Chapter 180: An Untimely Meeting

Harlock Passage, 

The morning sun seemed to get absorbed by the sulfur clouds drifting in front of them. A few people were going about their daily routine, however, most of the people in Harlock passage remained in their homes because the Varlen, Horned, and Aresoul were meeting in the center of the town.

Normally, the people in Harlock Passage, with their inability to use Ki, would live their days peacefully. However, they could tell, just by looking at the clouds in the air, that Ki Storms had started to increase in frequency. Most of the time, that meant there were more Ki Disturbances in the Furnace. And more Ki Disturbances only meant one thing, and that was more fighting.

It was unfortunate that things would get much worse sooner than they got better. In the back of a hotel, in a small meeting room in the center of Harlock Village, Annibell and Reslan sat across from the Varlen and Aresoul leaders.

Kreal, the leader of the Aresoul, and Hakrlanknot, the new leader of the Varlen, took deep breaths in annoyance while Annibell described the incoming Archelon Zombie army. The three nations hadn't worked together for thousands of years, but right now, it seemed they may have no choice but to team up.

"You're telling me that 100,000 zombies in the A rank are about to attack your East Branch? What do you want me to do? I only have 1000 warriors in the A rank at most, and only 100 S rank warriors!" Kreal slammed his hand down onto the table. "Ha, you must think I'm insane! You Horned agitated the Night Lords years ago, and are paying the price! There is no way the Aresoul can help you! Especially after your Founder Carter invaded our territory during an execution no less! That Una should be dead, but now you expect me to work with her in battle?"

"I agree with the Aresoul," Hakrlanknot said. He had long white strands of hair that snaked down his body and almost seemed to curl around his entire being. "There has to be a reason they are attacking the Horned first. Unless you can prove, without a doubt, that they mean harm to all our three nations, we have to assume that it's in our best interest not to get involved."

"I-I talked to Blake about this," Annibell said. Her beautiful body heaving while she looked back and fourth between Hakrlanknot and Kreal. "Ugh, we expect that there are close to 10 million Archelon Zombies out there. If he only wanted to destroy us, wouldn't he have sent his entire army?"

"Ha, 10 million? You're all pathetic," Kreal laughed and slammed his hand into the table. "Ha, summoning a single Archelon Zombie probably takes Armecolith a day! How could he summon 10 million Archelon Zombies?"

Archelon Zombies had been known since the time of Demon King Earl, and were a sort of defense type zombie. There were many types of zombies, attack type, evil types, magic type zombies, and defense type zombies. However, Archelon Zombies were one of the strongest defense type zombies. Each Night Lord could summon a certain type of zombie if he spent enough time and energy. However, 10 million?! That would take at least 2000 years!

"We-we expect he has help from the others," Reslan sighed and brushed Annibel's beautiful black hair out of her eye. You could see a noticeably agitated look on his face. "We believe he might be working with 10 other Night Lords."

"How do you know this?" Kreal questioned before taking a drink from his glass. He seemed to already be thinking about leaving, and Reslan could see it in his eyes. However, they had to get them to join in on their cause! 100,000 A rank zombies would be able to create monsterous amounts of destruction! If they got within 100 meters of the East Branch, in a second by attacking together, they could make all the buildings in the East Branch disappear!

Reslan's mind rushed a mile a minute before his eyes glinted mysteriously. He pointed over to a small map on the wall of the explored Furnace that Annibell had carefully pinned before the meeting. There were 18 red markings which indicated where the Night Lords were on the map. Reslan tapped his finger, and pointed at a small noncombattant Horned before he pulled off the top of the map. Underneath it, a much more revealing map was revealed.

"As you can see, we believe that 10 of the Night Lords are working together. As you know, Demon King Earl banned them from staying in the same area for too long, however, there is a chance they got around this." Reslan was referring a battle along time ago against Demon King Earl and the 18 Night Lords. And everyone in the room knew about it.

Demon King Earl had been on his way back from Arthraku Nation after fighting Garan before he encountered a band of reprobates that at the time went by the Skulls. 

There had been a fierce battle, and Demon King Earl instantly realized that their potential for evil was insane. Using the last bit of his energy at the time, he used a special array to completely confound the Night Lords to 18 separate areas. However, no array was permanent! It seemed, however, that the Night Lords had outsmarted them. They stayed in the same area, and formed agreements to reunite behind the scenes!

However, obviously there were some people who didn't want to believe they were working together. After all, the Night Lords had been told for centuries to hate each other! Even back when they were known as the Skulls, they only came together every once in a while to fight a common enemy! There was no way, the Aresoul, who scouted the Night Lords locations almost night and day, would have missed them teaming up!

"NONSENSE!" Kreal laughed. "If you have proof, show me."

"I do!" Reslan tossed out a photo, and instantly Kreal paled, "Thats' Necrolith in the back leading Armecolith's army. Do you understand, idiots? If we don't work together, the Night Lords are going to rain supreme!"

The room quieted and the sound of a pin drop falling at this moment would have been heard clearly. In the time it took for the sun to all but disappear beneath the mountain in the distance, a voice finally broke the awkwardness.

Hakrlanknot stood up and walked towards the door before his sagacious visage slowly turned. "I can provide 10,000 B rank Dream Beasts, and 100 A rank Varlan Dream Riders and 1 S rank Dream Eclipse Warrior. However, if more than 1000 Dream Beasts die, we will have no choice but to retreat. I expect the Aresoul to do the same. Otherwise, we are all doomed,"

"HAHAHAHA! Me help you?" Kreal's smacked his leg, and smirked. "Tell you what? I'll come by myself to watch your demise! You think I'll ally with you? Why not ask the Macralin? You-you're the reason Nellon disappeared! Our best warrior in a 1000 years is dead! You can all go to hell!"

"Nellon, Nellon is alive," Annibell smiled, "We figured you'd still be mad about that, so in agreeance for working with us, we promise to release him," Reslan nodded his head and smiled at his wife while she tactfully placed down a large chalice full of the sweetest wine. "We want 1000 Aresoul Warriors in the A rank, and you to personally come and assist us, or he's going to get executed! What? Cat got your tongue?"

"If he's really alive, I underestimated you," Kreal sighed and doned his black coat. His black hair surging behind him while a smile appeared on his face. "2000 Aresoul Warriors and 100 S rank Aresoul Captains will be there assist you. However, that's only if we get proof Nellon is alive. After this battle, however, we have to talk about Una. She violated our rules, and for the peace of our nations, she's going to have to die!"

"We can talk about it if we survive," Annibell sighed and crossed her arms, "Now go! Go get your troops, and meet us at East Branch's Great Sealed Mountains! And hurry! In 10 days, they will already have arrived!"

###

Howard closed his eyes with Jenny sleeping on his lap.

She was snoring with her mouth open, and her cute brunette, blonde-tipped hair bobbed up and down against his legs while she slept peacefully. Looking at her closed eyes, her pale skin seemed to shimmer in the moonlight like a precious jade. However, Howard did not seem happy basking in her glory at the current moment. He deactivated a Ki Projection he had used much earlier in the day before a large number of thoughts shot through his head.

With his Ki Projection, he could literally be in more than one place at once, however, it took a while for him to figure out what the Ki Projection from earlier knew. 

It was complicated, but also simple.

When Oclen told Howard that there was a meeting between the Varlen and the Aresoul, and the Horned he decided to send his Ki Projection to Harlock Passage, because that's where he figured the meeting would be. And now, 5 hours later, his mind had finally figured out what their conversation was about.

Looking down at Jenny's cute countenance one more time, he smiled and gently put his hand down her back before staring at her beautiful inset features.

Jenny had gotten a little rough when they kissed earlier, and he could see a bruise on the top of her lip from trying to 'fight' him in a romantic game. However, a little bit earlier, before he'd had the time to enjoy her lucsious lips, he'd testing something, and didn't like the results.

'My Ki Projections can now be sent over 1000 kilometers away to pick up information. I-I can't believe that the East Branch is going to get attacked and they haven't told me!'

'How am I supposed to focus, when Monica and Reece are going to be fighting without me! Whats the damn point of me being strong, if I can't use it to protect those I love!' Howard sighed and nodded his head. 

'So what? I have to make a choice between killing Armecolith or saving the East Branch? I-I'm going to do both! I don't care what Annibell, and Reslan try to hide from me! It's my decision! There is no reason I can't sneak out when Oclen and Harlock are sleeping! I'm so tired of being ignored?"

"Can we talk?" Oclen walked into the cavern, causing Jenny to instantly jump up off of Howard's chest. She had on a green top, but had to adjust it slightly after Howard vigorously massaged almost every part of her back. "I-I have to tell you about something. I-I think… I think I have to leave tomorrow. If I'm correct, three people are going to try and kill me soon, and I don't want you to be around to see it."