Read Novel Full Chapter 227: Conflicting Pride
Chapter 227: Conflicting Pride
Once Salome recovered, it would be time to challenge Level 10. Then continue until Vale became Emergent.
***
-A month in the past-
Pride, Leon Hearth, stood atop a mountain, blood sliding down his arms under his armor. He stared at Wrath’s back as he walked out of his lands, northbound.
Pride looked over at the man who’d allowed Wrath to escape his clutches.
"Interloper. You should know your place."
The man, the King of Rampage, sneered.
"Interloper? That would be you, wretch."
He pointed his sword at Pride and continued:
"I finally found him when he was outside of his dungeon, and you intervened in our battle. What would that make you if not the interloper?"
Pride turned to face the man. The man with pride that rivaled his own.
"You know, you are an invader of my lands as well."
Pride gripped his longsword in his hand and pointed it at the tall man.
The King of Rampage steadied his gaze.
"It is you who treads upon my land."
Pride laughed as he cast a sidelong glance at the ruins of a city. A city Wrath had utterly destroyed. Leaving only its ruler and a few who’d fled from the slaughter alive.
Leon chuckled at the fallen king.
"Your insolence is laughable. Are you unaware that a king needs followers to be a king? You are without citizens. How can you claim to own anything?"
"My followers live on in my will. It is in accordance with their honor I swear revenge. Now, flee from these lands, wretch. I’ll allow it just this once."
"Truly! You are a man whose lack of grace is simply appalling! To order me? To call me a wretch? Your insolence knows no bounds! I’ve overlooked your pitiful tenancy only my lands long enough, pretender. Leave now, or fall here."
The King of Rampage, clad in his black armor, laughed. He laughed so loud its echo could be heard for miles, causing any wildlife who hadn’t already taken flight to scatter and flee.
"To claim you allow my existence, own my land, when too frightened to dare point your sword at me before." The man’s stare hardened. "It’s an unforgivable transgression upon my honor. Before you stake any more claim upon reason for your death, leave my sight, wretch."
"Don’t misunderstand. You’d been pointing your blade at Wrath before, so I allowed you to live. But this transgression? Daring to look down upon me? The King of Pandora? I’ll allow it no longer."
"King of Pandora? You wretch. Are you not aware of the difference between tyrant and king? To claim to own the world is a fallacy of rule!"
"To claim anything else is to cede your right of sovereignty."
"Ceding my sovereignty? Have you no intelligence as well?"
Pride’s eyes flared.
"Quell this insolence, fool."
"Quell your lunacy, wretch."
A woman’s voice joined in.
"Don’t you two know playing pretend should be done with dollhouses."
Pride sneered.
"You..."
The woman laughed.
"Why don’t you go play elsewhere."
"Don’t you—"
Then she snapped her fingers, and the King of Rampage disappeared.
Pride lowered his blade, his stare flipping to the new interloper.
"Where did you send him, Patience?"
"To a world of ash."
"The Lost Expanse?" Pride laughed boisterously. "What a funny joke! Such a fitting place for that fool. Let him add more dead to his delusional honor."
Pride’s gaze lowered.
"But, tell me, Patience, what are you doing here? Go back to Malakite at once, before my own patience runs out. I’m not in the best of moods. And don’t you dare go after Wrath. He’s my prey."
The woman chuckled.
"Why would I go after Wrath? He’s not my enemy. And neither are you."
"You say some interesting things, woman."
"And you say some foolish things, Leon."
Pride’s annoyance flared.
"Why does everyone have a death wish today? Patience, you know the punishment befitting those who dare not recognize my grace, correct?"
"Of course." Patience smiled and combed her black hair out of her eyes as she snapped and teleported to the top of the mountain. "I am well aware of your inability to harm me, as well."
Pride grit his teeth.
"You..."
Patience chuckled then snapped her fingers.
A moment later, the King of Hearth was gone, teleported back to his throne room.
Patience sighed, then looked down at her feet. At the red salamander scampering about. The little reptile looked up at her, then flicked its tongue.
"Did I do what you needed me to?"
[Yes. **** ****, Delora. You *** return.]
’So, she’s still weakened...’
But it seemed like her power had somewhat grown.
Patience, low on Aether from sending the two titanic beings away, used the small bit she had to return the salamander to its home in the Terracotta Scar on the other side of the world.
With that accomplished, she began her long trek through the Kingdom of Hearth back to Malakite.
***
Sargon, the King of Rampage, stood alone as ash fell upon his head and shoulders like snow, covering him.
All around, rampaging beasts converged on him.
They crawled up from beneath the ash, descended from the sky, or popped into existence in front of his eyes.
Sargon let loose his rage.
***
Pride sat upon his throne, clenching his fists.
Then, he took a deep breath, sighed, and said:
"It seems the Kingdom of Malakite has requested departure from the world."
***
Wrath paused for a moment in his trek as he stood still and gazed back.
’What is she doing there?’
Patience...
That bitch had revealed herself once again. Thankfully, she didn’t show an intent to kill Wrath, but her being out and about unnerved him.
It made him... angry.
’If only she didn’t exist.’
Wrath turned and continued his long trek.
A few days later, he found himself standing on one side of an unnatural black wall which was embedded in the side of a mountain.
He cleared the area of beasts by fearing them away. Then, when the wall dropped, he entered the Dungeon of Gluttony.