Infinite Returns : The More I Give, The Stronger I Become-Chapter 89: Shall we?
Chapter 89 – Shall we?
The event that followed next was one Airi already witnessed, and yet it looked more heavenly now that she was the one watching.
Dali, on the other hand, couldn’t wrap her little head around what was happening. Things were going in a way she never believed possible in this mortal part of the Tower.
One second Ethan was standing in front of the corpse of Seravax, and a heartbeat later an intense flash of black and white light tore open reality with chilling intensity, blinding both Airi and Dali, their eyes closing instinctively.
Only Ethan was left unharmed.
The light enveloped the corpse of Seravax in a protective cocoon with glowing black runes slithering around it.
Ethan watched the scene with a subtle layer of boredom inside his black-white eyes.
He did not know how long the process would take, but it was not supposed to be that long. After all, he was simply transforming a demon into a human.
Nothing too big, he believed.
Yet he couldn’t suppress his cocky smile at the thought of what he was truly doing. ’Not any demon, at that. But the Archdemon of Pride, the son of Pride himself. And now here I am, with my benevolent self, helping a lovesick poor fellow pursue a woman.’
Sometimes he was amazed by how benevolent he was. He doubted, honestly, that anyone was ready to put Pride into his back just for this.
’Hm... but all of that aside, I am accumulating enemies a little bit too hastily, aren’t I? The Keeper of Souls, then Zeus, now Pride and even the angels if I add how I am fooling that woman’s scheme.’
A D-rank mortal was doing all of this. Now, that was something no one would ever believe.
Ethan’s erratic thoughts were cut short by the slowly receding grey light, indicating that Seravax’s transformation was about to be complete.
He focused back on the situation before him, his expression clearing as it rested upon the sight gracing him. In a gesture of surprise, Ethan’s eyebrow arched upward.
The man was quite handsome, he inwardly praised, watching Seravax in his new form stagger back up.
In every sense of the word, he was now human. His features remained principally the same, though more enhanced in beauty. Now, his hair was grey like ashes, with eyes as black as void.
A grey robe embraced his body, fluttering behind with the whipping wind like a restless sea of smoke. Behind, the symbols of The Allholder’s church were clearly etched in faint, luminous lines.
Seravax stood there, examining his new body with clear wonder. He flexed his muscles, rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, even took out his tongue. Then he looked down, took hold of the pants beneath his robe, then slid them down to—!
"Man, please, there are ladies here." Ethan interrupted his act with a twitching smile, "Have some decorum, will you?"
Airi behind him didn’t even flinch at this sight. She had seen worse than simple nudity.
Dali, meanwhile, squealed like a virgin, her eyes closed shut with her two hands, "AHHHH! OBSCENE! HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!"
Even with her shout, she was still looking through the cracks of her fingers.
Seravax paused at the chorus of banshee-like screaming, finally snapping back to reality. He raised his head, his black eyes locking onto Ethan’s eyes first and foremost.
His face split into a handsome smile, "Ethan! By The Tower, you actually did it!" He barked a laugh, then ran toward Ethan before giving him a crushing bear hug.
Ethan’s face became stiff and red instantly, sensing the bones of his body creaking. He cursed inwardly. Seravax was no longer at his former power, now only at A-rank, and yet it was still something able to hurt him.
He tapped repeatedly on Seravax’s back, "Goddamnit, Seravax! You want to kill your savior now?"
At his words, Seravax immediately let him go, laughing heartily, "Hahah, sorry, sorry!" He said between laughs, "But honestly," his face instantly becoming serious, the switch jarring,
"How did you do this?" he asked, still looking at his body, "You did something I have never seen in my entire lifetime. And mind you, Ethan, I have lived millions of years."
"How is it possible for you to change the bloodline of Pride this easily, replacing it with this mundane bloodline? My divinity, too, is gone."
"All of that without any pain, to add to the strangeness."
Seravax was truly surprised. Dali, too, was. So she listened, curious to know the method of the strange human. Since the beginning, he hadn’t stopped doing nonsensical things.
Dali truly wondered if this man was indeed not a Sacrilegious. But she believed even they didn’t have this weird power.
Airi was not devoid of curiosity in her god’s power. But compared to others, she knew better than to peek into the mysteries of gods.
Ethan, meanwhile, facing these storms of questions, only gave his trademark smile.
"I already told you," he said, shrugging, pivoting on his feet, and starting to walk away from this realm, "I am the Allholder, and now I am your god, Seravax."
His steps were soft, broken only by the crunching sound of the weeds below.
Airi began to follow behind him respectfully, holding Dali in her arms.
Seravax too did the same, as Ethan’s voice continued to echo strangely throughout the entire realm.
"You are to be the Divine Executioner of the Church of Allholder, with Airi as its Saintess. For now you are only two, but I believe you can already start building the foundation of it."
He finally paused in front of the translucent barrier of the realm. He just needed one step and he would find himself back in the Forest of Death and continue his way towards Castria Kingdom to conclude his quest and finally be a C-rank.
He was eager, knowing well he would meet his wives there. He smiled, then turned his head just enough to look at the beings behind him.
One was a former archdemon. Another was a former Saintess under god Zeus. And a spirit of an angel.
All of this in one simple quest. Ethan shook his head in wonder, before reclaiming his usual smile, this time wide, showing his full white teeth,
"Let’s go back, shall we?"
He took a step and disappeared, leaving behind three beings who couldn’t help but be awestruck by him, their minds thinking the same thing,
A mortal worshipped by gods.
What a sacrilegious thing. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
...
Meanwhile, in one of the greatest inns in Castria Kingdom, in a luxurious chamber painted in gold and silver, the meeting of the three girls was unfolding.
Esmeray was sitting on a chair in front of Mei and Ellie, who were sitting on the soft bed.
They had been talking for hours, and during these hours, Esmeray told them how Ethan saved her from an eternal doom and finished by giving her a second chance with a new body and an upgraded talent.
Esmeray was sensible enough to avoid telling them that she had been the first one of Ethan, already envisioning how Mei would melt this whole room in searing anger and Ellie drown her in her cold shadows.
’Ethan is such an anomaly.’ Esmeray added while wistfully shaking her head.
"So," Mei started with a dragging voice, "you are our new sister, huh?" Her tone was playful yet sharp at the same time. Her eyes flickering like golden fire.
It was obvious she was not that pleased with this news. Not only her, Ellie herself did not bother saying anything since the beginning, finding any words wanting to come out to be ones of threats to the life of Esmeray.
Something she wouldn’t do, for she was also Ethan’s wife. So she chose silence, as always.
Esmeray could see that her presence was not welcomed. In normal situations, she would have scoffed and gone on her way, but these were Ethan’s wives.
Her own sisters from now on.
’Dracula, you have lived a long time, haven’t you?’ She asked the undead inside her, ’how do you make girls like each other?’
At her question, Dracula panicked, not expecting to be called upon in such a situation. Yet he instantly became serious, ready to help his Master.
So with all the brain cells he could muster, he thought long — actually only a few seconds — and hard before his crimson eyes lit up with enlightenment.
’Master! I have an idea!’ He said, voice bright and loud inside Esmeray’s skull.
’Tell me.’ Esmeray urged.
’Master! With all my life experience of being the immortal ruler called Crimson Blood of the Crimson Sang clan with my intelligence able to go against the gre—!’
’Don’t make me curse your ancestors, Dracula. Go straight to the point!’ Esmeray’s lips twitched heavily, trying her best not to lose her calm in front of her sisters.
Dracula decided wisely to stop his charades.
’Sisters, or girls in general, bond more when they go on a shopping spree.’ He said.
Esmeray paused, finding truth in his words.
’Do you have gold, Master?’
Esmeray grinned.
’I am Ethan’s wife, Dracula.’ Her grin widened, finally finding a way to break the ice with her sisters.
’I never lack gold.’
Then instantly,
"Dear sisters!" She called out, making both Mei and Ellie look at her weirdly, "Why don’t we go show off some money?"
Let’s bond in Ethan’s way.
—End of Chapter 89—
