I leaned down and smelled Melina’s hair, then kissed the back of her head lightly as my arms moved and intertwined with hers across her chest. She stirred but didn’t protest as we stayed like that for a while. My eyes closed almost as if I had no control over them, and I fell asleep alongside her.
A chime woke me up. My eyes fluttered open and I looked around, startled. Whenever a chime had woken us up so far, it had been a bad thing. At least up until now. I let out a sigh of relief as I read the message.
Notification:
The 7-day beginner period has ended. All portals and the entrance to the tower will open in: 59:59
I cursed and pushed Melina off me slightly. The water was already cold, and my body rigid. I’d fallen asleep in a shitty position; now my back hurt like mad. At least it was a nice way to wake up, my hands all over Melina’s gorgeous body. I sure would have something to look forward to when we were out there.
“What… why are you pushing me?” she muttered and stretched her arms, letting out a loud yawn. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” she added hurriedly.
“Sorry, I fell asleep when you did, but at least you had a better pillow than me.”
She flashed me a sheepish grin and nudged my chest. “Liar. I don’t think so with your hands all over me.”
“You done in there?” Lana’s voice echoed from the other side of the door.
She stood outside the bathhouse in the garden. Her silhouette showed from the other side of the shoji door and moved impatiently from foot to foot.
“Give me a minute. I’ll be right out,” I replied and pressed my index finger to my lips.
Melina shot me a mischievous smile but nodded. “Want me to help you get dressed?”
“Please,” I whispered as I stood and got out.
I offered her my hand and helped her out of the tub. Our skin was shriveled from being so long inside the water, but I didn’t care. It would fix itself in a minute or two. Melina stepped hurriedly past me and put a towel down where I could stand on it; then she toweled me off with another, pink towel.
I stared down at her moving figure and stopped her suddenly, almost as if my hands had moved on their own. She looked up at me questioningly, but I just turned her around and stared at the tattoos and thin pink lines where her scars used to be.
“They’re all gone,” I said as I traced my finger down her spine. “Only a few thin lines are all that’s left.”
She looked over her shoulder and gave me a weak smile. “Thanks for remembering. I used to think I deserved them after that bastard Anton carved them in personally, using a damned hunting knife.”
“Was that his name?”
She nodded and looked away, embarrassed. “It was. Curse his corpse.”
“Say, who did he belong to? What gang or whatever they’re called nowadays?”
She frowned and turned to face me. “The Green Dragons.”
“Those bastards who attacked us back in that rift?”
She nodded as tears formed near the bridge of her nose.
“I totally forgot,” she whispered, her voice wavering. “I should have seen it coming.”
Melina burst into tears, and a scream passed her lips. Lana pulled the door aside and walked in on us as I tried to pull Melina in close.
“Hey, it’s not your fault,” I whispered. Lana’s eyes moved in between us, but she didn’t say anything.
“I should have known, Vik! That sneaky bastard must have coerced you to kill Kihot as well!”
“Lana? Can you leave us for a minute?”
She turned around and closed the door behind her as we stood there.
“Why did you… I’m not embarrassed by others seeing my tears.”
“It’s not your tears, Melina. No one should hear what I’m about to say, alright?”
She didn’t stop sobbing but nodded her head slightly. “What?”
“Simple. I’m going to destroy the Green Dragon Gang and kill every single one of their members. Then I’ll pick another target and another. I’m going to kill a lot of people so others don’t have to go through what you have. That’s a promise.”
She nodded weakly and dug her fingers deep into my sides. “There’s a filthy bastard there called Enzo. He used to be Anton’s patron inside that gang and was the reason for Anton’s rise.”
I nodded and stared into her eyes. “I’ll make them all suffer, love. Every single one of them, alright? You make sure I got a great place to return to, and leave the rest to me.”
She let go of my sides and looked down at her white-knuckled fingers.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Let me help you get dressed. I don’t want to keep Lana waiting.”
Melina unfurled the same black and red kimono for me that I’d worn when we just met. She helped me put it on and then just tied a short yukata around herself, not even binding her chest or putting on any underwear.
“I’m not going to see you off,” she said weakly. “I’ll stay here and clean up, then go take a nap. Take care, alright? Don’t widow me before we’re even wed properly.”
I planted my lips on hers again and kissed the woman fiercely. She was cold, too cold. Not just because of the water, but she wasn’t well, I was sure of it.
“Don’t do anything stupid, even if I’m late. Promise me, alright?”
“Yeah, now go, please.”
“Wait, what do you want me to bring back for you?”
“A lot of alcohol and—I don’t know? If you find some nice underwear for me. And… candy. All kinds.”
I chuckled and she slapped me playfully in return. Candy, huh?
“I love you, you fool. I love you so much it hurts,” I whispered. “Don’t go doing anything I wouldn’t. Stay safe and inside. Don’t go out and don’t get hurt. Please.”
She leaned in for a last kiss and nodded. “I love you too, Vik. More than my life itself. I’d rather watch the whole world burn and just see you safe. Come back to me. Please.”
“What about Lana?” a familiar voice asked. “I thought you needed to bind her first.”
“Right, sorry.” I chuckled as I turned around and found Veles standing there along with Lana in the doorway.
“You’re lucky it’s quite an easy thing to do, so you can be on your way quickly.”
I nodded and flashed her an earnest smile. “Please, can you do it, then?”
“I will. You got anything to do for… fifteen minutes?”
“Yeah, I need to get some gold and jewelry for trade… oh, I forgot to check out the upgrade function I got yesterday. Hey, give me your sword as well.”
I held my hand out and waited for Lana to give me her blade. She handed it over to me and turned away, not wanting to meet my eyes.
“I’ll be out when we’re done, alright?” she whispered. Emotions were running wild inside the small and cramped bathhouse, and I couldn’t remain there any longer, even if I wanted to.
“I’ll see you in a bit.”
I made my way over to the anvil and sat down. Donald was nowhere to be seen, and neither were any of the others. Even better. No one would be bothering me.
I sat down and pressed my hand against the anvil to open the interface. A new window popped up beside the first one I used to create items. On the left was the creation window, while on the right the upgrade one. I opened it and pulled my sword out, then placed it in the same boxlike opening that I used for blueprints, and then stared at the necessary ingredients to upgrade the sword.
Upgrade:
NAME: Bone Blade Rank 1 >>> Tyranitaur Blade Rank 1
REQUIREMENTS:
T. Bone x 7, T. Fang x 9, T. Spike x 2
PHYSICAL ATTACK: 120 >>> 280
ENMA ATTACK: 60 >>> 130
DEFENSE: 80 >>> 170
BREAK: 60 >>> 110
I hurriedly accepted the upgrade process on the sword, but when a timer appeared, my gut sank into the pit of my stomach. Luckily it was only 60 seconds. Then 59, 58… I let out a sigh of relief
and then did the same with my halberd. Both changed slightly in appearance, but greatly in stats. I did her sword last and let out a sigh, thankful I had enough materials for all three of the weapons.
Upgrade:
NAME: Bone Halberd Rank 1 >>> Tyranitaur Halberd Rank 1
REQUIREMENTS:
T. Bone x 5, T. Fang x 11, T. Spike x 3
PHYSICAL ATTACK: 100 >>>180
ENMA ATTACK: 80>>>190
DEFENSE: 40 >>> 90
BREAK: 100 >>> 220
NAME: Bone Sword Rank 1 >>> Tyranitaur Sword Rank 1
REQUIREMENTS
T. Bone x 4, T. Fang x 6, T. Spike x 1
PHYSICAL ATTACK: 65>>>160
ENMA ATTACK: 40>>>110
DEFENSE: 30 >>> 65
BREAK: 40 >>> 80
I stashed them back into the pouch and hurried over to the storage room where the bags filled with valuables still sat doing… nothing. They were all filled to the brim with money, gold, and jewelry. I heaped one of the bags with money into the pouch and then the one with jewelry and gems, then made my way back to the fountain and sat there, waiting.
A single bolt of lightning struck the bathhouse, but nothing happened to the roof or the building itself. The bolt just passed through everything and dissipated inside as Melina let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Silence fell over the bathhouse as I sat there gritting my teeth and clenching my fists. I wanted to go in, but Veles had told me to wait outside. The decision was made for me when the door opened and Melina came stumbling out along with a version of Lana that looked very similar to Scar. Most of her body looked physical, but a part was all flashes of thunder and translucency.
I wanted to close my eyes and forget about what I just saw, but I couldn’t do it to her, to Melina, or myself. We all made sacrifices and would make even more of them as time passed, but we needed to own them.
“Are you… alright? Both of you?” I asked as I stared in wonder.
“What? You won’t ask me if I’m alright?” Veles laughed. “This left me drained for the next several days, Viktor. Remember this favor well.”
Before I could even give her a reply, the Goddess disappeared, leaving us standing there in awkward silence. I stared at the two and decided to make my final choice there and then, and I walked up to Melina first and hugged her.
“How are you feeling?”
“Shitty,” she muttered. “Can you take me upstairs? I need to lie down.”
I picked her up and jumped up to the balcony, then walked into the bedroom and placed her gently on the bed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’ll see you soon, alright?”
She nodded slowly as her eyes closed ever so slowly. Leaving her lying there, snoring softly, I chuckled weakly and kissed her forehead before I walked out and jumped off the balcony, landing next to Lana.
“Viktor!” Rita’s voice rang out from the kitchen. She ran toward us holding two trays filled with cut grazlitaur roast. “So you have something to eat when you’re hungry.”
I let out a weak laugh as the woman stopped in front of us and stashed the meat into my pouch; then I hugged the older woman.
“Thanks, Rita. Take care of her when I’m gone, alright? She’s… in a bad place right now.”
She blinked once and then nodded. “As if she were my own daughter. Don’t worry.”
“Alright then. Greet the others from us, and we’ll see each other soon again.”
“Good luck, Vik. You too, Lana. Even though we don’t know each other that well, I like to believe we’re like family. Especially now that you’re going to stay here permanently.”
Lana nodded and turned toward the portal. I followed her and pulled the sword out, then handed it to her.
“You upgraded mine as well?”
I nodded. “It’s quite a bit stronger right now. Check it.”
Her eyebrows rose slightly, and her lips pursed up into a grin, already having forgotten what just happened.
“Thanks, Vik,” was all she said. Something in her had changed along with what she had become, the soul part and whatever had made her… Lana. Still, if she could get over it and try to find her place in all of this, I’m sure she’d be able to become happy. One day.
“You’re welcome. And you too, for staying around and deciding to devote your life to our revenge.”
She shrugged and looked away. The sword disappeared into her pouch as we stopped in front of the portal. A thought came over me just then. Would she be able to go through? Well, there was only one way to find out.
Chapter Thirteen
The sensation that passed through my entire body during our jump was strange. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it didn’t feel good either. Almost like when you were drunk and didn’t feel like getting up and instead decided to keep sitting and staring at a point on the wall. A tiresome, strange feeling.
I gasped as the city of Sylmar appeared around me and cold air hit me in the face. I looked around hurriedly and pulled out my Tyranitaur Blade, just to make sure. A group of police officers stood to the side, and it was then that I noticed a barricade was set up around the portal. The damn thing was in the middle of the road.
“Halt! Who are you! How did you get here?” a familiar voice yelled from the group of officers.
“McMaron?” I asked as he ran up to us, his gun already drawn on me. He was flanked by a dozen men in full tactical gear. They had their guns pointed right at us, which struck a nerve.
I tipped my blade toward him, and he stopped, but was still pointing the damn peashooter.
“How do you know my name? Who are you? Speak!”
It was only then that I noticed my body didn’t look like it used to. I was fully armored and looked like a damn tyranitaur, but much smaller in size. The armor was black and scaly, the weapon spiked and pointy.
“I’m Viktor. Funny how you forgot about me so quickly.”
His eyes went wide, and he took a step back and even went so far as to lower his gun. Dozens of more heavily armed men and women stormed in from all sides of the barricade, yelling for us to put our weapons down, but they didn’t belong to his group. They must have been with the military.
I looked over my shoulder at Lana, and what she wore wasn’t that different from leather studded armor. Just uglier and with parts of her body translucent.
I stashed the weapon away and put my hands up, not wanting to escalate this right away and have to kill people the moment we got here.
“Don’t shoot!” a gruff, male voice called out from behind the barricades. He stormed over to us and held a gun in his hands as well, but pointed the damn thing toward the ground. “Speak! Who are you? How did you get here?”
“Colonel! This is our jurisdiction! They’re standing on the right part of the portal!”
“Hah! This is way above your pay grade, McMaron!” The colonel laughed. “The name is Herrion, Colonel Herrion. State your name and business!”
“Viktor. Viktor Cerna, the owner of this portal and the rift on the other side.”
His eyes went wide when he heard me speak. The next thing I noticed was the fact that cars worked and electricity ran, just as the night I got here. This place had gone back to what it had been before the tower and dungeons arrived. At least it looked that way.
I turned quickly toward the direction of the tower, but it was still there. Multiple helicopters circled the spire in the distance, pointing their spotlights all over the thing as if searching for something.
“I would recommend that you don’t cause me any trouble, Viktor. Come with me so we can get you debriefed,” Herrion almost growled, speaking as if he was angry with me for some reason, but why would he be? I didn’t know him, and I didn’t do anything.
“Only if you tell me where we’re going and you don’t attempt to touch either of us. The first person who lays a hand on either me or her will get cut in half.”
The soldiers immediately stepped back, and I could see a nervou
s glare in some of their eyes. I looked like a demon to them wearing this armor, so why wouldn’t it be possible to do what I threatened them with? That got me curious. How would my weapons work in this world?
“Is that a threat, Cerna?”
“No, but it is a promise, Herrion. I’m not from this world, so your laws don’t apply to me. Try anything at your own risk!”
“I would listen to him.” Lana spoke. “He doesn’t fuck around, and if he was able to kill something akin to a T-Rex with just a sword, do you think any of you stand a better chance?”
Herrion’s phone rang, and he picked it from his belt, then looked at it and scowled.
“Sir?” he said as he put the thing to his ear. “No, but, sir—please! Why—”
He looked as if he were about to explode. I found it mildly amusing, to be honest. Must have been one of his superiors who saw us coming through the portal.
“What’s it gonna be, Herrion?” I asked as he hung up.
“Will you please… come with us?” he growled through clenched teeth.
“That’s better.”
I took a moment to look around. Several tanks and large gun installations were spread out around the portal, along with barbed wire and concrete barricades. I didn’t count the men and women surrounding this place, but there were at least a hundred of them.
I patted Lana on her back, and she stashed her sword away. It felt good to have someone guard my back, though I knew she’d bite the dust pretty quickly in her much weaker gear. Not that it mattered since she couldn’t die anyway.
“We’ll take you to the general, Cerna,” Herrion said again but sounded slightly more polite this time around.
I looked over my shoulder and winked at McMaron. “See you later, Officer. I’ll need your help with something.”
He frowned and looked around, almost afraid someone might have misunderstood what I just said. The irony. He was corrupt, but just how much? I had no idea.
Lana and I entered a large vehicle I recognized through the memories as an APC, or an armored personnel carrier. It looked sturdy and was all sleek and sharp lines. The gun-metal gray color suited it perfectly for some reason I didn’t know, but it just looked cool and like a dangerous mechanical beast.
Crafting Death: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Towers & Rifts Book 2) Page 14