Chapter 77: Wearing human skin - A mountain for tigers and Jade
*Bzzt* *Bzzt*
~
Eren,
I was up for most of the night but I've found them all.
Or most of em.
Send through the details and I'll go and find Thanatos.
Master,
There is a problem with one of them.
What?
Well...
~
Eren's eyes lit up at what Jun sent through. Probably not the reaction Jun had in mind when he told Eren of the problem.
A malicious thought crossed the mind of Eren. A devious smile painted across the lips.
"Ahhhh!" Emi walked in on Eren's malicious smile. Or more having lips pulled back to look like a wicked grin.
"Why do you look like that?! Stop It, it's creeping me out." She asked, staying away from her brother or the monster with wicked intentions.
"Hmmm? Oh, it's nothing... Here, I've cooked your breakfast."
"Oh, thank you." She didn't doubt her brother's cooking but that smile... something she wouldn't want to see again.
"What are you up too today dear sister?" Asked Eren. Placing a healthy serving of bacon, eggs, toast, mushrooms, sausages, and hash browns. Everything a growing girl needs.
"Studying with Yui and Mayu today."
The two were her best friends and were always there for each other. Mayu and Yui were a great pair of girls and Eren was happy that Emi had those two by her sides.
"That's good they are welcome to come by for dinner tonight-"
"Noooo!" Her voice reached a tone she never knew she had. Yui and Mayu couldn't stop asking about Eren; 'The perfect man' To a group of 18-year old's, the pair were beyond obsessed.
'Does Eren have a girlfriend?', 'How tall is your brother?', 'Can I have his number?' Even worse is that news spread to others at school.
All asking similar but lewder questions than the poor girl ever thought about her dear brother.
"Are you okay" Asked Eren, a little stunned by her wail.
"I'm fine... But um... Thanks for breakfast." Emi dug in, trying not to show her reddened face.
"Oh... Okay..."
'This girl, always the mystery.' Eren shrugged it off.
"Either way, I'm out for the day. If you decide to change your mind about dinner then give me a call."
"Yes, Eren..." Emi was still a little embarrassed. "Um... C-can we have chicken parmigiana, with chips and salad?" She asked with that still red face.
'Someone's feeling nostalgic. Mum's famous homemade pub meal.' Eren planted a kiss on her Raven hair.
"Anything for you my dear little sister. I mean it when I say bring Yui and Mayu around too. Food like that is best shared with others."
"O-okay Eren." Emi's face grew redder.
Eren left into the cold but sunny streets. A good day in deed was about to start.
---
Gate info:
Name: Mountain of The Jade Emperor
Opening time: 2 Weeks, 3 days. Every 4 weeks
Danger level: B
Owners: Golden tigers
Last clear: 4 Months ago
Rewards for clear: gold, red crystals, Mana stones, Treasure of various kinds, essence of life and a rare chance of the jade emperor's blessing.
Time Remaining: 04: 03: 50: 12
---
Just outside the jurisdiction of ward 4 and the Silvermane guild sat the gate for today. Atop a small grassy hill which towered over a vast ocean of concrete.
"What are we looking for today?" Thanatos asked. His towering form stood beside the reaper; overlooking the world in their own way.
"We're after essence of life... It's a strange ingredient that according to my multi-talented apprentice can be found in this next gate." Eren answered. Jun gave a blush to being praised so highly.
"Hmmm. Why are you so happy?" Thanatos quizzed. Despite never smiling Eren gave it away with his body language. Standing straighter, hair better kept, eyes not as sunken. He had a plan in motion.
*Vrrrmmmm*
In the distance two cars came roaring up the hill. Sleek, black sedans; the true owners of the gate.
"Eren... What have you done?" Asked Thanatos with concern.
*Vrrrmmmm* *Vrrrmmmm*
The cars now louder now as they pulled up in front of them.
A young man exited the car with a group of men. A well-built physique, wearing a white buttoned shirt, with a black tie and golden cuff-links on the sleeves.
"What are you Silvermane scum doing on our turf? This is our gate." The young man spoke arrogantly.
"We were just sopping by. Taking all the stuff within if that's alright."
"Huh? Ya trying to start a fight, ya punk? I am Minato Tachibana; head of Golden tiger's gateway management and coordination division; you better not be thinking of causing any problems. Because, otherwise we will have to beat it into you that you can't steal from the golden tigers." Minato threatened, getting closer to the Reaper. Near enough to kiss if he so chose.
"Minato Tachibana. Good, I have a message from Dai and Yuri."
"Who-"
*TWHACK*
Eren's fist connected with the Golden Tiger's middle nose.
"This is for my students, you coward punching fuck."
Minato was sent flying back into the sedans from the force. Face bloody from what will now end in an utterly broken nose.
"Sir! Are you okay?" One of the men came to help up their boss.
"Okay we can go now." Eren entered the gate behind them followed by a very confused Jun and Thanatos.
"Eren... What was that about?" Jun asked as they entered the glowing blue portal.
"Revenge." Plain and simple.
***
Three weeks ago:
"You idiots." Eren stood over the battered faces of Dai and Yuri. Both of whom had been assaulted at Club Eden. Owned by Jun's sister, Mei.
Not sure to mad at the fact they nearly destroyed half the place with their fight or mad that they were in this place to begin with.
Club Eden, whilst not adults only; was still a place that served alcohol and provided more... Adult oriented services after hours. Not a place for highly hormonal boys to be.
"Sir... Can we at least explain ourselves?" Asked the young Yuri as Eren pulled out the splinters of wood from the boy's skin.
"..."
"Oh, Eren. I guarantee that we weren't there for those reasons." Said Mei, coming over with a tray of drinks. Her top was an afront to modesty and Eren had to remind himself to not look at her cleavage.
The boys took their drinks and went quiet.
"Explain. Tell me why you were in this place." Ordered Eren, voice devoid of all emotion.
"Well... They serve really, really good fried chicken here. Miss Jiao lets us stay as long as we don't order any alcohol and don't bother anyone." Yuri began.
"Yeah. Then these pricks from the golden tigers come in. Starting to hassle some of the girls." Dai continued.
"One of them, some punk named Minato, started throwing his weight around like he owned the place. Grabbing some of the servers."
"So, we told em off, then one of them smashes Yuri's plate, chicken everywhere and then we fought back..." Eren sensed something wasn't right, something Dai was not telling.
"Mei. How much of it is true?" He asked.
"Oh... Well, they pretty much covered all of it." Mei also seemed to hide something.
"..." Eren looked back to Dai and Yuri. Analytical eyes that would see the truth anything eventually. He just needed to wait until one-folds.
To which Yuri couldn't hold it back anymore.
"'We', threw the first punch sir..." The young man confessed. His voice full of shame for what had happened.
"But they were gonna-"
"Enough. I've taught you both that you need to be better than that, don't start the fights, finish them. You failed today. You're lucky it's me that came to get you and not the cops." The pair went silent.
Mei gave an apologetic look. "They really were trying to do the right thing-"
"Thank you, Mei, but they are my responsibility." Eren cut her off.
Now a tower to the two boys. A figure of fear but respect.
"If you two want to play heroes then fine but know the consequences that come with it. What should be your punishment?"
Yuri raised one hand but still looked at the floor. "I-I... Think we do extra laps around the field for the next month."
"Hmmmmm."
"We... Should um... do more cleaning duties too." Said Dai.
"Hmmmmm."
These two were circling the right punishment but not quite there yet.
"We should... Pay for the damages and help repair this place?" Finally, Yuri had the right idea.
"Yeah. What Yuri said. I can cut my duck tail off as well-"
"Stop. Yuri got it right. It's about fixing problems you cause. Not making your life any more miserable." Yuri and Dai bowed their heads in shame. Beginning to leave the club.
"Where are you going? I haven't decided on you your punishment yet."
The two young men froze. Waiting with baited breath.
"Nothing."
They looked at their teacher confused. "Sir?"
"You may have instigated a fight and destroyed someone else's property... But you did so to help those who needed it. Also, willing to own up to your mistakes and fix them. I'm proud of you two."
Both were stunned by what Eren said. So used to a lifetime of criticism and being told they weren't good enough; this praise was alien to the two.
"How much Mei?" Eren would foot the bill. What kind of leader would he be if he didn't.
"Ahhhhhhh... No need. Ever since the Silvermane moved back in business has been booming. Your students are quite fond of my fried chicken, ya know." Mei spoke with a smile, trying to hide her excellence in her voice.
"Students?" Eren was not expecting all of them to be here.
"Please don't ban us from club Eden, sir!" Yuri and Dai spoke quickly. Head glued to the floor. Never had Eren seen such devotion from the boys. It must be greater than the gods to earn such a reaction.
"I'll think about it." Eren took his leave with that ominous promise. Leaving the two young men in a state of uncertainty.
They couldn't lose their beloved fried chicken served by beautiful women.
***
Present:
*Clang* *Fwip* *Slice* *Thunk*
The gate was the 'Mountain of the jade Emperor.' A long and winding mountain, built amongst bamboo trees and stone, surrounded by a sea of clouds. A near endless ascent awaited them.
However, this was a B-rank gate. As such monsters were abundant. Beastmen. Wolf men, Tiger men and hedgehog men blocked their path to the summit. Each no match for the armies of shadows.
"What are we looking for?" Thanatos asked as they pushed through another wave of beasts.
"Essence of life. I've got no idea what it is, but Jun said it's a flower. Apparently, only found up on this mountain."
"It will be guarded by the boss, who in turn will drop the exact amount we need. Then, we will get the blessing of the jade emperor." Eren, almost exacerbated already.
Already noticing a pattern of events that seem to follow them around.
"Were you always a jaundiced cunt or have you recently become one?" Thanatos mused at Eren's annoyance with the world at large.
Eren looked over to the large man.
"Fuck off." Was the reply.
Jun smiled through it all, he was just happy to be here, learning off the two Reapers.
---
Finally at the peak. There, the boss slept. A beast of white fur and green eyes. An ape-like creature that must have stood 10 meters tall. It had the body of an ape, the face of a man and a tail like a snake. Each foot, tipped with golden claws.
"How will we do this-"
A horde of at least 60+ shadows cut of Thanatos before he could even ask.
Charging the beastman. One by one, swords, arrows, hammers, even fangs sunk deep into its flesh; not even able to awaken from its slumber the beast was torn apart. Blood and viscera covered the stone paving of the mountaintop.
Finally, Guren. With the ever reliable. 'Blood flash cannon.' Blew the head off the boss with ease. A great gout of blood splashed against Eren and Thanatos.
"No wonder you're such a prick. You take all the fun out of this."
"Hmmmmph." Eren grunted back. He was tired, angry, and now covered in monkey blood.
Meanwhile, Jun was busy scrounging around through the headless beast. Searching for the Essence of Life.
"AH HA." He exclaimed. "Here it is, a small flower that looks like a lotus but it's petals are made from... Jade."
"Good we can keep going-"
A small wisp of green floated out of the corpse. "Thank you, brave adventures. I am-"
"Told you. Now that thing will offer us the Jade Emperor's blessing." Eren was right once more.
"Brave adventures, I am the jade emperor. And I would like to give you my blessing-"
"Jun you have it I'm going home to have a shower." Eren began to leave the gate. Shadows melding into the stone, leaving behind Thanatos and Jun.
'I need to ask Baelor about this. Coincidence after coincidence...' Like he was a protagonist in some novel. Pieces just fell into place with very little effort. But nothing should ever have come that easy. At least not in this world.
As Eren left the bamboo mountain. Entering back into the real world. His senses were overwhelmed by something awaiting on the other side.
Walking through, a voice it confronted him
"Eren, what have you done?"