Return of the Fallen Volume 8 Chapter 88
Triska could feel the urgency in King Brian’s voice and promptly tapped her communication device.
“Kazuki, King Brian wishes to speak with you.”
The holographic image grew until King Brian was full-scale in the room.
Everyone’s attention turned to King Brian and King Brian didn’t wait for acknowledgment or introductions, there was simply no time in his mind.
“You are Kazuki correct?”
“Yes, and you are Brian. This is the first time I’ve seen your face. By your expression though, something seems to have gone bad.”
Brian nodded.
“I won’t talk in circles and there is little time for pleasantries. Things have changed. The Miasma has vanished. It disappeared into the ground and where it’s gone I do not know but that is only the first problem. Secondly, the Azirian’s have fused together. I know you and the others have dealt with fused Azirian’s in the past but now it’s not so simple. Millions have fused together and created eight large behemoths. I know this is strange to ask for favors, especially when this is our first introduction but as I said there’s no time.”
Kazuki gave it a quick thought but he had just reunited with Asuna, Nunully, and the others. Something selfish within him wished to say no then and there but for King Brian to try and get a hold of him directly, someone he recently knew was still alive, well, it recked of desperation and if King Brian was desperate, then things were well past bad.
Asuna and Nunully both grabbed Kauzki’s arms. Neither one wanted him to leave.
“Brian, I’m not trying to be rude but I just got back from battle myself. Surely there’s someone else, right?”
*Bang*
King Brian smashed his fist onto the table in front of him.
“DAMMIT! THERE IS NO ONE ELSE!”
King Brian snapped in fury. He pointed at Asuna and Nunully, he could tell they were swaying Kazuki’s decision.
“Nunully, Asuna! What are you trying to do!? Have you already forgotten all of the lost lives, all of the sacrifices? This is it! The final is here. The enemies are going to be here at any minute and the most capable fighters are nowhere to be seen. Me and the entire army, we can not win this without you all. You are our only hope as well as humanities. If you don’t come, then it is our end!”
The two thought about everything they’ve been through up until now. All of the battles, all of the dead, and the cruelty of war. Both felt a wavering in the depths of their heart.
Nunully still couldn’t let Kazuki go.
“Enough! Kazuki has barely come back to me. I…I can’t lose him again. No, I won’t lose him. Kazuki will stay with me no matter what. Uncle, he will return once he’s finished his fight. Both he and Uncle Etora will handle it, there’s no need for Kazuki to go.”
Brian shook his head.
“Naive. We all know Etora’s and Glacious’s speed. If things were so simple on their end, they would have surely returned by now. The fact that they have should tell you everything you need to know. Something is still delaying them. I can not rely on them reaching here in time. It’s simply not a thing.”
Nunully began thinking about the recent fight with Garn. She was so sure that Glacious would arrive in time and save them. She had such blind belief but in the end, even her powerful uncle, who she thought invincible, couldn’t make it in time and in fact never showed. Something surely happened at that time to prevent him. Even this time, Etora had left a good deal ago yet neither had returned. Not only that, every once in a while, the sound of explosions could faintly be heard coming from the distance.
(Uncles, can you really not come?)
This thought made Nunully tremble. If her uncles truly were delayed, then the Azirian’s would destroy King Brian’s mountain base and the entire army along with it. She knew a fused Azirian’s strength all too well. If these new Azirian’s had really fused with millions more, the destructive capabilities, in her mind were unfathomable. Thinking about how powerful the enemies could be, just made her even more worried.
She gripped Kazuki’s arm tighter.
“Why Kazuki? Even if uncle can’t come, why does it have to be him instead. Are you not just sending him to die?”
“Kazuki isn’t the main reason but he is the catalyst.”
Brian pointed at Shaila, Tozu, and Sasia.
“Kazuki is allied with these three Ancient Beasts. Forgive me for pointing rudely at you three but are my words wrong. You three are Kauzki’s comrades, right?”
Sasai picked some food out of his teeth before nodding.
“We are, and?”
“And, if Kazuki were to ask you to enter the battle, would you refuse him this request?”
Sasai responded with no hesitation.
“I would give my life for Kazuki. He has saved not just me but big brother and big sis too many times to count already. At the same time, this is clearly not our fight. If Kazuki says we don’t go then we don’t lift a single finger, not even a pinky.”
Sasai looked at Shaila and Tozu who both nodded in agreement. They had been through thick and then with Kazuki. They had helped humans before without Kauzki’s prompt but that was because Kazuki cared about Edngaul and old Sid who resided there and they had been treated kindly there and so they returned the favor so to speak. Things were different when it came to King Brian. He wanted them to fight an enemy that was not theirs to fight, protect people they had nothing to do with and was actually an army, and keep safe a base. All because a foreign king had asked.
Brian may be a king but Ancient beast did not recognize human kings or nobles or anything else like that. They recognized power and strength. If that so happened to align with someone who held the title of king, then so be it but they did not put anything into that title. Maybe some other Ancient beasts did but to Shaila and the others, it meant nothing. What they respected most in the world was power and then loyalty.
For them, the person who they held in highest esteem was none other than Kazuki. His magic was nowhere near their’s in terms of power but his physical strength outmatched every single one of them. Not only that, his body was tougher than theirs and he could regenerate at an ungodly level. His strength was truly something they respected but it didn’t stop just there. Kazuki had put himself on the line time and time again for them and all three of them knew that wasn’t just something you could find around the corner. Kazuki had both their loyalty and respect and they wouldn’t take a step for anyone outside of their group unless someone inside said group asked.
Brian directed his attention back toward Nunully and Asuna.
“Do you see. Kazuki’s strength, the Ancient beasts, you Nunully, Triska, and Shin, I need your strengths and I need them right now.”
Nunully started feeling guilty when Kazuki held her hand.
“If you go with me, then technically I wouldn’t have left you, right?”
“But Kazuki, the Azirian’s have already fused with millions of others. The Ancient beasts are one thing but how can you fight against them.”
Sasai smirked.
“Little lady you really don’t know but Kazuki wouldn’t lose to any of us in a fight. Even if all three of us came at him together, there would still be no guarantee we would be the ones coming out on top.”
Sasai didn’t know why it felt good to brag about losing to Kazuki but he didn’t hate this feeling. Instead, he was proud to know that he was on the same side as Kazuki.
Nunully though was fully convinced. She was told that Kazuki was the one who defeated Garn but she hadn’t witnessed any of it and her senses told her that Kazuki was only at the 5th stage, the core stage just as she was. She could do nothing against Garn’s ultimate weapon so how could Kazuki do anything she thought.
Asuna and Triska both knew the truth though. Asuna’s grip loosened from Kazuki.
“Nunully, it’s true, Kazuki’s strength…I have no doubt in it. If it’s him, I believe he can do something, just as I believe in you doing something as well. Go with Kazuki and watch his back for me. Bring him back when everything is settled.”
Nunully was dumbfounded. Asuna believed so much that it was a little hard to take at first. Nunully looked up at Kazuki and her gaze met his.
Kazuki smiled confidently and flexed dramatically.
“It’s true you know, I’ve grown pretty strong.”
Kazuki then picked up a cup and pretended it was incredibly heavy as he slowly but surely lifted it above his head.
“See, who else do you know that can lift such a weighty cup as I?”
This stupid display caused Nunully to laugh and the tension she felt vanished in one fell swoop.
She grabbed the cup from his hand and set it down before hugging him and whispering in his ear.
“If you can tame such a mighty cup then those Azirian’s should be nothing right?”
“Right, less than nothing.”
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