Chapter 865: The Worth of Life, and A Guest From Afar
Chapter 865: The Worth of Life, and A Guest From Afar
“How funny…” Arad said, his muscles expanding as the veins on his body bulged. The ground beneath his feet started shaking as he glared down at Millenniumous. “I too found a bug… one that’s made of steel and is standing before me.”
Lilia’s office door got kicked open and a wizard yelled, pointing his staff at them. “Drop the magic!” He cast [Anti-magic Field]
Arad opened his mouth and a massive beam of blue energy burst forth at the wizard, followed by a horrifying stream of fire. As the flames faded, a hole enough for an elephant to pass through was left in Lilia’s office, she stood there before the wizard, protecting him with a glowing barrier.
“You fool, the anti-magic field doesn’t work on him. He isn’t using magic after all, he might’ve used his magic to create that blast inside his stomach, but what came out was a natural phenomenon.” She looked at Arad with his mouth smoking, “Only I and that golem can stop him. Tell everyone to hide.” She teleported the wizard away, even though she too was caught in the anti-magic field.
Lilia then turned toward Millenniumous, “Show him. Arad can’t see anything ahead of him when someone he knows is involved, especially those he considers his wives.”
Millenniumous lifted his arm, “Fine, but you’ll do the learning yourself.” A book appeared above his palm, “Have fun.”
Arad snatched the book and flipped through the pages, it was a detailed guide about teleportation magic, the location of dimensions, and how to move through them. But, due to how precise the moves and magic are, usually, only the caster could do it. Even if Arad were to learn everything in the book, he’d only be able to visit Zephyr, not bring her out.
“At least, a start.” Arad stored the book in his stomach, “I’ll figure something out with Merlin’s help.” He looked at Lilia, “You’ve been a pain since I first met you. But thank you for the help today.” He smiled.
“I’ve only told Millenniumous what he must do.” Lilia waved her hand and the hole behind her got fixed. “He’s quite dense.”
“I’m made of steel.” Millenniumous said and looked at his hand, “Can I ask you something? Arad Orion.”
“You’ve already done, what do you want?” Arad looked at him with a passive face.
“What is the value of a single mortal life? I’ve never been alive once, neither are my machines.” Millenniumous looked at Arad with glowing eyes.
“Life itself is worth nothing more than the dirt it walks upon. Actions are what determine something’s worth, even people.” Arad stared back at Millenniumous.
“So…since we’re constantly working… we got worth. We’ve lived in the world, yet were never alive.” Millenniumous mumbled.
“That’s it. Just as my sword is probably worth more to me than a random bandit, you’re the same.” Arad started floating, “A golem, soulless tool. But that doesn’t matter, what matters is what you believe in.” ZON! Arad teleported away.
Millenniumous fell on his butt and looked up, “Yeah…he’s right. We live through our actions.” He slowly looked back at Lilia, “You were right about him, he’s something else.” Lilia laughed, “What is a god doing asking a mortal above the worth of life?”
“I already know about him, don’t act as if I know nothing.” He stood and looked at her, “You told me he’s still too young, you were lying.”
“I never lie, he’s indeed young. Less than a year old.” Lilia smiled, “He might as well be a newborn.”
“Age is relative, a one-year-old ant is already a grandpa, and might even be dead. A year for him, he’s already beating inevitables whom demigods run from, hiding in terror for centuries.” With a burst of fire, jets exploded from beneath Millenniumous’s feet and he started flying with lightning cracking from his back and hands. “Humans, if they knew the monster standing beside them…they would rather saw down their limbs, gouge their eyes, and rip their skin off than breath the same air as him.”
He glared at Lilia, “That’s a far more reasonable decision than risking getting him angry. You better get him out of the mortal world as soon as possible.” He flew away.
****
Back in the university, Arad had returned and was heading back to his class. The moment he approached, he could see a large tiger beast man standing at the door, shouting at the students inside.
“I said it’s time!” The large beast-man shouted, roaring at the class. Arad approached from the back, and walked inside, hitting him with his shoulder. “Excuse me…” Arad said and started heading toward his seat.
“You! Who are…” The man shouted at Arad, but he fell silent the moment Arad glared back at him. Both of them were massive, hulking beasts of muscles that could barely fit through the door.
“I said excuse me.” Arad replied, “We’re both too large to fit through the door, let alone with you standing there.” Arad’s eyes started flashing with purple magic. “Either enter or get out, don’t stand in the door.”
The man was about to speak, but he sighed, “Fine…” He complied and walked into the class, “I’ve got more important things to deal with.” His eyes shifted toward Matilda, “You’re coming back home, it’s already time.”
“I’m not going back. How many times I’ve told you to get out.” She growled and then stared at Arad, “He listens to you. Why didn’t you tell him to get out instead of in?”
“Don’t drag me into this…” Arad sighed, “Teacher Lucia, this is your job, right.”
“He isn’t listening to me. I’ve told him to get out countless times, but…” She looked a bit troubled.
“I’m not going out without her.” The man pointed at Matilda.
“Matilda.” Arad looked at her, “Want to go back with him?”
“Of course not! I’m staying here.” She growled back, and the man immediately shouted, “Time is up, you’ve been here long enough. You’re coming back home with me and it’s final.”
Arad nodded and extended his hands forth, grabbing Matilda from beneath her armpits and lifting her up from her chair. She gasped, and he put her on his lap. “Wha…what are you doing?!” Matilda cried, as did most of the class.
“Come…” Arad looked at the man, “Come take her if you want.” Lucia couldn’t use magic to blast him away for one reason, he’d already gotten too close. He’ll knock her out before she can cast magic. At this distance, only martial artists can fight.
Veins bulged on the man’s face as he growled, his ears flattened and his claws extended out. “You cheeky youngster… Get your hands off her…” He lunged at Arad, swinging his claw at
blinding speed.
CLANG! As if steel hit steel, Arad blocked the man’s claws with his forearm without even standing in his chair. Matilda was still sitting on his lap, “Bring it on. You’ll never reach her.”
The man could see it, Matilda wasn’t sitting on the lap of a man, but in the embrace of a massive monster. The maiden between the dragon’s claws, like a ripe fruit in the middle of a wasp’s nest, getting her is nearly impossible.
The man roared and started swinging his claws as fast as he could, aiming to cleave Arad’s head from his neck, but all attacks ended up deflected by Arad’s left arm. The whole class rumbles and the other students stare in terror, it was the first time they saw Arad fight up close. This reminded me of them when he fought the bear and tiger while Mira sat between
his legs.
The moment the barrage slowed down, Arad swung his right hand and slapped the man in the face hard enough to rip his teeth out and send him flying out of the window. He even had time to deflect all the droplets of blood and prevent them from hitting him or Matilda. Matilda stared at Arad’s face, a mixture of terror and awe ran through her mind, she knew he was fast and strong, but not like this. “Wait…is he alive?!” she gasped, looking at the window.
“Why care?” Arad asked.
“That’s my dad.” She cried, “You didn’t kill him, did you?” She looked down at her father’s fangs stuck to the wall, Arad slapped him that hard. “AHHH! He’ll get even dumber now…”
“Wait… So, he’s your dad?” Arad grabbed her by the shirt and stood up, lifting her up like a little kitten.
“What are you doing?” Matilda looked at him, and he took her and jumped out of the window, landing beside her injured father.
Arad pulled out a healing potion and poured it on him. Her father immediately jolted back to life, “You bastard, what was that?!” He roared.
Arad dropped Matilda on the ground, “Sorry for interfering, here she is. I thought you were
some stranger…” He looked at them. While Matilda looked mostly human, her father had a tiger’s head and was covered in fur.
“Wait! You were protecting me just now, why the change of heart.” Matilda growled at Arad,
“Don’t stop now.”
“The situation changed, he’s your father.” Arad replied.