Book 5: Chapter 236: Immortal
“Well, if that’s your wish, I’ll oblige.”
Luna flashed a stunning smile and then…
“This is called baseball, right? I remember this is how they pitch…”
She stepped forward, twisting her waist, raising her leg, and moving her body to throw the pebble with a pitcher’s stance perfectly.
Wang Defa finally noticed something was wrong.
Because…
When she stepped forward, why did the ground within a ten-meter radius sink by a few inches, leaving spiderweb-like cracks in it?
When she twisted her waist, why did thunder erupt, with gusts of wind slicing through the air, sharp as a knife against his face?
When she raised her leg, why did it feel as if all the air had been sucked from space, leaving him gasping for breath, with an odd sensation of tightness in his chest?
When she moved her body to the side, why did an overwhelming sense of fear grip him? It was the kind of fear only felt when facing a man-eating beast—no, not a beast, but something monstrous, like the creatures that towered over buildings in movies and novels…Wang Defa didn’t understand, couldn’t understand. His mind spun in confusion. Was this a dream? Or a nightmarish reality? He could only watch as Luna, moving as if in slow motion, prepared to throw the pebble.
If this is a dream, please let me wake up.
Wang Defa silently prayed to some unknown deity.
And then…
BOOM!
In an instant, a deafening hum seemed to rip through the heavens and earth, sweeping past his ears.
Wang Defa opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the howling wind filled his mouth with sand and gravel.
His vision whitened.
The world shook.
His mind couldn’t process what was going on.
His body felt weightless, as if he was floating in the void.
After a long moment, he finally regained some clarity, his vision finally focusing. He stared blankly at Luna, who wore an expression of regret, her lips moving as if she had said something.
He turned his head instinctively…
And his heart nearly stopped.
A trail of flames, at least five meters wide, stretched from his side all the way up to the top of a distant hill.
At the top of the hill, nearly a hundred meters high, there was a massive meteor crater-like hole, so large that it could occupy half the hill.
The fiery heat radiated outward, overwhelming his senses.
“W-What…”
Wang Defa’s legs gave up and he fell back on his rear. “What happened?”
Luna smiled, glancing at him, but didn’t speak. Instead, a voice rang directly in his ears.
“The stone was too small to withstand my full strength. This is thrown with… probably about ten percent of my strength.”
Wang Defa was mindblown. He could only stare blankly at the destruction before him as a foul stench slowly rose from his lower body.
Huh? Ten percent?
She almost destroyed an entire hill with only… ten percent of her strength…?
If that was just ten percent…
Wang Defa couldn’t believe what was going on.
Another question then popped into his mind.
What the hell is she?
Or rather, what exactly is the woman I tried to kidnap and to possess?
Luna ignored the dazed Wang Defa—a complete and utter piece of trash who wasn’t worth her attention.
She walked over to Tadashi, who was staring off into the distance, and waved her hand in front of his eyes.
“Heeeello, Tadashi? Is your soul still in your body?”
“I…”
Tadashi blinked, looking at Luna with a blank gaze, then at the hill, and then back at Luna. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no sound came out for a long while.
Finally, one or two fragments of Tadashi’s soul seemed to have returned to him. His eyes widened with sudden panic.
“Lady Luna! Please forgive my rudeness from before!”
In a swift motion, Tadashi dropped to his knees at Luna’s feet, bowing in a deep apology.
“Oh, you’ve only just realized that you’ve offended me now?” Luna smiled.
“I… I’ve been too ignorant before. Please forgive me, Lady Luna!”
“Oh? You’re not gonna keep up with that fancy speech of yours in my presence now?” Luna teased.
“This humble one is not qualified to speak like in your presence!”
“……”
Luna looked at Tadashi, finding his increasingly reverent attitude a little awkward for her.
“Alright, alright, I’m not a monster. Get up.”
“Lady Luna must be joking, monster is hardly a fitting description for you! If you were a monster, you’d surely be the greatest of them all, the supreme among them all!”
“Stop flattering me and get up.” Luna kicked him lightly.
Tadashi stayed on his knees, cautiously glancing up at her.
“Miss Luna… you aren’t really some kind of monster, right?”
“Do I look like a monster to you?” Luna replied, unimpressed.
“Haha, of course not… not at all.”
After getting up, Tadashi glanced at the distant hill behind him. He scratched his head and gave her a sincere smile.
“Miss Luna is so beautiful, there’s no way you’d be a monster.”
“That’s right.”
Luna beckoned him closer.
“Come closer then.”
“Oh.” Tadashi took a few steps forward.
“Just a bit more. I don’t bite.”
“Oh.” Tadashi took a few more steps forward.
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Why are you inching toward me? Are you sure you’re not treating me like a monster?”
“Of course!”
Tadashi gritted his teeth and mustered his courage to stride toward Luna and stand directly in front of her.
“Good.”
Luna raised her hand and placed it gently on Tadashi’s forehead.
[ Heal ]
A soft green light glowed from her palm, and Tadashi immediately felt a wave of comfort spread through his body.
Pain gradually faded, replaced by a soothing, almost tingling sensation that made him hum with relief.
It didn’t take long before Tadashi realized that all the wounds on his body had healed. As he ran his hands over his face, the uncomfortable swelling had completely disappeared, and his eyes finally opened fully. His vision was no longer limited, as if squeezed between two mountains.
“M-My… injuries’ completely healed.”
Tadashi was so relieved and excited that he almost jumped up.
The last traces of his fear toward Luna were quickly forgotten as he looked at her with awe and asked, “Miss Luna, what exactly are you?”
“Well… I’m…”
Luna stroked her chin thoughtfully, then smiled brightly.
“Probably an immortal who accidentally wandered into the mortal world.”
“An immortal…?”
Tadashi’s eyes sparkled with wonder.
“Can… can you teach me… I mean, this humble disciple a few immortal arts?”
“No. You won’t be able to learn it,” Luna flatly refused.
The magic energy in this world was thin to begin with. Even if she tried to teach him, Tadashi would only manage Rank 2 after decades of hard work.
But what was the use of becoming a Rank 2 mage? He wouldn’t be able to stand up against firearms. It would be better to join that so-called Team Dragon and find ways to awaken his abilities.
Despite Luna’s refusal, Tadashi persisted. He looked at her earnestly and pleaded, “Please, Miss Luna. Even if I learn immortal arts, I swear I’ll follow the rules. I won’t disrupt the peace of mortal world or leak the knowledge.”
“You’re pretty persistent, brat. Weren’t you acting all high and mighty before and even declared that you’d take me as your consort?” Luna teased.
Tadashi’s face turned red.
“That… that can wait until I mastered the immortal arts.”
“Oh, I see, you’ve got all your plans laid out. You’re thinking of going against your mentor huh?”
“Are you saying that you’ll—…”
“Sorry, the answer is still a no.”