Novel Full Chapter 495: Waystone
Chapter 495: Waystone
The monster who held their robes stood outside the interrogation rooms, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
’There have already been twenty criminals caught this week…’ He thought while tapping his right foot against the ground impatiently, the rhythm steady and unconscious.
People had come to this Citadel stating to be Grim Reapers but it didn’t take much cracking around for them to give off the truth.
A few questions… Some pressure applied in the right places AND They broke easily, confessing within minutes.
Most of them were just thieves who’d killed lone Reapers on patrol routes and stolen their equipment, Stupid criminals who thought a badge and cloak were enough to actually be a reaper.
’We should handle these ones too so that King Bael’zaroth will be very pleased with our work.’ He thought, imagining the recognition that would come.
Just then, the door where the Rank 4s had gone opened with a creak and they came out with the guy sent to supervise them. The door swung wide.
“They are very legit reapers.” He said with a nod, his expression serious and the monster’s eyes widened in complete shock.
This was Baal. He NEVER commended people so what changed? What made him give approval? The man was known for being harsh and critical to the point of cruelty.
He’d sent dozens to execution without blinking an eye. He’d rejected legitimate Reapers before just because he didn’t like their attitude.
Before his eyes, Irielle, Mira and Rene put on their cloaks and badges as well, adjusting them carefully over their shoulders.
The fabric settled into place.
He was genuinely stunned. Anybody that didn’t have an ID on them was a thief! They killed real Grim reapers and took their robes as well as their weapons and badges, only a few managed to evade capture and actually prove themselves.
Were these people a part of the few who’d actually earned their badges legitimately?
Just then the door to where they had taken Azel opened and Azel stepped out with the guy that had taken him in for questioning.
Except the guy was laughing out loud… actually laughing like he’d heard the funniest joke in years.
“Ah Tharne, you’re a very funny guy.” He said while wiping his eyes and then looked at the other two Interrogators standing nearby. “This squad is free… I even helped them redo their identifications personally.”
The one holding the robes practically had his jaw drop to the ground in disbelief. He couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing right now.
Vaal, Baal’s twin brother was not known for being friendly. The man was famous for his cold demeanor and harsh judgments. He’d never seen him smile in the three years he’d worked here, let alone laugh like this.
Azel donned on his robe as well as badge and looked at the girls as well as Rene who were waiting for him.
It seemed that they had cleared this part of the mission successfully and it would be smooth sailing from here on out.
“I hope it’s not much of a problem if I use the Teleportation stone to the Nightfall Citadel.” Azel said looking at Vaal directly. “I want to go home as soon as possible.”
“Oh not at all… you’re free to go but I’d advise you to be very careful in the Citadel.” Vaal said, his expression turning serious as he leaned in slightly. “There’s a rumor of a high ranked bounty hunter in town that can shapeshift into anyone. Dangerous individual who’s killed three Rank 3s already. And this place is busy as well since the Soul Auction is being held today so there are crowds everywhere. I’d advise to go to the Teleport stone as soon as possible and if you can, help us catch that bounty hunter that’s wreaking havoc in our streets. There’s quite a high bounty on his head, ten thousand soul coins.”
“Thank you.” Azel said with a bow and Vaal raised his hands with a dismissive wave.
’We won’t be catching the Bounty hunter though…’ Azel thought firmly. ’There’s no time for side quests.’
“Ah you don’t need to be like that Tharne… we’re buddies, aren’t we?” Vaal asked with a grin, clapping him on the shoulder and Azel nodded in agreement.
Any connection that brought him closer to reaching the King Of The Underworld was favored. Every advantage mattered in this place and every ally could be useful.
“Alright, let’s go.” He said to his crew and they walked out the door of the building into the street beyond.
…
“I honestly didn’t think that would work…” Mira muttered as they now walked through the streets of the Citadel, her voice low and cautious.
They had decided to take off their robes and badges to blend in with the regular population so Azel kept them in his inventory with a thought, ready to bring them out at a moment’s notice if needed.
It was better to not draw attention.
The streets were packed with people moving in every direction. Dead humans going about their business, monsters of various types, skeletons carrying goods but what everyone had in common was that they were all moving about their afterlives like it was perfectly normal.
“Neither did I…” Gwendolyn said although nobody could hear her except Azel. She floated beside him invisibly, her ghostly form drifting.
“You should have more faith in me then.” Azel said with a sigh and Mira turned to him, completely alarmed by his tone.
He had prepared for every case scenario after all, even the one where they would have to run and fight their way out of the Citadel through dozens of Reapers.
“I had faith! Complete faith!” Mira immediately let out with pink cheeks flushing red. “But I was just thinking about it logically… I didn’t realize that their system was that stupid but I guess it’s as you said it was.”
The system really did favor strength over verification. Irielle immediately warmed up to her Master’s side and smiled brightly, pressing close.
“Master, if it helps… I had complete faith in you.” Irielle said and Azel patted her head gently, his hand warm.
“Of course.” He patted her head but then focused once more on their surroundings. “Now we just need to get to that stone and it’s easy going from here on out.”
As they continued walking through the crowded streets, someone approached them from the other side of the road. A young man with a wooden box in his arms.
“Here ye~ Here ye~ I hereby invite you to our annual Soul Auction.” The person said cheerfully. It was a pale human with a chain collar around his neck as he handed them masks from a box.
The masks were ornate and painted with intricate designs. “Please make sure to attend this evening.”
Azel gave a little nod and then they each took the masks from the box without complaint. The young man ran off to other passersby walking down the street, shouting the same message over and over.
“Papa… are we going to this Saul auction?” Rene asked curiously, holding the mask up to his face to see through the eyeholes.
“It’s So-ul and no, we don’t have the time. Besides, we don’t even have the Underworld currency, I doubt they’re using ares.” Azel replied while looking at Rene with an apologetic expression.
The boy visibly deflated and his shoulders slumped. Azel placed a hand on his head.
“Calm down Rene… when we get back home, I’ll take everyone to an Auction.”
Sybil ought to have some connections or even Mynes with a merchant. They would just relax at one and enjoy themselves properly and buy some interesting items.
“Promise?” Rene asked, his eyes hopeful and wide.
Azel smiled at him warmly.
“Promise.” He said and Irielle pressed against his side immediately, not wanting to be left out.
“Promise me tooo… I wanna go to an auction.” She said excitedly and before Azel could reply to her, they had gotten to the building they’d been searching for.
It was one of the largest buildings in the city, impossible to miss. It was known for the purple light that came off the top and pierced the sky like a beacon visible from anywhere.
In it was the crystal that would make them teleport across vast distances… The Waystone that connected all Citadels.
There were reapers coming in and out of it constantly in a steady stream so Azel materialized their robes around them once more with a thought.
The fabric wrapped around their bodies and they joined the reapers going in, blending with the crowd seamlessly.
When the person at the door saw Azel and the crew approaching, he immediately ran over. His eyes had locked onto the Rank 3 badge on Azel’s chest.
“Welcome to Bonehall City Transit Hall… you can reach any other Citadel from here.” The person said with a practiced smile. It was a pale human middle aged man this time with graying hair. “Would you like to go anywhere, Rank 3 sir?”
“I’d like to go to Nightfall Citadel.” Azel said clearly and firmly.
“Oh please follow me, I’ll input your coordinates onto the stone.” He said and they entered the building through the massive doors.
Despite it being so tall from the outside, it was a one floor building and that was the ground floor.
The sides of the buildings and the top had a machine that was holding this crystal in the center of the whole floor suspended in the air. Massive mechanical arms kept it floating and the crystal was practically glowing with power.
It was purple and had a specific feel to it that made his skin tingle.
Power radiated from it in waves and it looked beautiful as well as mesmerizing. People were spread around in designated sections of the floor and Azel as well as his teammates were led to multiple designations marked on the ground.
There were circles, squares, and rectangles carved into the stone.
“Designations 5B Circle – 6R Square – 3G Rectangle – 9N Cube have been filled up.” A voice said from some kind of intercom system mounted on the walls and this was where Azel got to see how the Underworld was quite advanced too technologically.
Their Citadels were the advanced ones though… The Grayside was still ass compared to this.
The crystal began to glow brighter and brighter and that warping feeling began to spread around the room.
It was like when the Teleport mage usually teleported him except it was a longer process.
“Assigning Destinations…”
The feeling intensified throughout his entire body and he could actually feel the Nightfall Citadel somehow. It was similar to existing in two places at the same time. His consciousness stretched across the distance between Citadels and then something shot through the air with incredible speed.
It collided with the crystal with a massive impact that shook the entire building. In a span of seconds, cracks formed around the very crystal and spread like spiderwebs across its surface.
It shattered completely with a sound like breaking glass, deactivating the whole place instantly. The purple glow died and darkness fell.
“Grim Reapers and regular people alike… Halt.” Someone stepped in through the destroyed entrance, their voice booming.
It was a monster with eight arms and an antenna protruding from its head like an insect.
“Nobody is leaving here until I get my target.”
Azel blinked once.
He was one step closer to finishing this damned Calamity. He hadn’t still gotten over how it was because of the Reaper he was still here right now.
If not for that skeleton destroying the Soul Sea path, they wouldn’t have had to go through so much stress and instead looked for ways to barge into the King’s castle directly.
But not only had that Grim Reaper blown out the path but this FOOL decided to blow up the crystal now.
Something that would make the length of the journey so much shorter… weeks of travel were saved and this idiot just destroyed it for some bounty.
He shot from the designated spot on the ground in the direction of the eight armed monster that wore armor and a helmet that still showed its antennas protruding.
Without wasting a beat, he landed a punch so strong that it shattered all the nearby windows as a result.
Glass exploded outward in every direction and the shockwave rippled through the building and cracked the stone walls.
The monster was sent shooting out of the building like a meteor, crashing through the opposite building across the street and making a massive crater in the stone wall.
“I’ll fucking mangle you!”