Chapter 1001: Riley's Warning

"How dare an intruder step into our territory without arranging a meeting first!"

"If he arranged a meeting, he would not be an intruder, Lucifer."

All of Riley's children had different reactions as they saw the old man standing outside on their terrace. Lucifer was visibly disgusted as he looked at the old man's beard that almost touched the ground. Renna was completely indifferent, almost not even heeding him any mind as she was still just glancing at her big sister. Arthas's white thick eyebrows were lowered and his fists were rolled. As for Karina, she had her eyebrows raised at the old man.

The old man wasn't really moving, he was just standing there and letting his wrinkly bald head to toast in the setting sun. But after a few seconds of just staring at nowhere in particular, his old, almost sunken eyes stared in the direction of Karina.

"Well..." The old man then spoke; his voice, although as wrinkly as his skin, held a certain volume in it that caused the air to turn incredibly heavy; solid, even,

"...Are you not going to let me in, Young Warrior?"

"You know this guy?" Arthas glanced at Karina.

"All of you should," Karina's voice turned deep as she started walking toward the terrace; sliding the door open as she looked the old man in the eyes, "He's one of the gods living in New Theran."

"Aha..." Lucy squinted his eyes, "...No, we won't — we are prohibited from ever going near the moon — but I see its inhabitants do not share the same courtesy we have provided them. Name yourself, Intruder... or perish by my ha—"

And before Lucy could even finish his words, a light flashed in the air; a beam, shooting straight toward Lucy and creating a large gaping hole in his stomach.

"Lucy!?" Arthas roared as he caught Lucy before his body could drop to the ground, gently holding his body before tapping his face several times,

"Why..." Arthas gritted his teeth as he looked at the old man, who had his finger pointing to where Lucy's stomach was, "...Why would you—"

"B... Brother." Before Arthas could say what he wanted to say, however, Lucy let out a loud gasp as he grabbed Arthas's cheek, "Hold... hold my hand."

"Lucy..." Arthas could really only quickly grab Lucy's hand as soon as he saw him gasping for breath; blood, spraying out of his mouth and even shooting straight toward his face. Arthas did not mind at all, however, as his tears just trailed along with the blood, "Lucy, we'll get you some he—"

"No... it's too late for me, my dear old brother," Lucy's voice was croaked, scratchy, forced, "I... I have a favor to ask."

"What is it... What is it!?"

"Do not..." Lucy's hand started to tremble.

"What...?"

"Not..."

"Do not what, Lucy...? Dad, help him!" Arthas turned to look at Riley, but he and the others were just looking at the old man instead of trying to help Lucy.

"You can't..."

"Can't what!?"

"Can't fit deez nuts in your mouth," and with those words, Lucy's hand fell from Arthas's cheek; his last breath, almost mocking Arthas as he smiled at him before he fully croaked.

"What the..." The only thing Arthas could really do was stare at Lucy's lifeless face, utterly bewildered by what he just heard.

And while Arthas was in complete shock, the old man just welcomed himself to Riley's apartment; not even glancing at Karina as he entered the door and just went straight to sitting on the sofa.

He very gently rested his long beard beside him, slightly brushing it with his hand as he let out a small but very throaty hum.

"I believe we have an agreement, White One," the man's sunken eyes turned toward Karina, who was just calmly approaching him while looking him in the eyes.

"That was hundreds of years ago, Joao," Karina's eyebrows started to lower as she stood right in front of the old man, Joao.

"It is more than a hundred years ago now, but an agreement will forever be binding," Joao strayed his eyes away from Karina and toward Katherine, who was approaching the living room along with the others,

"You and your companions are not allowed within 5 million lightyears of the New World, so why is it that I find you and Katherine here?"

"That is none of your concern, you wet tissue," Karina let out a small scoff as she literally looked down on the old man, "We were about to leave anyway."

"Were you?" Joao once again hummed as he started looking around the living room, "You also brought someone who has the same guise as you—no...

...Now that I am looking at the people present in this room, I see everyone resembles you."

"Y—"

"I recognize that boy," Joao then pointed at Riley, "He has been making waves in the New World. I ignored his likeness to you because honestly, most people look like each other in the present times — but to think you and him have a relationship. Could it be...

...He and the others here are children of yours, hidden from us all these years?"

"..." Karina could really only look at Riley, who seemed completely indifferent to what was happening as he was just looking at Joao with his head slightly tilted, "He is—"

"You fucker!"

Karina could not finish her words before Arthas suddenly leaped toward Joao. Joao, however, just let out a small smirk as he raised two of his fingers to block Arthas's fist; he did not, however, need to block anything as before Arthas's fist could even get near him, Katherine suddenly moved between them, causing Arthas to halt his steps and fist.

"Aunt Kat..." Arthas let out a short but very deep breath as he looked Katherine in the eyes.

"You promised to behave, Art," Katherine shook her head, "And this doesn't involve you — this is a dispute that has existed long before you, it's best not to involve yourself and just let your sister handle it."

"But Lucy is—"

"—Fine," Katherine looked at Lucy, who was now enjoying the mango jelly milk as he watched the scenario unfold; his dessert, however, was just oozing out from the large gaping hole still very much lingering in his stomach.

"Oh...?" Joao's bushy eyebrows also flinched as he saw Lucy just calmly eating on the floor. He stared at him for a few seconds before turning to look at Riley, "I see now — you have not only broken the treaty, but you spat on it. Paragon Zero is your child, and he has been in the New World for more than a decade...

...For that, White One — Death."

Joao then raised his finger and pointed it at Katherine's back.

"No! You—" Karina was about to do something, but before anyone could even move or do anything at all...

...Riley suddenly appeared right beside Joao, sitting beside him and completely holding his finger that was pointed at Katherine.

"I do not know who you are, Mr. Joao," Riley let out a small sigh; his eyes, not really looking anywhere in particular, "But I can not have you killing the mother of my child. I am only telling you once, perhaps you should listen."

"You dare—" Joao's already sunken eyes slightly trembled as he glanced at Riley as he realized something before he could utter his third word, "Mother of your child...? Karina is your daughter?"

"Wait, Dad..." Karina took in a small gulp as she looked back and forth between Joao and Riley, "...Don't. Please don't kill him, we can't have another war... the Universe, the people can't take it."

"A war?" Riley tilted his head to the side before finally turning to look at Joao, "Tell me, Mr. Joao. Look into my eyes and tell me...

...Do you think it will be a war at all?"

Joao did not really say anything as he truly just stared into Riley's eyes — and there, he finally remembered who the person sitting behind him was. The Domain of the Gods was vast and almost infinite, but the gods are gathered in certain areas, and news travels almost instantly. But it did not have to travel, as he was there in the first place.

He was there when Death resurrected all of them, turning them into dolls that could not move in her domain.

...And he was there when this same exact god beside him fought toe to toe against Death herself.

There will be no war...

...Riley Ross would just massacre all of them.

"It... would seem I was mistaken," Joao's words slightly stuttered as he let out a short and awkward laugh, "You and your wizard mother were never here, White One."

"Huh...?" Karina could really only squint her eyes as Joao stood up; obviously nervous from the way he moved. Karina was about to say something to him... but then noticed that Riley did not actually let go of his finger.

"I apologize, Joao..." Riley then let out a small sigh as he turned to look at the wounded Lucy,

"...But I do not think I will let you leave after all."

"Dad...

...No!"