My Fate System

Nikolai tightened the straps around the bag and stood up. The rest were with Sergio, ensuring he was okay after overworking himself for the past three hours.

As he lifted the bag, Nikolai could roughly tell how many potions were in it. If even this couldn't destroy the barrier, Nikolai might not be able to obtain this skill.

Without another word or delay, he carried the bag toward the railing. But unfortunately, the barrier was directly below them, obstructing their view of the flying island. As he placed the bag on the railing, Nikolai wondered how that man broke through this place.

There might not be an answer, and it might be relatively simple. The man would obtain the skill later than now, and so there was a strong possibility that the skill's resources might be depleted by then.

"Break for me," Nikolai pushed down the bag as his darkness exploded right after to shield the ship. The silence was almost driving them crazy as they watched the bag free-fall toward the barrier.

There was a pause when it finally arrived as the impact destroyed the vials separating the fire and ice energy. Then, there was a spark of both blue and red, and then there was a disaster.

Nikolai's heart tightened as the explosion began, and the light came faster than the loud sound it caused. Fire and ice swirled around each other before their destruction of one another obliterated the surrounding. 

BOOM!

The ship shook under the impact of the explosion, and it almost toppled. Nikolai's darkness spread to negate the impact, but there was no way for it to prevent the ship from being pushed far away into the mana currents.

Then came Lex's turn, and she navigated the ship to stabilize it. Nikolai's darkness worked to protect the core and the person controlling it until the ship stabilized.

"Not yet!" Sergio shouted as he peeked from beyond his forearm. Then, a second explosion arrived, stronger than the one before it. As they witnessed the destruction caused by the alchemist and countless resources, the group wondered what uses could such a weapon bring.

The second explosion threw everyone off their feet, and the ship leaned to the side. They had to grab onto the railings lest they are thrown toward their demise.

The storm of frost and fire passed slowly, and the group waited for its end. Finally, after everything settled, Alias began to steady itself again and descend.

Nikolai stood up and tottered toward the railings to get a better look. But, unfortunately, the smoke and frost prevented them from seeing anything, and when it settled, there was a giant gap within the barrier.

"We... succeeded?" Nikolai muttered before a grin overtook his face. Then, as Sergio got close and saw the result of his efforts, Nikolai hugged the alchemist with joy. "You did it, you crazy bastard!"

"Ouch, ouch!" Sergio screamed, but he was laughing as well. Then, as Nikolai broke their embrace, he stared at the barrier with a relieved expression.

He didn't worry about the fact that the barrier was destroyed, as it was an Absolute. As long as Nikolai provides it with more money and resources, the shield would never break.

"You finally got what you wanted," Lex's voice came from behind them. "I guess you can always compromise without losing anything."

"Hehe, I told you so," Sergio laughed as he looked at the archer and Gunmaster. "Now, we can help Boss..."

Sergio was about to finish his words when a deep growl resonated within the barrier, followed by countless others that shook the group's souls. It made them look at the island to see a myriad of colors shining within the darkness.

"You want us to go there?" Lex pointed with a trembling finger. "I'm sorry, Sergio. As much of a nice guy you are, I can't help this guy for your sake. I don't think you can risk your life here as well."

"I came all the way here, I..." Sergio refused to back down, and it warmed Nikolai's heart. However, he knew he couldn't keep using the alchemist.

"She is right," Nikolai looked into the abyss beyond the barrier and saw it slowly regenerate itself. "I can't drag you along anymore."

"What are you talking about, Boss?" Sergio looked at him with confusion. "We said we would go back together. Furthermore, how can we leave you here?"

"You can, and you will," Nikolai jumped over the railing and looked at his friend. "I'm sorry, Sergio, but this is where we part."

"No, it is not," Sergio shook his head. "You brought me here, and now you want to leave? That's selfish."

The group looked shocked that Sergio called out Nikolai for his actions. The alchemist never did anything like that before, so his words came as a surprise.

"I know it is, but it's less selfish than taking you down there," Nikolai said with a smile. "I dragged you all this way here only to realize that all this time, I was the greatest danger to you. You've found friends along the way that would take care of you out of the goodness of their hearts, not because you can make potions for them."

"We both know that it's more than that," Sergio glared at him. "I won't let you act as if that was the sole reason for our friendship."

"We haven't known each other for long," Nikolai said with a smile. "You can leave without me. Use my ship to go back to Rohan. You will find gold in your bag, so use those to start selling your potions. You will be fine without me."

"Even if we don't go down there with you, we can wait for you here," Sergio said, and Nikolai realized that he needed to play his part. It wasn't that his friend didn't want to leave but instead couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Ah, you are so annoying," Nikolai sighed. "Just get the fuck out of my face already. I no longer need you; don't you get it? You've played your role nicely until now, and I played mine. Just because I acted like your friend, it doesn't mean that I am."

"You are lying," Sergio's eyes shook.

"Oh, Sergio, you get attached so easily. You think your belief in people is out of the goodness of your heart, but that's wrong. You need people to like you so that they stay. You are nothing but a pathetic person who fears being abandoned..."

Whoosh!

An arrow flew across the deck, full of unbridled and rageful mana. The arrow disappeared mid-flight and reappeared in front of Nikolai's chest as he was saying his piece.

Nikolai raised his hand and used his darkness to block it. However, the mana the arrow had made his darkness sizzle and it pierced through it, tearing down his flesh. The arrow finally stopped when it reached his chest, only an inch from penetrating it.

"You bastard of a mute," Nikolai grinned crazily, and his sharp teeth shimmer in the light. "I should have killed you the day you sneaked into my ship."

Yuxi stared at him with hate as her mana grew out of hand. Nikolai knew the expression she made. It was one of endless hate because someone hurt someone dear to you.

'Leave and never come back,' the archer mouthed at him as her brown hair danced upward because of her mana. 'You are unworthy of being his friend.'

As she finished her piece, she nocked another arrow to fire it at Nikolai. From behind the girl emerged a phantom of a divine spirit which spread its hands. The circle behind the spirit shone to cast energy into the arrow, hiding it from existence.

"Another slave of Celestia," Nikolai heartily laughed as he took out the arrow from his hand. The blood gushed out of his hand unceasingly as the wound began to spread despite his blood energy trying to heal it. "Not killing you earlier was my biggest mistake!"

"Boss!" Sergio panicked as he rushed forward, but Nikolai simply threw the arrow toward him. The arrow pierced the tile in front of the alchemist, stopping him in his tracks.

"Keep away, pathetic alchemist," Nikolai scowled as he grabbed his wound. His Abyssal Art bloomed a lotus on his arm, and it fought the divine energy within the injury.

The smell of burning flesh spread around the ship as the next arrow prepared to launch. Nikolai's rage and hate toward the archer weren't for show but something he couldn't control.

However, in the deepest corner of his heart, Nikolai was relieved. He was relieved that Sergio obtained different friends in this lifetime other than him. Friends powerful enough to save his life from ruins, unlike how he failed before.

Sergio was about to jump in front of Yuxi to stop her, but the Gunmaster rushed in to tackle him down. The arrow left the bow and flew toward Nikolai, whose weapon appeared in his hand.

"No!" Sergio shouted as the darkness collided with the arrow, causing an explosion that tore the wooden tiles of the ship.

The darkness grew more prominent in front of the archer, and she saw a face within it that made her body tremble. The face grew to devour everything in its path, but it suddenly stopped and began to retreat.

Her arrow pierced through the darkness, and a blinding light overtook the ship. As the light began to disappear, Nikolai was gone.

Sergio pushed the Gunmaster away and rushed toward the railings. Nikolai turned to face the alchemist as he fell, and their eyes met for one last time.

'This is for the better,' Nikolai thought as he fell through the gap in the barrier into the abyss of countless monsters.