The God of Jesters
Chapter 636 - 9.18.5 I summon the spine.

Chapter 636: 9.18.5 I summon the spine.

Malidi wished to end all three of them, but he was not a violent person by nature; it was just that, with age, he had become a bit grumpy, so he didn’t mind letting these youngins suffer a bit under his teachings.

But he held his hand back while giving Alabasta a knowing look. "Foolish one, not caring for disciple one bit," Malidi spoke, not liking how Alabasta gave such a dangerous job to his little one.

Not like it mattered to him at all, coming to the center again, and giving each member of this entourage a deep look, Malidi asked. "I wonder if you all know that the exit doesn’t exist here?"

The Dwarves were aware of it and they had discussed this topic with Malidi before, but the Priestess and Knight Alabasta were new here, hence the words of Malidi did spark some interest in them. ’A game? A Lie? What are you playing Malidi?’ Alabasta wondered, giving the old man a deeper look.

The eyes of the priestess turned darker, already assuming that something didn’t feel right at the moment.

"Please Professor, speak away... I would presume from your tone that you have some answers, don’t you?" Alabasta asked.

"Yes, I have, simple answer, requires your help... but not unequal, for your support... I promise to answer you what you ask." Malidi spoke, taking out a small book, and said. "So make your request, I only sell knowledge, not services."

Seeing such a scene, the rest went silent.

The escape from this place can already be counted as the biggest service they can gain here, but to Malidi, that didn’t count, the only thing he ever gave others was knowledge and nothing more. Unless of course they were someone close, but that had happened rarely in all of Malidi’s life.

On the other hand, the rest after hearing Malidi’s offer fell into contemplation, to the dwarves, the question was obvious, and considering there were a total of two actual powerhouses in their group, they also earned two questions for the entire group, while Alabasta and the Priestess of the Cold Corpses only had one questions each.

"Professor, we were here for some knowledge from you." Spoke with Arbood, coming forward. "Can you please tell us the way to end the Immortal Serpent? The man who claims himself to be Dragon?" Such description was all that was needed for Malidi to know who they were speaking about. "My wonderful servant... why would I harm him?" Malidi responded with a question of his own

The Immortal Serpent was deemed as such for a reason, and from what their Master understood, the only way to end that serpent would be in the mind of that serpent’s owner, which just happened to be Malidi.

Which is why they were sent here. But Arbood had always wondered if this Malidi would even speak the truth or not. Well, even if he didn’t, the dwarves planned to use the karma Rope and bind this scholar and take him in their custody, bringing him face to face with Gaurdian Dragon Vesta.

Though considering the scenes from before, that didn’t seem that plausible action they could take. Although appearing weak like a mortal, Malidi was not someone to be underestimated.

And as they feared, Malidi seemed to be holding back on this information.

Well, that was their thought for a mere second.

It didn’t take even a second for Malidi to tap his pen on his head and say. "Ah yes, I promised to answer this, don’t worry, it’s possible to end the serpent, just destroy his crib, the place he always rises from after each of his deaths." The answer was simple, absurd even.

What crib? What place? Where should they look for? Many questions danced around in their head before Arbood paused and gave Gael a deep look while requesting the following question he had in his mind.

’Ask for him where this crib is located.’

And Gael, finding this was a chance to earn some credit did as he was asked. There is no need to be stubborn when you are so close to the answer you have been looking for all his while.

As for the answer he got in return, it was merely. "Vercano islands." And that was it. Leaving Gael and Arbood to find the situation a bit absurd, never have they expected the answer they had been looking for all this while was something so close.

’Finally, the Guardian’s mission is completed.’ Arbood spoke, already giving Gael a deep look. Who nodded from the side.

Though Malidi’s attention had long shifted to Alabasta, who had been watching the exchange between the dwarves and Malidi for a bit, even finding it surprising that these dwarves who had nothing to do with that flying serpent were so interested in ending it. Well, considering the long history of that serpent, it’s not bizarre that this happened.

It was now his turn, so he asked the question he had in his mind for a long time. "Tell me, what are you?"

"No, let me preface... Tell me, how are you able to remain immortal while carrying such low energy."

Alabasta had many questions in his head, among which the top was probably a way to end Jester. But with the knowledge he had accumulated and what he knows of the world of nightmares now, he understood that it was not something feasible with the limited understanding he and the rest of the Knights had.

So instead of focusing on Jester, who seemed to be suffering from some problems of his own, Alabasta chose to find the reason this man named Riktor Malidi had been able to live for so long, escape from so many powers and was worshiped by some bad elements of the society as a sort of messiah.

He needs to know, how was this man capable of such feats.

Which did make Malidi smile for a bit. "So many choices, so many potential questions that would have helped you and you chose this?" Malidi wondered, before shaking his head and saying. "Well if you want to know... I seal things." As Malidi spoke, he pointed his finger at Alabasta and said. "Just like this." At those words, chains grew from the void and then flew toward Alabasta, who was surprised by the sudden attack.

But the attack never struck him, instead it directly attacked the woman who stood behind him. Specifically, her arm which seemed to hold some needle. "Oh, seems like I was caught." A rosy smile etched her face as she let go of the needle, letting it fall onto the floor of the library.

And with its fall, the whole library started to change. "Ho, a domain realized in reality... such a wonderful feat for a Legend like you," Malidi spoke, seeing the chains that bound the Priestess’s hand break away, freeing her from his binds.

"Malidi, don’t act like you didn’t know what’s gonna happen, bringing us to the Library, do you expect us to be fooled?" She asked, giving Malidi a deep look, and next to her stood Alabasta, standing beside her with a knowing look.

As for the dwarves, who knew since when, Gael had disappeared, leaving one of the armors unmovable in his wake.

The changes were too sudden and unexpected for Malidi to react. It was not like he would have been able to do such a thing, for he was never a fighter. "Cutting away from the library, using artifacts to open your domain... so you targeted me?" He asked, looking at the duo along with Arbood who remained unmoved on the side, appearing surprised but only due to the sudden attack by the priestess, as for the rest, he didn’t move to stand with Malidi, instead he maintained distance.

His stance is visible to anyone present here.

"Don’t act innocent Professor, the library didn’t feel right the moment we stepped into it, do you expect us to walk into our deaths without fighting back?"

"Ah, your divination techniques, it’s troublesome." Malidi nodded, agreeing with Alabasta’s words in his own ways, before turning to look at the woman and ask. "As for you, who told you about it? My intentions of coming here?" Malidi spoke in a low voice, which felt chilling for some reason, a sensation rare for the Priestess of the cold corpses, who was someone that dealt with coldness all her life.

But so what? She had a Radiant Knight as a support, along with Arbood who seemed to have caught on to the fact that this whole library that they were in before was nothing more than a giant trap specifically made for them.

As for the answers Malidi gave? All of them were correct but only to buy some time for himself before his plan came to fruition.

Truly despicable. No one in Jester’s circle can be dependent on them.

"It doesn’t matter how I learned of this... all I know is how I am going to make sure your stay here is permanent." The demon will rise in this place, as for what kind, she had remained ignorant of it until seeing Malidi.

’This man.’ It didn’t take even a second for Malidi to achieve a youthful state, and then on the next second, he stabbed himself in the heart with his own arm. "Sacrifice life, I call for the Jormungdar’s spine."