[New Grand-tiered potion listing added, Potion of Storms. Be sure to keep this potion sealed, for it is extremely dangerous. Insert your mana through the bottle to complete it. When you open the potion, which must be in a large bottle, aim and hold. You will unleash a powerful storm upon your foes. You may reduce the effect by adding very little mana, set the bottle on the ground, and allow the storm to form. The more mana you add, the more powerful it becomes.]
You know, the threat, perhaps the approach of death, would often force one into a hasty decision. See that old prompt. I depleted my mana by more than half, perhaps even three quarters, and didn’t have time to regret it as the potion unleashed what I could only describe as an incarnation of chaos.
Shimmering energy, chaotic lightning, howling winds erupted like a volcano from the bottle. And while the Lord Ruler was too close to dodge, I wasn’t safe either. Safer than him, but not by much. I couldn’t hear his yell. Okay, I couldn’t hear anything, nor really see beyond the wall of death.
Seconds later, the energy finally died down, leaving behind an eerie silence. If the Lord Ruler wasn’t already in front of the block he destroyed, well, things would probably be a lot worse for the city. Before me was a path of what looked like the fucking abyss which extended hundreds of meters, reminding me of the destructive path of a giant tornado, leading into a really big hole. Smoke oozed from the goddamn new Grand Canyon!
“Shit, I guess I overdid it,” I said softly as I watched for any signs of movement, through my mana senses, not my eyes. The canyon’s blackness was mostly due to smoke, dust, and lack of sunlight, like a volcanic eruption.
“Did… did he… did he kill the Lord Ruler?” a terrified guard exclaimed. “Oh no.”
I turned to the idiot. “Do you really think an attack like that is going to kill a King-level magician, dumbass?”
I started to walk away but stopped to face what I assumed was the lead guard. “I can’t beat someone like that, not right now. But tell him to take a damned anger management class or see a therapist. Be honest, was any of what happened today necessary?”
“Wanda’s squirming ass, of course not,” the guard said. “But what do I know? I don’t make the feckin’ rules, lad. The Lord Ruler’s always been an arrogant son of a gun. Even so, he’s strong and the strong make the rules. You should know this.”
“That’s the stupidest system…” I paused, knowing it was pointless to reason with people who only knew this system and nothing else. “The Lord Ruler’s going to burst from that canyon soon. I’ll be on the other side of the world by then. While he can rip me apart normally, he’ll have to accept the draw. Tell him I do not wish to fight. I’m not a fighter, but if he attacks me again, I will go all out. I will be willing to die trying to put him down like a rabid dog. There is no reason to be executing the citizens you’re supposed to protect.”
“You tell him!” some girl cheered. She was at the front of the crowd, cheering me on with others. The brat looked about Harmony’s age with black hair and green eyes. And looked… and looked… Ah, fuck.
I pretended to keep up the conversation with the guard, knowing the time was running out.
“I’m not an enemy, make sure he gets that,” I said. “I wouldn’t have risked my damn life to stop the Black Knight from killing people otherwise.”
The guard’s eyes widened. “I… forgot. You are actually owed a favor, not execution. But the Lord Ruler’s interested in you for some reason.”
“Tell the Lord Ruler you’re not interested in bedding men,” the girl shouted without a care in the world. This entire ordeal seemed hilarious to her. The soreness, tiredness, and aches of overextending myself to send the Lord Ruler to the bottom of a canyon continued to rage, a reminder that I could no longer fight without resting.
The girl, Princess Ling, didn’t immediately move from her spot, amused at the idea of being among the crowd, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she followed me and pulled my mask off. She still wouldn’t be able to identify me, since I wasn’t born in this world, but my appearance would certainly complicate things.
“Wait! Raider,” a man called from afar, and I felt his power. He was at the peak of the Lesser Dragon and could probably take on a weakened Saint.
“Let my favor be returning the Red Star back to office,” I told the guard. “She’s an important defense of the kingdom, alright? It will save the soldiers a large headache should someone attack from here.”
“Yes, will do,” the guard said.
I turned and started toward the western gate instead of the eastern to keep my direction a mystery. I was lax due to this prompt.
[The Lord Ruler is dazed and stunned. Now is the time to attempt to kill him, claim your crown! Become the new Lord Ruler.]
Fuck that. Who wanted such a shitty crown? I would run the kingdom into the ground by lack of knowledge alone. They’d certainly try to force me to marry their queen or that girl to turn me into an obedient little puppet, allowing others to rule from the shadows while I smiled and waved. Yes, too much TV, but you know I wasn’t wrong.
“Let me go!” the man snapped at some guards. “Raider, I need to speak with you. Perhaps we can guide you toward a better life.”
I immediately knew from those words that he was this Headmaster Titus, but when I turned around to address him, my eyes met the girl.
Unsurprised, I stared blankly at her.
“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m making a dramatic exit?”
“Oh, I see, and don’t worry about Father. I won’t let him lay a finger on you,” she said, moving closer, smiling. “How are you unaffected by my Dao’s aura? Where is Ramon?”
“First question, I have no fucking clue,” I said. “And if you’re trying to kill me with it, get in line. I’ve dealt with an assassin, a fallen angel, and your old man. Second, even if I knew where Ramon was, why would I tell you?”
Ling seemed taken aback.
“Why are you looking for him, and why not in a bigger city?” I asked as I inched away from her.
“He’s my betrothed,” she said shamelessly. “But I’m willing to ditch him for you. Your genes are—”
“I’m going to have to stop you right there, kid,” I said. “I don’t plan on cheating on my wife. Especially with some snot-nosed brat that caused a clusterfuck of a political incident. You’re welcome for the save by the way, your Highness.”
The ‘your Highness’ was filled with barely contained venom and discuss.
Ling only stood there, confused as I walked away, monitoring her position by senses.
“Also, Titus, I’m not interested in your school. I’m too old for that shit.”
I rounded a corner, then slipped into the shadows. Moments later, the presences of the Lord Ruler, Princess Ling, and Titus converged on my previous location.
I left them a symbol. The letter R. Whether that translated properly or not didn’t matter. They’d have something to remember me by and hopefully I’d never see them again. Hopefully. Royalty sucked. I also left a short message telling the Lord Ruler to take a deep breath and stop being a dick.
Ling’s hands trembled, but she wasn’t sure if that was due to humiliation, anger, or despair. Her bad luck with men only continued to worsen. But her shakes weren’t because of luck. Raider’s aura reflected her Dao, turned it against Ling.
She’d… she’d never in her life had this happen to her. The effect took her by so much surprise, she let him escape.
Someone like that couldn’t be her lover and definitely not an enemy. He would be either a soulmate or slave. A love slave. One-sided love was still love, right?
A laugh caught her attention.
Ling spun to see her father… laughing, staring down at a message. She blushed when she read it.
“What have we gained from this?” Titus snapped. “Nothing!” He sighed. “My lord, please allow me to track him down.”
Ling’s father, Maximus, shook his head.
“No,” Maximus said. “He shall be considered a friend of the kingdom and will remain as an honorary contender for the throne. As a joke, for now.”
Ling sighed in relief. She did not want to slay her future love slave.
“He’s right,” Maximus continued. “We’re idiots. Between my paranoia, as he pointed out, and running the kingdom, I handled things in an embarrassing way.”
He glanced at Ling. “You’re sloppy. Next time, I will not allow you to take jobs from the Inquisition.”
Ling pouted. “I did the job and that’s that. You should’ve worked with Gwendolyn. Executing her to hide the fact that you were onto the duke wasn’t a good idea. My people have lost trust in you.” She held out her hand. “You may as well give me the throne now—”
She stopped talking and smiled sheepishly as he glared.
Ling had no silly illusions that she could defeat her father in combat or take a strike, should he hit her out of anger. Not that he’d ever done such a thing. She was his favorite for a reason.
“Father, Raider says he’s married,” Ling said. “I want to marry him too. He’ll make a perfect tool.”
“No,” Maximus said. “I will not bend the law. I’m already dealing with enough humiliation from that sect master magician who breaks it with illegal polygamic marriage.”
Ling didn’t want to share him, of course, what kind of idiot would? She just said those words to annoy her father and hide her still-trembling hands.
Raider’s aura… hurt. It was a true saint’s aura, but something vastly different. However, no matter how much she wracked her brain for an answer, none came to her.
“Spread the word,” Maximus said. “Bring in some earth magicians to fix the canyon. Titus, go find your students. We will be leaving soon.”
As soon as Titus and the guards left, Ling watched in horror as her invincible father nearly doubled over as he coughed up some blood.
Raider had actually damaged Maximus, pierced his lung somehow, and lived to tell the tale. Ling didn’t bother checking up on him. Regeneration at his level would have the man back to full fighting condition in short time.
“How could a mere saint be so strong?” Maximus said.
“It is quite obvious that he is no ordinary saint, Father,” Ling said. She smiled. “I guess I won’t kill Ramon Thunderblade for ditching me like a one-night-passion, after all.”
“Leave Raider be,” Maximus said.
“But Father—”
“Leave him be,” Maximus said, his voice final. “He’s a friend of the kingdom. Also, fraternization between crown competitors is forbidden, punished severely. Not even you can skirt that law.”
“That’s not fair!” Ling whined. “He—”
“No. He said it himself,” Maximus boomed. “He is not a fighter. He hasn’t come here to fight. If you make an enemy of that, one day he’ll become the next Peace Spawner and he may kill more people. If you’re going to hold this throne, you’ll have to put the kingdom first. Now quit whining. Return to the Inquisition and report your job.”
“Fine! I’ll find Raider and just be his friend,” Ling snapped. “Happy now?”
“No,” Maximus said. “I forbid you to go near him. Your ambitions are too troubling.”
He walked away without saying another word. Ling gave him a rude gesture. She had no intentions of giving up, of course.
Raider couldn’t hide from her forever. No one could hide from her forever, not even the hero.
She looked at the blood Maximus vomited. That amount of damage wasn’t normal. Far from normal. Only a master magician could have the mana to pull something like this off, even through a potion.
A master magician. A Saint-master magician. The thought made Ling excited all over again. Then she almost cried, realizing she lost his trail.
How far could he be?
Sensing her father, she knew she had to follow orders for now.
“I’ll find you, Raider,” she said. Then what? She glanced at the canyon. How the hell was she going to survive an attack like that? That was… “Grand tier magic! But through a potion. How is this possible?”
“That is exactly why you shouldn’t make an enemy of our new friend,” Maximus said. “If he wants to service the kingdom for the greater good, let him. He will become a target of… more difficult people soon enough.”
Ling frowned. Her plans were only getting more complicated because of Raider. Her father… seemed wary of him, despite being stronger. Wow!
Maybe trying to force a man like that into marriage was a bad idea. Maybe.
“I am not a snot-nosed brat!”
