The Apocalypse is a Side Quest: Book Three, page 48
Just enough for every single person. Even Fliel,
…Though Nathan was going to make sure he didn’t get one.
“Uh, guys,” Chad said. “When did the Pandoras duplicate?”
Everyone looked over, and when they saw, there was a wide litany of expressions. Dr. Ada’s face had turned carefully blank. Arika had started salivating. Grigor was already moving his hand to take one—
“Guys, there’s no need to fight,” Nathan said. “There’s enough for everybody here.” He paused. “Except Fliel, but nobody cares about him.”
“Hey!”
One by one, each of the members of the group picked up a Pandora.
“It was a group boss battle gauntlet; I suppose it isn’t that much of a surprise that there are all these different rewards,” Dr. Ada said.
Nathan put the Pandora into his inventory. He knew how much of a nightmare it was to deal with the aftereffects of a rank-up. Everybody followed in turn—it was clear that everybody knew they would be knocked out for quite a period of time.
With all that done, it was time to talk about bigger matters.
“So, I think it’s time that we finish with that alliance.”
Nathan looked around himself in a circle. Everyone there seemed fairly positive, except Fliel.
Dr. Ada stepped forward. “After having spoken with Gius, we worked out a contract for an alliance. I am fully prepared to join with you and reach the Ninth Circle.”
Nathan reached out and shook her hand.
“That’s excellent news.”
He looked over at Grigor. “I don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind?”
“I have.”
“I see. I’m sorry to hear that—wait, what?”
“Yes.” Grigor stepped forward, his armor clacking against itself. “I believe that we should work together in order to reach the bottom circle.”
“Can I ask what changed your mind?”
“Leviathan.”
At the mention of his name, the air seemed to chill. It appeared that nobody was particularly fond of that man after what he had done.
“Wouldn’t that simply function as proof that there is no way for an alliance to work?” Nathan said.
“In some ways, yes, but in another, no.” Grigor glanced at every single person gathered around. “In that moment, fighting against Leviathan, every single one of you brought something to the table. You fought as true comrades. Even the elf princess. Indeed, she may have delivered us the victory.”
“That she did.”
Grigor reached his hand out. “I would be honored to ally with you.”
Nathan snatched Grigor’s hand and shook it rapidly. “Me too. It’s good to have you on board.”
With that in mind, there was one last person Nathan needed to talk to.
He looked over at Emi and smiled. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to…?”
“If you had asked me this just a scant week ago, I would’ve wished to say yes but been unable to. But for a variety of reasons, I think it would be impossible for me to deny your request now.”
“Is this a good thing?”
She giggled into her hand. “It is what it is.” She dropped her hand and held out her other one. “I look forward to working with you, Nathan.”
Nathan took her hand in his own, and a sense of relief filled him.
“Me too—”
“Wait, I didn’t approve this!” Fliel shouted.
Nathan turned and gave him a deadpan look. Fliel flinched back at this mere glance.
“M-my queen!” Fliel said. “Shouldn’t you consult with your advisors?”
Emi cracked a smile and turned around to face Fliel.
“I suppose you’re referring to yourself, yes?” Emi said.
Fliel laughed nervously. “Yes. I am, after all, your chief executive.”
Emi circled around the man like a snake.
“You know, if you died here, it would be the easiest thing in the world to explain.”
Fliel paled like a ghost. “What?”
“Yes, you heard what I said.” Emi tutted. “All I would have to do is explain how you fell nobly in battle, saving me from fatal harm. And given that your support base is in shambles, I’m very doubtful that anybody would question me. And who at this point could oppose me? Everybody who posed a challenge to my authority has been either humiliated or taken care of.”
Understanding flashed through Fliel’s eyes.
“This whole time? That’s why those scandals kept happening? It was you?”
Emi’s smile turned into a malicious grin. Even Nathan got a small chill from it, despite knowing it had been himself and his group who were truly responsible.
“So, Fliel, do you intend to play along? Or will I have to make you remove yourself?” Emi reached into her inventory, revealing the Pandora. “I’ll remind you that as soon as I consume this, I would probably be able to destroy anybody you sent after me.”
Fliel gaped like a fish. “I—well—that is to say—”
Emi looked back at Nathan. “Do you have room in your prison for one more? I heard tell of some sort of kraken that you feed prisoners to—”
“Yes—spare my life, my queen!” Fliel bowed, prostrating himself to the ground. “Please!”
Emi’s smile melted away into a blank expression. “You have manipulated me, sought to undermine me, used me as a weapon. I have no sympathy for you.”
Fliel lifted his head, his face falling.
Nathan walked over and applied a quick shot to the back of the man’s head. He fell over unconscious.
“That’s the end of that,” Nathan muttered. “I’ll take care of him.”
Emi gave a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Nathan.”
“So, about this whole alliance thing—” Arika said. “I hate to point this out, but we need to decide what we’re going to do, practically.”
“What do you mean?” Nathan said.
“I mean that it would be inefficient, and perhaps inadvisable, for us to simply go together as a group. An alliance doesn’t necessarily mean that we are all bound to you.”
Nathan crossed his arms. “I would imagine you’re concerned about any potential loot. Some of these circles spread out the boss fights and high-class loot across vast distances. If we were all together, it could end up damaging our growth.”
“Exactly. So while the idea of an alliance is great, I think it would only really kick in at around the Eighth Circle or so, when we’re all forced to work together.”
Nathan rubbed his chin. He hadn’t considered that.
“How about this?” Nathan said. “Compromise.”
Dr. Ada looked intrigued. “What do you mean by that?”
“We split up into groups. That way, we get to borrow each other’s power but make sure that power’s well used. For example, Dr. Ada, you and Grigor can go together. Arika and Tamsin stay together as usual.”
Dr. Ada stared at him. “This is not what me and Gius wanted to do.”
Arika slung an arm around her neck. “Plans change, Poindexter.”
Bree shot Nathan a sigh. “And I stick by you as always, right?”
“And me as well.”
Nathan looked over to see Emi looking at him with an expression that brooked no argument.
Nathan shrugged. “Works for me.”
“And we must remember to stay in contact and share information,” Dr. Ada said. “Training tips, factions. And if we can find a way to teleport to each other for emergencies, that would be a great aid as well.”
Nathan hummed. “This is a long shot, but remember how in the town system, you can have towns that are ultimately subservient to one central town? Perhaps in time we can find a way to exploit this connection.”
“It’s a good idea,” Tamsin said. “And we’ll work on finding a way to bypass the system restrictions on teleport limits.”
“You do that.”
After a short bit of time, Nathan now had a grand total of four new towns technically part of his faction.
With that done, Nathan scratched his chin.
“So, how are we supposed to get down?” he asked
Immediately on cue, a portal appeared in front of them.
Nathan grunted. “Guess the System is less hostile after I killed the administrator.”
Arika looked over at him and blinked. “You did what?”
Nathan raised a single finger. “Oh, I forgot to mention that, didn’t I?”
“You killed the administrator?” Dr. Ada’s voice grew more horrified with each word. “HOW?!”
Nathan backed away toward the portal, his hands on Bree’s and Emi’s shoulders.
“Wait, don’t you dare—”
Nathan tugged Bree and Emi back into the portal, and they fell into the next circle. As they did so, Nathan couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Deep inside the bowels of creation, underneath its surface, something was stirring. Her gaping maw consumed everything that came across it.
Across the vast stretches of the multiverse, she could sense a great power developing, maturing.
It had been so long since she had such a tasty meal.
The easiest thing to do would be to simply allow it to come to her. It was, after all, on one of her fattening worlds—places designed to enhance the flavor and mature the power of the individuals she consumed.
It wouldn’t hurt to take a closer look, would it?
To test, to squeeze, to push and pull and make sure that when she finally consumed that meal, it would be of the greatest taste possible.
Ordinarily, she was far too busy managing those foolish Systems and keeping them in line to bother with such things.
But she could afford to take a break every once in a while, couldn’t she?
For the first time in a millennium, the Mother had taken an interest in someone.
“Nathan Lee,” she murmured. “What an absolutely delectable name.”
THE END
The Apocalypse Is a Side Quest Book 3
Nathan’s adventure continues in The Apocalypse Is a Side Quest Book 4. Get it here!
The End is Coming.
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The Apocalypse Is a Side Quest Book 3 is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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About the Author
Liam Lawless writes books from Texas, and people inexplicably seem to enjoy them. Raised on isekai fanfiction, anime, and similar media of high repute, he is powered primarily by spite and a delusional sense of self-importance. After several years of attempting to write the next great fantasy epic, he eventually realized that those books are boring as hell. Books about madmen with fishing poles are way funnier. He has no idea what he's doing, but he's doing it anyway. Send help.
Liam Lawless, The Apocalypse is a Side Quest: Book Three
