After dealing with the three girls, Morvathos was thinking about what to have for dinner before he noticed a faint disturbance in the nether energy.
'...?'
He used Umbral Dissolution and landed in front of the school's main gate. He noticed a dissonance between what he was feeling and what he was seeing. Everything seemed fine.
But when he extended his hand, it disappeared. A barrier of some sort had erupted. Morvathos dipped his head into the barrier and saw the school devastated,three individuals fighting another beast. Fire shot from a hand. Sword slashes cut through the air.
'What is this...?'
Morvathos straightened and saw everything was fine again. He dipped his head once more devastation. He straightened again, normal.
He wondered which one was real, but didn't linger on the thought and stepped inside the barrier. Finding a small spot near the field, he settled down to watch the show.
'Hmm, isn't that the guy who sits next to me? And isn't that Selene?'
Morvathos narrowed his eyes as he identified two of the three individuals. The third person, he had no idea who he was.
Morvathos wondered if Selene's missions were done, because he doesn't see any reason for them to fight. They already have a formation strong enough to suck this beast in and seal it away. And he doubts that they don't about know it.
But if they don't then... thats something.
He watched the fight with a neutral expression, his head resting on his hand. The battle was on equal footing, both sides taking equal damage. Suddenly, the boy experienced a breakthrough, shifting the tide of battle.
Morvathos looked at the scene and wondered if that guy was truly a protagonist of some sort. Experiencing that kind of breakthrough mid-battle was not something a normal person could do. And the most significant reason Morvathos suspected that… was because he sits on protagonist's seat.
Morvathos cursed inwardly but continued watching as the three adults beat up a dog, though the "dog" was one story tall.
With the tide shifted, they quickly dealt a powerful blow to the wolf-like nether beast. Just as they were about to land the finishing strike, Morvathos felt the nether energy in the vicinity stir violently and rush toward the beast.
Before the three could comprehend what was happening, the beast rolled, throwing them away with a powerful force.
'It's forcefully evolving.'
Morvathos thought the netherbeast was sacrificing its life force to evolve. Within seconds, the evolution was complete, and the tide of battle shifted again, this time severely. The shifting power wasn't something those three could handle.
They were being beaten badly. Watching from the side, Morvathos narrowed his eyes.
'Earth's fate is really in shambles, isn't it?'
He thought.
He had activated the Eyes of Death before and saw the shining golden Destiny Aura of that boy. Even though his karmic virtue was just Tier-1, the golden Destiny Aura indicated that the boy was chosen by fate.
And yet the fate-chosen one was about to die, with no way out. Fate was unstable,Earth was in a tumultuous time, with the restriction on the verge of being lifted and the reincarnation cycle damaged.
Morvathos stood, dusted his clothes, and walked forward. Extending his right hand, his authority seals flared and his scythe materialized and spun it like an extension of his being.
"The world is really unfair, isn't it?"
Morvathos muttered as he crouched, ready to launch.
With a boom, he shot toward the beast. The creature was about to finish off the boy. Selene and the other man had been thrown off into the distance.
Selene looked horrified, desperately trying to save the boy despite being gravely injured. But just when all hope seemed lost, a red vertical vortex cut through the air like a flash. The beast's paw was sliced like tofu.
Morvathos skidded across the ground.
ROOOAAARR!!!
The beast screamed in pain, its golden eyes burning with hatred as it shifted focus toward him. Morvathos scoffed, lunged again, spun, and before the beast could react, its head was severed.
He landed gracefully in the distance. The three survivors looked at him with shocked expressions, it was understandable. The beast they had struggled to even contend with had been slain so easily.
The nether beast's corpse exploded, turning into golden sparks before vanishing completely. Morvathos stored his scythe in his authority field and closed his eyes, not to savor victory, but to consider something else. When he killed the beast, coins had appeared.
He earned 13 Karmic Coins from it. His current stack was 3,526. With the addition, it became 3,539.
The sinners sins were still being refined, their sins turned into karmic coins. Morvathos opened his eyes wide in surprise.
As far as he knew, it was only possible to earn karmic coins through killing in the underworld. Even then, survival wasn't guaranteed.
The underworld wasn't a playground,its beasts were far stronger, with abundant nether energy, unrestricted. Even Morvathos himself couldn't guarantee survival in its wilderness.
But this kill flipped his worldview. He could earn karmic coins even here. The amount was small, he could gain 30 karmic coins from killing a Stage-0 Netherbeasts like these in the underworld.
But it was instant, no waiting, no refining. Excitement surged through his veins. There was hope of accomplishing more than before.
First, buy cultivation techniques and properly become a god. Right now, he was just an extremely strong brute with no foundation.
In front of the truly strong, he was just a pig waiting to be slaughtered. He needed to change that. And now, he may have found the right way to earn money without further disturbing the already broken flow of fate.
He heard faint steps behind him. Looking back, he saw Selene holding her injured arm.
The other man carried the boy, he wasn't someone important. Mid-Level Tier-1 Karmic virtue with a Transparent Destiny Aura, so Morvathos didn't pay him much attention.
All of them looked better, likely having consumed healing pills. Selene stared at him in shock.
Morvathos remained calm, He smiled toward her and said,
"Oho, we meet again. Looks like fate really does want us together."
He laughed goofily.
But the man beside her hissed, displeased. He asked Selene who this was. Without turning back, Selene introduced Morvathos to Robert and Robert to Morvathos. The man's name was Robert, a companion of hers, or so she introduced.
They did exorcisms together occasionally. Robert had contacted Selene after learning she was in Japan, asking to team up. She had agreed without much thought.
But for Robert, it meant far more. He had loved Selene for years but never confessed, fearing rejection.
To him, this simple gesture rekindled hope, maybe she was opening her heart to him. But the man before him, with blood-red eyes, black hair, and a devilishly handsome face,threatened him.
The way Selene looked at Morvathos filled him with envy, jealousy, and rage.
The boy stirred awake. Robert set him down.
"Nice to meet you Robert. My name is Morvathos Renavyr Oathgrave."
Morvathos extended his hand toward Robert. Even though he saw clear disdain in Robert's eyes, he still extended his hands in good will.Robert looked at it with disdain, slapped it away, and said,
"I don't shake hands with the likes of you."
Morvathos widened his eyes. Selene froze, and before she could speak, a slap rang out. Robert's world spun as pain exploded across his right side. His vision blurred.
*Crack!~*
He was slammed into the ground, his face deformed, skull cracked.
"Watch it, mongrel. I don't take disrespect from lowlifes like you. Just because I lowered myself to your level doesn't mean you ascended to mine,"
Morvathos said, his voice dripping with genuine anger.
A mortal had disrespected him, an honorable Thanari, The King of Hell, God of Death?
Unacceptable!!
His innate pride as a god and member of a top-tier divine race flared. His Divine Aura pressed down on the three like a crushing weight.
Selene gasped, tugging at his sleeve.
"Please."
Morvathos didn't look at her. He only scoffed and withdrew his aura. Finally turning to her, he said,
"If you wish to talk, next time don't bring this guy with you. His body might leave without a soul."
He gave her his address, he wanted to speak about a few things, but Robert had ruined his mood.
Returning to a neutral state, Morvathos used Umbral Dissolution and appeared in the main city. He ordered ramen.
He calmed down after downing a few bowls of ramen and cold drinks. He wasn't surprised, nor remorseful about his earlier reaction. In fact, he considered it mercy.
Not killing him and burning him in hell right then and there for disrespecting him was the greatest mercy towards him.
Morvathos scoffed as he drained another mug of beer. Feeling more normal, he paid the owner and left.
He returned home, went to his bedroom, and slept. He had school tomorrow. He can't let these distractions derail him from his daily life.