Crimson Eternal - Book 6 - Chapter 28 (Patreon)

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Table of Contents

Click the following link for the 1460 word chapter 28:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1or6hUkvD0FTLoCOHSlX_1fWKM49HAoJ_pKQn_Tkcrlw/edit?usp=sharing

Or you can read the unformatted version below:

Outside of the Plane of Pestilence

Shirogane feels weird as he watches Raja fight seriously against the Grand Pestilence Spirits through the Gate. And he’s not the only one, as he sees the Grands and numerous soldiers watching from other Gates. Each with their own expressions of confusion.

Why is he fighting so seriously? Raja never fights this seriously when dealing with threats to the universe that aren’t very harmful to his own nation…

As for the other Grand Spirits aiding Raja in the battle? They were all summoned through grand rituals conducted by the Arcadian Society. And the only reason they’re able to help for this long in the first place is because they’re fighting inside of a plane other than the mortal plane.

If they were fighting in the mortal plane, then the Grand Spirits’ summoning would have ended long before the end of the battle.

The mere fact that the pharaoh is capable of fighting the Grand Pestilence Spirits like this is already shocking to Shirogane, much less how he is taking things seriously.

Shirogane narrows his eyes at the battle across the Gate before the answer comes to him through his father.

“Raja is showing off,” Amatsuraki says, making Shirogane’s face go blank for a moment as he processes his father’s words. Then he sees his father pointing at a small spec off in the distance.

Are you kidding me…

Shirogane feels dumbfounded as he zooms his vision in and finds Aria lazing away in the Plane of Pestilence on a chair, just watching the battle between the pharaoh and the Grand Pestilence Spirits. And when he looks back at Raja, he notices that the pharaoh seems to be paying close attention to Aria as he fights. He even angles his attacks and the battle itself in a way to give her a better view.

I never expected Raja to behave like this… and why is Aria here? She can’t get any progress from this battle towards her purpose. Not when the ones fighting are spirits…

So many things about this battle leaves Shirogane confused. And, on top of that, they haven’t even found Pestilence himself yet.

“Do you know where he might be?” Shirogane asks with a frown.

His father nods his head without taking his gaze from the Gates as he says, “He should still be recovering in his castle.”

That makes Shirogane frown before he, too, focuses on the Gates. Just trying to find the castle his father is talking about.

But no matter how hard he looks, he can’t find any castle. Likely implying that it is too far away to see from this battlefield.

Pestilence really doesn’t care about this if he hasn’t bothered to stop recovering when a fight this grand is occurring within his plane. But how long will he be able to keep this up?

Shirogane’s gaze turns towards Aria, and then Raja.

And how long will Aria continue to show interest in this battle? Because Raja will probably stop going all out if she leaves…

The universe’s safety means less to Raja than Aria. It’s a sad truth, but the truth, nonetheless.

Shirogane lets out a sigh at that thought before focusing on the next steps of their plan to take down the Horseman of Pestilence. But moments after he shifts his focus, he notices something out of the corner of his eye within the Plane of Pestilence.

“When did War arrive?” Shirogane asks with a frown at the sight of the guy inside of the plane and sitting on a throne floating in the air, just like Aria. “And did Aria rub off on him or something? Why is he watching on a throne?”

“War arrived a few minutes after Death,” Amatsuraki answers. “Don’t mind him. He will not be interfering.”

Shirogane feels his worries about War fighting alongside Pestilence fading at his father’s words. Because Amatsuraki’s predictions are always absolute.

It also confirms for Shirogane that Aria is a bad influence on people. Even on Horsemen. Since, if he’s not here to interfere, that means he is genuinely here just to watch the fight.

That thought reminds Shirogane of some of the habits the twins have that they clearly got from being raised by Aria.

Shirogane blinks at the sight of War bringing out a bowl of popcorn from who knows where before tipping it off in the direction of Aria with a nod. Then Aria nods back and lifts a glass of wine.

She’s a really bad influence…

Aria

I tap my finger on my arm as I watch the battle, drinking a sip of my wine with my other hand at the same time. Just wondering how long this battle is going to take. Because it’s taking a very long time.

Of course, I understand that it’s a battle between Grand Spirits and one of the strongest Grands other than the Horsemen. But still.

It’s taking entire weeks so far, and the battle doesn’t seem anywhere near close to finished.

And the Plane of Pestilence is still filled to the brim with pestilence energy. Meaning it won’t be ending anytime soon.

I purse my lips for a moment before nodding my head. Then I open a Gate and pass through it straight to where War is watching from.

“Hello Little Red!” War exclaims with a smile as he eats his popcorn. “What brings ya here?”

“I wanted to ask if I could set up a Death Court in one of your Hunter’s Spots while the fight goes on,” I ask while firmly approving of his choice in wine alongside the popcorn he’s eating. Because it’s a very good brand of wine.

“Go ahead,” War states with a nod and a grin. “The faster you reach my level, the sooner we can fight!”

I’m just going to ignore that last part.

With his words other than the first two words already erased from my mind, I thank him before opening a Gate to the Scarlet Crucible. Then I enter one of the Hunter’s Spots on the planet and set up my Death’s Court before going back to the Plane of Pestilence and setting up my chair, table, and everything else again.

There we go. Now I can sit here and watch the battle while also making progress towards my purpose.

I can’t help but smile at this before I take another sip of my wine.

Come to think of it, what has Pestilence even been doing during all of this? I never really bothered to check and just assumed he was recovering from those wounds I saw him covered in the last time I saw him. Back when his spirits were ruining my wine stores.

Speaking of those spirits, I kind of feel some katharsis watching said Grand Pestilence Spirits get their comeuppance in the form of these other Grand Spirits and Raja attacking them.

Anyway, I put the spirits aside for the moment as I fly over towards Pestilence’s castle. Then, after spreading my senses through the castle for a moment, I head directly towards one corner of the castle where I can sense Pestilence’s presence.

Let’s see what he’s doing.

Probably either recovering or lost in an experiment.

After looking, I can go ahead and head back to the battlefield.

I ignore the Pestilence Spirits rushing around in a panic through the castle as I head through towards where Pestilence is. All the way until I find him inside of what looks to be some sort of bath chamber.

Is he asleep? He looks asleep.

Also, he has some sort of snake tattoo on his chest. That’s unexpected.

Then again, this is the first time I’m seeing him unclothed like this. He’s always wearing a lab coat over a suit. So the only skin he ever shows is his face and neck.

Maybe it’s some sort of self-experiment he did at some point?

He also doesn’t show any signs of stirring despite my arrival. But whether he’s ignoring my presence, or he is actually deep asleep, I don’t know.

Either way, I don’t really care. Now that I’ve satisfied my curiosity about what he’s doing, I leave his baths and head back to the battle.

And once I return to the battlefield, I sit down again and continue drinking my wine.

Just that I’m now also leveling up as I watch the battle.

I wonder how long this battle is going to last? Hopefully not much longer.

Seeing this endless battle between the spirits and Raja is getting old, so I want to see them fight Pestilence next.

I let out a sigh as I wish I could get a fast-forward button for this battle.

It would be so convenient.