Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1444 : Skullius’ Conclusion (1)

What had caused such a vivid reaction from Doom Factor 2?

Well, it sounded as absurd to Skullius as it would to anyone.

He had been walking into the Royal Mansion when his senses recognized the two perfectly sculpted Sif seated just beyond him. He had locked sights (in a way) with Embrell.

As he digested her features, they had distorted and warped into those of Camilla… and then he had lost himself.

Indeed, it was ridiculous.

Doom Factor 2 was growing stronger and more unreasonable.

It was triggered by any new feminine figure Skullius saw, it seemed, which was absolutely preposterous.

While trapped in a vision he had seen too many times by now, he couldn't help but wonder what Doom Factor 2 was forcing on his allies, right then. He knew this time something was different.

He could feel the raging Undeath energy on the snowy mountain where he was, staring at a naked Camilla who was yelling the same sets of words he had heard too many times by now.

Skullius sighed.

"Somanda, huh?"

Just as he said that Skullius spilled back to reality.

He was heavily restricted by formidable layers of ice, vapor, and liquid that tried to siphon away his ability to think. They were being shed away, it seemed. Skullius could vaguely sense a figure with a staff and a top hat waving their hands in sophisticated motions.

The ice broke away bit by bit until he was free.

He collapsed to the ground. He was feeling strangely drained. His soul was exhausted.

Skullius sensed many figures rushing over to him.

"Boss!" Kenno cried. The Unlimited Star hurried to support Skullius' topmost left arm and heave him to his feet.

"Tomato flinger…" Sila said solemnly. There was a kind of sad darkness in his orange eyes. There was a lot of emotion packed into that one 'Tomato flinger.' Skullius felt it all.

Even Kintar had no wise phrase to fling. Her face was impassive, but Skullius saw through her. He also saw through the concerned frown on Elita's face and Uyuniya's strange, guilt-ridden expression.

Why would she look like that?

Skullius gave a sigh… and then he started laughing.

Everyone was startled. Even Serenity.

Elita and Uyuniya thought Somanda had taken over again and got ready for battle, but Kenno, Sila, Kintar, and the Apostles knew that wasn't the case. They knew their master and friend that much at least. It was Skullius alright.

The Hybrid Warmoth laughed and laughed. On his face, what might have been pure joy could be seen, radiating like sunlight. It was pure. It was clear.

Aurolio was, frankly, bewildered beyond his wits.

"Can someone tell me what the FUCK is going on?!" he cried before wincing in pain.

"Skullius…" Elita said gingerly while approaching Skullius. Her face formed difficult shapes with empathy. "It's alright. We'll figure this ou—"

"You were right," Skullius suddenly ceased laughing and said. He smiled at her and patted Kenno's shoulder with one of his hands. He could stand on his own now that he could feel every inch of his body. "You, Uyuniya and Kintar. You were right."

Somehow, the three ladies in question felt a striking sensation of foreboding.

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"I didn't realise how jumbled, and hypocritical my logic was until you pointed it out. Hahaha. That's the price of not being used to having complex, conflicting emotions for over 1,000 years, I guess," The Hybrid Warmoth turned to Kintar, still smiling.

"I was slow in learning this. You realized something I failed to, Kintar. The world is vast and it takes only an instant for everything you and I have worked for to be devoured by someone more ambitious, someone more selfish. In a world like this, not using all the resources and possibilities at our disposal is just a measure of weakness. A lack of resolve."

Skullius turned to Uyuniya. The terrestrial Void user was taken aback by the look in his blank eyes. It was different somehow.

"You were right too. Leadership isn't what I previously assumed it was. It doesn't just come to protect people I care about when everything is calm and easy. Leadership is defined by the choices I have to make when things are rough and impossible. Sure, I always knew everything could get rough way faster than I could comprehend, but some part of me was overconfident. I've been enjoying a lot of victories lately or what I thought to be victories. I might have started thinking everything would work out in the end, somehow, someway." He sighed. "There's a lot more work to be done."

Finally, he looked at Elita. He was more sincere and solemn.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Your view of the world was much bigger than mine before, so I couldn't see it with my own eyes. The Primeval Deities, the Null Verse, the wider reality, Divinity… These are all vast ideas I'd only either read about or not fully immersed myself in. But you have." He drew in a sharp breath and looked up.

"It's funny. I should know better than anyone that enemies out there are greedy and unfair, but somehow, I thought there was a solution I could bring forth. Something better. Honestly, until half an hour ago, I thought I was better than you. I thought I'd gone through more than you have. I was the O so righteous Skullius who could find some way to weasel his way through the dark game of Divinity without compromising parts of himself."

Elita looked horror-struck.

"Skullius, that's not…" she began, fumbled and began again. "I understood why you reasoned the way you did. I was the same, remember?"

"No. Don't go easy on me," Skullius said sternly. He patted Kenno's shoulder again. The Unlimited Star looked at him, baffled. "I know. I've been asking friends of mine to join me on a dangerous, selfish mission without fully committing myself to the cause. I wasn't willing to go beyond – to go the extra mile as they say. Well, I think they say that."

"Skullius…" Elita said, unsure what she wanted to say.

"I wasn't prepared to deal with the sheer magnitude of the enemies against me with every possible path I could take. Against them, nothing short of depravity, ruthlessness, and wickedness is required to survive."

"Skullius, no that's not—"

"Yes, it is. It worked for Fulgardt. It worked for Somanda."

Everyone shuddered. What conclusion was Skullius coming to? Had he finally been broken to the point where he was ready to become another Fulgardt, only, without the WILLS?

Skullius turned to Serenity.

"Perhaps Festos wasn't wrong, after all."

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[Author's Note]

Relax. This isn't going the way you might think. Read the next chap.