Chapter 210: Chapter 209:We’re Going home.

A/N: happy new month everyone, I don’t know if it’s already a new month where you’re from but if it ain’t, then happy new month in advance..

That said, what better way to start off a new month than with a mass release?

So, to not eat out word space, I’ll leave the announcements I have for after the Chapter, as for now?

Enjoy....

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I froze the moment I saw that notification..

[You have received the title: <Breath Of The Infinite Horizon>..]

I didn’t know what that meant.

Hell, I didn’t know what anything meant.

One minute I was celebrating with the atmosphere, the next, I was in a bizarre location, being addressed by... what even was that?

That voice? It felt familiar, yet different at the same time.

And what did it mean by partner?

What did my system mean by the Firmament Acknowledged Me?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing was making sense..

"Hey... friend, you alright? You’ve been staring at your hands for a while now." Malachi’s voice intruded upon my thoughts as I turned towards him.

"...huh? Did you say something?"

"I said. What’s wrong with you? You’ve been staring at your hands all this time, is everything alright?"

I looked back down.

My hands had ceased their trembling.

My thoughts were jumbled.

I still couldn’t understand anything, but for now, "yes. I’m fine." I had to be fine, being confused wouldn’t help.

"Alright then. So can you now explain why THAT! Is happening?" He pointed at me, I turned, confused.

"Why what?"

"THAT! The air and shit, why is it behaving wonkily?", it wasn’t until he said that, I realized something strange.

I hadn’t woken up on the floor I passed out on.

No, I was currently floating just above it, on a blanket of clouds, the winds caressing my body softly as a subtle shield of currents surrounded me.

I.. was being guarded, guarded by the atmosphere.

"Wha.. what?" Just what I needed, more confusing happenings...

"Haaa... one thing at a time, one thing at a time Dante.." I sighed, intending to jump off, when the clouds lowered me by themselves, dropping me on the ground, they swirled around me a few times before scattering.

The wind shield. It remained.

"Well... that happened I guess." I sighed once more..

"Soooo... mind telling me how a big fight ends with you getting pampered by clouds?" Malachi came closer, arm draped over my shoulders as he asked.

"Hell, if I know buddy, I’m trying to figure it out myself." I shook my head wryly..

"Alright then, so, what are you going to do with him?" He pointed towards the crater below, at the motionless body of the one designated as king.

My gaze turned cold at the sight of the abominable creature.

I might be confused as hell, but my hatred for the creature was about as clear as day.

"There’s only one thing left to do." I muttered softly, placing my palm over the crater.

Devour!

A black miasma poured out of my palm as it engulfed the body of the creature, its form being consumed as the familiar notifications returned.

<<DING!>>

<<DEVOURING IN PROGRESS..>>

...

..

The moment the body fully disappeared, the confirmation hit.

<<DEVOURING SUCCESSFUL..>>

<<Energy converted.... 5000k CE>>

....

.....

..

I waited, and waited, yet a few seconds passed without any other notifications popping up.

"That’s it?" I couldn’t help muttering, all that, for some energy?

I mean five million points of chaos energy is a lot but surely this thing should’ve given something else right?

"Phewww.... That’s some terrifying stuff you got there. What the hell even is that?" Malachi asked, clearly curious about what I’d just done, yet before I could open my mouth in reply, something shifted...

The world.

In my perception, the world shifted.

Not drastic, just, structural.

Lines.

A multitude of them.

Everywhere.

The air around me suddenly felt... strange.

I frowned.

The crumbling building beside me looked normal.

Yet at the same time, it didn’t.

I could see cracks.

Not on its walls.

Not on its surface.

Something deeper.

Hair-thin fractures running through its existence itself.

Weak points.

I didn’t know how I knew, but I did, call it anything, an instinct, if you will.

I could see them.

Places where everything connected.

Places where things...

broke.

My gaze shifted.

The ground had them.

The clouds had them.

Hell...

even the wind had them.

And then my eyes fell on my own outstretched hand.

Tiny fractures.

Countless invisible cracks spread across it.

Not on my skin.

Not on flesh.

Something deeper.

As though my arm had suddenly become fragile.

Breakable.

Like all I needed to do was close my fingers...

And it would all come apart.

"...what the hell?"

[DING!]

[Your comprehension of the [SUPREME]<Law of Collapse> has deepened considerably..

[SUPREME]<Collapse>: 19.0078%...]

....

"...Collapse?"

....

..

"Nineteen percent?"

"Hey, hey, hey! You’re staring off into nothingness again, are you sure you’re alright?" Malachi’s voice crashed into my ears like a brick through glass, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked.

The fractures vanished.

"Haaa... not now. Dante. Not now." I had to ground myself.

Things had gone haywire after I’d dropped that executioner, leading to one weird event after another, I was tired, not physically, mentally, emotionally..

The toll of having your entire existence be bathed in in the dreadful feelings of the atmosphere, losing all your emotions, raising said emotions to boiling intensities, then having all these things happening, one after the other, was too much..

My mind was strained enough.

So, "not now." There’ll be a time for taking stock, a time to understand everything of what happened here, but until then, I’ll just leave that issue to future me, because the me of now? Just wants to sleep and be cuddled..

"Haaaa..." sighing once more for the nth time today, I let the weight fall off my shoulders as I addressed my friend..

"Yes. Yes. I’m all good, we can go now." I smiled.

"Go? What do you mean go?" Only for the monkey to disagree.

"We’re done with the mission, we can leave no?"

SCREEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHHBH

The loud screech of that annoying chicken-cat resounded through the skies, announcing the arrival of the arrogant Leo.

"Well, seems you fools didn’t need help after all."

"The day I need help from a chicken-cat is the day I cut my dick off and use it to hang myself."

"Bastard!!!!!"

"Useless bird!!!"

"Hey. Hey. Hey, Dante, did you know that he could talk?" Malachi’s question interrupted what was inevitably going to be another squabble..

"Hmm? Of course? Isn’t he talking right now?" I answered, confused.

"No, no, I mean, with a normal voice, not his intent."

"Well, yes?"

"Huh? How’d you know? I don’t think he’s ever spoken before no?"

"Well, even if he hasn’t, if those lizards can talk, then it’s normal for the chicken cat to be able to, what I’m confused about is why he never transforms."

"Humph, why would I take such an inconvenient form as you humans? My glorious form will always be better."

"The delusions of a chicken-cat baffle me." Before another fight could ensue, Malachi interrupted once again..

"Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because as I was saying? We’re not returning anywhere?"

I turned towards the monkey, curious now.

"So if we’re not returning to the academy, what will we be doing?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

"What is?"

"Our next destination."

"And that would be?"

"MY HOME of course."

"We’re going to pay those cranky monkeys a visit, hahahahahahahaha...."

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A/N: so, everyone, welcome to another new month, and as always, new month, new goals, so for the first announcement.

*****

Our monthly GT goals have been updated once more, I know, but trust me, this will be the last update for a while.

New goals are-

400 GT- 1 extra Chapter.

600 GT- 2 extra Chapters.

1000 GT- 3 extra Chapters.

Am I reaching? Maybe, but a man can never dream too big.

As for the second announcement, it pertains to what I addressed in the last Chapter.

I’ll be adding new characters to the story for the top #1 GT gifter and #1 fan by the end of the month.

So, by the end of this month, the top fan and top GT sender both get to have their own characters created, details will be finalized by month end so that’s that.

Once again, I look forward to your support and love.

Happy new month once again and..

Thanks for reading...