiled. This is my family, my duty. I will not let you harm them.”
The mother shrank back, her face glistening with tears.
A massive red and gold tail crashed into Jogid’s stomach before he could engage his IDM, start a fire-aligned ritual, or even trigger any tattoo dynamics. Such…power.
“You’re right, you are not the same dragonfolk,” Japoo sneered. “You’re much worse.”
Jogid, barely able to stand, watched as Albus and the megnac guards swarmed Japoo, but the ancient dragon scattered them like leaves. “You sh…you shouldn’t—”
Jogid was about to tell him that they couldn’t just attack the village without inquiring the wrath of his Master. But before he could get that out, a voice rang out.
“Well, well.”
The Elder froze at the quiet authority in that tone.
The Great Master.
All the dragons turned to watch the black-haired man that caught them by surprise.
“Japoo, is it? Would you, and the rest of Jogid’s family, care to join us for some hell herbs and bread? It just came out of the oven, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as Jogid does. After all, friends of Jogid are friends of Calmo.”
He’s so benevolent. Elder dragon, please take the offer.
The courteous words had just come out when Japoo spat a contemptuous curse in the dragon tongue, tearing the air towards Kaito with sharp claws of chaos-draconic IDM.
Jogid blinked once.
Kaito clapped once.
Japoo’s attack dissolved.
Then the dragon arched backwards, roaring in agony, as his core—a jewel-like metaphysical heart of a dragon’s power—tore free to land perfectly in Jogid’s palm.
Utterly defeated in an blink, Japoo shuddered, life essence bleeding away rapidly as Kaito regarded him pitilessly.
“Now then, shall we try this again civilly?” Kaito shrugged. “Jogid, what do you wish to do?”
Jogid walked slowly towards his mother, Jaxalla, with the weight of his clan’s strongest warrior in his hands. “Mother,” he began, “we need Japoo to protect our clan. You’ve seen Master Kaito’s power. If you know what’s best, you’ll leave Calmo and never return.”
Jaxalla’s snout betrayed sorrow, and the black scales covering her body, from the edge of her wings to the tip of her tail, had turned white in the presence of the core held in her son’s hand.” She nodded silently, understanding her son’s words. Then, she gazed around at her companions and took to the air, quickly becoming a small speck in the distance.
“I’m proud of you, Jogid. You’ve shown great strength and wisdom today,” Kaito said.
Jogid bowed his head, humbled. “Thank you, Master Kaito. I only seek to follow your example.”
Kaito approached him. “Jogid, I’ve realized that threats like these will continue unless I take action. I’ll have to leave Calmo for a while.”
The Great Master is leaving Calmo? “Leave? But for how long?”
Kaito stared into the distance. “I don’t know. But it’s time for me to confront the evil that lurks in every corner of this world.”
Jogid felt a sudden pang of unease. Could it be that…
There was no way, there hadn’t been any signs—
Impossible,
With a feeling of shock, Jogid recognized the familiarity of the thought. His mana was dangerously low for no apparent reason. But why didn’t he notice it until now?
Could this really be another of Vexlerion’s illusions? he wondered. But Kaito, leaving his peaceful life behind? It’s unthinkable.
He looked at his master, wondering what would be the right question. What if we’re still trapped in Vexlerion’s alternate reality? The thought was like a cold hand clutching his soul.
But no, that couldn’t be it, Jogid reassured himself, trying to shake off the doubt. Master Kaito has always been committed to Calmo—if there’s one thing the Great Master would never do, it’s leave the village. He wouldn’t abandon it over such a vague excuse. It would have to be something significant. Something unimaginable.
The possibility that they had been ensnared in Vexlerion’s dimension for a week was terrifying, but it seemed plausible. And what of the real state of Calmo? Have I been so blind, so utterly ineffectual? The self-reproach was a bitter pill.
His next thought was even more terrifying. Was it true? Did Master Kaito really defeat two of Vexlerion’s realities? Or had it all been a lie?
The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. As Kaito prepared to leave, Jogid’s stance solidified, even as tears welled in his scaly cheeks. You’re not real.
This isn’t real. None of it. Master Kaito, my mentor, would never abandon Calmo. This world, it’s a farce, a trick played by Vexlerion.
And I’ve lost a week here.
This Kaito had been fake from the start.
I’m so useless…
He clenched his fists. I can’t afford to doubt myself now. Surely Master Kaito foresaw this, he trusted that I would defeat Vexlerion, I must break free from this illusion.Vexlerion! You’ve underestimated me. I will not be your puppet any longer. It’s time to end this charade and protect my home.
With a deep breath, Jogid centered himself. I know what I have to do.
Master Kaito, wherever you truly are, I hope you’re safe. The village needs us both. I won’t fail you or our home.
I am Jogid, protector of Calmo, disciple of the Great Master Kaito. I will not falter.
Each step was agony—What is this weakness?—as Jogid forced his body towards the barren lot where the baking contest had been held, where he would soon find out if he was indeed in an alternate reality.
He had a plan. But he noticed his vision swimming with fatigue and his knees barely able to sustain his weight. At this rate, would he even have enough mana remaining for one last desperate offensive?
Perhaps...perhaps he should simply lie down and embrace oblivion. After all he had endured, the temptation to surrender to this false world was overwhelming.
With a shuddering effort, Jogid wrenched himself from despair’s grip. Okay, I hope this works.
Shakily, he began tracing the hand signs to unleash his most cherished spell. His tattoos’ pulsing green after each correct gesture.
Like a tree sprouting rapidly, a door emerged from the ground, a door that he was happy to see. And while Jogid crawled toward his personal dimension, dark clouds populated Calmo’s sky. First came the rain. Then the thunder. And then lightning struck so close to Jogid, his scales got badly burned.
He cycled through his IDM reserves with a lazy ward that protected his vitals. But when lightning didn’t stop him, nightmarish beings spawned to try again. The same disjointed body part entities Jogid had battled previously. Eyeballs with tattered wings and chittering mouths swarming towards this last pocket of resistance.
They attacked.
Bruises and lesions rapidly peppered his body. Jogid ignored them as his claw made it into his own dimension.
He shuffled to his feet and stepped inside. Fitting his entire body into the cramped space was a lot easier than before. That’s when he noticed that his left arm and tail had gone numb.
Before he sealed himself inside, Vexlerion strode from nothingness to peer inside Jogid’s personal space.
“Did you truly think you could escape ME? Wait, what? This space is so small…so pitiful. I have crafted one hundred realities, each one inside the next—YOU DARE slam this door in my face? You’re just trapping yourself further within my realm! When you come out, if you decide to do so, there will be not one hundred, but a thousand realities waiting for you. You will be trapped here, suffering, for ten thousand years…”
After a few seconds Jogid reopened his portal. His posture was straighter, his eyes clearer, and an aura of renewed IDM radiated from him.
“Back so soon, little dragon? I’m glad you’ve decided to accept death.” Vexlerion’s face changed to that of a minotaur momentarily when he noticed Jogid’s sudden transformation. “What... what did you do? How is your power restored so quickly?” The hell beast brought one of his shadow tentacles near Jogid’s portal, but when he tried to reach inside, the tentacle disintegrated in a burst of IDM.
Vexlerion waved the rest of his tentacles dismissively. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You’re still trapped here, in my labyrinth of infinite realities. Every struggle, every moment of resistance will only prolong your suffering, drag you deeper into an eternity of torment.”
He formed the hand signs again, tearing open a second doorway into his dimension.
Jogid looked squarely at the reality weaver from within the safety of his dimension. “It’s over, Vexlerion.”
If I am doomed here, I will ensure this cursed illusion perishes alongside him!
Strong cyclones rose as both pocket dimensions ruptured. Jogid’s void and Vexlerion’s swirling chaos collided, matter and energy violently condensing into a newborn singularity. Reality itself convulsed as the worlds imploded together.
“Farewell, demon!”
Jogid’s words echoed the demon’s dying screams. Then...silence.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Slowly, sensation returned as Jogid found himself sprawled on grassy earth—the battered festival grounds of Calmo.
“Oh wow. That was faster than I thought it’d take.” Kaito’s calm voice brought him to the present.
Surrounded by Kaito, Zenith, Portia, and Angelina, Jogid looked around, worried and uncertain. “Are we still within Vexlerion’s artificial reality?” he asked, stammering.
“You did good, Jogid. You beated a hell beast in less than a minute,” He nodded towards their side, where Vexlerion, no longer in his monstrous Hell Beast form, stood as Rosto, his human persona. “In fact, you handled it so well, I’d say you’re ready for round two.”
Round two? “A minute? But it felt like weeks…” He rubbed his temples. One minute? How long did Master Kaito say a minute was? Jogid shook his head. “I am sorry Master, I don’t think I can handle it right now.”
“Just kidding,” Kaito laughed. “Take five, you’ve earned it!”
“Okay, you two. What do we do with the Hell Beast now?” Zenith asked with a worried look.
At that moment, Tharbomi, now back to normal as well, humbled himself, his forehead almost touching the ground. “I am deeply sorry for what has transpired,” he said earnestly. “We will take full responsibility for this. I only hope that Calmo can, in time, forgive Eastscar for our part in this.”
Looking at Rosto, Jogid spoke quickly. “I apologize for such a request, but I think we should spare him. He’s just looking for acceptance, much like…I once sought acceptance from Calmo and Master Kaito.”
Rosto, overhearing this, tilted his head and frowned slightly while Kaito shrugged nonchalantly. “Then there’s no choice but to let him go.”
Everyone looked at Kaito in confusion. “Why would you just let him go like that?” they asked almost in unison.
Rosto’s jaw hung close to the floor as he curiously awaited Kaito’s next words.
“Most of his mana is trapped in Jogid’s dimension. He’s not a threat now,” Kaito explained. Then turning to Tharbomi and Rosto, Kaito inquired, “Is that agreeable to you?”
The mayor of Eastscar village stroked his beard in contemplation. “I am not sure—”
Portia crossed her arms. “You can’t be serious! After everything he did? The lives endangered?” She gestured angrily at the wreckage.
Tharbomi grunted in agreement. “My people barely survived his evil. Such betrayal should not be forgiven lightly.”
Jogid stepped forward. “I understand your anger. I’m angry too, but hatred only breeds more darkness. He was misguided, not inherently evil. Should we not show mercy?”
“Mmh, Kaito and Jogid are right. With this we can break the cycle,” Zenith pleaded. “And we’ll watch him closely.”
Some of the nearby villagers muttered in discontent. Zenith bit her lips. Kaito remained impassive, eyes on Rosto.
“I guess…” Tharbomi, paused to consider—the red beast’s face spoke volumes of his skepticism. “If that is what Calmo desires, then maybe,” he said, looking towards Zenith.
“I don’t trust him either, but I do stand by Kaito and Jogid’s suggestion,” she said, her voice both somehow firm and unsure at the same time. She glanced at Kaito, who gave a subtle nod. “Please, give Rosto a chance,” she said to Tharbomi more politely.
Some villagers, watching from afar, continued showing signs of discomfort and disagreement with the decision, their expressions uneasy.
Jogid added, “Rosto...he was a Hell Beast, seeking our acceptance.”
“No one will ever really accept Hell Beasts!” Portia exclaimed.
“Well, maybe it’s time we start,” Kaito said.
Tharbomi sighed, relenting to the decision. “Very well,” he grunted.
Zenith nods gratefully. “We will be vigilant, but must try understanding.” She addresses Rosto. “Know that you are fortunate we offer this mercy at all. Do not squander it.”
Kaito then leaned down before Rosto. “Your baking is exceptional. I’m looking forward to our next bake-off.”
At that moment, a mix of emotions, from embarrassment to awkwardness, sadness to pity, rippled through everyone present as Rosto’s eyes welled up with tears.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Say Karen, aren’t you gonna give us an achievement this time? We kinda took down a hell beast, that should count for something don’t you think?
Well how about…
NEW A— [Analyzing…]
Actually nah, that shit got boring really fast. Gotta keep it fresh!
Humm, sure. But what happened? Too mainstream for your tastes now?
Please, Kaito, defeating hell beasts is so fucking last season. Anyway, what’s next for you? Cosmic karaoke. Now that would be achievement-worthy.
Okay. Just don’t start handing out achievements for surviving your commentary, okay?
If you can’t handle my sass then maybe don’t come begging for fake rewards. This is like those stories you used to read before becoming a multiversal adventurer. You know, the kind where the biggest challenge is not dying of boredom from all the endless stats and cringey dialogue. Yeah, those ones.
Hey, I loved those!
Actually, you know what would be super funny for those stories? If they introduced a villain like Rosto early on, and five books later it is revealed that the characters were still in one of his alternate dimensions all along.
No! That would be horrible.
One week later, after disposing of the last bits of the festival rubble, Albus emerged from underground in front of Jogid.
“Trouble at the border,” said a panting Albus. “It requires your attention…you must come quickly!”
Trouble? We’re still recovering from the last time we had trouble. Who dares test my patience at this moment. Puzzled, Jogid followed quickly as Albus took flight, the pair of megnac guards buzzing behind. He’d handle it quickly and then start his training.
They descended upon the grassy borderlands. Jogid spied a peculiar party of five. These were…dragonfolk.
Familiar dragonfolk.
Two he recognized instantly. The smaller jet-black dragon with violet eyes he had not seen in years was none other than his mother, Jaxalla. Beside her towered the hulking, crimson-and-gold form of Elder Japoo, legendary chieftain of Jogid’s home village.
Jogid and Albus crashed landed before them. “Mother, I…I can’t believe you’re here. What are you doing in Calmo?”
“Jogid, my son! We feared we’d lost you!” his mother cried, trying to approach.
But Jogid took a step back. “How can I forgive you, Mother? For abandoning me when I needed you most?”
Jaxalla’s expression faltered. “We had no choice, Jogid. The beetles... they were destroying everything. We did what we thought was best.”
Elder Japoo, who had been silent till then, suddenly bristled with rage. He glared at the megnac guards and growled, “Those creatures... They brought ruin to our home!”
Jogid raised a firm and commanding hand. “Elder Japoo, stand down. This is my home now, and these megnac warriors are my allies. You are not welcome to threaten them.”
The elder’s IDM spiked dangerously. “Your new family? You turn your back on your own blood for these...insects?”
“Jogid, our village... We couldn’t recover from the devastation. We’ve nowhere left to turn,” Jaxsalla said. “But we can start over, together.”
Jogid’s wings twitched and trembled. “No! You banished me!”
Japoo, unable to contain his fury, lunged forward, claw poised to strike. “Disrespectful whelp! You dishonor your own kin!”
Jogid stood his ground, eyes ablaze with a mix of sorrow and resolve. “I am not the same dragonfolk you exiled. This is my family, my duty. I will not let you harm them.”
The mother shrank back, her face glistening with tears.
A massive red and gold tail crashed into Jogid’s stomach before he could engage his IDM, start a fire-aligned ritual, or even trigger any tattoo dynamics. Such…power.
“You’re right, you are not the same dragonfolk,” Japoo sneered. “You’re much worse.”
Jogid, barely able to stand, watched as Albus and the megnac guards swarmed Japoo, but the ancient dragon scattered them like leaves. “You sh…you shouldn’t—”
Jogid was about to tell him that they couldn’t just attack the village without inquiring the wrath of his Master. But before he could get that out, a voice rang out.
“Well, well.”
The Elder froze at the quiet authority in that tone.
The Great Master.
All the dragons turned to watch the black-haired man that caught them by surprise.
“Japoo, is it? Would you, and the rest of Jogid’s family, care to join us for some hell herbs and bread? It just came out of the oven, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as Jogid does. After all, friends of Jogid are friends of Calmo.”
He’s so benevolent. Elder dragon, please take the offer.
The courteous words had just come out when Japoo spat a contemptuous curse in the dragon tongue, tearing the air towards Kaito with sharp claws of chaos-draconic IDM.
Jogid blinked once.
Kaito clapped once.
Japoo’s attack dissolved.
Then the dragon arched backwards, roaring in agony, as his core—a jewel-like metaphysical heart of a dragon’s power—tore free to land perfectly in Jogid’s palm.
Utterly defeated in an blink, Japoo shuddered, life essence bleeding away rapidly as Kaito regarded him pitilessly.
“Now then, shall we try this again civilly?” Kaito shrugged. “Jogid, what do you wish to do?”
Jogid walked slowly towards his mother, Jaxalla, with the weight of his clan’s strongest warrior in his hands. “Mother,” he began, “we need Japoo to protect our clan. You’ve seen Master Kaito’s power. If you know what’s best, you’ll leave Calmo and never return.”
Jaxalla’s snout betrayed sorrow, and the black scales covering her body, from the edge of her wings to the tip of her tail, had turned white in the presence of the core held in her son’s hand.” She nodded silently, understanding her son’s words. Then, she gazed around at her companions and took to the air, quickly becoming a small speck in the distance.
“I’m proud of you, Jogid. You’ve shown great strength and wisdom today,” Kaito said.
Jogid bowed his head, humbled. “Thank you, Master Kaito. I only seek to follow your example.”
Kaito approached him. “Jogid, I’ve realized that threats like these will continue unless I take action. I’ll have to leave Calmo for a while.”
The Great Master is leaving Calmo? “Leave? But for how long?”
Kaito stared into the distance. “I don’t know. But it’s time for me to confront the evil that lurks in every corner of this world.”
Jogid felt a sudden pang of unease. Could it be that…
There was no way, there hadn’t been any signs—
Impossible,
With a feeling of shock, Jogid recognized the familiarity of the thought. His mana was dangerously low for no apparent reason. But why didn’t he notice it until now?
Could this really be another of Vexlerion’s illusions? he wondered. But Kaito, leaving his peaceful life behind? It’s unthinkable.
He looked at his master, wondering what would be the right question. What if we’re still trapped in Vexlerion’s alternate reality? The thought was like a cold hand clutching his soul.
But no, that couldn’t be it, Jogid reassured himself, trying to shake off the doubt. Master Kaito has always been committed to Calmo—if there’s one thing the Great Master would never do, it’s leave the village. He wouldn’t abandon it over such a vague excuse. It would have to be something significant. Something unimaginable.
The possibility that they had been ensnared in Vexlerion’s dimension for a week was terrifying, but it seemed plausible. And what of the real state of Calmo? Have I been so blind, so utterly ineffectual? The self-reproach was a bitter pill.
His next thought was even more terrifying. Was it true? Did Master Kaito really defeat two of Vexlerion’s realities? Or had it all been a lie?
The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. As Kaito prepared to leave, Jogid’s stance solidified, even as tears welled in his scaly cheeks. You’re not real.
This isn’t real. None of it. Master Kaito, my mentor, would never abandon Calmo. This world, it’s a farce, a trick played by Vexlerion.
And I’ve lost a week here.
This Kaito had been fake from the start.
I’m so useless…
He clenched his fists. I can’t afford to doubt myself now. Surely Master Kaito foresaw this, he trusted that I would defeat Vexlerion, I must break free from this illusion.Vexlerion! You’ve underestimated me. I will not be your puppet any longer. It’s time to end this charade and protect my home.
With a deep breath, Jogid centered himself. I know what I have to do.
Master Kaito, wherever you truly are, I hope you’re safe. The village needs us both. I won’t fail you or our home.
I am Jogid, protector of Calmo, disciple of the Great Master Kaito. I will not falter.
Each step was agony—What is this weakness?—as Jogid forced his body towards the barren lot where the baking contest had been held, where he would soon find out if he was indeed in an alternate reality.
He had a plan. But he noticed his vision swimming with fatigue and his knees barely able to sustain his weight. At this rate, would he even have enough mana remaining for one last desperate offensive?
Perhaps...perhaps he should simply lie down and embrace oblivion. After all he had endured, the temptation to surrender to this false world was overwhelming.
With a shuddering effort, Jogid wrenched himself from despair’s grip. Okay, I hope this works.
Shakily, he began tracing the hand signs to unleash his most cherished spell. His tattoos’ pulsing green after each correct gesture.
Like a tree sprouting rapidly, a door emerged from the ground, a door that he was happy to see. And while Jogid crawled toward his personal dimension, dark clouds populated Calmo’s sky. First came the rain. Then the thunder. And then lightning struck so close to Jogid, his scales got badly burned.
He cycled through his IDM reserves with a lazy ward that protected his vitals. But when lightning didn’t stop him, nightmarish beings spawned to try again. The same disjointed body part entities Jogid had battled previously. Eyeballs with tattered wings and chittering mouths swarming towards this last pocket of resistance.
They attacked.
Bruises and lesions rapidly peppered his body. Jogid ignored them as his claw made it into his own dimension.
He shuffled to his feet and stepped inside. Fitting his entire body into the cramped space was a lot easier than before. That’s when he noticed that his left arm and tail had gone numb.
Before he sealed himself inside, Vexlerion strode from nothingness to peer inside Jogid’s personal space.
“Did you truly think you could escape ME? Wait, what? This space is so small…so pitiful. I have crafted one hundred realities, each one inside the next—YOU DARE slam this door in my face? You’re just trapping yourself further within my realm! When you come out, if you decide to do so, there will be not one hundred, but a thousand realities waiting for you. You will be trapped here, suffering, for ten thousand years…”
After a few seconds Jogid reopened his portal. His posture was straighter, his eyes clearer, and an aura of renewed IDM radiated from him.
“Back so soon, little dragon? I’m glad you’ve decided to accept death.” Vexlerion’s face changed to that of a minotaur momentarily when he noticed Jogid’s sudden transformation. “What... what did you do? How is your power restored so quickly?” The hell beast brought one of his shadow tentacles near Jogid’s portal, but when he tried to reach inside, the tentacle disintegrated in a burst of IDM.
Vexlerion waved the rest of his tentacles dismissively. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You’re still trapped here, in my labyrinth of infinite realities. Every struggle, every moment of resistance will only prolong your suffering, drag you deeper into an eternity of torment.”
He formed the hand signs again, tearing open a second doorway into his dimension.
Jogid looked squarely at the reality weaver from within the safety of his dimension. “It’s over, Vexlerion.”
If I am doomed here, I will ensure this cursed illusion perishes alongside him!
Strong cyclones rose as both pocket dimensions ruptured. Jogid’s void and Vexlerion’s swirling chaos collided, matter and energy violently condensing into a newborn singularity. Reality itself convulsed as the worlds imploded together.
“Farewell, demon!”
Jogid’s words echoed the demon’s dying screams. Then...silence.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Slowly, sensation returned as Jogid found himself sprawled on grassy earth—the battered festival grounds of Calmo.
“Oh wow. That was faster than I thought it’d take.” Kaito’s calm voice brought him to the present.
Surrounded by Kaito, Zenith, Portia, and Angelina, Jogid looked around, worried and uncertain. “Are we still within Vexlerion’s artificial reality?” he asked, stammering.
“You did good, Jogid. You beated a hell beast in less than a minute,” He nodded towards their side, where Vexlerion, no longer in his monstrous Hell Beast form, stood as Rosto, his human persona. “In fact, you handled it so well, I’d say you’re ready for round two.”
Round two? “A minute? But it felt like weeks…” He rubbed his temples. One minute? How long did Master Kaito say a minute was? Jogid shook his head. “I am sorry Master, I don’t think I can handle it right now.”
“Just kidding,” Kaito laughed. “Take five, you’ve earned it!”
“Okay, you two. What do we do with the Hell Beast now?” Zenith asked with a worried look.
At that moment, Tharbomi, now back to normal as well, humbled himself, his forehead almost touching the ground. “I am deeply sorry for what has transpired,” he said earnestly. “We will take full responsibility for this. I only hope that Calmo can, in time, forgive Eastscar for our part in this.”
Looking at Rosto, Jogid spoke quickly. “I apologize for such a request, but I think we should spare him. He’s just looking for acceptance, much like…I once sought acceptance from Calmo and Master Kaito.”
Rosto, overhearing this, tilted his head and frowned slightly while Kaito shrugged nonchalantly. “Then there’s no choice but to let him go.”
Everyone looked at Kaito in confusion. “Why would you just let him go like that?” they asked almost in unison.
Rosto’s jaw hung close to the floor as he curiously awaited Kaito’s next words.
“Most of his mana is trapped in Jogid’s dimension. He’s not a threat now,” Kaito explained. Then turning to Tharbomi and Rosto, Kaito inquired, “Is that agreeable to you?”
The mayor of Eastscar village stroked his beard in contemplation. “I am not sure—”
Portia crossed her arms. “You can’t be serious! After everything he did? The lives endangered?” She gestured angrily at the wreckage.
Tharbomi grunted in agreement. “My people barely survived his evil. Such betrayal should not be forgiven lightly.”
Jogid stepped forward. “I understand your anger. I’m angry too, but hatred only breeds more darkness. He was misguided, not inherently evil. Should we not show mercy?”
“Mmh, Kaito and Jogid are right. With this we can break the cycle,” Zenith pleaded. “And we’ll watch him closely.”
Some of the nearby villagers muttered in discontent. Zenith bit her lips. Kaito remained impassive, eyes on Rosto.
“I guess…” Tharbomi, paused to consider—the red beast’s face spoke volumes of his skepticism. “If that is what Calmo desires, then maybe,” he said, looking towards Zenith.
“I don’t trust him either, but I do stand by Kaito and Jogid’s suggestion,” she said, her voice both somehow firm and unsure at the same time. She glanced at Kaito, who gave a subtle nod. “Please, give Rosto a chance,” she said to Tharbomi more politely.
Some villagers, watching from afar, continued showing signs of discomfort and disagreement with the decision, their expressions uneasy.
Jogid added, “Rosto...he was a Hell Beast, seeking our acceptance.”
“No one will ever really accept Hell Beasts!” Portia exclaimed.
“Well, maybe it’s time we start,” Kaito said.
Tharbomi sighed, relenting to the decision. “Very well,” he grunted.
Zenith nods gratefully. “We will be vigilant, but must try understanding.” She addresses Rosto. “Know that you are fortunate we offer this mercy at all. Do not squander it.”
Kaito then leaned down before Rosto. “Your baking is exceptional. I’m looking forward to our next bake-off.”
At that moment, a mix of emotions, from embarrassment to awkwardness, sadness to pity, rippled through everyone present as Rosto’s eyes welled up with tears.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Say Karen, aren’t you gonna give us an achievement this time? We kinda took down a hell beast, that should count for something don’t you think?
Well how about…
NEW A— [Analyzing…]
Actually nah, that shit got boring really fast. Gotta keep it fresh!
Humm, sure. But what happened? Too mainstream for your tastes now?
Please, Kaito, defeating hell beasts is so fucking last season. Anyway, what’s next for you? Cosmic karaoke. Now that would be achievement-worthy.
Okay. Just don’t start handing out achievements for surviving your commentary, okay?
If you can’t handle my sass then maybe don’t come begging for fake rewards. This is like those stories you used to read before becoming a multiversal adventurer. You know, the kind where the biggest challenge is not dying of boredom from all the endless stats and cringey dialogue. Yeah, those ones.
Hey, I loved those!
Actually, you know what would be super funny for those stories? If they introduced a villain like Rosto early on, and five books later it is revealed that the characters were still in one of his alternate dimensions all along.
No! That would be horrible.
