บท 98: Chapter 97: This Father-Son Showdown
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On a deserted street in Rivet Town, Bochang and Aeon Aha engaged in a seemingly friendly conversation.
"Of course, no problem! What game would you like to play, godfather?" Bochang, with hands clasped respectfully, did not hold his Vow Spear but allowed it to hover nearby. Facing an Aeon, he showed ample deference, even going so far as to acknowledge him as his godfather. There was little choice; after all, his life hung in the balance.
"What about we play whatever you're best at... how does that sound?" Suddenly, Aha leaned in close, his orange clown mask nearly touching Bochang's face. "Just a friendly reminder, when Aha plays games, there must be stakes involved. And this time, the stakes...are the entire city of Belobog. If you lose, everyone here will surely... So...dear son, please think carefully before telling your father what game you wish to engage in..."
"This is absurd! The stakes are the whole of Belobog? That..." Bochang's pupils slightly contracted.
Bochang's pupils slightly contracted.
Unable to resist, Aha burst out laughing.
"Haha... You're nervous, aren't you?!"
The orange clown mask circled around Bochang, with laughter echoing from all directions.
If not for knowing he stood no chance against this entity, Bochang would have dearly wanted to strike back at it.
It was simply too obnoxious.
"Playing games... I suppose isn't entirely out of the question..." Bochang recalled his utterly useless skill—Rock-Paper-Scissors Blessing—"Even if the stakes involve the entire city of Belobog, I absolutely will not lose."
"The real issue is... How many games does Aha intend to play? If I win at rock-paper-scissors and He insists on other games, that could be disastrous. Heaven knows what the stakes might be next time..."
Bochang's mind raced at high speed.
Aha continued, "Come now... make your decision. Aha doesn't want to wait too long."
Taking a deep breath, Bochang posed his question.
"Godfather... how many games do I need to play with you? How many rounds?"
"Hmm... let Aha think. Just one game then, best of five wins. Once it's over, Aha will immediately leave and won't bother you again until getting bored some other time."
"Alright, let's play rock-paper-scissors." Bochang rolled up his sleeves. "Best of five, if I win, you must honor your agreement and depart without causing trouble for Belobog."
"Rock-paper-scissors? Are you sure? This is a matter of life and death, yet you propose to decide it with a simple game?" Aha was once again taken aback.
Sometimes, Aha genuinely struggled to comprehend Bochang's thought process, whether it was accepting him as a godfather upon their first meeting or now suggesting rock-paper-scissors. It all seemed peculiar and utterly unpredictable.
"Yes, Godfather should know the rules of rock-paper-scissors, right?" To ensure clarity, Bochang explained further, "It's simple: rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock." As he spoke, Bochang demonstrated the hand gestures for each move.
"Don't underestimate me," Aha replied. "I am well-versed in these matters."
"Since you wish to decide Belobog's fate through rock-paper-scissors... let's begin. We shall see whose side victory tilts towards."
"Excellent... Aha has agreed. Now, I just need to invoke my Rock-Paper-Scissors Blessing and utterly crush Him."
Bochang's heart raced with anticipation; he was genuinely relieved that Aha didn't propose any other game.
That could have been quite troublesome.
Fortunately, Aha seemed indifferent to the choice of game, providing Bochang with room for his maneuver.
However...
Bochang knew this was only a temporary solution. As Aha had mentioned, once He grows bored again, He will return.
It felt like a ticking time bomb planted on Bochang, with no way of knowing when the next "game" would occur or what the stakes might be.
Aha asked, "Are you ready? Let's get started then."
"I'm ready," Bochang nodded.
From beneath Aha's mask, an orange arm composed purely of fate power extended out.
It gave the impression of having a mask growing from one's forehead, which seemed incongruous amidst such a tense atmosphere and almost elicited laughter.
"I'll count down from three, and then we'll throw our punches simultaneously." Aha glanced at Bochang's clenched fist. "Don't worry, to prevent cheating, our moves will be recorded. See that wall over there? If my obedient son ends up crying after losing, you can watch the replay."
The Eon of Joy did not rush into playing games. To Aha, compared to the outcome, it was the process that mattered more.
Inviting Bochang here was part of the process. Allowing him to choose the game was also part of the process. Even before officially starting the game, as well as during its course, were all elements of this sequence.
Aha relished the feeling of manipulating others within the palm of their hand. And this time...
Bochang, who had disrupted Aha's plans, became Their new plaything.
"Understood." Bochang noticed that the nearby wall now resembled a mirror, reflecting their images.
Aha continued, "Remember... when I reach one, we both must throw our hand gestures. If you fail to do so in time, it will be counted as a loss."
Bochang nodded, tensing his body.
"I understand, let's begin, Godfather."
"Alright... three, two, one!"
Both Aha and Bochang threw their gestures simultaneously.
Aeon of Joy chose Shitou (rock), while Bochang picked Bu (cloth).
Cloth covers rock.
The outcome was clear.
"It seems you've won the first round, ha ha. Well done, my obedient son! Congratulations, you've taken the first step towards saving Belobog. Just two more victories, and you'll become a Nameless hero!"
Despite losing, Aha appeared quite pleased.
Bochang silently observed the orange arm formed by Aha's fate power. When clenched into a fist, it resembled an even larger phallus, blatantly pointing at Bochang.
Not only that, but as Aha spoke, the orange arm swayed up and down, side to side, making Bochang increasingly uncomfortable.
"Is Aha doing this on purpose?" Bochang muttered to himself, "It must be deliberate!"
"The second round begins, three, two, one!" With Aha's announcement, they simultaneously threw their gestures.
Unsurprisingly, once again, it was Bochang who won.
The black-haired youth sighed with relief; it seemed that Rock-Paper-Scissors Blessing indeed worked against Aeon.
Aha looked at his own paper gesture and then at Bochang's scissors, saying, "Interesting, very interesting. You've won another round. It appears Aha absolutely cannot afford to lose any further."
This was a best-of-five game.
Bochang had already won two consecutive rounds, while Aha hadn't secured a single victory.
If Bochang wins just one more round, Aha would lose, necessitating Him to take things seriously.
While Bochang engaged in a "grueling battle" in Rivet Town,
Stelle, March 7th, and others had reached the hospital and obtained the DNA test results.
They indicated...
There was no blood relation between them.
Upon learning this, March 7th felt slightly disappointed.
Stelle, however, remained expressionless.
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