Howard's Turn
After dozens of spatial jumps, I finally returned to my office. My friend, experiencing spatial movement for the first time, let out a whistle.
“Whew, this is insane. So this is Akasha territory?”
“Yeah.”
My friend glanced around the office and clicked his tongue. “If you've got money, spend some of it. What is this place?”
My office wasn't shabby by any means. I simply disliked ostentation.
“I don't wanna hear that from the guy living in a leaky log cabin he barely slapped together.”
“It doesn't leak.”
“I fixed the leaks.”
When I'd first found the guy, he'd been holed up in a hovel fit for beggars. The log cabin he called home now only looked like one because I'd flexed my carpentry knowledge to patch it up.
As we bickered, a bit of commotion stirred outside. Then Jayke, Argin, and Joseph entered, fully armed to the teeth.
“My lord, preparations are complete. But who is this gentleman?”
“My friend. Figured we might need some extra muscle, so I brought him along.”
The friend of this pretty twenty-year-old looked solid enough, but next to a rugged guy in his fifties, the picture didn't quite match.
“I had no idea you had a friend like this, my lord.”
“We go way back—before I ever met Sir Jayke.”
Not a lie. Just... I'd made the friend long before Jayke was even born.
“Ho? Your subordinates are pretty impressive, huh?”
My friend eyed the trio and gave his praise. Impressive? These three were all seasoned Masters, among the continent's elite—but that's all they rated in his eyes, apparently.
“Even as my lord's friend, that's a bit rude.”
Argin took a single step forward. He was at that hot-blooded age, after all. He knew his talent would etch his name into continental history, and his confidence brimmed over. He'd already surpassed his masters, Jayke and Joseph, in skill.
“Stand down, Argin.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He bowed his head and retreated at my command. It was a relief he showed absolute loyalty to me, if no one else. Controlling a powerhouse like that without some leash would've been extremely dangerous.
“My apologies. Haven't mingled with folks in ages. Name's Howard Callista.”
My friend introduced himself with surprising politeness. Jayke and Joseph's faces drained of color.
“Is that... really you?”
“It's him.”
Better if I confirmed it—they'd believe me.
“Dominator of the Battlefield.”
“Grand Master of the Demon.”
Jayke and Joseph murmured their epithets. Argin didn't catch on at first, but then his jaw dropped.
“Dominator of the Battlefield, eh? Yeah, they called me that once.”
Howard muttered in reminiscence. He'd made quite the name for himself. I'd been off with Drakan, so I'd missed the news. Single-handedly, he'd crushed armies of 100,000—not once, but twice. Over 20,000 enemy kills in those two battles, all solo. Victor's history might've puffed the numbers, but the fact remained: he'd ended wars alone. Hero to his allies, demon to his foes. His feats were legendary enough for the history books. He was the most recent contender for humanity's strongest. After his wife's death, rumors swirled he'd vanished—and died. Yet here he stood, alive and well.
“Then your age... er, your venerable years...”
Argin rolled his eyes, doing the math. By the numbers, he was well over a century old. Not an issue for a normal human, sure—but Howard wasn't normal.
“Ahem! A warrior speaks with his sword, not his age.”
“My apologies.”
Howard cleared his throat with a fake cough, and Argin quit calculating. He stopped rolling his eyes, bowed, and gazed at Howard like he'd found his idol.
From Argin's view, it must've felt like rain in a drought. He was growing monstrously fast, but I'd heard he'd hit a wall lately. And now, the very Grand Master who'd shattered such barriers stood before him.
“We'll chat later. For now, let me explain the situation.”
I laid out why these terrifying warriors had gathered.
“A massive beast from the deep sea's landing on the empire's western coast. Roughly half the size of the capital. It'll be insanely strong. That's why I brought Howard.”
Half the capital? Try an endless horizon of monster. We had to stop it.
“Do we have to be the ones to stop it?”
Jayke's point was valid. No real obligation on our end. But if not us, then who? Could the empire's elites handle it? Moving an army from the capital to the west would take over a month. By then, the western coast would be obliterated—unless the beast swam back on its own. How many dead in a month? I wasn't out to save every soul, but pointless deaths grated on me.
“I figure folks have fates. Me, Germain—we've got power that's downright unfair by worldly standards. Why'd the gods hand it over? For times like this, right now.”
Howard fielded it. Jayke nodded unconsciously. Guess a long life honed the tongue.
“Then let's head out. Even now might be too late.”
It was already too late, in a sense. The beast hadn't landed yet, but its passage had whipped up tsunamis that ravaged the coastlines. Coastal villages lay in ruins. Even forewarned, it was an unstoppable calamity.
I gathered the group and initiated spatial jumps. My control was near mastery now. I could roam the continent freely solo, barring intercontinental hauls. Taking four along? Still taxing for me. I didn't show it, but barely managed to deposit us atop a mountain a ways from the shore.
The tsunamis weren't done. Second and third waves would crash in.
“Phew, that was rough.”
“Well done, my lord.”
Jayke bowed as I sighed. He was still overly deferential. Per Wider, he'd been a fiercely loyal knight in his past life too—died for the Akasha family.
Time remained before the beast hit land. I pulled booze and snacks from my subspace.
“We've got time. Let's have a round.”
Rushing wouldn't weaken the beast, and these weren't the types to get sloppy off a drink or two.
“Sounds good.”
Howard plopped down first. The others followed, and cups clinked.
“You three go first without me or Howard. Let's see how far you get.”
“Understood.”
Argin burned with zeal especially. He hadn't laid eyes on the beast yet.
As we killed time, a speck appeared far off on the horizon, slowly swelling. The trio's faces paled at the mounting majesty of the colossal thing. Howard, oddly, wore a relaxed grin.
It took ages for the beast to touch land. In the interim, massive tsunamis swept the lowlands clean. At last, fully ashore, it drew a colossal breath and roared.
Krreeeeeeoooong!
Not the usual mana-laced fear roar of beasts—just a raw bellow. Yet it packed enough force that we needed mana barriers for our ears. A normal human nearby? Instant death.
Its full form was utterly grotesque: a crocodile head on a body like a turtle's, six pairs of legs, the whole thing a moving island. Its skin bristled with corals and reefs, armored like rock. Natural plating.
“Ha!”
Argin huffed in disbelief once the roar faded. Good—he hadn't lost his fire; his battle lust still blazed. Joseph and Jayke stayed grim. For them, this fight held deep meaning. Masters rarely faced stronger foes. Our territory had three for spars, but never life-or-death.
“Time to go.”
Argin, body warmed, stretched and advanced. Jayke and Joseph trailed steadily.
“Don't die, and I'll revive you. Go wild.”
With my cheer behind them, the three superhumans streaked toward the beast like gales. Size-wise? Ants charging a fortress wall.
As they vanished into the distance, Howard spoke. “You know they can't win, right?”
“Probably.”
No matter their peak-human prowess, the matchup sucked. They'd have better odds against a Black Drake, king of the Dragon Mountains.
“Too tough for those three.”
“You fought one before?”
“Not that one, but I've tangled with deep-sea beasts a few times.”
Howard had racked up adventures in his wandering days, it seemed.
“How'd it go?”
“Fighting in water's got limits for me. And deep-sea types? Most regenerate way faster than trolls. Real pains.”
By then, the three warriors had engaged. They started scaling a leg. Each one was easily 100 meters thick. The buildup of debris made footing easy—they ascended faster than expected. No intent to reach the back; they halted at the joints and struck.
Aura blades slashed the seemingly thick hide.
“Cuts, at least.”
“Yeah.”
No sooner had Howard spoken than the turtle-shell-like skin reverted to pristine.
Shocking for the three, no doubt.
“Think you could take it?”
“Duh. Nothing beats me on land.”
Howard shrugged it off. He was leagues stronger than when I'd last seen him. Even my soul sight couldn't gauge the gap.
The trio kept hammering away, but no real gains. Chunks hacked off regenerated seamlessly.
“Not yet.”
“That young one's got potential, though.”
Howard nodded at Argin. Yeah—the future Sword Saint.
“Stronger than you?”
“If I'm in human form? Maybe someday.”
“Time to pull 'em back.”
They'd just wear themselves out pointlessly. I teleported near, ordered retreat, and returned.
The three trudged back, frustration plain.
“Impressions?”
Silence. They'd basically just wailed on a wall—what was there to say?
“You learned something, at least. Especially you, Argin.”
A trial for the fearless genius.
“Never said it outright, but you're not the strongest human. Let's see... about seventh, roughly.”
My tally, with all continental intel. Seventh among all humans? Massive praise. But Argin looked gutted.
“Above you and Sir Howard... who else?”
We didn't even rank—neither of us pure humans.
“Tell you so you can go pick fights?”
He bowed his head again. This was Jayke's worry: Argin needed more maturity.
Howard shattered the heavy mood, rolling his shoulders as he stepped up.
“Guess it's my turn now?”