Requiem Of A Failed Hero

Few hours later, the rest of the group that went on hunting for monster resources arrived and joined the dinner celebration, people chattered and kids played here and there as a large pot wide enough to contain the carcass of the monster slices to different parts.

Chefs could be seen standing on makeshift platforms to be able to reach the pot, stir and do other things. By night, the food was available in large potion. The first things they did was to bring the food to Raith's front, everyone anxiously sat down as they waited for Raith to taste the food. The chefs anxiously waited in front of him.

They had been very good chefs in Therut and had were the best there, but before Raith they doubted their skills and hoped that Raith would truly enjoy it.

As Raith took the first bite of tenderized meat, it hit his buds so badly that he wanted to cry.

"It's good, sooooo good. Ten over ten!" He said giving them a thumbs up.

The anxiety on the chefs disappeared and jumped happily, so did the rest of the people. They went on to dive into thr delicacy for the night.

Beer was supplied, Raith had them use teleportation to get enough beer to go round for the adults. By dawn, the entire place was filled with people who had passed out or where sleeping on the floor and different areas and corners of the pseudo town.

The rising of the sun, cast a serene cantaloupe hue to the land.

Raith and Ruan Zhaohui came out and Raith bowed his head slightly as she walked to her helicopter. She had decided to stay the night and had all the fun with them which was a very warm-hearted thing to do.

Raith watched as her helicopter fluttered away. He inhaled and exhaled, the next time they would be meeting is when he is ready to challenge the gate in America.

He looked around for Mok Jae-Hwa but it was quite hard to find the young man. Finally he saw him sleeping, curled up in the corner between two shabby houses.

It then took another while to wake him.

"Jae-Hwa..."

"Yes..."

Mok Jae-Hwa's reply was sluggish.

"Where is your father?"

"Americ....ssshhuu!!" He sneezed.

Raith shook his head and walked away. Mok Jun-Seo had left since he heard about Li Mingwu's death and since then no one has heard anything from him. Now, that he would be going to fight the monster that killed his master, Raith wanted to inform Mok Jun Seo and promise him to have at the head of the monster.

He went back into his lodge which for now had only one room apart from the main hall. He had to let Ruan Zhaohui use the room overnight so he didn't get any sleep and instead decided to patrol the whole place while everyone had recklessly slept off.

Maria and Slyvia was there with him too. Of course Slyvia with her grumpy attitude ended up leaving a while later and it was just he and Maria who for some reasons had a glowing skin, she had obviously become fresher.

Was it because of the sun or because of atmosphere. It was both.

Raith fell to the bed on his face and in a minute or two easily slept off.

Later in the late afternoon he was woken up by an annoying presence.

Raith stood up sluggishly but after a few seconds of booting, his eyes cleared.

He looked up and saw Bastien.

"What is this? Have you gotten it?"

Bastien was with a frown, he was angry but he still responded pouting his mouth,

"Yes, all ten stones have been secured."

A bright smile invaded Raith's face.

'I didn't expect this to happen to early. But I guess it is no bad idea since I will be gaining more skills and he will even be helping me assimilate with the greed sin. All the better, I will be prepared for the battle to come.'

Raith walked outside. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and the snows on the ground had greatly reduced. Sound of hammering could be heard here and there as people were busy building this and that.

In front of Raith's lodge there was a table and chair, it was where he was made to sit yesterday when they wanted him to taste the food they made.

The large pot was missing, seems like they have taken it away to go wash or something. It'd be stupid to ask about such a thing.

Raith sat down, as Bastien began to bring to arrange the boxes of runestones beside him.

So many runestones to absorb, Raith looked at the pile of runestones that were in front of him. The one Jarvis had brought for him yesterday, even Crimson had also brought a lot of runestones.

'Should I absorb all? Or I should probably share some with the people who have awakened their skills'

For now, he focused his attention on these ten runestones.

He opened the first box and pick the runestone, clenching his fist around it.

[Congratulations, you have gained an SSR ranked skill]

[Congratulations, you have gained a USR ranked skill]

[Congratulations, you have gained a USR ranked skill]

[Congratulations, you have gained a gained a EX ranked skill]

[Congratulations, you have gained a UR ranked skill]

[Congratulations, you have gained a...

It went on and on till Raith had absorbed all ten runestones. He then inhaled as he opened his status to see the skills he had gained.

They were too good to let go.

[Skills]

- Deep Freeze(SSR): Freezes a target for an indefinite amount of time.

- Weather Prediction(SR): ability to predict the weather condition up to weeks and months.

- Paralyze(SR): able to paralyze a target upon contact when skill is activated.

- Drain(SSR): able to drain and absorb a target's energy with a touch.

- Special Parallel Operation(UEX): no info

- God Eye(EX): imbues the user's sight with immense visual prowess.

- Body Cloning(SSR): can create a clone of your body.

- Observer's Eye(SSR): a visual powers that enables user to vividly see all the energies in the air.

- Nullify Magic(UR): nullify certain magic attacks.

- Strengthen Body(USR): allows user to strengthen his body

Raith rubbed his chin...

"Delete weather prediction"

[You have gained 100 skill fragments]

Raith looked down the list of skills that spread out before his eyes. Apart from weather prediction, there was no other skill worth deleting. The rest of these skills look like they would be very useful in the coming combat.

He looked towards the runestones that were piled up.

'Should I just depend on those ones? But the skill fragments that will come from them wouldn't be sufficient.'

Raith sighed.

If he really wanted to do this, then he had no choice but to use these skills. Besides, these piled up runestones were going to take forever to absorb.

Crying internally, Raith started:

"Delete strengthen body"

[You have gained 200 skill fragments]

"Delete observer's eyes"

[You have gained 200 skill fragments]

[You have gained 200 skill fragments]

...

Finally, Raith settled with three skills, he couldn't bring himself to delete.

[God's eye]

[Body Cloning]

[Special Parallel Operation]

He left God's eyes because of how interesting it sounded. It was so obvious from the skull description that his visual prowess would increase tenfold should he begin to use the skill.

As for Body Cloning, Raith was beginning to have an idea come up in his head. He might not even have to use all the skill fragments if necessary.

"So...?"

Raith attention went up to Bastien who was standing in front of him.

"Give me a little time. There is something I want to do."

He stood and went inside.

"Use skill shadow creation"

The system interface opened before his eyes.

"But instead of using shadow as the property, I'd love to use another material"

[Specify material]

Raith closed his eyes, and his flesh separated into two, creating an exact mimic of his body.

"Use this..."

[Create body features]

Raith scribbled a few things here and there and finished up.

Then the system did its thing... after a few minutes. It was done.

The body was first shrouded in darkness but as time went by the second, the darkness faded to reveal pitch black straight hair that gently hung over a craggy face with bulging grey eyes, appealing in a menacing way.

The body was tall but slimmer than Raith's original body, he made some changes here and there including adding a scar across its face to prevent it from being as handsome as he is.

"This is nice."

Raith grinned, he was glad this went the way he planned it too. Now, he could save all those gathered skill fragments for emergency times.

He stepped our and called to Bastien.

"It's ready."

"So quick?"

Bastien was shocked but he followed Raith into his lodge and saw the body standing there.

"Wow..." Bastien's eyes went round as he looked at the body.

It was flesh and blood, looking like an exact human.

"How..." He mumbled but went to sleep as Beelzebub emerged.

"Indeed, I was not wrong about you. Now let me take a look if it will be able to take my soul without shattering."

As he spoke, he began to completely detach himself from Bastie's body. Detaching himself completely, he shot into the new body.