Duel of the Immortals

S RANK MISSION— Swarming the Immortal King. The Immortal King is a century-old villain that betrayed the organization for the sake of his selfish desire to return to humanity. He is one of the organization's founding leaders.

Well, that is how it goes 'publicly'. But Alfir knows better. It doesn't matter though.

"You lot, I am the executive responsible for setting up this operation. You will hear the briefing from your squad commander on the way, move out!" An executive, a level higher than a regular minion, stood on a podium. He wore a dark tunic paired with a cloak, the typical uniform of an executive.

Alfir can recognize this particular executive, he introduced himself as 'Palnes', a character that the protagonist defeated in the earlier chapters. Alfir already met the guy, it’s only now that he realized that the person who pointed him where the mission hall was, is actually a relatively small bigshot.

“Hahaha, and here I thought he was a small-time minion like me.”

Since the short month of Alfir's life in the infirmary, this is the first time he saw a character from the novel itself. It is both exhilarating and interesting.

Palnes in the pecking order are far from the top, but as Alfir’s superior, the guy clearly deserves the respect his position demands. Alfir hoped that the guy won’t give him a hard time after what happened.

“Move, move, move!” A squad commander spurred the crowd of disorganized minions. It only took a short time until a proper squad is formed.

The minions rode a military jeepney provided by the organization. It is a technology Zentury stole from Force, a giant conglomerate, holding influence over several kingdoms.

Alfir felt giddy and excited about this mission. Other than this mission being a freebie, he will also get to watch an impressive one-VS-one among the strongest of mutants.

As the travel continues, the jeep rumbled while black smoke intermittently escapes from its exhaust. It will take some time to reach their destination, so Alfir took it upon himself to absorb the changing scenery from his seat.

There were trees, plains, ruined buildings, and even a few monsters that Alfir recognize such as goblins, trolls, and surprisingly... even stray wyverns. It is truly a medievalist fantasy world.

Though the presence of the jeepney and the paved asphalt road made the experience feel disconnected, it is certain that this is unmistakably a different world.

Seeing his teammates wielding all kinds of steel both orthodox and unorthodox— basic swords, chains with a sickle, chakram, and so on— Alfir was reminded of the fact, that this world's trajectory of scientific advancement is incredibly skewed given the lack of gunpowder weapons.

Well, at least they look cool. Alfir miserably thought to himself.

"Listen here. I am your squad commander, the mission details are divided into two parts. First is stealth and second is entrapment..." The squad commander wore the same outfit as the minions do. In essence, the 'squad commander' is an honorary title given to minions of relatively high authority levels.

Alfir listened without a care to his squad commander's words. The operation was too easily summarized, it is hard not to remember them even with lackadaisical effort.

Firstly, the different squads will be waiting in ambush in several distinct strategic sites. Then... Secondly, at the target's first sight, the minions will cooperate with each other to surround the Immortal King. Then…

That’s it! Mission Complete!

Surrounding the Immortal King is a suicide, but meh... That’s just the typical cannon fodder strategy to you.

All is well. Alfir consoled himself.

...

The Immortal King lived a long life. The closer he is to death, the more he can feel the future. It is a weird phenomenon that allows the Immortal King to see beyond the intangible. It is commonly believed that when a mutant hits its strongest, they become more sensitive to life. But the Immortal King is experiencing more than that— 'precognitive abilities that are not supposed to exist' exists. And in these rough mountain edges, he'll meet his death.

“Not that I fear death.” The Immortal King stood atop of the ridge, observing all sorts of vehicles making their rounds around his mountain.

Wearing his trademark white robes embroidered with a golden dragon, the Immortal King waited in nonchalance, unafraid of his impending death. His dark hair, laced with a few streaks of white matches his weathered face, creating a persona of an old veteran warrior.

"Teacher, I am glad to see you." A pale young man made his presence known to the Immortal King. With pale skin, bloody burgundy eyes, and hair as white as snow, the apparition of the ghostly youth flitted in the surroundings.

"Hmmm... Did you come to see your dear old man? Oh, my dear pupil." The Immortal King didn't show any emotion to the said pupil. The Immortal King has always looked at Gavin as his son. His gaze used to be warm and full of love.

But not this time. There are only the Immortal King's apathetic eyes.

Gavin, the pale young man, revealed himself. Too fast to be seen, afterimages of him scattered everywhere. When he suddenly halted his steps, the soles of his feet started digging into the earth causing debris, dirt, and dust to be strewn in the air.

“Die.” Putting all his weight on his core and lower half, the earth crAcKed. An artificial earthquake was formed. It made the mountain shudder. Gavin didn’t stop at that as he leaps forward seizing the Immortal King by his collar.

A streak of their shadow plummeted from the mountain's peak triggering another earthquake. Downright crashing at the mountain’s foot, the Immortal King offered no resistance as he was smashed 6 feet under the ground.

“Pupil, is this the best you can do?” Though he was removed from his high pedestal, the Immortal King remained unperturbed. None of Gavin’s efforts to inflict damage is left to be seen. The Immortal King is unbreakable.

Gavin, the Undying, is his only disciple. Gavin has white hair and red eyes, signs of albinism that many others saw as the devil's mark. But the devil be damned, the Immortal King still took the young Gavin under his wing despite Zentury’s higher-ups' protests.

So, the sight of the two of them fighting is a wonder on its own. Where did their amiable relationship go? Of the father and a son? Of a teacher and his pupil?

"You are surrounded by the organization. We have executives, slayers, and countless minions waiting to get a hit at you. Then there is me." Gavin defiantly stares at the man that used to be his mentor. Memories of his childhood flashed in his mind.

"…” The Immortal King chose silence, but his intent is clear. At this point, slaughter is inevitable. Gavin saw his ex-mentor and foster father exhibit a scary amount of fighting spirit.

"Pupil, receive my fist." The Immortal King said, his thoughts remained hidden.

BAM! It was preposterous. Gavin saw the ground shrink in an instant. For a second, he fainted. When he woke up, he was met with the unsettling somber clouds of dusk slowly approaching inch by inch. Mixed with the rays of the setting scarlet sun is his own blood sprinkling in the sky.

Gavin felt for his empty stomach, there was nothing there.

“Fuck, that old man actually tore my stomach.” Rather than a hole, Gavin was almost torn in half. If not for his superb regenerative powers, he would be dead already.

The Immortal King silently stood in his place. Aside from punching his arrogant pupil, he didn’t do anything else. He was patiently still. And…

With a disgusting ‘squelch’, something landed in front of him. It was an immensely disfigured Gavin with his meat and bones showing. Standing on his own two feet, the disfigured Gavin slowly regenerated back to life.

“Such impressive regenerative ability. As expected of my pupil.”

“Fuck you! What pupil? I am just a fucking pig to you!! Don’T EVEN think that I don’t know. I am aware of your greed, old man. The only reason you nurtured me is to get my ability. I am so mUcH aware of how close you are to dying.”

“…”

“Fucking hell!! Why aRen’T YOU sAying anytHinG!?”

In his blind rage, Gavin rushed at his old man without consideration of his imperfect recovery.

The Immortal King dashed with superhuman speed delivering a body blow to Gavin.

Gavin successfully defended, raising his arms just to block in time, but the shock is too much for him to bear. His limbs broke under pressure as the Immortal King unleash blows after blows at him.

The Immortal King's powers function on indestructibility. Using crude words to describe it, it is toughness to an unimaginable extent.

Gavin can perceive the Immortal King's movements with impressive intuition. His broken limbs healed at incredible speeds, their effects visible to the naked eye. However, because of his imperfect recovery, he was having a gap in his judgment.

“Die! diE!! DiEEEEEE!” With his vision disoriented, Gavin persistently lashes at the Immortal King. That is when…

The Immortal King had enough of it.

“My dear pupil, you are too weak.”

Grabbing Gavin by his neck, the Immortal King raised the pale young man to his eye level.

“Though your application of cellular activity is monstrous, it’s not enough. You will never penetrate my immortal flesh with just superhuman strength alone.”

The Immortal King's tissue, fibers, muscles, bones, and even his very soul possess toughness like diamonds. In this world, souls have more of a scientific nature being the quantified representation of will, wits, and ego.

‘To be truly unbreakable’ is the Immortal King’s mutant ability.

Gavin is reduced into a bloody paste, but he is not dead yet. Gavin possesses superhuman cellular capacity that gave him such tremendous vitality. Unlike the Immortal King, Gavin doesn't tire.

This is his only advantage and he knows it. Though the Immortal King may look calm on the surface, Gavin knows.

"Is age catching up with you, teacher?" Gavin smugly said. Regardless of the enormous amount of pain he is enduring, Gavin smiled.

With monstrous perception, Gavin sensed the unnatural beating of the Immortal King’s heart. He also recalled the Immortal King’s first punch, it was catastrophically powerful, but too overkill. Some might see it as a show of strength.

In Gavin’s opinion, however, it looked like a desperate move, a final struggle.

"Huff... Huff..." His breathing is getting heavier, and though he tries to suppress it, it didn't escape Gavin's notice. Sweat trickled from the Immortal King’s forehead. A flicker of doubt crossed the once-was-King's mind.

"Looks like I am the true immortal between the two of us." The pale young man cackled like a mad man, aware of the ailing Immortal King's plights. Gavin pried the hand clutching his neck open. While at it, Gavin bent the Immortal King’s finger at a strange angle.

cRAa-ack! It was a resounding crunch. For the first time, the Immortal King showed a trace of confusion on his unblemished face. It was an ugly sight, both the finger and the Immortal King who never knew what pain is... formed an interesting picture.

The Immortal King looked youthful, unlike Gavin's sudden wrinkly exterior due to his lacking recovery. His pale skin is now of a darker shade. To the observer's eyes, Gavin may appear to be on the precipice of death.

But he is not.

He is more alive than ever! The pain kept him awake, and his mind is more active than ever!

Gavin became like this because of the extreme use of his abilities. A minute ago, he looked so much younger but now, he looked like a grandpa.

“Old man, let me show you something interesting.” With these words, Gavin’s blood boiled. It took him but only 8 seconds or less to fully regain his youth with minuscule concentration.

"That's better..." As if it was nothing but a trivial task, Gavin regained his vigor.

"Teacher, I did good right? In the past, it takes me ages to recover from near-death, but look! See, resurrection isn’t that hard, maybe you can do it too. Oh, dear teacher, I have more for you to see, so don’t go dying on me okay?” He looked innocently at the Immortal King, seeming to ask for his praise.

BANG~!

There was an explosion as Gavin rapidly disappeared from the Immortal King's sight. At that instant, Gavin's right leg shattered as he explosively arrived at the Immortal King's flank. With the same explosive strength, he punched.

OVERDRIVE! Immense power surged from Gavin's blood. Because Gavin's limbs cannot endure the sudden explosive strength, his blood and bones splattered as he overclocks his body beyond superhuman.

Injury for injury.

Gavin's fist came like a comet. Its speed and strength surpassed the Immortal King's perception… reaction… and defense.

At that moment, it was realized, that the Immortal King is not unbreakable.

BOOM! Airflow itself became erratic as Gavin's fist makes its presence known to the world.

The Immortal King that has never bled before finally drew blood.

Gavin's right arm up to his shoulder became a bloody paste. Pain coursed through his very nerve endings, but Gavin is long used to pain. He endured its torturing sensation with gritted teeth and ecstatic eyes.

On the other side, the Immortal King stood, not showing an ounce of what he is feeling.

Despair? Fear? Even pain eluded him at that moment.

The Immortal King looked at the bloody hole in his chest; it was big, about the size of his head. A single punch punctured his indestructible body. That day, a myth ended, giving birth to a new one— Gavin the Undying replaced the Immortal.

Behind him, a bloody trench stretched across the dirt and rocks. From where he stood, the Immortal King watched his heart as tough as diamonds continue to beat sporadically like a struggling fish absent of water.

Gavin arrived before the heart, he took it by his hand to admire its beauty. It's like the purest of diamonds… of crystal red adorned with a luminous blue that mysteriously dances in the air.

"Teacher, you don't mind me taking this for myself, right?"

The dirt was colored red, as the sun beautifully sets itself upon the high noon. The Immortal slumped on his knees, death finally claiming his life. Dusk came with the death of a warrior.

Duel for Immortality, it was called. That event was forever etched into Zentury's archives, heralding a new era of evil,

Alfir saw all of this, and not for the first time in his life— the events he just saw are something he wrote as a flashback to the story of how Gavin, the Undying became Zentury's top dog.

The stench of blood spreads across the ravines as the news of the Immortal King unfurls to the world.

Alfir felt insignificant at the moment, reminding him of his bitter mob life.

And the thought occurred to him… “I don’t want to live a mediocre life any more.”

To seize this world by the center of his palm, he will start with this place. The future is his. That is when... the uNHinGed and aWful obsession finally took root in his heart…

The question however is… who planted it?

...