Chapter 28: The Landscape Of The Damned

As the coiling of weather kept the destruction aflame, Nagan and Owen began advancing to the hinted destination.

There was a reason why Nagan was suddenly having the interest of going back to Earth, even though it was one of the things that he wanted to avoid unless it was an emergency.

Within the apocalypse, all sorts of monsters and species raged across the world with a very known intention of why. This was due to the fact that these invaders were either a mindless, less intelligent part of a greater social role, or something that was outright incomprehensible by the human mind.

Just like the world of ants that were witnessing the wonder of human's infrastructure without ever knowing the purpose and reasons why their nests were abolished from their acclaimed land.

Yet sometimes, there was an anomaly to this cruel and destructive pattern.

At a very low chance, an otherworldly race or species would possess the same level of understanding as humans would resurface from one of the random rifts and portals that landed itself on Earth. And at worst, they might be capable of comprehending the concept of peace amongst two very different species.

And at best, they might be capable of forming a symbiosis relation with the human race.

"I might seem to know many things about the human race, but I certainly still don't know much about you." Owen said within the soul link channel with a playful smile.

"There will be a time where everything is answered." Nagan then glanced at her. "Unless you're an impatient one, in which I can start exposing my secrets with an open hand."

"Mmm~ I'll just wait until the puzzle pieces itself."

"Seems like our minds are much more alike than we think."

When scouting the surface for loot and information, Owen encountered a foreign sapient race that was not native to Earth. They greatly resembled that of a human with some fair distinction that could easily tell them apart from a human on Earth.

One such distinction was the fact that they possessed a pair of fluffy round ears on top of their head, similar to that of a rodent.

"I still can't believe that the sentence 'mouse people' is something that I'm hearing from the list of Earth's otherworldly visitors."

"All of them are below the height of an average human," Owen excitedly described as she gestured her fingers. "And all of them look so young, as if they are perpetually a kid~!"

"... What are the chances that it could be another kingdom of Usalian visiting?"

"Very low. I remembered that I'm the last princess who chose the world we want to proselytize far before the 'grand event' happened. And none of the princesses chose any sapient species as their target for finding a partner."

Speaking of sapient species, Nagan vividly remembered the moment the apocalypse arrived in this timeline for the first time. A humanoid inkish otherworlder attacked him, and there wasn't only one of them. The hound-like monsters and the inkish humanoid also seemed to be working on the same side, which was rarely happening in the first apocalypse that Nagan experienced.

The first apocalypse that he experienced was a mashup of all destructive things coming and happening altogether at the same time. For two seemingly different species to work together, it could be a sign of something malignant in the making.

Not to mention, it was only at this time that Nagan heard of the usalian deal with humanity. Was he not chosen back then in the first apocalypse? Or was Owen not choosing the human race when she was choosing for her potential partner?

"I see." Nagan started to caress his chin. "The chances aren't zero, still."

'You're not wrong~"

To have two usalians kingdom representatives interacting within the same world would be a curious sight to experience.

Nagan couldn't help but be curious about this probability. "Say, if we really do meet with an usalian from another kingdom. What do you think will happen?"

"Oh? We will most certainly be at war with each other," Owen said with so much bloodlust so innocently. "Two usalian kingdoms won't have the humility to bow towards one another. At best, there will be a war and the winner of the two will either exile the other away from their territory, or the other kingdom will be taken under the rule of the winning kingdom as a vassal kingdom~"

So this meant that most of the time, the winning kingdom would wipe out the losing kingdom for good.

"I shall assume that it was some kind of tradition on the usalian side," Nagan said as he wryly laughed.

After sensing something approaching them at high speed, both Nagan and Owen stopped running in their tracks

Immediately after, a large explosion erupted right in front of both of them. If both Nagan and Owen continued in their track, both of them would have been taking damage from the explosion.

As the dust settled, numerous jurassic monstrosities began to emerge from the hole created by the underground explosion. Alongside them, was the same humanoid inkish cyclop that Nagan fought before.

"Should I also fight with you?" Owen inquired.

"Have you ever fought anyone in this world?"

"I mostly just run away~"

"I see." Albeit faint, Nagan noticed that something was watching over them, somewhere far away in the sky. It wasn't there before. If it was who he thought it was, it would be best for Owen to do her minimum. "Someone is being a peeping tom. Just sit tight, and enjoy the scenery."

"Hmm~" Owen looked at the sky, right at where the foreign watchers were. "This might be the first time I was caught in a candid shot~"

As the waves of monsters began to encroach the perimeters, Nagan confidently walked forward as if it was a normal day.

"Heh, finally, something that I can redirect my hatred to."

The chrysanthemum of gods won't be waiting for their acclaimed will. Sacred rites and divine rights have been no longer ignored for nobody to fulfill.

The familiar red taint began to engulf Nagan's body as a whole, emitting wrathful pressure to those who were smart enough to define danger approaching. There would only be bloodlust in the making, enticingly addicting, and nothing more.

"We finally met again!"

Lo and behold! For he had appeared! The king in red, with a bloody scythe in his hand!

"This time, the pain shall be greater than the lamenting."

In one fell swoop, a beautiful crimson arc was painted beneath the harrowing sky. It was valorous yet merciless, a grandiose art for those who derive pleasure from strength and brutality.