On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

[Pick me up, human! Don\'t waste your time and pick me up! You won\'t ever regret picking me up!]

,m Imagine if you heard a slightly hoarse and deep voice in your head saying that to you. The screaming aside, the demanding attitude is irritating; it feels like hearing an annoying grandfather I have never had.

"I think I am going to pass this chance." I shake my head faintly as I look at Valeria. "I don\'t see the future where I can tolerate this loud half sentient sword."

[What do you mean half sentient?! I am a hundred percent sentient Relic!]

"Oh, so you can hear it?" Valeria looks at me in wonderment. "The last person I know who could hear this Relic had fallen ten years ago. It\'s a surprise that you become another person who can hear it."

"Does this mean I am exceptional or this Relic is just crappy?"

"A little bit of both, I guess?"

[I am not crappy!]

"Geez! How can I stop this useless piece of metal from talking?"

[Pick me up!]

I click my tongue in dissatisfaction then look at Valeria weirdly. She, however, closes her eyes briefly, then looks at me encouragingly when she opens them.

\'You can do it!\' is what her eyes convey, but I guess she is misunderstanding something. Either way, I do what she encourages me; no matter how crappy the Relic is, it is still a Blue Rank.

Upon touching the hilt of the greatsword, I feel something rushes through the veins in my right hand to my head. My vision then turns white at the exact moment I feel lightheaded.

I quickly realize that something is not right, so I immediately take my hand off the hilt—at least, I try to. At this point, the connection I feel with my body is getting weaker, but my vision that has turned white is slowly returning.

As I feel completely detached from body, my vision completely returns. What I see however, instead of the 6 feet long greatsword, is a burly middle aged man with a well trimmed beard holding my hand.

Smack!

"Holy shit, I don\'t swing that way, old man!"

"Why did you slap me, brat?!"

"Why were you holding my hand, bastard?!"

Both of us look at each other wordlessly for a couple of seconds, then turn our head to the side. I don\'t know his reason for doing that, but I turn my head to the side because I want to look around.

The \'look-around\' doesn\'t take much time, because other than a white, blank, boring space; I can\'t see anything. I am pretty sure this is not my Mindscape either, so I turn my head to the bearded middle-aged man.

Said man is already staring at me, but his rather heated gaze makes me extremely uncomfortable. I don\'t know what he is thinking while looking at me that way, but I think if I told him to lick my boot, he would gladly do that.

"Kuhum! Where are my manners?" The old man straightens his posture then bows politely. "Rexorem at your service, my sire. It is my greatest honor to be able to meet the future Demon King."

"It\'s rich coming from someone who called me human a few moments ago." I quirk my eyebrow.

"Ah, that was my mistake. I could only see you, but not feel you at that time." Rexorem smiles apologetically. "Now that I can feel you, I am—"

"Can you stop saying you can feel me? Are you making a double entendre in purpose?" I click my tongue in distaste. "Don\'t make me kick your ass, old man."

Rexorem bows politely. "If that is what you are into my Lord, you can—"

"Fuck it! Just stop talking entirely!"

Rexorem is about to say something again, but my clenched fist and murderous eyes are enough to stop him. I sigh in exasperation, then take a good look at the middle-aged man named Rexorem.

He has a white hair that is neatly combed to the back, a burly figure, a tall stature, and an undoubtedly attractive face for a middle-aged man. He wears a very tight tuxedo that accentuates his body shape, but he still can move freely in spite of it.

If he came to Earth, I am sure he could attract both thots and needy single mothers. He might be able to attract some "proper" women, but his figure and appearance too much scream \'I stick my dick into everywhere!\'

It would be hard for that kind of man to attract a pure girl who doesn\'t even know how to have sex. Unless, he is playing dirty, such a thing will never happen.

Anyway, I have digressed too far; there is something more important other than how attractive Rexorem is to women—he looks like someone whose name is Sebastian! ... No, that is not important either.

"You might be wondering why you are invited to my Realm, my Lord."

This is the thing that I have been trying to think of, but I forgot due to how far I digressed. I thank Rexorem in my heart, then nod my head at him as a cue for him to explain himself.

"It is simple: I want to establish a lifetime Bond with you, my Lord." Rexorem bows. "I can see glory in your eyes, and I can feel the aura of the ruler inside you.I want to be the one who accompanies you until you put the world below your feet."

"Well, that is flattering."

My words come out harsher than I thought; I initially intended to say a sarcastic remark, not such a cold response. Rexorem also widens his eyes, then immediately kneels on the ground while convincing me he is not just flattering me.

"My Lord, I have only reached out to one competent person for the past century, and dare I say that person should have been the ruler of this world if not for their misfortune."

"Your point?"

"I will never praise someone who is incompetent." Rexorem looks at me heatedly. "You are far more competent than the last person I reached out to, so I am absolute you will reach the top!"

"That\'s a lot of empty talk from a mere Blue Rank Relic."

"Unimpressive as I am currently, I will never remain the same. Slay your enemy with me—the stronger you get, the stronger I become. Indigo Rank? Violet Rank? I can even surpass these two Ranks!"

I see conviction in his eyes, and I can\'t bring myself to reject this man. He is very sure about his and my capability to be better than we currently are, and it honestly moves me.

Although he behaves a little bit suspicious in the beginning, I don\'t mind giving him the chance to prove himself. It would be stupid of me to ignore someone who has shown such a powerful conviction.

"Alright, let\'s make it quick. I don\'t want to spend my time in your Realm any longer." I wave my hand nonchalantly. "How do I establish our Bond?"

Rexorem\'s eyes immediately lights up excitedly. "One second, my Lord!" He stands up, then extends his hands to me. "Hold them, my Lord. I will never dare to harass you—don\'t worry."

"I\'ll believe you then." I extend my hand, and am about to grasp Rexorem\'s when he suddenly retracts it. "Have you changed your mind?"

"I beg you, my Lord, to not absorb me."

"Do I look like someone who will do that?"

"Yes."

I faintly click my tongue in dissatisfaction as Rexorem has figured me out. I am not too disappointed however; I wasn\'t that eager to absorb him in the very first place.

Rexorem extends his hand again, and I immediately grasp it. My hand feels warm as I feel suddenly more familiar with him in the next moment.

\'So, this is how it feels establishing a Bond is? Other than how weird suddenly becoming familiar with a stranger is, it is not that bad of an experience.\'

I have expected the process would take, at least, 10 minutes or so, but it takes no longer than a minute. Rexorem lets go off my hand when our Bond has successfully been established, then looks at me passionately.

"Alright, I can see how elated you are, so stop looking at me like you want to sleep with me."

"A-Ah, I have not the thought to do that!" Rexorem looks at me mortified. "I am sorry if I somehow make you uncomfortable."

"I am glad you are self-conscious." Waving my hand nonchalantly, I continue, "Anyway, I am just not used to bromance, so prevent yourself from looking at me that way for the time being. I don\'t mind if you look at me the way you look a God though."

"I will do that instead!"

"... Whatever."

I already receive the hailing gaze I have just jokingly spoken about, and it is as pleasant as it is annoying. It\'s pretty ambivalent, so I decide to ignore it immediately.

I think about ejecting myself out of this unknown Realm, and much to my surprise, I am back to the outside world in a flash.

I can see Valeria and Millonia standing in front of me, while looking at me in curiosity. I don\'t pay much attention to them however; I am too distracted by the feeling of having just gotten stronger again.

Now, I can confidently say I am ready to leave the castle and face the outside world.