Chapter 144 Ellis's Redemption [part 1]
"I want all the soul cores we receive during this expenditure."
Even after saying the words, Raven's expression remained indifferent and fearsomely cold.
Northern's brows creased a little.
'Impressive, she didn't even flinch.'
In truth, Northern had intentionally mentioned an absurd price because he wanted her to refuse, and then there'd be no deal between the two of them.
Her offers were tempting enough; there was no reason he should refuse them.
But the fact that he couldn't get over the feeling of falling into a trap was bothering him.
So if he might end up getting played, he needed to reap as many rewards from it as he needed to.
Raven finally opened her mouth and spoke:
"I can give you all of mine, but I can't give you any of Terence's," even when bargaining, her features were stoic and unshaking.
Northern stared in absolute silence, then parted his lips in a little smirk and raised his chin.
"I'll have half of Terence's then. That or I'm out."
Lines of frown slowly folded Raven's features.
Seeing this, Northern couldn't help but spread his lips in a wide grin.
He could see it as plain as day.
He had hit her where it mattered.
'Terence, huh? Terence...'
If they were counting scores with their conversation, Raven had probably hit a hundred, and Northern just one.
But this 'one' felt like a thousand.
That expression on Raven's face, it outdid the former. This one was truly worthy of a trophy shelf.
She looked heavily conflicted.
"What? You can't do that?" Northern whined, an ear-to-ear grin adorning his face.
"Can I discuss this with her and get back to you?"
Northern gestured pompously with a smug grin.
"Alright. I understand. Do what you have to. I believe you know where to find me when you make your decision."
He waved and walked past her.
"Come on, Mr. Fluffy, let's go home."
He and the wolfish beast crossed over the 'barely standing' bridge, leaving Raven at its other end.
Northern spared her one more glance and saw that she was already leaving before facing his front finally.
'I guess that last one must have shaken her quite well. She didn't even hesitate about giving me all her soul cores.'
Northern was sure that it was an impossible deal because soul cores were the only way for drifters to get stronger.
'Except she's someone like me that doesn't need soul cores to get...'
Northern shook his head vigorously. 'Nah, that is impossible.'
Northern and Mr. Fluffy strolled forward, traversing the desolate and silent square of the capital city. There were a few monsters on their way, which Northern decided to avoid rather than engage.
The reason being that Gilbert's men could be onto him again, and they might be someone more skilled at stealth.
They reached the estate gate, and Northern was about to open it when a voice suddenly shot into the sky.
"Dark Terror!!"
Northern turned around with a gaping mouth.
'Wow, for his voice to reach here, he must have shouted the hell out of his throat.'
A smile settled on his lips.
"I wasn't even expecting him to take the chance. But since he did, I guess I should help him."
Northern had definitely thought Ellis would overlook what he said and look for some other way to deal with his trouble.
But now...
"Rise, Dark Terror."
From the black flames came a devil.
Northern looked into the devil's burning eyes.
'How exactly do I pass this command...'
"You know Ellis? Since you are with me all the time, even though you are in the Limitless Void, you should see him when I was talking to him."
Dark Terror glared into Northern's eyes, the red flames in its burning stronger than a second ago.
'I guess he gets it.'
"If you get it, go after Ellis, make sure you are unseen by anyone, and save his ass," Northern commanded and turned but quickly turned back again.
"Stop, Dark Terror!"
The devil was already merging with its shadow before Northern's voice came. It stopped and rose out of it like black flames burning out of the ground.
Northern stared hardly at the devil.
"Whatever you do, Do. Not. Kill. Anyone."
He watched as the devil's eyes gleamed again, then it finally merged with the shadows and streaked away.
'I wonder if that's a skill. I didn't even check what kind of skill he has? If he has a profile like me.'
Northern turned around and opened the gate. 'I guess I should do that later.'
—
...a couple of minutes ago...
Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!
A heavy knock shuddered the wooden door that parted Ellis's diminutive form from the hallway.
Three muscular guys could be seen standing in front of his door, behind them was a robust guy with his head bowed and body fidgeting.
Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!
"What the hell?! Who's that crazy person?!" A voice shouted from inside the room, its echo a bit muffled.
The muscular guys looked at each other with vicious grins.
Then the one closer to the door raised his hand to bang the door with even more strength. However, the wooden door creaked open before he could bring his hand down.
Ellis looked up, left, and right, then his facial expression tore apart. He rushed to quickly dart back inside, but the man was faster, stopping the door with his strong arms before Ellis could slam it back.
"What do you think you're doing, bozo?"
"Sir?" Ellis responded with humility, shoulders trembling and eyes looking anywhere but their faces.
"I asked, what do you think you are doing?"
The man speaking was a dark-skinned, bald, and 'extremely' muscular man with a small snake tattoo on the side of his face.
Honestly, he looked like he could have crushed Ellis's wooden door with just a throw of his fist.
"Gunther, there's no use talking to him..." the man on the left side of this said 'Gunther' spoke.
He was a little less muscular than Gunther, light-skinned, and with a mohawk-styled on his head.
"True," Gunther grabbed Ellis by his collar and effortlessly dragged him out, lifted him and threw him on his shoulder, then they all walked down the hallway.
"Please! Please! I have done nothing wrong!"
"If you have done nothing wrong, then shut the fuck up!" Gunther retorted as they branched left, entering another hallway that ended with a long arched window.
Ellis looked up. 'Damnit! These guys are taking me to the backyard! That darned shitty place!'
There were places where hoodlums would select as their own, a base of some sort.
The backyard was such a place.
Ellis had never experienced what it felt like to be taken to the backyard. Up until now, he had always been a good boy.
'Darn it! If only I knew that he wasn't a prince from Luinngard!' Ellis gritted his teeth as they neared the end of the hallway — the window.
"Move faster," the last one behind grunted, smacking the head of the robust guy.
The more they came closer to the window, the more horror overwhelmed Ellis's mind.
He was going to be beaten; they'd embarrass him and beat the shit out of him, and worst-case scenario...
There was a rumor that Gunther likes guys, and he forces his way with them; the feeling does not have to be mutual.
Suddenly, the thought of his butthole being defiled by a man, Ellis couldn't even complete the thought pattern, he shrieked horribly in fear and screamed:
"Please!! Please let me gooo!!! I have done nothing wrong!!"
"Stay still!!" Gunther hushed powerfully.
They reached the window, and Gunther placed one leg, ready to jump through.
At that moment, Ellis suddenly remembered Northern's words.
"Should anything happen, just scream Dark Terror regardless of where you are."
'Please, please...' His thoughts beckoned for whatever form of salvation he could have.
And as Gunther jumped through the window, Ellis's voice pierced into the air with all the 'throat-ical' power he could garner.
"DARK TERRROOOOOORRRRRRR!!!"