Chương 104: 101st Adversary: Successor
The Flameheart Residence.
"Did you hear?"
"What?! Lady Lisa?!"
The Flameheart Clan was in an uproar. People were scattering everywhere as if they didn't know what to do. The reason for this was simple, the daughter of the clan leader and the granddaughter of the clan's progenitor had awakened after over a decade.
"Where is she? Where is Milady?!"
The one who came barging into the Flameheart mansion was Jeffery.
"Oh, Jeffery."
When she saw Jeffery Lisa waved at him with a smile.
"Milady…."
To everyone's surprise, tears flowed from Jeffery's face nonstop.
"Milady!"
He ran up to her and held her tight.
"I heard you had awakened but seeing is better than believing! To think that after losing your brother, I'll get to see you again! This old man's life is now fulfilled!"
"You're overreacting, Jeffery."
Lisa pat his back. Jeffery stepped back, held her shoulders, and looked into her eyes.
"I'm in no shape or form overreacting. Getting you back is equivalent to seeing my granddaughter's face again."
"Jeffery, you're putting Lisa in a spot."
Joesph walked into the room.
"Grandfather?!"
"Yo, Lisa. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl. I'm surprised you can still call me grandfather despite meeting me only a handful of times."
"Everyone knows how busy you are. I don't hold it against you."
(Rather than busy, I was actually laying low.)
Joesph thought to himself.
"Anyway, I came here to inform you Luka is awake from her coma. Her consciousness is fading in and out every now and again, but it shouldn't be long before she'll be able to hold a conversation."
"Coma?! Luka was in a coma?!"
Lisa asked with a loud voice.
"Ah, I guess we should give you an update on everything, huh?"
Joesph looked at Darwin.
"Alright, I'll leave that to you."
"Are you going somewhere, Master?"
Darwin asked.
"Yeah. I won't be long. A few hours at most."
After saying that Joesph vanished into thin air. Darwin faced the worried Lisa and began narrating the major events that happened while her heart was broken. Meanwhile, Joesph appeared in a strange world that was different from the one Miko and others were in. The sky was multi-colored, countless odd creatures inhabited the lands, and there were no signs of civilization as far as the eye could see.
"It's been a while since I've been here."
He looked around and said.
"Roar!"
A roar came from above him and a gigantic bird monster was seen emerging from behind the clouds. Joesph didn't pay this plane-sized Beast any attention. He started walking towards a mountain that was east of him.
"Roar!"
As if angered because it was ignored, the monster nose-dived toward Joesph with a wild look in its eyes. It didn't show any signs of stopping even when it was close to the ground. It was as if it had planned on crashing into Joesph.
And that's what it did-
*BAM!*
The monster exploded the moment it came a meter close to Joesph. It burst like a balloon that was pricked with a needle. Its flesh splattered all over the place, but none of it touched Joesph who continued walking.
"Ah, there he is."
Joesph stopped and looked up at the mountain, despite it being dozens of kilometers away from him. He smiled and took a step forward. At that moment, the world around him blurred. It was like the world was rushing past him while he alone remained normal. The moment his foot touch the ground, Joesph was standing in front of the mountain. It was like he moved a million steps by only taking one.
"It looks like he had a blast in here."
Joesph touched the "mountain". If one was to see what was in front of him they would be scared out of their minds. What Joesph was touching was indeed a mountain, but it was a mountain of corpses. The corpses ranged from small monsters to truck-sized ones, all neatly stacked on top of each other.
"Oh, if it isn't Uncle Joesph?"
Joesph looked up and saw something falling towards the ground.
*Thud!*
A person landed next to him and stretched his body with a yawn.
"I haven't seen you in a while. What's up?"
Krow asked.
"Looks like you've been here for some time."
"I've actually lost track of time, to be honest. Don't tell me I've been gone for years."
Krow asked with a smile.
"No, I don't think you've been gone that long."
Joesph looked at the sword on Krow's back.
"Have you finally mastered it?"
"Nope, not at all. Compared to my father, I'm just a novice."
"Comparing yourself to Augustus isn't doing you justice. He was a genius that was unmatched across all ages. He could use a stick to cut a mountain in two if he wanted. In fact, I think he actually did it once when he left his sword one day and ran into some enemies."
"I can't help comparing myself with him. After all, it's my lifelong wish to succeed him and make his wish come true. I can't be satisfied with mediocre results."
Krow spoke with an excited tone.
"I think you would be more popular if you act this innocently with the others."
The smile immediately fell from Krow's face.
"That is impossible, Uncle. I have nothing to say to those ungrateful bastards."
He said.
"When my father was killed and his dynasty destroyed, they all turn tail and ran. I can't blame them for that because I ran as well, but I still suggested that we come together as a family and avenge our slain relatives, yet they all ignored me."
Krow clenched his fists.
"Uncle, I was never talented compared to my siblings or their children, so it couldn't be helped if I gave up, but they're different. They had what it took, yet they chose not to! And now they want to act like they're Dragna after turning their back on everything my father built?! Fuck them! Those goddamn traitors!"
"….Looks like you've been holding in your frustrations for quite a while."
Joesph sighed.
"Krow, you can't force your ideals on others. You can't blame them for being scared. Their enemy was the entire world, not many could fearlessly challenge the world as your father did."
"I know that, I'm not a child after all. They're dead to me so I don't care about them, except for one."
"Nero."
Krow nodded.
"He's the only one who had the balls to pick a fight with the world. He alone chose to walk in my father's footsteps. I respect him but I hate him as well for other reasons."
Krow released his fists and relaxed his body.
"Forgive my ranting. You wouldn't come to the Illusionary Beast Valley if it wasn't important."
Joesph nodded.
"I'm here about Darius."
"….I see. Then, are you here to kill me?"
Joesph shook his head.
"You're my master's last living offspring. I can't bring myself to kill you."
"But?"
"But, I will do something worse."
Joesph's eyes became serious as he poked Krow's chest.
"I will make you realize you're not worthy to succeed your father by grooming a proper successor in front of your eyes. Since succeeding your father is the very meaning of your existence, then failing to do so will be like rendering your existence meaningless."
"Oh? That's an interesting punishment. Who's the candidate you're planning on raising?"
"I think you should already have an idea."
"Miko, huh? You and Tiamat are thinking the exact same thing. You're both planning on raising a second Augustus."
Krow laughed and took a step closer. He was now staring down at Joesph.
"Bring it then, old man. You and that dragon bitch can groom whoever you want. In the end, I'll be the winner."
"You've learned to talk big, brat."
"I'm not a brat, old man. I may not hold a grudge against you because I know you're simply following my father's orders, but I do consider you an obstacle in my path."
"You think that you're in my league? Dream on."
"I know that I'm not on your level yet, but that doesn't matter. The bigger the obstacle the more exciting the challenge."
Joesph finally smiled again.
"Your fearlessness will be the end of you."
Krow smiled as well.
"I'm the one who decides that."
"You're really Augustus' son."
Krow didn't reply and walked away from Joesph and leaned on the mountain of corpses he created.
"And I'm fucking proud of it."
Back at the Flameheart Residence.
"…I lost again."
Luka, who had just awakened from a coma, was now staring into space with an unfocused look in her eyes. The battle between her and Miko was constantly being played in her head.
After a while of silence, she chuckled softly.
"From the start until the finish I was completely outmatched."
Despite saying so, a smile appeared on her face.
"This is no different from the usual. I'll just win next time."
*Knock Knock!*
"Come in."
The door to her room was pushed open and someone walked inside.
"Grandfather."
"Hey, Luka. How are you feeling?"
Darwin approached her bed.
"My body feels like it's made out of lead."
"That's probably the side effects of all the medicine that was pumped inside of you. You shouldn't push yourself too hard either. We may have patched you up but your injuries weren't something to laugh at. If you weren't Ouroboros' proxy and didn't have rapid regeneration your body would've broken down already."
Luka nodded and then started to look around.
"Where is father?"
"He said that he had some business with Tiamat and left not too long ago. He was here by your side until you showed signs of waking up."
"I see."
Luka's eye landed on Darwin.
"You seem extra happy today, Grandfather."
"Really? Is it that obvious?"
Darwin said while grinning.
"Did something good happen?"
Darwin nodded energetically.
"Something really really great happened."
He turned towards the door and spoke.
"Come in already. How long are you going to hide from your own daughter?"
"Daughter?"
Luka had a confused expression on her face. While still a bit confused, she saw someone enter the room. At first, her face was blank, but slowly but surely her face came alive. Her eyes slowly widened, her bottom jaw gradually lowered, and her body began to tremble.
"H-Hey, there Luka. It's been a while."
Lisa awkwardly greeted Luka with a nervous smile on her face.
"...…"
Luka sat on her bed with shock plastered over her face. She neither spoke nor move, she just sat there staring at Lisa who was in front.
"What are doing? Come closer and get a better look at your daughter. I'm sure she wants to see more of her mother as well."
Darwin went behind Lisa and gently pushed her toward Luka's bed.
"...."
Lisa stood in front of the bed with a nervous look on her face. Luka on the other hand finally responded and stretched her hands out to grab Lisa's. She started squeezing it while looking at it.
"…..It's real. This is Mama's hand."
That's when Lisa felt a warm liquid touch her hand. Luka looked at Lisa with tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Mama, it's really Mama."
Lisa could feel her daughter's hands shaking.
"I thought that you'd never wake up."
"…..!"
Lisa's eyes widened and she bit her lip. Tears gathered in her eyes. She bent down and embraced Luka as hard as she could.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for leaving you alone for all these years!"
"Mama…."
Even more tears flowed from Luka's eyes. She wrapped her arms around her mother's trembling body.
"Mama! Mama! Mama!"
"I'm so sorry!"
The two cried while embracing each other. Seeing his daughter holding his granddaughter caused Darwin to tear up as well.
"Darwin."
He turned around and saw Maria standing at the door.
"You know what you must do, right?"
Maria asked with a knowing smile.
"Yeah."
Darwin wiped the tears from his eyes and cleared his throat.
"We Flamehearts will never let a grudge go unpaid, but we also will never forget to repay a debt."
He composed himself and declared.
"The Flameheart Clan will now fully support Miko and his Renacido!"
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