Ball of Nothing - Chapter 130
Chapter 130
Baal was getting restless . Zero still owed him two more stories and he was irritated . The Demon Lord had been trying to contact the child for hours now without success . It was as if Zero completely disappeared even though he knew where the brunet was . Deciding to pay the brunet who was ignoring him a visit, Baal made his presence known .
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Constructions and repairs were progressing smoothly . The villagers tried their best not to think about Douglas or Zero . They now knew that the brunet was no ordinary person . Feeling humbled by his abilities, there was a strange air hanging in the village while they worked . Nobody spoke about that incident, choosing to continue with their normal lives to the best of their abilities . They didn't know how they should treat the brunet when he woke up and that became the huge elephant in the village that not even Zenobia dared approach .
The villagers tried to maintain the normalcy despite everything that has happened but Hua Tuo still noticed the unease . Truth be told, it wasn't something unexpected . He just didn't think that Zero will blow his cover so soon . The boy could hardly be blamed . He had a kind heart with great intentions . It was simply the nature of all living creatures to fear the unknown . Hua Tuo tried to prevent this from happening so soon . Zero just wasn't ready for the harsh reality that awaited him . Sadly, fate had other plans and Hua Tuo was powerless .
Perhaps it was time to leave the village permanently . Half Moon village has suddenly become a terrible environment for Zero to continue his training in . The physician would have to start scouting for a new village soon, preferably before Zero wakes up . He didn't quite want to leave Half Moon village because Coux was a great trader . Things that were normally impossible to attain can be obtained by the half-succubus . She was Hua Tuo's best point of contact and the physician didn't want to lose her . Still, he had his obligations to the Great Gods who entrusted Zero to him . Zero dreams of becoming a physician who surpassed him rested on his shoulders too . It would do no good to leave Zero jaded at such a young age . The brunet's greatest strength was his selflessness, a treasure in this cruel world .
Lovina had woken up a few hours ago and left for her apartment recuperate in peace . The only silver lining in this mess was how Hua Tuo was able to identify the villagers who remained undeterred by the revelation . It came to no surprise that Zenobia was fiercely protective of Zero . Amaraline wasn't too shaken by it either although Clowis and Lowis had different ideas . Grandma Moppo and Lovina seemed to know about Zero's secret even before the revelation so Hua Tuo didn't have to worry too much . Surprisingly, Mitchnew and Coux didn't shy away from Zero . In fact, the ladies took it upon themselves to glare at anyone whispering about Zero who was still unconscious . That gave the physician some peace of mind while he tended to his sleeping disciple . There was hardly anything he could do for the brunet at this point so Hua Tuo continued to brood about his next course of action . At least he could count on the ladies to do some damage control while he thought of a way out .
It was three in the afternoon when the air in the peaceful village stirred ominously . The warriors who were helping with the repairs froze and dropped whatever they were doing . Zenobia stiffened at the pressure crackling with power . Her heart fell when the source of disruption seemed to be coming from Hua Tuo's apartment . With the elephant in the village and everyone treading carefully around that topic, the chieftess could barely put a lid on the matter . With this, it was sure to push everyone over the edge especially the warriors who saw Zero as a threat more than the innocent brunet who wanted to become a doctor . Dropping everything, the chieftess rushed over . Zenobia prayed that nobody would do something as silly as to try and harm the brunet . The last thing Half Moon village needed was a civil war .
Vrald arrived at the scene first . He growled and the dragon magic in his blood boiled . He could sense it . The foul Demon King Baal was here again . Unsheathing his sword, the warrior barged into Hua Tuo's sanctuary . The physician wasn't too startled when the hinges of his door snapped and the wood of the flimsy thing came crashing down onto his floor . He was more cautious about the ex-patient occupying his student's vessel .
"Lord Baal," he bowed in greeting, ignoring the uninvited guests making a mess out of the apartment . "What brings you here?"
Baal frowned and glared at the pesky warriors directing their bloodthirst towards him . It didn't hurt but it got irritating . What did he do to deserve such hostile treatment? It was unfair! If anything, he should be mad at them for failing to protect Zero . He had a feeling that something was incredibly wrong with the child and now that he was here, he could confirm it .
"I was looking for Zero . He owed me two stories and I haven't heard from him even after trying to reach out to him for hours . "
The physician blinked . How did Zero communicate with Lord Baal without him noticing? He decided to push that matter to aside for now . As the murderous intent in the room increased, Hua Tuo tried his best to remain calm . He wouldn't put it past these ex-adventurers to harm the Demon Lord residing in his student's body . If possible, he wished that they could negotiate terms peacefully and leave Zero's body unharmed .
"Zero is currently in slumber from overusing mana . His constitution is slightly special so he cannot recuperate without external influences . Lovina and I have exhausted our mana reserves during the war against Carrabas a few days back . It would take a while before we can help Zero replenish the bare minimum he requires to come out of slumber . "
Baal blinked . "Mana? Doesn't that brat have a ridiculous amount of that stocked up? Who's the Carrabas fool? What did he do to Zero?"
Hua Tuo shook his head . "Carrabas is a human Count who attacked the village . Lovina has taken care of that fool . However, Zero exhausted his mana by using a divine spell that I couldn't stop . "
The Demon Lord sucked air through his teeth . "Tell me everything from the beginning . "
The warriors continued to guard against the threat in their village as Hua Tuo summarised the battle that occurred in the Demon Lord's absence . He explained how Zero brought the traitor back to life and punished him using a divine spell . Baal's expression became darker when Hua Tuo explained the last part . Nobody breathed when Baal's magic made the ground beneath them tremble in his rage .
"Is that Douglas person living well?"
Hua Tuo was slightly surprised . Why would Demon Lord Baal concern himself with such a minor character?
"I'm afraid I don't have that answer . He was banished only recently . Is there something you need of him?"
Baal was silent for a while . The brunet was truly a fool . Truen was right . Someone had to watch out for Zero and the Demon Lord wanted to blame Hua Tuo for everything that happened . If only the physician didn't influence Zero to walk the treacherous path of a doctor, he wouldn't be in comatose .
"Nobody stopped him from doing it? Aren't you meant to be his teacher?"
Hua Tuo trembled a little when he met those black eyes burning into his . That expression of pure fury was frightening . He'd never seen Zero look so lethal and Hua Tuo could sympathise with how the villagers felt . As an ex-human, Hua Tuo understood fear . Demon Lord Baal was a powerful existence rivalling any demi-god in terms of power . Hua Tuo wanted to avoid fighting with Baal at all costs . Those words cut like a searing knife and Hua Tuo flinched . It was true, he couldn't refute them . He was Zero's teacher and it was his failure to prevent the accident . He should have stopped Zero even if his student hated him for that . He shouldn't have let Zero bring Douglas back to life .
Coux frowned when she saw how Hua Tuo became silent . She didn't like how Demon Lord Baal was throwing his weight around . Her heart was racing in fear at the intense pressure hovering over the village, threatening to wipe their existence from Earth . However, the brave lady stood her ground . She walked up to Hua Tuo and looked into Zero's black eyes . Nobody has spoken to a Demon Lord and lived to tell the tale . However, for Zero, Coux would try . It didn't matter if more than half of the villagers in Half Moon village feared Zero and saw him as a threat . Coux was on Zero's side .
"Greetings, Demon Lord Baal," she bowed . "I understand the reason for your rage . However, please allow me to say a few things . Firstly, nobody could have prevented what happened . Zero took it upon himself to dish out his form of justice before anyone could stop him . Even if we managed to stop him on time, it would've left a scar on his heart . What is done cannot be undone . On the account of Zero's kindness, please let the sleeping lions lie . For now, Zero's health should be the first priority . Taking your anger out in Zero's body would only add to the wounds to his heart when he realises that it was his hands that have taken lives . "
Baal glared at Lilith's descendant . As much as he hated the brazen succubus, she was right . He would be a hypocrite to blame Hua Tuo and the villagers for not stopping Zero . Baal wasn't present when it happened . He wasn't there for Zero even though he sensed distressing thoughts from the brunet . It was infuriating to admit it but he shared the blame as well .
"Lilith's descendant, you have a lot of guts talking to me like this," Baal growled and the half-succubus tensed . "However, I'll let it go this time as I share the blame . However, if anyone in this village mistreats Zero, know that I will not hesitate to raze this village to the ground . This is my first and final warning . "
Nobody dared defy the Demon Lord . Then, Baal shifted his attention to Hua Tuo who swallowed . "Doctor, how much mana does it take to replenish Zero's reserves?"
Hua Tuo frowned and felt cold sweat form at the back of his neck . "I'm sorry, this is beyond my expertise . Merlin is more proficient at judging mana than I am . However, I assume that if we can transfer mana enough for a divine spell, Zero would be able to recover . "
Baal clicked his tongue . He knew what divine spells were . Sage Gods were usually unable to use them unless it fell within their field of control as it required an insane amount of mana . With the exception of Merlin, no other Sages were able to use it more than once a year . Zero had a strange constitution as explained by Mii and Truen . Baal was troubled . As a Demon Lord, he was bound to the abyss and unable to leave it for a higher plane unless someone made a huge sacrifice to open a gateway that usually involved many lives . He couldn't transfer any mana to Zero when they were in two separate planes even if he had the means . Then, a brilliant idea hit him .
The villagers of Half Moon village tensed when Baal scanned the room . Almost everyone was in the apartment, making the space rather cramped . Coux flinched when coal black eyes landed on her thoughtfully .
"Lilith's descendant," he smirked . "Would you like to make a once in a lifetime trip to Hell? I can offer you my protection for the trip on the condition that you escort Zero with you . "
The half-succubus blinked . Whatever the Demon King was about to say, Coux didn't see that coming . Was Baal negotiating with her? The moment Baal spoke to his wife, Roovan stepped in and declined .
"It's too dangerous," he reasoned but Coux wouldn't give in . The couple glared at each other, neither willing to back down until Mitchnew offered to travel with her . In turn, Sekkin didn't agree and arguments broke out . Baal's ultimatum to allow the village to send a party of up to five representatives to escort Zero to his palace made everyone settle down thoughtfully .
"I will send a familiar in two days . You can discuss it as a village and give me a reply by then . Zero will come to Hell to recover his mana in the Spring of Vitality, there is no room for negotiations . The only person capable of helping Zero recover his mana is mana drained, I will not tolerate having to wait for the stories Zero owes me any longer than I have to . "
As whimsically as he arrived, Baal left . Hua Tuo caught his apprentice and tucked him back to bed . Immediately, people started discussing who should accompany Zero to Hell . Zenobia saw how Hua Tuo was getting more restless when the discussion turned into heated arguments once more .
"Alright, everyone out! Call the entire village for a meeting, we shall discuss this in the cave . " she ordered .
Disgruntled, the crowd dispersed . Hua Tuo took a look at the broken door and back to his student . Things were becoming more and more out of hand . If he thought that the broken pieces of Zero's heart could be fixed with a little bit of time before, he was now convinced that it would take the entire world's support to bring the boys' smile back . Douglas' betrayal was harsh enough . The villager's scattered opinions about his powers made it worse . Thank goodness Zero wasn't awake to hear any of it . The doctor hoped that everything could be settled by the time he returned from his trip to Hell .
The doctor sighed . He really hated this . What could he do to make the villagers get rid of their shallow-minded stereotypes? Demon Lord Baal's presence and demand only made everything worse . The villagers like Vrald may never look at Zero the same again . Hua Tuo was no fool, he saw the hatred in those eyes . Vrald must have felt betrayed and from what Grandma Moppo and Amaraline told him, Vrald isn't the only one feeling this way . Clowis and Leon were taking it much harder than the red-haired ex-adventurer .
Was there no fixing this mess?