Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 313 Nihon's Conclusion

"It… just broke through the ice wall."

25,000 feet above ground, and yet the Verdant Python is still as imposing as it has ever been—no. Looking at it from this distance, Esme felt that it was even more of a colossal monstrosity because one could actually see the damage it was doing to the lands just by existing.

And it did not help that it just casually rammed through the Ice Wall she created, which was a quarter of a mile of compressed and incredibly thick ice, like it was nothing. Esme and the others on the helicopter just watched the wall crumble — the other people from the dozens of helicopters flying away watched it too.

Nihon… has been abandoned.

As soon as Remy returned to Esme and the others who were supposed to keep the monsters in check in case something happened, he immediately told them about Rukawa and the Nihon Government's direct involvement with Orpheus — and as a matter of course, the majority of the Nobles quickly turned their back on the country.

Even the World Rankers shook their heads and called it quits. Perhaps, if there was ever going to be an upside to this, it was that the other monsters were returning to the Underworld — it was a choice they made.

They were told by Rhys that Calypse lost control of the Verdant Python since she was attacked by Rukawa, and it would be extremely difficult for her to take control of the colossus again. She could, however, control the other monsters — and right now, they were all returning to the Underworld, with the other nymphs even closing down the Holes.

All that was left was the Verdant Python…

…but no one truly wanted to bother with it anymore. If the Verdant Python actually tried to fight back, they would just be losing their lives to a nation that lied to them.

But of course, Nihon might have been abandoned, but its people weren't.

Several days later, a few of the Nobles remained to offer support and help with the evacuation of the Nihon citizens — most of the older people did not actually want to leave their country, and they gave them that choice.

As for the younger generations, they are going to be relocated to different countries; strategically, of course.

"I… I don't want to live anymore. My… my home, it's—Kh!"

"Stand up, aren't those your children!?"

And of course, Rhys was in one of those evacuation zones. As for Ayesha, she already went home back to Amerka with the demi-humans and Esme. And right now — he had someone by the collars; lifting the man up in the air.

"Stop fucking crying and start moving," Rhys gritted his teeth; his voice, causing everyone there to just stop whatever it was they were doing and just look at him.

"Hoy, Rhys…" Lance Aquino, the former World Ranker, was also there and he quickly grabbed Rhys by the shoulder, "...Chill, man. These people are tired."

"They are tired?" Rhys spoke in a language the Nihon could understand as he started looking at everyone who was crying and just sitting on the floor wallowing, "Of course, they are tired! But that also means they're alive! You have a chance to rebuild, some of you still have your daughters, your sons, your wives, your husbands — most don't. You have a chance…

…Take it." Rhys then looked the man he was holding straight in the eyes, "Choice? You think you actually have a choice? Not for as long as you have someone relying on you — the only choice you have is to live and leave this place."

The man just returned Rhys's stare for a few seconds as he tried his best to stop his whimpers. And after a few seconds more, he just nodded his head several times — and as soon as Rhys let him go, he quickly went onto his family; hugging them before urging them to get on the ships as fast as possible.

"...What the fuck did you just say to them?" Lance could not help but blink a couple of times as he watched as the other Nihons also started picking up their paces, "...This is the last of them, right? How… many of them are there left?"

"3 million, Hun…" Larissa Jokic, Ranked 12, approached Rhys and Lance with a sigh; placing her head on the top of Lance's head as she embraced him from behind; her hair, almost as if it was burning due to its orange brilliance, "Just… so many deaths."

"Honey…" Lance also let out a sigh as he held Larissa's arm.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to the Boy Wonder?" Larissa then turned to look at Rhys, "Everyone's just been talking about him lately and I could not help but be curious."

"When are they not talking about him?" Lance smirked as he also stared at Rhys, gesturing to him with his eyes to just leave. Rhys, however, did not leave at all.

"My name is Rhys Wilder, Ma'am." And instead, Rhys even reached his hand out to Larissa, who shook his hand while still embracing Lance.

"Ma'am?" Larissa softly chuckled, "Why can't you be this polite to me, Hun?"

"Agh… this is why I didn't want you to meet Rhys," Lance let out a small groan, "He's a serial playboy."

"Or a serial lover," Larissa shrugged as she looked at Rhys, "And I could see why."

"Ugh, please stop looking at each other. Shoo, shoo!" Lance then very gently pushed away Larissa.

"It was very nice to meet you, Rhys Wilder… and her too," Larissa then looked at Aengela, who was just peacefully hanging from Rhys's waist and sleeping, "When will she wake up?"

"I don't know," Rhys shrugged, "She chose to stay with me for some reason instead of going back to the Underworld with her kind."

"She must like you, I can see why."

"Shoo, shoo!" Lance once again gently pushed Larissa away, who just waved her hand while laughing before continuing to do whatever it was she was doing before she approached them.

"I'm just telling you now, off limits," Lance then pointed at Rhys, "Or the two of us are going to war, and it ain't going to be like the last time."

"You don't have to worry about that," Rhys could really only let out a sigh while shaking his head and looking at Larissa — or rather, at the absence of the Hearts floating above her head, there wasn't any, "I think she really loves you, Lance."

"Huh…" Lance just furrowed his eyebrows and nodded, "Didn't expect that from you."

"Does she know about the other women in your—"

"Shhh!" Lance quickly rushed to cover Rhys's mouth, "How much to buy your silence?"

"Nothing," Rhys sighed, "Just break it off with the other women, or just choose one."

"What…?" Lance then gestured to Rhys to walk as it was dangerous to talk there, "You're seriously the one telling me this? You, who has like a dozen women in his life all at the same time?"

"They all know each other," Rhys answered without any hesitation, "And I love all of them equally."

"How… the fuck do you do it?" Lance could really only widen his eyes as he stared at Rhys, "How is it even possible?"

"I don't know." It was because of the blood running through his veins, but of course, Rhys wasn't going to say that, "And I don't think it's really me, you know? It wouldn't even happen if they weren't so understanding of each other."

"Huh…

…Yeah, no. I still don't understand."

Rhys and the others continued to bring the last of the Nihons out of the country — as for what remained of their government, well — they were scheduled to address the entire world for the crimes they have committed against their own. Rhys…

…was actually also scheduled to speak in a few days, as he was, undoubtedly, at the center of this all. But for now, however, he was just on a ship on the way back home… finally.

"So, much has happened here…"

And in his quarters, was Olga — completely naked with only a blanket to cover her as she joined Rhys in looking out the windows, staring at the endless see in front of them.

"...Are you not going home, Olga?" Rhys glanced at Olga as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Just a little more," Olga closed her eyes as she rested her head on Rhys, "I just want to treasure this moment just a little longer before I return to duty."

"T—"

"Then I apologize for interrupting, then."

"!!!"

Both Rhys and Olga just quickly turned around as they heard a voice suddenly talking to them inside their quarters — they looked around and yet no one was there, or at least that's what they thought.

"Down here."

The two then looked down, only to see one of the nymphs waving her hand at them — it was the nymph who introduced herself to Rhys as the mother of the Verdant Python, Margryth.

"Uh… Rhys?" Olga gulped as she stared at the small nymph, "Why…

…Why is she talking in my language?"