Fallen Lightbringers' Return

Chapter 72: For Now

"Hey, so tell me, what did you get?" The Inciter looked over Lee Dojin's shoulder.

Lee Dojin shrunk back. "I thought you didn't wanna know?"

"I changed my mind," he said. "I want to see what made you have that reaction."

Lee Dojin held his mouth. Was it that obvious, he asked himself. Well, maybe it was. But who could fault him for that? Reading that description, he simply had no choice but to be shocked. Ability-wise, that sounded really over-powered. Yet, it was only ranked B? Why?

The Inciter watched over him with a smile, seemingly filled with anticipation. Lee Dojin's moved a few steps back again. If he told that guy his ability, it'd sure turn annoying. He didn't mind if the Inciter found him suspicious, but there was no point revealing the cards in his hand to a future enemy for no reason. He was confident, not stupid.

"I don't want to tell you."

"Tsk. You are a cheapskate, you know that? You just sunk considerably in my personal point system, you know that?" The Inciter clicked his tongue and saw that Lee Dojin did not care. "Well, never mind that. Don't regret it in the future okay? I may look like this but I am quite the bigshot."

"Well, let's keep these problems for the future, shall we?" Lee Dojin laughed. "So, what's it going to be? Are there any other rewards?"

"You are so greedy," the Inciter sighed. "But, there is." He snapped his fingers, but a message did not appear. ".. .What's going on?" He snapped his fingers once more, but nothing changed. "Hold up," he said, then looked up into the sky.

Lee Dojin rested his butt on the floor. He breathed out, relaxing. "This will probably take a while, so why don't you take a seat?"

The Inciter's brows furrowed. He ignored Lee Dojin, but he began to talk in a language unknown to earthlings. However, what the man did not expect was that the human was no ordinary person. "The hell you mean, you're still calculating the reward? This is the first-ever quest in this world, how long can it take? You are embarrassing me here." 

Lee Dojin listened to the man talking. Outwardly, he did not look that way, but he was paying great attention.

"You have to get approval from at least two more Heavenly Signs? Are you kidding me? Do you know how long that is gonna take? Even I haven't seen them since forever." The Inciter'S voice grew more irate the more he talked. "It's just a puny little planet. Just make it the original reward, but better." He paused. Was he listening? "Unbalanced? Like I care. Who do you think I am?"

"Come on? What's the hold-up? You talked like you were hot shit just a second before." Lee Dojin leaned back. "Hahaha, don't tell me you are some kind of low-level scrub?"

".. . I will rip you apart." In the end, he also took a seat down. He changed languages again. "Yeah, yeah. I will take responsibility. Just move it along."

A message appeared right after, only for Lee Dojin to see.

[Your reward has been issued. Please prepare to receive it.]

Lee Dojin opened his hand, and in there appeared a white piece of paper with some scribbles on it. "What's this? Oh, a ticket?"

"Let me see it too," The Inciter said, watching over his shoulder. "Oh, how interesting. But I suppose it makes sense. Now, is that your fortune or will it be worthless? He cackled, reading what's written on there. "Well, this is your next reward, only meant for the party leader." He clasped his hands together. "Congratulations for creating the world's biggest shadow and actually beating it. If you'd have diedwhich you honestly should haveit'd be for naught, but as a reward, you have earned an Impossibility Achievement, isn't that great?" He watched Lee Dojin's reaction. "This ticket is a Blank Check."

Another message appeared for Lee Dojin to see.

[Blank Check

Rarity: ???

A ticket issued by one of the strongest beings in the universe. Choose any item within A-Rank that he possesses, and he shall reward the Player with it. The ticket can be traded, but the being may not acknowledge its validity depending on the person.]

"Interesting. Interesting." The Inciter smiled, his eyes turned into half-moons. "You know, originally, beating the shadow meant you could choose a single Artifact from a pre-determined, but I suppose in light of your achievement, that'd be a bad trade." He rubbed his head. "I suppose it's telling me to take responsibility for forcing your reward."

"fate does work in mysterious ways." Lee Dojin smiled too. He could not contain his excitement. A peal of laughter escaped him. "This was it, this is what I've been working for." No, in actuality, it was a bit better than he had hoped.

Everything he did until now, that is, reaching rank 1 and beating the shadows was for this single reward.

"Well, but this time, you won't get a list. It's not like I can't give you one, but you have to know, from all the species within the many universes, I am the person that owns the most stuff." He huffed. "I am a collector after all. You're just a baby that doesn't know anything, yet. I mean, you don't even know what the First Advent is. So keep the ticket for when you might find something you find promising, but don't lose the ticket hahaha!" The Inciter chuckled with a wicked expression. Did it have something malicious in mind?

Lee Dojin could probably guess that man's thoughts. This ticket had now become the most valuable thing within the universe. It was no exaggeration when the Inciter said he had many things. To gain access into his vault.. . how many people would kill for that chance? "No need to wait, I know what I want." The Inciter probably thought Lee Dojin was a simple frog in the well. But he could not be more wrong. "Give me Lucifers Shard."

For the first time, a crack appeared on the Inciters's face, and his countenance turned un imaginably serious. ".. .How do you know about that thing?"

"That ain't your business. You have it or not?" Lee Dojin crossed his arms.

"Boy. Do you think I am joking?" Immediately, great bloodthirsty leaked out The Inciter, one incomparable to what he shot at Hassan. His eyes lost the light and he had a frost expression as he stared down at him. "Tell me. How do you know about an item to create the Divine Gate?"

"Hahahaha. To think such a day would come." Lee Dojin remained carefree, still sitting on the ground. Suddenly his eyes glowed with a red light. Unbelievably, Lee Dojin had sent his own wave of bloodthirst back. "Does it matter how?" Though he was moons away from his prime, at one point he was able to contest The Usurper. He could not create bloodlust, be he sure as hell wouldn't fear it.

The Inciter felt his lips quivering. His eyes opened wide. This boy was crazy. "What. .. in The Mirages name." In all his long life, he had never been this surprised before. Someone in this backwater planet managed to withstand his might? Impossible. "Last warning." He grabbed Lee Dojin's head. "How can you possibly know one of the key components for the Second Advent?" The man's face was darker than the shadows.

"Well, if you want to know so badly, force me. Kill me if you wish to." Lee Dojin grabbed the Inciter's wrist. He tried moving it, but naturally, it did not work. Yet, he didn't despair. "But you can't, right? Not while giving me rewards."

"You're a unique one, I tell you that." He had a mocking tone. "Was it the prophet? No, impossible. No being can see the machinations of The Mirage." "You, you're interesting. Do you not fear death? No, that's not it. There's something different about you." A mysterious smile crept up his face. "But sadly for you, I don't have it right now."

"It doesn't matter," Lee Dojin said with a nonchalant voice. "Then give me Ariadnes String or Tiamats' Scales. It doesn't really matter."

"You are unbelievable. There's no way this is just a coincidence right?" The Inciter's eyes widened considerably. He laughed dryly. "Rest assured, I may not have it now, but when I will find it, I will bring it to you. You have my word." The man clicked his tongue. "You should know that Lucifers Shard is a tier higher than the other two. Considering your plans, that's the least you need, right?"

"I am unsure of what you are talking about."

The Inciter paused. His smile did not disappear. "That reminds me, there was another reward. The one about creating life," he said. He rubbed his head. "I don't have anything more to give you quite honestly. Actually, how about this? Why don't you join me?"

"What?"

"I am unsure of the things you know, and even though I am interested, I won't pry for now. But I find you interesting." The Inicter lifted his finger, explaining. "I can place you under my wing and protect you. In the upcoming apocalypse, you should understand what that entails, right? You won't have to worry about anything. All the dreams you have, I can make them true."

"Eh, not interested." Lee Dojin shrugged his shoulder and glanced away. "For now, I will walk my own path."

"How disappointing. That's minus 50 points." The Inciter shook his head. Even though he said all that, he didn't seem the least disappointed. Instead, his face appeared. .. happy? "But if you ever change your mind, I will wait. Until then, the least I can bestow you is this:"

A message popped up in front of Lee Dojin.

[The 4th Heavenly Sign, The Inciter, has acknowledged you.]

His eyes shot wide open. He stared at the Inciter. But before any words could leave his mouth, the man waved his hands, and Lee Dojin disappeared, right at the doors where Hassan and Ji-ah stood, patiently waiting to receive him.