Chương 650: The Bath of Revenge

Two hours later, they spotted a structure ahead. A massive wooden bridge and a gate blocking the way.

"Those are people," Eleanor said, climbing down from the crow's nest in a hurry and landing near them.

"There's a stone building on the shore past the gate. It belongs to this world, but the bridge and the gate were built by humans."

"My father could be there," Layla said, suddenly animated.

"That's what we're about to find out." The bridge quickly filled with armed men. Evangeline held a white flag, a clear sign they were not approaching with hostile intent.

"Mind telling us why you're coming toward our territory?" a man on the bridge called out. He was tall.

"We're just passing through," Luke said.

"Outside the archipelago, the waves are rough and the beasts are worse. Passing through here is safer." The man glanced at the others beside him.

"How many of you are there?"

"Enough to survive this sea." One of the others spat into the water.

"You with the Nigerian priest?"

"The Nigerian priest?" Luke asked.

"We just want to find my father. He's missing," Layla said.

"And how do you know he's here?"

"Because of the Beacon—" Layla stopped herself the moment she realized what she had done.

"Then I imagine you've got some... useful items," one of the men said, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Only two of you get to pass. The ship stays," said the one who looked like the leader. Luke looked at Layla.

"Sorry. I said too much," she muttered.

"You stay here," he told her. Luke and Eleanor climbed the bridge and crossed to the other side.

"Layla's father worked with wood and construction. That at least gives us something to ask around about," Eleanor said.

"I don't think Layla's father is here," Luke replied.

"What's your name, white man?" the man asked.

"Tom Riddle," Luke said.

"And you, little lady?"

"I... uh, Hermione," Eleanor answered.

"She is terrible at improvising," Artemis commented in his head. The camp was anything but welcoming.

"And you?" Luke asked.

"What's your name?"

"Dennis," the man said. There were bodies hanging around the camp. Some had been scalped.

"Were they bad people?" Eleanor asked.

"They didn't pay tribute," Dennis said. More men started gathering around them. Machetes. Spears. Hard faces.

"So," Dennis said with a smile, "are you two going to pay tribute or not?" They were surrounded now.

"Here's how this is going to work," Dennis said.

"We're going to send one of your fingers back to your little friends on that ship. That's after you tell us how many people are on board. Then we want all their items. Understood?" Luke let out a quiet sigh.

"I figured this would happen."

"Don't worry," said a man holding a scythe.

"We'll let you choose which finger."

"Raise your hands slowly. No sudden moves," Dennis said, pointing his machete at Luke. Luke began to lift his hands, slow and careful.

"That's it. Slow." Then his arms rose high enough, and the bracers fired.

"Shit!" Dennis barked, a blade punching into his throat. The man beside him took one through the eye and went down screaming. The others were already charging Luke and Eleanor. Then suddenly the ends of Luke's scarf stretched out, turning into tentacles that wrapped around one man's arm. It worked. In the middle of his turn, Luke lifted a hand. One kukri came flying all the way from the ship and buried itself in a man's back. Luke kicked that body aside, and the second kukri snapped into his hand.

He drove it into the face of the man pinned by the tentacle. [You have slain a human...] 55, 083, 041 EP earned [+1 Soul Fragment acquired] Another man came at him with a machete. They traded blows. Luke twisted and took the man's arm off.

"My arm, fuck!" Luke kicked him backward. Eleanor put an arrow through his face.

"You're going to be scalped alive!" someone screamed. Luke used [Shadow Dive] and slipped into his own shadow. Eleanor spun, releasing arrows at blinding speed, some rapid draw-and-fire skill. Five men dropped with arrows buried in their faces. Luke emerged from the shadows behind one of the runners. The ends of the scarf stretched out, transforming into tentacles that pinned the man in place, and Luke killed him. [You have slain a human...] 33, 445, 142 EP earned [+1 Soul Fragment acquired] Enemy arrows came at him. Luke ran, weaving out of their path. He threw a kukri into one man's back, caught up to finish him, then turned on another, cutting off his arm before splitting his skull. One archer kept firing at him. Luke knocked aside every arrow as he closed the distance. When he finally got close, the man started to speak.

"I surren—" The blade hit him in the face before he could finish. [You have slain a human...] 41, 874, 963 EP earned [+1 Soul Fragment acquired] Luke wiped the blood from his face and saw another man sprinting for the forest. He gripped the kukri, took aim, and threw. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. [You have slain a human...] 69, 114, 741 EP earned [+1 Soul Fragment acquired] Then he walked toward Dennis, who was dragging himself into a house.

Luke stepped on his leg.

"Don't worry. I'll let you choose the finger," he said, and drove the kukri into Dennis's face. [You have slain a human...] 87, 852, 951 EP earned [+1 Soul Fragment acquired]"You hurt?" Luke asked.

"No. You?" Eleanor asked.

"Not me either." The ends of the scarf shifted for a moment.

"So you figured out how to use the scarf's power. I thought you said it was locked," Eleanor said.

"Would you believe me if I said the answer involved sex with aliens?"

"What?"

"I'll explain later..." In truth, it was a matter of matching the mana frequency the item needed. But Luke was cheating, using a skill that had barely seemed useful before. [Tactile Telekinesis (Rare)]: The Witch's telekinetic power helps her channel mana through direct contact, affecting whatever she touches with telekinesis. By touching an object, she can make it move, float, spin, or even bend slightly, as if her touch extended beyond matter itself.

The skill requires physical contact to function, but in return offers much firmer, more delicate control. Its strength, weight limit, and complexity of manipulation depend on the Witch's mastery of [Enhanced Telekinesis]. Luke returned to the ship. The gate had been opened.

"They let us through pretty easily. I thought there'd be trouble," Layla said.

"They did," Luke said.

"Very kind people. Didn't even charge us the toll." And the ship sailed on through.

That night, they left the archipelago behind.

"In the end, it was pointless. Eddie wasn't here," Luke muttered to himself, staring out at the sea. They were back in open water now.

"The locator thread shows the shortest distance between two points, which in this case is a straight line," Cadmus said.

"So it was not pointless."

"I know. Better than sailing all the way around."

"Correct, Luke Moon," the robot replied. Leaving Cadmus with Anne, Luke went to take a bath. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into a large wooden tub filled with steaming water. Then he opened his system interface and began distributing the free points he had left.

Name: Luke Level: 91 Race: Half-Demon Rank: E Core: [Spectral Beast (Rank E)] Class: [Demonic Predator (Lvl 92)] 2nd Class: [Arcane Witch (Lvl 86)] Profession: [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 81)] Titles: [Dark Lord], [Myth Slayer] Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon] Health Points (HP): 11570/11570 Mana Points (MP): 15004/15820 Stamina: 8423/8440 Soul Fragments: 813/1000 Stats: Strength: 769 Lethality: 1476 Agility: 1395 Dexterity: 555 Endurance: 844 Vitality: 1157 Toughness: 532 Perception: 1366 Wisdom: 1582 Intelligence: 1557 Willpower: 1166 Free Points: 35 Class Skills: [Advanced Blade Handling (Uncommon)], [Advanced Knife Throwing (Rare)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Crimson Fang (Ultra-Rare)], [Predator's Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Advanced Stealth (Rare)], [Assassin's Tracking (Rare)], [Mana Infusion (Rare)], [Basic Archery (Common)], [Demonic Predator Hands (Epic)], [Demonic Predator Throwing Knife (Epic)], [Burst Throw (Epic)], [Stealth Critical Strike (Rare)], [Shadow Dive (Rare)], [Knife Storm (Epic)], [Feline Agility (Epic)] Second Class Skills: [Advanced Magic Conjuration (Uncommon)], [Teleportation Pentagram II (Legendary)], [Curse (Common)], [Cursed Weapon (Uncommon)], [Shadow Ball (Common)], [Enhanced Telekinesis (Rare)], [Witch's Gaze (Uncommon)], [Cursed Weapon Throw (Rare)], [Telekinetic Impulse (Rare)], [Telekinetic Pull (Rare)], [Witch's Thread (Rare)], [Despair Aura I (Rare)], [Clear Mind (Ancient)], [Shadow Mana Explosion (Ultra-Rare)], [Spell Grimoire (Epic)], [Tactile Telekinesis (Rare)], [Telekinetic Stasis (Rare)], [Profession Collector (Ancient)] Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Advanced Potion Crafting (Uncommon)], [Corrupted Plant Growth (Rare)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)], [Botanical Bond of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Seed Conversion (Rare)], [Plant Manipulation of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Corrupted Blood of Mother Freya (Ultra-Rare)], [Thorn Mutation (Uncommon)], [Soil Analysis (Uncommon)], [Botanical Purification (Uncommon)], [Acid Blood Arrow (Epic)], [Soil Guardian I (Ancient)], [Vegetal Respiration (Common)], [Stomach of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Bones of Mother Freya (Ancient)] Race Skills: [Identify (Common)], [Demonic Perception (Uncommon)], [Dark Blood (Uncommon)], [Advanced Meditation (Uncommon)], [Demonic Endurance (Uncommon)] Rank Skill: [Soul Infiltration (Rank F)] Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)] Servants: [Charlotte Vespertilio (Vampire) - Lvl 83], [Unavailable] Familiar: [Unavailable] Luke distributed his free points: +3 Strength, +14 Lethality, +5 Agility, +5 Dexterity, +5 Toughness, +3 Intelligence.

Then, pulling it from his system inventory, he took the kraken scarf into his hands.

"I still can't believe Artemis's alien analogy actually worked on the scarf." Even Jake Sully's weird magic hair had turned out to be a clue for [Tactile Telekinesis]. Now I need to figure out how to unlock the other enchantments, and how to keep the Tentacle enchantment active longer. I'm guessing the beings from this planet's ancient civilization were probably like something out of an Aquaman comic. Or maybe half-fish. For them, connecting with a kraken scarf must've been intuitive.

Sliding down into the bathwater, Luke closed his eyes and focused on the enchantments. [Aquatic Perception (Rare)]: The user's perception becomes better adapted underwater, allowing them to sense even the slightest vibrations in the water, react more effectively to attacks, and perceive their surroundings even in dark depths. [Submarine Echo (Ultra-Rare)]: The scarf emits an echolocation pulse visible only to its user.

For a brief moment, the outlines of everything within the user's perception range become visible, even in dark water. Useful for reading the whole environment and spotting hidden shapes beneath the surface. [Kraken Reach (Ultra-Rare)]: The scarf can stretch far beyond normal length by absorbing the user's mana, though the secret of mastering it was known only to the Royal Knights of the Sunken Kings. [Kraken Swim (Epic)]: While wearing this scarf, the user can swim with far greater ease.

Their body gains natural bursts of propulsion in the water, allowing them to turn in any direction at will and move with almost no drag or weight resistance, creating a fluid, effortless stroke. It also helps protect against the cold of deep waters. Stamina costs while swimming are reduced by 50%. [Juvenile Kraken Tentacles (Mythic)]: The tips of the scarf can transform into tentacles, inheriting the same traits as a Juvenile Sunken Kraken.

In this state, the ends absorb the physical attributes of the one wearing it and act as extensions of their body. A perfect piece of equipment for the Royal Knights of the Sunken Kings. Maybe if I learn how to crush things with the tentacle, it could work as a weapon too. After a few more minutes of testing, the bathroom door opened and shut.

"Charlie?" he asked.

"We meet again, Cinderella," Evangeline said. She was wrapped in a towel.

"This is my bath time," she announced.

"There is no such thing as your bath time, Grandma. Someone's already using it," he shot back.

"If it were anyone else, Cinderella, I would respect that. In fact, thirty seconds ago, I probably would have respected it. But then you called me Grandma." She stepped into the water and sat down.

"Get out of here. I have a girlfriend."

"That is exactly why you should be the one leaving."

"You just want to win this stupid contest."

"Are you twelve? I'm not competing with you," she said.

"I know you. You're going to try and force me out again."

"If I were you, I'd leave. What would your girlfriend think?"

"I'm not leaving, ninja woman."

"If you apologize for calling me Grandma, I'll go."

"If you leave, I'll apologize afterward."

"So that's how it is?"

"That's exactly how it is."

"We did this last time for three hours, remember?" she said.

"So you admit this is a contest?"

"So you admit you lost the last one?"

"Eleanor walked in and kicked us both out. That doesn't count. At best, it was a draw."

"You were the first one out of the tub."

"But you were the first one out of the bathroom."

"So that's how it is?"

"That's how it is," Luke said. She moved closer and sat beside him.

"Back off."

"What is your girlfriend going to think? You'd better get out of the bathroom, Luke."

"You're the one in trouble here, not me," he said.

"I'm loyal."

"What are you doing, Luke? Are you putting your hands on my breasts?"

"What?" he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, why are you doing this, Luke?"

"You damn ninja woman," he said.

"Charlie isn't using her super hearing right now."

"Are you sure? There's only one way to find out. And if she drags you out of the bathtub, it still counts as you losing the contest."

"So that's what this is in the end? A contest of pride? You're supposed to set an example. You're the older one here, Grandma," he said. Luke could have sworn he saw a vein bulge on Evangeline's forehead.

"I'm going to take off the towel, Luke. Then I'll be naked."

"You wouldn't."

"I'll do anything to win. So? Are you going to stay naked next to a woman with your girlfriend right nearby?"

"You wouldn't dare…" She touched the towel and started to move it.

"Cinderella, I'm going to win this. You're getting out of the tub."

"I don't believe you." Then she started pulling the towel off.

"This is going too far, Evangeline."

"Is it?"

"I'm naked in here. I can't just get out."

"The water's cloudy. I can't see anything. Or maybe… there's nothing down there worth seeing," she said, still slowly pulling the towel away.

"You're not actually going to do it."

"You doubt me?" Luke stared at her, smiling.

"There's only one way to find out, Luke." He clicked his tongue. Using telekinesis, he made the scarf wrap around his waist, covering him under the water.

"I'll get you back for this, Grandma. You'll see," he said, standing up.

"Thanks for leaving the water hot for me," she said with a smile, watching him step out of the tub. Luke walked to the door.

"Look what you missed out on, Luke," Evangeline said, whipping the towel off.

"You little…"

"My new bikini." She wasn't naked.

"I won," she said, laughing as Luke shut the door. Fun fact: this chapter has artwork of Evangeline, or as Luke nicknamed her, "Ninja Woman," waiting over in that other place.