LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 60: The Lords’ Summit: Ayo's sacrifice
"So… It did not go well?"
Ayo, who had just left the huge door of the Civil Hall, was startled by the sound coming from behind him and turned back, involuntarily placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Please relax, Ayo. Can we walk together for a while?" Aramis, who was leaning slightly against the cold wall just to the right of the door, with his head bowed and his arms crossed, lifted his head, straightened up, and began to walk towards him.
"What now? This was one of your shady plans? Executing everyone outdoors who doesn't accept BRe's plans?"
"Well… Yeah, it could be… If I was the leader of this damn World still…" Answering with a smile, Aramis stopped for a moment and looked up into the dark sky. "As if I was from the beginning! Nah… I was never a leader… not of this World… not of an alliance… not even a single group… I was just a mere tool of this f.cking childish game…. to increase the death ratio of innocent people here…"
"..." Realizing that Aramis was not looking for trouble, Ayo took his hand off his sword. "What do you want, Aramis?"
"I just wanna talk…"
They began walking together away from the Temple of the North.
"So, how is Vato?"
"Vato?" Ayo, who did not like this question, did not want to give Aramis an answer because he was caught off guard.
"Yes. I hope he is still not harmed… I just checked The Throne Castle a few days ago. There were only ruins. But that was not the real problem. I sensed a terrifying aura on there. As if something was masking the whole area. Just to cover something sinister!"
"Sinister?"
"Yes, Ayo! This thing is not finished as you know! And I felt like there was a being hiding with terrible power that none of us even knew existed. I am aware that I am not the most reliable player in this world because of what I have done for so long. And God knows… I deserve this! But believe me. Something more dangerous than Mona or KB arrived here, in this World, I know this! If you don't believe me, you can go and confirm it yourself, but I don't recommend it. Because whatever I felt there, it noticed me too, I can swear it! But did nothing! It is still hiding there for something! I know you, your friends, and most players in this world hate me. Even many people in my BRe alliance. That is ok! However, the enemy you know is more reliable than the uncertainty you do not know!"
"Why are you explaining these to me, Aramis? I do not know Vato Luca, never met with him before…"
"It is ok, Ayo." Aramis continued to smile in understanding. "I just want to express my regard to him. He is a much more real leader than me and he deserves it. Please tell these 2 things to him for me. The first one is; do not approach the ruins of the Throne! And the second one is… I wanna help!"
"Help?"
"Yes. I know I failed as a leader. I came up with a strategy of my own and made myself and those around me struggle in vain for this useless goal for a long time.! But you guys were different… Treader, Serenity, Vato, you, Lamour… Even solo players like Gofu and Ocean! You guys have seen the truth… And you have truly helped the future of the people here. That's why he deserves to be a true leader… And I want to be on his team! No… I want to be helpful too! I no longer have a goal for myself to get out of here alive. But because of what I put people through, I should do something from now on. My power is still valid! Please tell him just to alert me too on your next move. I will be there… to help you…"
"I think you misunderstood 2 things, Aramis. The first one is… We did not succeed! You shouldn't blame just only yourself because of the deaths! We failed too… Many people just died because of us! We could not solve the puzzle successfully. And the second one is… I do not know that Vato Luca, your previous alliance member! Just heard his name but never met with him…" Ayo, who started to take his steps faster than Aramis, signaled that he would now leave. "But if you want me to convey your words to our leader, ok, it is a deal! I will do it…"
.
.
.
Ayo continued walking through the dark forest for five minutes.
He suddenly noticed a yellow silhouette appearing up ahead, and the male individual dressed in oni armor walked past him without even making eye contact with Ayo.
Ayo, who continued on his way without stopping, walked away a few steps, then quickly turned back and threw 2 knives at the man.
"I knew this!" Ayo, who had just thrown the knives, continued to stand with his arms slightly open like a goalkeeper trying to take a penalty, but a thin drop of blood began to flow from the corner of his mouth.
"Ah, I was surprised also. I had made a very successful transformation, how did you notice?" The man's yellow armor suddenly turned into the spies' black color and his hair grew longer. His facial features and skin also changed, turning into a completely female appearance, and she looked back at Ayo.
"It's not about your appearance. Of course, I do not know all members of oni. But your existence… It gave me such a creepy feeling as you passed by… A friend had just warned me about a new entity that had recently appeared in this world and was giving a scary feeling…" Ayo was inspecting the tentacles that suddenly came out from behind him, piercing his body, and the translucent defensive sphere that protected the woman in front of him from his blades. All 10 of the woman's fingers extended into tentacles and were stuck in the ground. It was obvious that these tentacles came from underground and grabbed him from his back.
"Ah, you misjudged then. That existence is something higher than me… Well normally I wouldn't tell this anybody but you are an exception because you will die soon..."
"Kitty, you!!! How!" Ayo recognized his enemy lately, who was on their kill list and whose death news had been published in WC. "Damn, Eli was right! Where is Kira!!!"
"Ah you do not need this many answers, rebel… I will give you only one… That existence your friend realized… His name is Hackathon… He is one of the Gods who rule these Worlds…"
"F.ck me! So, we did not fail completely…"
"Yes, you invited him to this World somehow. And he wants to stay here to continue his experiments. You all are only lab rats just to satisfy his desires. And I was just on my way to your leaders' meetings just to convey his greeting but you stopped me somehow. Not bad!"
"Huh? Then I will now allow it!" Even though the tentacles were still immobilizing him, he somehow managed to pull out his sword, swing it back, and cut them.
"Not bad… It seems you are much better than your friend."
"You b.tch!" Growing angrier at her insult to Kira, Ayo leaped into the air and disappeared from Kitty's view in the darkness. And he appeared right behind him and made a move into the translucent sphere. "ARRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Ah you are here. Sorry darling but my barrier is kinda acidic thing…" Kitty, who did not attack because she was confident in the effect of her orb, watched with amusement as the melting fumes emerged from Ayo's remaining body skin, which had passed through the barrier with the hand holding the sword.
"Do you think this will stop me!? Do you know how much we waited for this moment!? ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" And despite the terrible pain he felt, Ayo broke through the barrier and swung his sword towards Kitty's heart.
"Wow!" Quickly jumping back, Kitty dodged the sword and canceled the barrier, as Ayo, whose attempt failed, fell face down on the ground, unable to move anymore. "You were so cool, Ayo. You really deserve my gratitude. But I should leave now. It wouldn't be nice if I missed that meeting…" Not making any attack, Kitty continued on her way because she was sure that those wounds would finish off Ayo.
"Hah, hah!"
"Huh?" Kitty stopped again at his laughter and looked at him suspiciously.
"Do you think you can make a surprise ambush on them anymore?"
"What?"
"The moment I first saw you, I knew something bad was going to happen and sent them a message. Before I attack you! Right now, they are all waiting for you to kill you, having taken their precautions, activated their buffs, and set up their strategies."
"Impossible! I did not detect any whispering activity on your chart! Also, I would block it if you tried!"
"Y.yes…I…know…" Ayo's life energy was beginning to wane. "Th.at…is…w.hy…I…u.sed…o.ld.fas.hion..ed….m.et.h.od…yo.u…s.ys.tem…ra.t!"
Ayo, who was an animal keeper at the zoo in real life, had a feature that no one knew about. He could raise some animals as messengers. The three wolves he had raised a long time ago had been following him from a distance throughout the night. There were two articles hanging around their necks.
The wolves began to tear apart paper number 1 with
"You, dimwit! Ok, I was letting you die slowly but you wanted this quick way!" Kitty walked angrily and stretched her fingers towards Ayo, and the tentacles that had just shortened lengthened again and quickly set out to tear him apart.
And suddenly they hit the metals that were thrown towards them and bounced back again.
"Huh, you?"
"As I said, you always were a step ahead of me, friend. I hope you are still alive because I will take you as soon as I kill this human-looking entity!"
"A…ramis…"
"Yes, my friend. Do not push yourself!" Seeing one of the two wolves heading towards the temple, Aramis read the note on the animal's neck and quickly ran in the direction it came from, because this was the direction where Ayo had just left him. "Allow me to keep the promise I just made to you…"