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Chapter 200: Tempted by a Devil
🕑 Added 2023-05-25 17:36:00 +0000 UTCTwo hundred chapters... Almost half a million words. Wow. I can't believe we've made it this far. I'm genuinely emotional.
Thank you, everyone, for your support. And thank you for reading my story. It really makes it more than words, and makes my work have value. You let me live the dream. Thank you.
Go on and enjoy the chapter, you awesome people!
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“Release me quickly, or I may reveal your secret to everyone. I promise to run away without harming any of you.”
The devil’s words were scary, but intriguing at the same time. While everyone was still reeling from the revelation of the rabbit’s true identity, the sharpest cultivators turned to the Sage. He only smiled.
“Reveal whatever you want, devil. I have nothing to hide.”
The devil looked him in the eye for a moment. Its wrinkled gray face, with black eyes and sharp teeth, took on a calculating look. In the end, it didn’t reveal any secret—either because it didn’t know and was bluffing, or because it chose not to.
“What bad luck is this… For Earthen Unirabbits to still exist, and for me to run into someone who knows so much about them,” it lamented. “I have been trapped here for a long time, mortals. A very long time. Release me, and I will assist you in getting the Top Treasure or anything else you want. We can make a contract on your terms entirely, as long as I get my freedom. I’m desperate.”
“Devil contracts are terrible ideas,” the Sage informed everyone. “It’s best to let this one rot here for eternity…but, of course, this is your decision to make, my Lords.” He turned to the three Lords and gave a slight bow.
For the first time, Jack sensed hostility in the Sage’s words. Did he have something against devils?
Suddenly, he realized that he, too, felt hostility. It was a feeling that came from deep inside him, stemming from the Life Drop that had fused with his soul. The devil felt…wrong. Appalling. Like it went directly against everything the Life Drop represented.
He suppressed that feeling. He was the one in control, not the Life Drop. The sense of wrongness remained, but it was weaker now.
What is a devil? he wondered, keeping in mind to ask the Sage later. And what manner of creature is compelled to always keep their word? How does that even work?
The Lords looked at the devil, then each other. “It’s not worth it,” Lady Minerva said.
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
Thankfully, all the Lords were smart, experienced people. None of them would complicate things without reason.
The devil hissed.
“It really must be desperate,” Dorman said, cupping his chin. “Devils are supposed to be composed, but this one is steaming at the seams.”
Jack laughed. “I would be desperate, too, if I was trapped in a circle for eternity. Anyway, it’s as the Lords said. Best to let this one go. I have heard enough stories on Earth to not trust a devil.”
As he said that, however, he realized something. If this devil had been trapped here since the creation of Trial Planet, it must have lived for over a million years. Just how strong was it before losing its powers!?
“How about this?” the devil tried again. “I promise to serve whoever releases me for a thousand years. No hidden clauses, no questions asked. Short of harming or imprisoning myself, I will do anything.”
No cultivator responded.
“I could help you get the Top Treasure. Even become your familiar and help you defeat the Final Guardian,” the devil tempted them again. “Even with my powers sealed, I’m far stronger than any mortal of this Grade.”
That definitely tempted people. Even the Lords narrowed their eyes, trying to see through the devil.
“Still a terrible idea,” the Sage cautioned. “False creatures like this are not to be trusted. A thousand years later, it will have found a way to restore its powers, and it will kill or enslave you and your entire factions. Taking this risk is absolutely not worth it.”
“But if you refuse me and someone else releases me, your lives could be forfeit much sooner,” the devil insisted. “Think about it. Even if you aren’t tempted by this Trial Planet’s greatest rewards, you can’t possibly take the risk to leave me here. Any one of you could backtrack later and release me, then use me to slaughter the rest of you and emerge as a king.”
Jack had to admit this made a bit of sense. Even he was tempted. His plan was to scrape up as many resources as he possibly could, then reach the C-Grade within a year. To achieve such an impossible goal, impossible measures would be needed.
Everyone had their hopes and dreams. Doubtlessly, the devil’s words tempted many.
“How do we resolve this?” Longsword asked, turning to the rest of the Lords—and the Sage. “That thing is right. If we just leave it here, anyone can rescue it later. We cannot guarantee that nobody will be tempted.”
“Hmm…” Minerva and Priya seemed deep in thought, but none of them had an idea.
“It’s easy, too,” the devil continued. “Just wiping one of these runes or infusing the formation with your Dao will be enough to release me. Any one of you can do it with the snap of your fingers.”
“This is troublesome, indeed.” For the first time, even the Sage seemed hesitant. “How about this? On the way out, I can lead us through a convoluted path. Nobody will be able to retrace our steps and reach this place. And, if anyone tries to leave the group, one of you Lords can chase them down and stop them.”
The Lords looked at each other and nodded. “Sounds sensible.”
“Fine.”
“Excellent! Nice suggestion, Sage,” Longsword said with enthusiasm. “I have to admit, you have surprised me pleasantly many times already. Is your Barren High open to a disciple exchange?”
The Sage laughed. “I will have to ask my master, Lord Longsword. In the meantime, I commend you for your wisdom. All three of you were able to resist the temptation. That is no small task.”
“Of course! What kind of idiot would let themselves be swooned by a devil?”
Everyone knew that was an exaggeration. Many people would be tempted by power. Mortals, Lords, even immortals… Desire could overpower wisdom, and temptation was the downfall of many. Jack didn’t for a moment believe that the Lords were as steadfast as they showed. One or more of them were probably tempted—and, if not them, some of the other cultivators present. The only thing stopping them was the presence of the other Lords.
The moment everyone had their backs turned, someone was bound to run here and free the devil, or at least try. The question was…who would do it first?
Or, maybe, the Lords would wait until the three-way battle over the Top Treasure was over, and the winner would come to claim the devil, too.
“Fine,” the devil’s voice sparked with bitterness. “Walk away, little mortals. Soon enough, one of you is going to release me. And then, they will have everything.”
Nobody responded to the devil. They walked away. The Sage led the way, with the three Lords holding the rear, and soon enough, the magic circle was lost in the mist again. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief—but the disaster that had almost occurred remained on their minds.
For Jack, the presence of the devil took a much longer time to disappear. The sense of wrongness and repulsion still lingered in his heart like a burning coal pointed towards the devil, a primal urge to slaughter and destroy it.
The Sage led them through a complex, winding path. Eventually, they were so far away that even Jack’s odd feeling dissipated. The devil was now unfindable. They were safe.
As long as they kept an eye on the Sage, who could definitely return at any time he liked.
Over the next couple of days, Jack learned they were treading a narrow path between grave traps. The constant turns the guide made weren’t random; they were dodging the areas of highest danger, resolving only the tamest of traps the Garden had to offer.
Still, they ran into plenty. Some traps were formations, like the first one had been. Others were trickier. One of them involved a walk through a maze of stacked cages. Each cage contained a sleeping animal, and the faintest sound was enough to stir them awake, sending them into a frenzy that quickly awoke every other animal in the maze—including a few King ones that were uncaged.
Thankfully, the maze was small, and the two guides quickly led them through it before anyone was harmed.
The Sage was at the front, leading them confidently. After failing to recognize the devil and almost dooming everyone, the merfolk guide had retreated behind the Sage and didn’t dare make a peep.
The deeper into Trial Garden they journeyed, the harsher the traps became. Not every treasure hunter emerged unscathed. One lost his arm to a propeller of blades. Another died when Kareena failed to solve a formation. Thankfully, she succeeded on the second try—and the treasure hunter that tested that one was scared beyond his mind.
Overall, though, they remained safe. They had journeyed pretty deep by now; they would be arriving to the core of the Garden soon, where the Top Treasure awaited. On the way, they had run into ten traps—enough that Jack’s turn had come again. Thankfully, he had emerged unscathed, and with a body-related treasure to boot.
It was a small vial containing the Muscle Throbbing Juice. The moment he rubbed it on his arms, he felt his muscles begin to throb as they gradually rose in power. He got thirty points in Strength from that. Not bad at all. Finally, one of his stats rose past four hundred.
Name: Jack Rust
Species: Human, Earth-387
Faction: Bare Fist Brotherhood (E)
Grade: E
Class: Fiend of the Iron Fist (Elite)
Level: 97
Strength: 420
Dexterity: 390
Constitution: 390
Mental: 50
Will: 80
Skills: Ghost Step I
Dao Skills: Indomitable Body III, Meteor Punch II, Iron Fist Style II, Brutalizing Aura I
Daos: Perfect Dao Seed of the Fist (late), Dao Root of Indomitable Will (fused), Dao Root of Life (fused), Dao Root of Power
Titles: Planetary Frontrunner (10), Planetary Torchbearer (1), Seventh Ring Conqueror
Suddenly, the mist thickened. It kept increasing in density until the sphere created by Lady Minerva’s spectral torch was just barely wide enough to fit all the cultivators.
“Be careful, everyone,” the Sage said. “We must be appro—”
Suddenly, the mist disappeared. Jack had to blink a few times to realize what he was seeing. They had stepped out of the mist and into a large dome-shaped space. Mist surrounded it on all directions, but the other side was hundreds of feet away.
Everyone came to a slow stop. Lady Minerva deactivated her torch, which was no longer necessary. “Welcome, everyone,” she said, “to the core of Trial Garden.”
“Woah,” Jack said, and for good reason. The most impressive thing about the dome of clean air inside the mist was…another dome, just inside it. Thirty feet ahead of them was a transparent dome of green energy, similar to the one around the devil. Inside that was yet another dome, this one blue and flickering. Five more domes spread between the cultivators and the center of the place, which housed a single, crooked tree that was only Jack’s height.
That tree seemed small and ancient, as if completely devoid of energy and at the end of its life. Yet, from its branches hung a single fruit—a blood-red apple shining with such intense life energy that Jack’s blood boiled even from this distance. He felt like a superhero. Like his chest and mind were both inflated, and everything about the world was clear.
The sensation passed after a moment, but the awe remained.
“Is that…” he began, but didn’t need to finish the thought. That fruit, hidden behind seven separate formations, was the Dao Sprouting Pill. The Top Treasure of Garden Ring.
The one that, according to Longsword, could help one reach the D-Grade.
***
The professor walked into the forest, whistling all the while. She was in a great mood. Edgar had broken through and was going to attack Ice Peak. Things were finally looking up.
They had to celebrate.
She burst into a clearing. Once upon a time, a goblin tribe used to stand here. Now, there was only the High Speed Bush…and a robot.
Sparman lay on the grass, hands behind his head and enjoying the sun. The professor still didn’t know how a robot could enjoy the sun, but it was certainly possible.
“Sparman!” she called out. The robot raised his head and sighed.
“Get away,” he said.
“I need you for a moment. Can you help build a stage? Edgar broke through, and we need to celebrate.”
Sparman scowled. “I was ordered to protect the forest, not become a carpenter.”
“It’s for protection. If we don’t have a stage, our morale will drop, we will lose the war, and the forest will die!”
She could see the robot try to go against its directives. She watched its inner struggle as, slowly but surely, it rose from the ground and paced in her direction. “I hate you,” he said.
“Thank you.”
“But I hate my directives even more.”
“That’s good to know.”
Sparman gave the clearing a final, longing look.
“Don’t be like that,” she said, slapping its shoulder. It was harder than a diamond. “You can be back here tomorrow.”
“Whatever. I guess this beats staying deactivated for years between Integrations.”
The two of them headed towards the headquarters together. Sparman was complaining all the while, but the professor didn’t mind.
She strongly suspected that Sparman was lying. His core directives didn’t force him to help her with chores if she just called it “protection” and pulled her reasoning from the hair.
He just didn’t want to admit he enjoyed it. But she had seen how his face looked every time he helped build stuff, spar against the brorillas, or teach the children about the galaxy.
At times, even a steel block of a face could express warmth.
You big softie, she thought with a smile. Of course you help with chores, because that’s what family does.
Comments
Baconwargod
Congratz man the big two hundred is a big deal!
IndyBart
My guess is Sage will swoop in after seeing the right time to snag it. Would be gratifying if Jack nabbed it and was able to pound some people into dust for it.
Colin Fortin-Ballay
I wonder if there is a way for jack to obtain the final reward?
