Chapter 33: For Your Sake, I'll Spare Them This Time
There are no friendships or alliances in this world without reason. At least in Su Xiao's view, the alliance passed down between the Law Destroyers and the Demon Race wasn't all that reliable. Even if they truly became allies, he would have to forge those bonds himself, to judge for himself—friend or foe wasn't something the ancestral Law Destroyers could decide for him.
The Demon Race's efficiency far surpassed that of Asaka, the Black Abyss assassin organization. Asaka had mailed a sniper rifle days ago, and there was still no sign of it. Yet the "gift" sent by the Demon Race arrived in just five short hours.
Thump, thump, thump...
A knocking sound came from above the house. When Su Xiao opened the iron door, he found an old hag wrapped in a gray robe with a severe hunchback standing outside. Flames seemed to burn within her pupils.
Clang~
A low, cowbell-like sound. The demonic old hag at the door was the very one who collected tickets on the Demon Train!
Her hunchback was so severe that Su Xiao could barely make out her features, but there was no doubt—this was a terrifying existence.
The demonic old hag pulled a pitch-black jar from her bosom. It was about the size and thickness of a water cup, covered in countless dark red patterns, like the color of molten magma.
She handed the black jar to Su Xiao. After a moment's hesitation, he chose to accept it. Then something unexpected happened—the old hag actually lifted her head.
Crack, crack, crack...
With a few brittle sounds, Su Xiao saw her face. Nothing special, just somewhat horrifying.
The demonic old hag glanced at Su Xiao, as if memorizing his features, then turned to leave.
"Wait."
Su Xiao spoke. The old hag stopped and turned sideways to look at him.
Su Xiao turned and entered the room. Moments later, he returned to the doorway and tossed a piece of Black Maple Tree bark to the old hag. The Demon Race had clearly shown sincerity—not only had they provided a Demon Fruit, but they'd also sent a compensatory gift. He would reciprocate accordingly.
Was Black Maple Tree bark precious? In Su Xiao's view, not particularly so. Black Maple Trees often shed bark during their growth; only the branches were truly valuable.
The demonic old hag caught the Black Maple Tree bark. After a moment's hesitation, she hooked her chin with one hand and actually tore her mouth open to the size of a washbasin.
"Ugh~"
She dry-heaved, and two figures were spat out. She spoke to Su Xiao: "They have... the same origin aura as you. For your... sake, I'll... spare them... this time."
The demonic old hag turned, space twisted, and she vanished from sight. To this day, Su Xiao still didn't know her name.
"Huff, huff, huff... We actually ran into that monster. Number 1045, did you get sh*t for brains? If it wanted to pass, you should've let it pass. That's the Demon Race's..."
An angry voice came from near Su Xiao's feet. He looked down and saw a toad wearing a crown, the size of a bullfrog.
"Hello there, Hunter."
The toad spoke familiarly. Yet Su Xiao had never seen it before. He had given the demonic old hag the Black Maple Tree bark simply to make the Demon Race owe him a favor. Debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay—the Demon Race understood this, so they sent gifts. But Su Xiao had something they couldn't refuse, and now the debt was even greater.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
A dry coughing sound came. Hearing it, Su Xiao recalled that it was the owner of this voice who had previously delivered the unconscious Lilim.
Su Xiao stepped forward and pulled off the dark green hood from the figure's head. Smooth golden hair flew, revealing a face both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Artoria Pendragon?"
Su Xiao looked at the golden-haired girl sitting on the ground, still coughing dryly. She was actually the Saber from the Holy Grail World. Last time he entered that world, he had replaced her class. Su Xiao had wondered why Saber hadn't appeared back then. From the current situation, it seemed she had already crossed dimensions and become a unique existence, which was why she didn't appear in the Holy Grail World.
Saber stopped coughing and looked at Su Xiao.
"You villain."
She was very weak, yet she remained unyielding. Some things weren't so easily changed—like her indomitable spirit. Perhaps that was why Reincarnation Paradise had chosen her as an Arbiter.
"..."
Su Xiao was visibly startled, then a smile spread across his face. He grabbed Saber's fair chin with one hand.
"Did you... walk out from my world progress?"
He stared intently at Saber. At that moment, she recalled the scene in the underground garage of Fuyuki City. The Su Xiao before her now was dozens of times more ferocious than back then—no, hundreds of times.
"Hunter, thanks for this. But don't kill this little cutie—she's an Arbiter now. The penalty for killing her is no joke."
The toad spoke. For some reason, its tone suggested it was on equal footing with Su Xiao, yet a generation above Saber.
And indeed, that was the case. Saber's current skills had all been taught by people this toad had arranged. Though Saber's attitude toward the toad wasn't great, she knew it was her true master. Without it, she would have been a corpse in the Black Abyss long ago. Dozens of life-saving debts were hard to repay.
"This is Number 1045."
The toad tilted its head. A man in full black armor nodded to Su Xiao.
"That's right, this idiot provoked that monster. Thanks for this, or we'd have to rely on Paradise's emergency rescue. Being swallowed by that monster is no joke. By the way, what's your relationship with that monster?"
The toad was clearly a bit forward, or rather, it was very familiar with Su Xiao.
"Cooperative partners."
"??"
The toad looked at Su Xiao in surprise. Even the somewhat aloof Number 1045 was stunned. Saber just kept her head down, waiting for her stamina to recover.
"Artoria Pendragon, you called me a villain earlier, didn't you? Saved by this villain—as someone of the good alignment, shouldn't you show some gratitude?"
"Woof."
Bubu Wang, the second dog, backed Su Xiao up, rubbing its paws together at Saber as if to say, "Pay up, we just saved your life."
"I..."
Saber was momentarily speechless. The facts were indeed as Su Xiao said. The toad laughed heartily, utterly unscrupulous.
"The legendary King Arthur of Britain wouldn't just forget a life-saving debt, would she?"
"Thank you, but... I have no wealth to repay you."
Saber said quietly.
"Hahaha, just pay with your body then. Truly a little cutie."
The toad's unscrupulous laughter rang out. It waved at Su Xiao.
"Thanks for this. I'll owe you one. Let's go," the toad turned and headed toward the outskirts of the Atoner's Highlands. "What, still not leaving? Really planning to pay with your body? I don't mind waiting a bit."
"..."
Saber silently stood up, pulled her hood back on, and walked off into the distance.
Watching the two figures and the toad walk away, Su Xiao spun the black jar in his hand, his eyes narrowing.
"Bold enough to try intercepting something from the Demon Race. Little cuties of the Black Abyss? A toad, Number 1045... what kind of combination is this..."
Was it a coincidence that the toad, Saber, and Number 1045 were swallowed by the demonic old hag? Not at all. If Su Xiao guessed correctly, Number 1045 had sensed the aura of this black jar and chose to intercept it, not realizing the enemy was too strong for them to handle.
Based on Su Xiao's perception, what was inside the black jar held an irresistible allure for the black-armored man named Number 1045. Still, the guy had been respectful enough—he hadn't even glanced at the jar again.