Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 685: Negotiating

Chapter 685: Negotiating

Just as colorless flames accompanied Ifrit wherever he went, burning everything in his path to ashes, an aura of rot persisted about the Prince of Rot, Decad, eroding anything and everything around him.

Unfortunately, Alex, Victoria, and Archibald were within that range, leaving them unable to flee as they felt their skin cells rot at a rapid rate.

With Victoria rendered impotent, Alex didn’t hesitate to act as he snapped, intending to take them away from their current location.

The teleportation proved successful but it took them no further away from Decad as moments later, the rot returned.

"Damn it, I thought we left his sphere of influence?" Alex asked in confusion.

Victoria shook her head. "It’s not as simple as that. Greater Spirits possess as much authority as deities in the Spirit World."

"What does that mean?"

"That means, idiot," Archibald remarked from the side. "That we are basically in a divine domain. There is no escape unless the master of the domain lets you leave or you hold more authority than the domain’s master!"

Ignoring the insult, Alex pursed his lips as he understood that if running away wasn’t an option, then they had to fight.

"What are our chances of winning if we fight against it?"

"Zero," Victoria responded, killing the plan of fighting before it could even arise.

Alex clicked his tongue as he decided on the second-best option.

Negotiating.

He immediately snapped, encasing both Victoria and Archibald in a layer of ice before snapping again to transform his body into an ethereal entity formed of black and white light.

Seconds passed, after which the Prince of Rot, Decad, made his appearance.

It appeared as a humanoid figure with the rotten head of a vulture and insectile wings.

Its body was in a constant state of decay, releasing a putrid gas that caused rot to manifest on whatever was in the vicinity.

The ice that Alex had manifested on Victoria and Archibald began to melt only for the ice to reform, and so, just like that, it entered a delicate balance between melting and reforming. Alex knew this wasn’t because of his capabilities but simply because Decad hadn’t acted.

The melting was as a result of residual power leaking out.

Was this the power of a Greater Spirit?... It seemed the Witch of Fables had been holding out on him for some reason.

He made no moves nor did he try to speak as he waited for Decad to act first.

The Prince of Rot looked around briefly before opening its mouth.

However, no words came out instead, they appeared directly in the minds of the trio.

Welcome to my land. I have long awaited your presence.

Alex frowned, as he thought Decad meant he was waiting for all of them but it quickly became clear that the latter half of what he’d said was directed at Victoria.

You came into my lands and killed a subject of mine.

Victoria felt intense fear at that moment as she thought that Decad was there to enact punishment on her for what she’d done.

However, her thoughts changed the moment she heard what he said next.

However, I hold no grudges against you.

A profound silence followed before Alex spoke up. "So why won’t you let us leave?"

Because I sensed something unique from your group.

"Unique?" Alex frowned.

Decad pointed, causing Alex to think he was pointing behind him.

He glanced back but then he found nothing, leaving him confused.

Alex turned back to face Decad but found that the Prince of Rot continued to point behind him.

"What are you..." Alex trailed off as a certain thought came to mind.

Taking a huge risk, he returned to his normal form and immediately snapped, utilizing Eternal Night as a cloak to protect him from the residual rot in the area after which he reached behind him.

He had tied Excalibur in a cloth and hung it behind him like an archer would place a quiver of arrows.

"Is this it?" Alex inquired with Decad nodding in response.

Such a unique item. I am impressed that another one of these items has been made after so many years.

"If I give it to you, would you let us go?"

Decad slowly nodded.

Give it and I shall grant you safe passage back to the mortal realm.

Alex gritted his teeth but knowing that he had no choice if he wished to escape with his life, he planted it on the ground, ensuring it stood straight like a flag.

Decad said nothing and instead kept his eyes on him.

Taking steady steps backward, Alex undid the ice casings surrounding Archibald and Victoria before covering them with Eternal Night as well.

"Master..."

"Get us out of here." Alex calmly remarked, cutting Victoria off.

"I’m sorry."

The next instant, she chanted.

Open Sesame.

A Spirit Portal appeared and the trio jumped into it, leaving the bogs region of the Spirit World.

A moment later, Decad was beside Excalibur and he reached for it only to be repelled.

His eyes twitched as he realized that he couldn’t wield the blade.

Instead of getting angry, he chuckled before proceeding to sit down beside the planted sword.

Wrapping his desiccated body with his insectile wings, Decad waited.

***

The trio returned to the valley only to discover that it was gone.

But not just the valley, the mobile city as well as the barbarians were gone.

All that remained was a land covered in patches of flesh with mouths possessing twisted smiles and hanging tongues.

The sight, although grotesque, gave the trio no sense of repulsion which caused Archibald to speak up.

"This isn’t a sign of Abyssal corruption."

"I’m already aware of that," Alex remarked. "But then, if this is not because of the Abyss, then..."

He trailed off as he finally recalled why the aura he had sensed in his battle against Vok was so familiar.

"Devil." Alex breathed out evenly just as the patches of flesh began to recede rapidly, quickly coalescing at the center of the valley.

Several thick roots, forged of flesh patches, took form, creating a distinct network, and at the center of it all, what appeared to be a naked woman screaming for help with her arm outstretched stood tall.

A potent devilish aura engulfed the entire valley causing Victoria and Archibald to back away in fright.

Alex however, remained calm as he fell into deep thought.