Crimson Eternal - Book 6 - Chapter 33 (Patreon)

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Table of Contents

Click the following link for the 1450 word chapter 33:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aKoCYuICkgFm-dExO_kKwNNclm30PQ1gYFl6tybmvl0/edit?usp=sharing

Or you can read the unformatted version below:

On the Battlefield

Lucius Octavio, the Horseman of War, smiles faintly when he sees Aria turning her full attention away from him to the battle again.

She’s smart.

And she’s not the only one. Lucius has noticed the undead pharaoh’s gaze a few times as well. Clearly filled with suspicion.

Neither of them are wrong to think this way as he did, in fact, kill the ruler and the serpent.

Why wouldn’t he take advantage of this situation to duel those he’s always wanted to duel?

Normally the other Horsemen simply ignore his attempts to duel them. And Aria is far too weak for him to duel in the first place.

Not to mention that, if he tried, it wouldn’t end well.

Aria cannot die, therefore the duel would never end if it started. Not until he died.

And his duel skill forces the duelists to be within a certain distance of each other until the duel is over. So the two of them wouldn’t be able to leave each other’s sides until the Horseman of Death grows strong enough to kill Lucius.

That wouldn’t be fun at all. She’s better left to grow. Then I can fight her without official skill-enforced duels.

His smile grows at that thought as he continues watching the battle between Victor and the Grands. A battle he desperately wishes he could join, but it is too early for that.

He has to wait for the perfect moment to challenge Pestilence to a duel. Otherwise Pestilence won’t accept.

So he patiently waits. Just watching the battle with popcorn in hand.

Of course, he does genuinely enjoy watching the battle. It’s just that he also really wants to jump in and fight personally.

But, alas, he cannot do that. Not if he wants to take a skill from Pestilence.

He’s already put off quite a bit of personal growth to sit here and watch the battle. He needs to get something out of it.

This isn’t like the time he went on vacation with Aria, who he just finds amusing to mess with along with her cat. This time is official business.

Lucius feels… anxious. He’s not quite sure why, but something in his gut is telling him to grow stronger faster.

Because something is coming that requires it.

So the best way to grow stronger is to take power from another Horseman.

And since Famine went and killed himself off while Lucius wasn’t looking, he can only rely on Pestilence, who he knows the exact buttons needed to push him into a duel.

Now that the buttons are pushed, I just sit back and wait.

War puts more popcorn into his mouth at that thought as he watches the battle. Only occasionally glancing at Aria, who has returned her full attention to the battle while enjoying her wine.

I have to say, her idea of sitting back and watching conflicts from time to time is a genius one. If I ever need a break, I can just do this. It’s great!

Lucius nods his head firmly at that thought. Feeling more than a little proud of his little comrade of a Horseman for coming up with this.

And her idea of bringing wine is ingenious too. Although I prefer popcorn.

His thoughts pause for a moment when he sees Pestilence’s actions beginning to gain more thought behind him. As his rage subsides a bit.

A grin begins to form on Lucius’ face when the enraged Pestilence begins to back away from the Grands fighting him that he was wiping the floor with and turns his gaze towards Lucius. With the rage growing fiercer again.

Except that, this time, unlike the boiling hot rage from before, his rage takes on a colder hue.

Ah, it looks like he’s cleared his head enough to realize it now!

“Time for the fun to begin,” the Horseman of War declares while shoveling in the rest of his popcorn to finish it off. Then he climbs up from his recliner, puts the recliner in his storage, and waves at Aria.

Aria just rolls her eyes, but even that makes Lucius smile.

Lucius can’t help but feel more relaxed around Aria. Because she doesn’t fear him, and he has no interest in dueling her.

Whenever he sees someone, he always has this enormous urge to duel them if they have any power, or to duel them after letting them get power. All to kill them in the end.

But he doesn’t feel that with her.

All he feels around her in that regard is the wish to battle her when she’s stronger, but not kill her or do an official duel.

So, when he’s around Aria, he can relax and mess around like a couple of old friends.

He didn’t realize this at first, but he does now.

And it doesn’t hurt that he finds her clear annoyance with his actions to be amusing.

After giving her a salute, Lucius turns and begins flying over to Pestilence. With Pestilence completely blowing off the Grands around him and sending them flying far away as he rushes to meet Lucius.

Without wasting any time, Lucius, with a big grin on his face, roars out, “Victor von Lüneburg, the Horseman of Pestilence, White Horseman, and Bringer of the White Death, I, Lucius Octavio, the Horseman of War, Red Horseman and Endless Conqueror, challenge you to a Duel! Do you accept?!”

And for the first time amongst the many times Lucius has officially requested duels with Pestilence, Pestilence roars back, “I accept!”

Thus making an enormous amount of scarlet energy rush out from the middle of the two, marking the beginning of the duel.

Aria

Hmm.

Yeah, this was to be expected at this point. Although most of the other Grands seem surprised.

Other than Raja, who was in the Plane of Pestilence with us and likely saw War’s actions.

Actually, it’s slightly amusing to see their reactions. Since a lot of them look rather dumbfounded after being sent flying by Pestilence and then ignored. As if they weren’t in a grand life or death battle.

Pestilence is pissed, though. That much is clear.

He’s realized War was the one who actually killed his companion, and he is out for blood.

He no doubt accepted War’s duel request because he doesn’t want War getting away. And accepting the duel locks the two participants together with no way out other than for one of them to die.

It’s a pretty cruel but powerful skill. Forcing the combatants to fight to the death while giving the winner a skill from the loser.

Technically one of War’s skills could be given to Pestilence if Pestilence wins. But War clearly doesn’t believe that to be possible.

He’s absolutely confident.

Also, what was with that salute he gave me?

And something tells me he thought something rather unpleasant right before it.

I shiver at that before focusing on their battle. All while opening my storage and grabbing some more bottles of wine.

This battle should be a lot more interesting than the one before.

I’ve never seen a fight between two Horsemen, after all.

Something I find interesting while sipping some wine and watching the battle is that Pestilence doesn’t say a word to War. He just attacks, sending waves of different pestilence to attack him. So much pestilence, in fact, that it could likely turn an entire galaxy into a wasteland without a single living person left in it.

And yet, despite that, War just laughs while drawing his sword. Then he slashes his sword horizontally, cutting directly through the wave of pestilence and sending shockwaves all throughout the galaxy we’re in.

But it’s not just shockwaves that he sends. A thick arc of scarlet energy rushes across the galaxy, continuing past the end of his blade. And that line cuts straight through numerous planets one after another. Chopping up the planets and then leaving them exploding.

My jaw drops open at the rather grand sight.

Fortunately, all of the civilians have already been evacuated from this galaxy at this point. Mostly through Gates.

If they weren’t, then that would be… a lot of dead people.

After a brief hesitation, the other Grands begin to back away as well. Because War’s direct strength is greater than both Pestilence and Famine’s.

And they were already struggling with Pestilence, so it is best for them to not be in the middle of a fight between both Pestilence and War.

Which I agree wholeheartedly.

Or at least, for them.

It’s fine for me to continue watching.

I sip more wine at that thought, not taking my gaze from the battle.