Chapter 208: Rise to Power

The Great Last Lord had been alive for roughly 10,000 years.

Before Demon King Earl was even born, he was already in the Furnace gathering followers to do his bidding. He grew stronger slowly compared to the Horned that he met in his time, but it was always consistent. While others had breakthroughs to get through each level, he, on the other hand, just had to bide his time.

In 8000 years, he made it to the SS rank from the F rank, and in 2000 more years he made it from the SS rank to the G rank. Though this seemed like a terrifying amount of time, every year that went by he really did have a consistent increase in power. In 500 more years, he'd likewise be in the midlevel of the G rank, and in 500 after that, he'd be in the peak of the G rank!

No one quite understood what was different about the Last Great Lord than any other human or Authoritarian in the Furnace. He was just a normal six foot tall man on the outside with long white hair flowing off his balding head. He had two extremely sharp eyes, and in some ways looked both young and old at the same time. However, if he was ordinary, the destruction he caused would've never happened.

The Great Last Lord pretty much stayed hidden inside of a mountain for 9000 years. He was well aware that he wasn't strong enough to defeat the strongest Varlen, or Aresoul. So, at the time, he just patiently waited for his strength to grow. Not a single soul knew about him. The countless wars went on in the Furnace and he just observed.

However, on the day he reached the SSS rank, he suddenly got up from the cave he was in and went outside. From that day onward, the Furnace was never the same. Over three nations that used to be located in the Furnace were wiped out in a matter of days.

Harkel, explaining this all to Howard, took him over to the cavern where the Great Last Lord was kept. Even inside of the mountain, he was still slowly growing stronger. And there wa still one nation he hated above all others. The Horned, and specifically Demon King Earl. If it hadn't been for him, he would've already taken over the Furance! However, what was another 5 years waiting when he waited over 10,000 years! 

"He's going to seem like a reasonable person, but don't let him fool you. He's probably thousands of times smarter than you in every area you can imagine. However, his greatest weakness is his arrogance. That's how Demon King Earl was able to defeat him. However, you-you will have to defeat him with pure strength. Are you sure you want to see him?"

"I don't understand. Why would you show him to me now? Are you expecting me to forgive you for what you did to Jenny?" Howard shook his head, and walked side by side with Harkel. "Also, shouldn't i try and get close to him. Maybe I can learn something form him with my Emperor's Ki."

"He doesn't use Ki," Harkel shook his head, and gently pushed Howard back. "We believe he might not even be from this world. He could've been put here to destroy it thousands of years ago! If not for Demon King Earl, he might have succeeded?"

"Different world? What do you mean?" Howard shook his head in disbelief. "How can he be from a different world. What world could he be from?"

"The Furnace, is a place with high amounts of Ki." Harkel pushed Howard back and snapped his fingers before an array disappeared in front of him. "We believe, however, that it's also an extremely attractive resource for those that are strongest in this universe. The Great Last Lord may have been sent here from a higher realm in a weakened state. We believe if he succeeds, a species from a higher realm will enter into the Furnace and take it over. Once that happens, nothing you love will be left! Forget about the G rank, we'll be dealing with beings that can destroy this entire planet with their finger!"

Howard couldn't believe what he was hearing, but nonetheless felt somewhere deep down inside that he should believe it. When he'd trained with Demon King Earl, he did make it clear that his strength was only at the bottom of the barrel. However, how strong would a person have to be to destroy a planet with their finger? He somewhat laughed while Harkel walked towards the entryway where the Great Last Lord was kept.

Howard's heart instantly started to race while he looked at the shadow of a man seemed to grow larger and larger towards him. Why? Why was this man so terrifying? He didn't even see him yet, but he instantly felt like he'd lost all his breath!

'Why? Why isn't that man dead yet?" Howard's teeth started to grow. He could almost hear thousands of people screaming from the aura that the Great Last King released. He'd felt a similar aura from Necrolith, but this one had to be 10,000 times greater in strength. "I-I'll kill you! I don't care how strong you are, I'll wipe you out of the Furnace!"

"Step further back," Harkel activated his Ghost Domain and used it to push Howard further away. "He-he has that affect on people. He wants you to go insane! Luckily, haha! I'm already insane! I can handle it!"

"Hoh, it seems the day has brought quite a blessing to my doorstep," the Great Last Lord stood up and appeared by the entrance to the cave. His white hair, flowing down his back, looked like a large snake was behind him. "Howard, is it? You look just the opposite I expected you to look like. I'm betting when your mother and father died, they must have been so disappointed."

"You-you bastard! I'll chop off your head!" Howard grinded his teeth further into his lips before a gigantic pillar of Ki shot off of his body. "You-you think you know me! Well just give me three years, I'll kill you!"

"The chances of that are as astronomical as Jenny living more than five weeks," The Great Last Lord shook his head and fixed his black tunic. "No, I think she's trying pretty hard to fix the Ki Cells of hers that you overran with that silver Ki of yours. Maybe she has a 10 percent chance to live. Haha, but if she does die, you'll be the reason!"

"What is he talking about?" Howard suddenly stopped powering up. Instantly, he turned around and looked towards Jenny's tent. "Harkel, do you know what he's talking about?"

"I don't, but just ignore him. We're done here, Howard. I just wanted you to feel that aura of death, so you could be motivated. Whatever he says, 99 percent of it is bullshit! Jenny is fine! I already examined her myself! There is nothing wrong with her." Harkel began walked towards Howard while the Great Last Lord laughed. He could tell he was affecting Howard, and walked one step closer before a gigantic burst of energy shot into him.

Boom!

The array protecting the Great Last Lord activated and instantly he shot back a step while an extremely hideous scowl appeared on his face. However, a second later, that got replaced with a smile. He saw Howard walk one step, and then two steps closer to him. 

'Little man, just a little bit closer and I can tell you all the secrets you want to hear,' the Great Last Lord smiled widely while Howard grinded his fist into a ball. 'Geez, I tell you one thing Harkel didn't have the heart to tell you, and you walk right up to my doorstep. I can't wait to use you to escape. Just 10 steps closer!'

"What do you mean, Jenny is dying?" Howard said, stopping after five steps. "How do you know that? I've slept with her every night, and gave her blood every morning. She looks strong! Her strength is already approaching the A rank!"

"Yes, but do you think your biology and hers can align? You have 60 Ki Hearts now, and that wouldn't be a problem except for that Silver Ki Heart of yours. You know…. It's quite an interesting type of Ki Cells that heart creates. It's so powerful that no one under the S rank can live with it in their body for more than six weeks. How about this? As a present, I'll tell you the way to save Jenny. Destroy that Silver Ki Heart and then give her your blood for nine days. She'll have at least a 90 percent chance of living if you do that."

"You're lying!" Howard held up his hand before a gigantic fire ball appeared in front of him. "I'll kill you! I'll rip you to shreds!"

"Stop it! The array is weaker on the outside! You might just destroy it, and free him! Then, he'll kill everyone you love," Harkel grabbed Howard's hand and tugged him along. "Now, can't you tell he's lying? Can't you feel that aura of death! Stop falling for it Howard!"

Harkel truthfully sensed that something was wrong with Jenny, but not to the level that the Great Last King was describing. Though she would suffer a lot in the next 6 weeks, it was only because of the pain that Howard's blood was causing her as it flowed through her veins. Yet, this was one of the greatest strengths of the Great Last King! His intelligence, and his ability to turn people against each other! He was taking something that he knew that Howard would freak out over, and using it to try and get him to approach a few steps closer.

Harkel sighed, and pulled Howard harder towards him. 

"Kid, he's lying to you. I already checked Jenny's body. She's in pain, but will be fine in a few months! Her body just needs time to get used to it! He's clearly lying to you!"

"If he's lying, than why does it make so much sense!" Harvard pulled himself free from Harkel and walked two more steps forward. "I-I would've stopped giving her my blood if you told me Harkel! Why? Why did I forgive you! You're just as bad as the Night Lords!"

Howard walked one more step closer and smiled while the Great Last Lord's face twitched. One more step! One more step and he could use his energy to make Howard fall to his knees! He just needed him to walk one step further!

"I-I see something inside of you Great Last Lord that I envy," Howard reached his hand forward just a few inches from where the Great Last Lord would be able to control him and smiled. "However, tell me? Is there anything else Harkel hasn't told me? Do you want to tell me why you want to take over the Furnace?"

"Because I'm destined to take it over," The Great Last Lord smiled, and pointed at the ground, "I'm destined to make the Furnace a perfect place where all alternate realities are in sync. You-you Howard, could join me, all you have to do is take one more step! All your dreams will come true! All the women you want will beg for you to be there for them! Just one more step!"

Howard took one step back and shook his head. 

"Heh, I may be young, but I think you overestimated this Great Last Lord, Harkel." Howard turned around and shook his head. "I think not only am I going to outsmart him, but I'm going to kill him in the most miserable fashion he can imagine."

"That's more like it," Harkel laughed and patted Howard on the back. "Hahaha! Do you hear that Great Last Lord? The kid is going to crush you! With all that intelligence of yours, tell us, do you think he'll be able to do it?"

"In three years I'll escape from here, and by that time two of those four girls will be dead because of my henchmen. The one with the green hair you'll probably watch die in front of you. Monica, was it? That other one, Harley, will also die trying to protect you. I'd say, I have a 95 percent chance of killing you then, but it could be higher. Of course, I'll kill those other two girls while you're watching to make your death all the more tragic. Is that the answr you seeked?"

"You're insane," Howard said, stepping away from the Great Last Lord with a smile on his face. "I bet I have a 100 percent chance of killing you. And on the day you escape, I'll be here waiting for you with all my girls. We'll kill you together."

"And now��� now my confidence went up to 97 percent." The Great Last Lord watched Howard walk away while he sighed and closed his eyes. "You, Howard, are like the perfect enemy. Completely unaware of his blind spots. I can't wait until I slowly and carefully reveal them all to you. It's going to be terrifying watching you suffer, and so much fun."