Chương 218

The soup slid down Mumud's bony throat. It did not spill through his ribs. The moment the soup touched his jaw, a blinding light filled the dark cavern. Crack. Squelch. Mumud fell to his knees. He gripped his face. Thick, hot muscle fibers sprouted from his bare skull. Blood vessels shot down his spine like wild vines. Pale human skin stretched tightly over his arms and chest. In less than ten seconds, the skeleton was gone. Mumud gasped. Air rushed into his new lungs. It burned.

It tasted like damp stone and old dust, but it was the greatest thing he had ever experienced. His chest rose and fell. A heavy, rhythmic thumping echoed in his ears. His heart was beating. He looked down at his hands. He touched his cheeks. The skin was soft and warm. For centuries, he had been trapped in a cold, rattling cage. Now, he could feel the chill of the cave air against his neck. He was alive. Tears streamed down his face. He looked up at the man standing in front of him.

Rudra was leaning casually on a red bone staff. The young man certainly didn't look like a savior. He wore a dusty black trench coat and was wiping soot off his cheek with the back of his hand. Over by the cave wall, a half-gold, half-black lion let out a loud burp. The Soul Fragment of Braham, the Legendary Great Magician who had enslaved Mumud for hundreds of years, was simply gone. Eaten as a snack. Mumud immediately bowed to Rudra as gratitude filled him.

"I owe you a deep favour, Lord Rudra," Mumud said smoothly. His new voice was clear and deep.

"Please say what you expect me to do." He closed his eyes, waiting for the heavy chains to wrap around his mind again. He expected the orders. Braham always gave orders. Braham demanded total submission. He expected Rudra to ask for his spellbook, or demand he cast destructive magic to conquer a kingdom. That was how powerful men operated.

"What?" Rudra asked. Mumud peeked up. Rudra was rubbing his stomach.

"I haven't eaten in quite some time. I'm starving. Let's go find something good to eat." Mumud blinked. The young man turned his back and walked toward the exit. The giant lion trotted happily after him. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. There were no magical contracts. There were no threats. Mumud slowly stood up. He brushed the dust off his robes. His mind raced. This had to be a trick.

A man who held the power to resurrect the dead and tame a divine beast did not just wander off to find lunch. He followed them out of the cave. He kept his guard completely up. He would not be fooled twice. … The sun was bright. Mumud walked down a dusty dirt road. The heat on his shoulders felt incredible, but he refused to relax. He kept his eyes locked on Rudra's back. They were heading toward the Vatican. The group was strange. Piaro, a man with a terrifying sword aura, walked quietly carrying a farming plow.

Grid, an armored warrior carrying a giant black sword, kicked rocks and complained non-stop.

"Two silver coins!" Grid yelled, waving his arms at the sky.

"The market price of iron ores increased by two silver coins today! The auction house is rigged! I'm losing money just walking here!"

"Then walk faster," Rudra said, not looking back. Mumud watched Rudra carefully. He analyzed the man's every move. A tyrant hides his true nature, Mumud thought. He is waiting for the right moment to exploit my magic. I must be ready. A broken wagon blocked the road ahead. A sweaty merchant kicked the wooden wheel.

"I told you!" the merchant named Torin yelled at his quiet assistant.

"I told you we overloaded the cart with cheap iron ore! Now the axle is snapped!" Grid's eyes instantly lit up. He stared at the spilled iron ore with extreme greed. The armored man actually took a step toward the wagon, looking ready to shove the merchant aside and steal the rocks. Rudra grabbed the back of Grid's armor and dragged him past the wagon.

"Leave them alone, Grid. We have a church heist to do." Mumud frowned. Rudra easily controlled the greedy warrior, but he didn't try to extort the helpless merchant. Further down the road, a young traveler stood arguing fiercely with a local guide.

"The map clearly shows a massive lake right here!" the traveler shouted, pointing at a dry, dusty field.

"Your map is a fake, kid!" the guide yelled back.

"There hasn't been water here in fifty years!" Rudra didn't even glance at the argument. But then, a rustling sound came from the bushes. A massive, colorful bird with sharp razor-beaks poked its head out of the brush. It was a high-level forest pheasant. Rudra stopped dead in his tracks. His red eyes locked onto the bird.

"Premium poultry," Rudra whispered. Rudra didn't make any skill or rational actions. The man who had defeated a Great Demon dove headfirst into the thorny bushes without even drawing his staff.

"Hey!" Grid shouted, drawing his massive sword.

"I saw it first! That experience is mine!" Grid dove into the bushes right after him. A cloud of dust, loose feathers, and shouting erupted from the ditch. Mumud stood frozen on the dirt road. He watched the bushes shake violently. Piaro simply sighed, leaning his hand plow against his shoulder.

"Is he... wrestling a bird?" Mumud asked quietly.

"The Duke takes his ingredients very seriously," Piaro replied with a straight face. Rudra crawled out of the ditch a minute later. His black trench coat was covered in twigs and dirt. He held the struggling, oversized pheasant by the neck. A huge, triumphant grin was plastered across his face. Grid crawled out behind him, spitting leaves out of his mouth.

"You thief! I weakened it!"

"You missed entirely and hit a rock," Rudra laughed. Mumud stared at them. His vast, genius intellect struggled to process the data. Braham would have burned the entire forest to ash just to kill a fly as he didn't want to dirty himself. Rudra was covered in mud because he wanted poultry for dinner. It doesn't make sense, Mumud thought, rubbing his temples. It has to be an act.