He retrieved his spear from his pouch. It was made from a rare metal that could only be found thousands of meters down in the depths of the Black Sea and weighed over two hundred kilograms, which gave it a nice feeling compared to normal ungraded metals. Most importantly, it could absorb shadows and help him unleash his attacks in a far more deadly manner.
This was a great opportunity for him to break through his limits and truly become someone with great prospects, eclipsing even those of Clan Azh’Rezak. But as he watched the human fumble around, his eyes moved to the Nexus Node in hesitation. After a brief pause, he placed his weapon back into his pouch and quickly wiped off any traces of blood from the large crystal.
He instead brought out a large table and a comfortable chair and sat down. Soon a tray of fruits was placed on top of the table. Ogras knew that these fruits from his home world were of limited quantity now that the Nexus Hub was closed, but one needed to make strong first impressions.
Of course, he also charged up tens of shadow blades in the shadows below the table, just in case it came to blows.
Soon the human seemed to have come to a decision to enter the illusion array. He brought out one of the standard regiment axes he likely had taken from some scout, and then a mottled shield. For Ogras, the whole thing looked like a play, as he could watch the whole thing unnoticed behind the array.
But he knew that this was no joke. This human seemed to be close to the limits in at least Strength, and maybe Endurance as well. He was a monstrously strong cockroach that was prohibitively difficult to kill. He mentally controlled his shadow blades to be ready to strike at a moment’s notice, but donned a lackadaisical face.
Soon the human charged in through the array, weapons at the ready.
“You natives truly are barbarians, so aggressive,” Ogras said with a theatrical sigh as the almost unnoticeable blades inched closer. It was time to get creative.
66
My Dinner With Ogras
Zac quickly jogged due south and soon arrived at the part of the valley where the incursion was located. The crystal was still there, but it now looked inert. It had lost its colors and no longer radiated any power.
The area seemed deserted, so Zac snuck up to the small house, finding it empty as well. Knowing no demons were around, he walked up to the huge crystal. Fractals completely covered the whole thing, barely leaving an inch free. It reminded him of an evolved version of his Nexus Node in camp, and after a brief hesitation, he touched it. No menu or prompt arrived, and he could only feel the cold and smooth surface of the crystal.
Zac thought about infusing the crystal with some Cosmic Energy, but soon decided against it. He had too little information about the thing and was afraid that he’d accidentally teleport himself somewhere. He was in no mood to suddenly arrive at a demon planet after having been stuck on a demon island for so long.
Zac could only leave it be for now and add it to the list of things he would squeeze out of Ogras if he found him. After a final check, he left southbound. As he walked, he noticed that the foliage in the surroundings unfortunately hadn’t turned back into normal trees and bushes. They were still sickly-looking from the influence of the red pillar. He could only hope that the area would gradually heal now that the incursion was turned off.
He kept going through the valley, and after some trial and error, he found an ascent leading up to the forest. Soon he was walking familiar paths south he had walked many times before. There still were quite a few barghest in the forests, but it seemed that the war had thinned them out somewhat at least. Or perhaps they’d left together with the surviving demon army.
More surprisingly, he found out that the reward had lessened substantially when he killed one. The remaining ones still were hyper-aggressive, and he was forced to kill one that came rushing toward him with a kick. After killing it, he actually gained less than 30 Nexus Coins. It was disappointing, as he had actually considered rounding them all up somehow and then killing hundreds of them with his [Chop] skill. That would have netted him quite a decent income while simultaneously cleaning up for his town.
He saw two possible reasons for the decrease. Either the reward for killing demons lessened now that the incursion was over, or the reward lessened as his level increased. He had gained quite a few levels in the mountains and tunnels, and now the System maybe didn’t want to award as many resources for killing weaklings.
Zac actually hoped it was the second. Then he could at least save a lucrative grinding area for other people. If the barghest could actually breed on the island, he could have a perpetual farming ground going. But if it was the first, he simply had a nuisance on his hands.
After half a day of jogging, he finally was in close proximity of his camp. He started his usual sweep of the area and actually found some worrying signs. There were footprints in the ground around where he’d battled the demon party, and even though he was no expert tracker, it looked like multiple sources.
At the same time, the illusion array was untouched, and he quickly equipped his amulet as well. He had actually removed it earlier in order to avoid getting any experience, and forgot to put it back on. The familiar warmth from the amulet told him that the mother-daughter array was still working.
With a heavy heart, he retrieved his axe and got ready for battle, and he also took out the shield he had found in the caverns. He held the shield in front of his head and madly dashed through the illusion barrier. Zac even charged up his [Chop], ready to swing at everything in the camp, even if he had to cut his beloved camper in two.
“You natives truly are barbarians, so aggressive.” A familiar voice could be heard from the vicinity, followed by a helpless sigh.
Even though it wasn’t completely unexpected, the voice gave Zac pause. He quickly glanced around the camp, his axe still at the ready. What entered his vision made Zac visibly groan and lower his shield.
It was the mysterious demon comfortably sitting in an opulent chair, lazily eating fruits that were placed on a golden tray in front of him. The tray was placed on a large table even more intricately designed than Zac’s own ostentatious table he had stolen. Did all demon noblemen walk around with obnoxiously over-the-top furniture just to be able to posture at any given time?
Thinking about the annoying smile of the demon right before escaping the poison inferno, Zac couldn’t stop himself and cleaved the table in two with a swing. The brows of the demon rose a bit in alarm, but he quickly regained his composure when he saw Zac didn’t continue.
Zac removed a chair from his own pouch and sat down as well with a grunt and retrieved some dried meat.
“Ogras?” he questioned, still finding it a bit hard to find the words after months of silence.
The demon looked slightly surprised; then it seemed he realized something.
“The very same. I guess you visited Camp Rezak on your way back. Ehm… Are my subordinates still alive?” Ogras asked, looking a bit troubled, but not to the point he was ready to come to blows.
“They are alive. I just caught a few to ask some questions. Why are you here, and how did you find the outpost?” Zac asked, still with a guarded expression against this unpredictable demon.
“You’re using an F-grade illusion array for protection. Any decent skill can detect it. We actually found your home a few days ago after investigating your… activities,” Ogras answered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“I can’t believe you live in a cramped and bloodied tin can. Don’t the humans of this planet know how to build decent structures? In any case, we found you in the tunnels before we could use the knowledge of this place to our advantage.” Ogras gave Zac a pitying glance as he looked around at the small campsite, with the dented camper and ruined car.
Irritation once again started to build up in Zac, and he was unsure whether he should defend his camp or Earth’s architectural ingenuity. But he once again calmed down quickly. This demon seemed like the crafty type, and Zac didn’t want to give out a
ny undue information by mistake because he was goaded into anger.
“You still haven’t explained why you’re here. And why you and the others are still on my island.” Zac felt it was important to make it clear that they were refugees while he was the landowner. This was his planet, and he had completed the quest to gain control of the area.
Ogras seemed to understand the implication of his words but only smiled in response. “Well, I came here to meet with you, of course. I figured you would return here after the battle. The incursion is over, and so is our need to be enemies. I think it’s time to discuss an alliance between our group and yours.”
Zac was about to say it was only him but quickly stopped himself. If the demons thought he was just the spearhead of a larger group, his position was only strengthened.
“You should know that this world was only integrated into the Multiverse less than two months ago. There are things we do not know. Explain to me why we shouldn’t keep hunting your kind,” Zac said, happy to keep the fib going.
“When you finished your quest, the incursion ended. We were given twelve hours to return through the Nexus Hub before it closed down. Some of us couldn’t get there in time, and others simply chose to stay behind for various reasons. After the Ruthless Heavens has closed the hub, it won’t open again for a long time, and never to our home planet,” Ogras answered, seemingly prepared for the question.
“In other words, we made the choice to cut ties with our clan and our home, and it is unlikely we will ever be able to return. Even if we wanted to, it would be almost impossible due to the cost of traveling such a distance. We also won’t get any backup in the future. Therefore, it makes no sense to keep a war going against you natives.”
“That’s a pretty flippant attitude after so many of your kind has died. Why did you even come to our planet? And what’s the ruthless heavens?” Zac asked after mulling over Ogras’ answer. He couldn’t find any lies in what the demon told him from what he had observed and what the demoness had said. But he wasn’t so naïve to believe everything he said either. Someone who could kill his ally with a stab in the back could only be a duplicitous character.
“The Ruthless Heavens, the Endless Heavens, the Cosmic Warden, the System. It has many names, but you should know what I’m talking about,” Ogras explained with an expansive gesture. “And why should I care if some clansmen died? Life and death mean nothing in the Multiverse. Long before I came here, all my siblings had already been killed in battle and assassinations by my very own clan members,” he continued, as though such a tragic life had nothing to do with him. He then leaned forward and stared at Zac with a glint.
“As for why we came here? Resources, of course. The Ruthless Heavens thrives on conflict, and war is expensive. Baby worlds like yours are usually a treasure trove of wealth that can help a clan or country ascend. There are likely multiple forces across your planet that are gobbling everything up like locusts at this very moment. Clan Azh’Rezak was just unlucky being stuck on this island with a humanoid monster.”
Zac chose to ignore the last sentence and focused on the other information. There were many points of interest in the demon’s answer, but one more than the others. But before he could ask, he realized something.
“Wait, why hasn’t the System punished you? I was told the System might kill me if I failed the missions. Why are you demons fine after failing yours?” Abby had clearly warned him to properly complete the quest, at the risk of death and mutilation. Meanwhile, Ogras was just fine and dandy, even though he should hold the main responsibility for the demons’ invasion.
“Urh… What?” Ogras seemed truly confused, so after a brief hesitation, Zac told him about parts of his conversation with Abby the eye.
Ogras looked stunned at Zac for a good while before he started laughing self-depreciatingly.
“All our plans ruined because of a lying Stargazer… The Ruthless Heavens truly have a wicked sense of humor,” Ogras said and sighed.
“Lying? What do you mean?” Zac asked skeptically. So far, everything Abby said had been true, and he instinctively trusted her far more compared to this demon.
“The Ruthless Heavens doesn’t punish. At worst, it loses interest in you. What did you think, a lightning bolt would zap you if you left the island on a raft? Don’t be silly. The only result would be that you no longer qualified to become a Lord and missed out on the rewards from the quests,” Ogras said with a snicker after having regained his composure.
“Just think about the quest for those fruits you picked up. Would the System just kill off everyone who didn’t rush to the mountain? That’s crazy.” He continued, “By the way, are you interested in selling those fruits to me?”
Zac ignored the business proposal and pondered what the demon said. He didn’t know what to believe. It did make sense what Ogras said, but Zac didn’t understand why Abby would lie to him like that.
“What would she have to gain for telling me to fight you guys? Are Stargazers and demons enemies?” he inquired.
“Bah, Stargazers don’t have any enemies. Pretty much all of them work for the Ruthless Heavens. Who would dare mess with them? I guess she wanted a promotion. If you become a Lord, you get a permanent administrator to help you out. Then she could get appointed to a baby world to one of its leaders and get access to both many good resources and opportunities for advancement.”
Zac was stumped by the answer but refused to believe that the floating eye would send him against a whole demon army just to get a chance to get a promotion if he actually survived.
“You need to toughen up, human. The Multiverse is a cold place where the honest and brave get butchered while the calculating and shrewd survive. Everything else is irrelevant in the face of benefits,” the demon said, with stone-cold eyes that spoke of a deep-rooted cynicism toward the world.
67
Diplomacy
Zac sighed and tabled the whole matter, as there was no way for him to know who told the truth at the moment. The thought that he had almost died numerous times due to a lie was almost too depressing to handle. Of course, it was thanks to that lie that he’d pushed himself forward and now confidently stood at the forefront of humanity.
“You said your incursion is only one of many? Do they all contain demons like you?” Zac quickly asked, eager to change the subject. Besides, this was something he had wondered about since day one. He was thinking of his family and was worried that another incursion could pop up next to them at any moment. It had worked out for him, but he had been given a huge advantage from his many titles. For normal people to contend against a demon army, he knew how that story would end.
“As far as I know, us demons only got one for this world, unless a higher-tier clan got one as well. I’m not privy to their activities. The others are from various forces in the Multiverse. That’s why we need each other, human. Because if you think that our little clan was bad, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Zac got a really bad feeling when he heard that the other incursions could be even worse compared to the demons on this island. It didn’t seem like the demon was lying, and his desire to get back home to his family only got stronger.
“Need each other how?” he asked, curious to hear what benefits the demon could provide.
Ogras grinned, obviously pleased that Zac tentatively opened diplomatic relations.
“We both have things the other party needs. My side has manpower. Many of those who stayed behind are noncombat classes who would be very helpful for someone who wishes to build up a base. We have builders, farmers, blacksmiths, and traders, for example. I can also provide information about many things that could help you in the future.” Ogras rattled on, sounding like a salesman trying to secure some business.
“And what would you want from me in return?” Zac asked, as he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.
“Sanctuary. You may not know this, but the Ruthless Heavens limits the powers of foreign entities in a baby worl
d,” Ogras explained, to which Zac only tersely nodded. “Well, after the incursion failed, the limiter remains, and we will have some… problems… getting stronger. Even if we gain a few levels, we might only actually be able to use the additional power of one level. But the Nexus Coins and energy we give out when killed is the full amount. We essentially become walking treasure troves the longer we reside on a baby planet.”
“Why do you need me for that? If you just stay holed up here, won’t you be fine? We’re on an island, after all,” Zac interjected, as he didn’t see how he fit into the picture. If Zac was expendable for the demons’ survival, then he could be killed at any moment.
“Breaking the restrictions will take a very long time. Sooner or later, some force is going to find the island, and what would happen when they found an island full of monsters and inhabitants that gave ten times the reward upon killing them?” Ogras explained, but Zac looked far from convinced.
“More importantly, you have become a Lord so you can provide the sanctuary of a System-sanctioned city. That’s not something we can do by ourselves now that the incursion failed. We failed our quest and are barred from seizing a system town,” the demon continued as he glanced at the Nexus Node.
“What’s the difference between a System-sanctioned city and a normal one? And besides, I’m not a Lord. I still need to complete a quest for that,” Zac corrected him, feeling that particular information was no problem to share. In case they would actually form an alliance, the demons would have to help out defending his outpost against the denizens of other alignments, after all.
Ogras looked slightly surprised by this information, but quickly recovered. It seemed that even these invaders didn’t have all the answers after all, which was comforting.
“The biggest difference is that you can buy structures from the Ruthless Heavens in a sanctioned city. In a normal city, you have to build everything yourself. A sanctioned city is much safer as long as the Lord has coins to spare. Only an idiot would invade a sanctioned city unless they held an overwhelming advantage. The Lord could simply spend a few generations’ worth of Nexus Coins and blast the attackers to pieces with a new defensive structure.”
Defiance of the Fall: A LitRPG Adventure Page 37