Chapter 110 Meeting an old friend

Despite the unsettling atmosphere of the forest, Suzuka pushed forward, determined to help Wara. They drove in silence, their only companions being the sound of four-wheeler spinning tires. As they approached the castle ruins, Suzuka's heart began to race. Memories of her last visit came flooding back, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows.

Wara seemed unfazed by the eerie atmosphere, and Suzuka found herself admiring his courage. She led him through the ruins and the forest, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they arrived at their destination - a hidden cave deep in the heart of the forest.

Suzuka inhaled deeply and turned to Wara, her voice barely audible. "We're close," she whispered. "I can see the clearing up ahead. Do you see that figure walking? I think it's Bill."

Wara nodded in agreement. "Yes, I see him too. But wait, is he fighting someone? I can't quite tell from this distance."

Suzuka shook her head. "No, I don't think he's fighting. It looks like he's cleaning up the place after dealing with whoever dared to cross him." 

A flicker of admiration flashed across Suzuka's face. Bill was infamous for his ruthlessness, and for a good reason. Anyone who dared to mess with him never lived to see another day.

As Bill landed a final blow, the monster let out a blood-curdling scream and collapsed to the ground. Bill broke off one of the beast's horns and pierced through his eye, causing him to writhe in agony. The monster's eye had burst open, blood gushed out, and stained the sand with a deep crimson hue.

The stench of iron filled the air, mixing with the scent of sweat and sand. Bill's adrenaline-fueled high dissipated as the reality of the scene before him set in. The monster lay twitching on the ground, his body convulsing in spasms as he took his last breaths. The once imposing figure was now a broken and twisted mass of flesh and bone, his blood seeping into the sand. The sound of the monster's screams rang in his ears.

Suzuka and Wara continued to approach the clearing, they could make out the figure more clearly. It was indeed Bill, standing beside a lifeless body.

Bill's senses were heightened from the recent fight, and as he heard the approaching sound of the four-wheeler, he quickly turned his attention toward it. His face contorted into a terrifying expression, his eyes blazing with a blood-chilling gaze that seemed to pierce through anything in its way. The scent of his blood lust hung thick in the air around him.

He gazed into the distance, trying to make out who it might be, as his trusty giant battle axe was strongly gripped in his fist. He could sense danger lurking around him, and his muscles tensed in preparation for whatever was to come.

As the four-wheeler drew closer, Bill could make out the silhouette of a figure sitting on it. He couldn't quite discern who it was, but his instincts told him that it was not someone he wanted to cross paths with. With a swift movement, he readied his battle axe, holding it up high in a menacing manner.

The figure on the four-wheeler approached, and as it drew near, Bill's eyes widened in recognition. It was his long-seen friend, who he thought would never see again. Bill's expression softened, and he lowered his axe in relief.

"Wara, is it really you?" he called out, his voice trembling with emotion. "Bill thought you were gone forever."

Wara drove closer and started waving at Bill, "Hello, old friend. It has been a long time." 

 As Wara drove closer to Bill, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over him. Bill was about to make a happy smile for the first time in a while when he saw his menace. His joy was short-lived as he caught a glimpse of Suzuka's face peering out from behind Wara. Suddenly, all the happiness drained out of him like water from a punctured balloon.

Suzuka jumped off the four-wheeler and greeted Bill enthusiastically, "Hey! Bill! Long time no see, how have you been?"

Bill's will to live waned, and his axe slipped from his grasp and thudded onto the ground. "Why did you bring the girl with you? Please tell me you're not leaving her here. Anything but that."

Wara let out a deep belly laugh, clearly amused by Bill's fear. "Oh, Bill, your looks haven't changed since last we met, but your manners have certainly improved. Who would have thought you'd start cracking jokes?"

Suzuka chimed in, "Yeah, Bill's got quite the sense of humor now."

Bill hung his head and muttered, "I'm not joking. When you leave, don't forget to take her with you."

Suzuka laughed, "Oh, Bill, you're such a joker. It's great to see you again, it's been more than three months."

Bill grumbled, "Three months of blissful peace and quiet."

Wara interjected, "Say, old friend, can we talk somewhere more private?"

Bill replied, "Sure, we can go to my cave." He turned to Suzuka and said, "Girl, can you give us a moment?"

Suzuka shrugged, "Sure, no problem. I'll take care of the monster you killed for you while you two catch up." She then sauntered off to inspect the carcass of the creature.

As they walked towards his cave, Wara noticed the unease in Bill's steps and asked, "Is everything alright, old friend?"

Bill sighed, "It's nothing. Getting old that's all."

Wara nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Bill remained silent, lost in thought. As they entered the cave, he gestured for Wara to sit down on a pile of rocks. "So, what brings you here after all this time?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

Wara leaned forward and explained, "The biggest reason for me wanting to meet up is to catch up with my old friend."

Bill raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And the smaller reason?" he inquired.

Wara hesitated before continuing, "It's about this woman, she goes by the name Helen now. I've heard she spent a fair amount of time with you, and I want to know if she is reliable. Some MIS agents are snooping around, asking questions about her."

Bill rubbed his forehead, considering his response. "Well, she can be annoying as hell," he admitted. "It was torture for Bill to live with her running around, yapping nonsense without ever shutting up. But, Bill has to say, she is reliable. Bill trusts his life with her on a quest."

Wara's voice was filled with surprise. "Wow, you two must be pretty close," he remarked.

Suzuka barged into the room, her long hair whipping behind her like a stream of black violet silk, her yellow eyes fierce with determination. She glared at the two men in front of her, her voice ringing out like a bell in the quiet room. "Hey! What are you two talking about? Let me in on it."

Bill looked at Wara with lifeless eyes, as if he had lost faith in humanity. His body language screamed exhaustion and defeat. He rubbed his temples as if trying to ward off an oncoming headache. "See what I mean?" He muttered to Wara, "She can't even give us a minute of privacy."

Wara let out a laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You two sure get along well," he said, "Well, Helen, we are not talking about anything important. I was just about to offer Bill to come with me to live in town."

Both Suzuka and Bill said in chorus, "What?"

Wara nodded, his expression earnest. "Bill, you can come to live in town, a lot of things changed. It's different now. You can join my guild. Just like the old times."

Suzuka rejoiced, clapping her hands together. Her eyes lit up with excitement. "That is great news, Bill," she exclaimed, "I would love to have my friend close by. We could go on quests together. It would be great!"

But Bill shivered at the thought alone, spending even more time with Suzuka. He cringed even harder thinking about going to her place and spending quality time with her. "I am happy about the offer, Wara," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But Bill likes it here. Bill's adventure days are over. No more quests, no more people. Bill likes his peace and quiet."

Suzuka's face fell, disappointment written all over her features. She tried to hide it, but her eyes betrayed her. "Oh," she said, her voice flat. "I see."

Bill could feel the awkwardness filling the room, like a dense fog. He coughed, hoping to break the silence. "Thank you for the offer, Wara," he said, his voice stiff, "But I think I'll stay here."

Wara shrugged, a small smile spreading across his face. "Well, it's your decision," he said, "But the offer still stands, if you ever change your mind."

Suzuka gave a small nod, turning on her heel and heading for the cave exit. "I'll see you both later," she said her voice sad and barely a whisper. She walked outside and leaned against the stone wall by the exit while listening in on them speaking. 

As soon as she was gone, Bill let out a long sigh. "Ugh, so exhausting," he muttered, his face contorted with disgust.

Wara raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Bill scowled, "You know what I mean. She's always so...so...intense. I can barely stand it."

Wara chuckled, "She's just excited, Bill. Aren't you two friends? You said you would trust your life with her, what's wrong?"

Bill shook his head, "No, Wara. You don't understand. It's not just that. She's been staying in my cave for over a year and it's been nothing but an annoyance. At first, it was fine, she was scared of me and kept her distance. But as time passed, she became needier and more chatty, prying into my privacy. And when she was able to fight equally in strength with me, she become even more clingy."

Wara rolled his eyes, "You're overreacting, Bill. I'm sure she meant well."

Bill snorted, "Means well? That's a laugh. Easy for you to say, Bill was the one stuck with her."

Wara leaned back in his chair, "Come on, Bill. It couldn't have been that bad."

Bill shrugged, "She's a half-human, half-monster just like me. And after she learned to control her powers, she became too friendly with me. It was suffocating, Wara. I couldn't take it anymore. It was hell, I'm telling you."

Wara's face fell slightly. "And what exactly she did do to you?"

"She's been driving me crazy," Bill admitted. "She was always nagging me about everything. She wants me to clean my cave, wash more often, shave, and keep a good posture, and she even called my treasure a pile of junk and told me I need to clean it up! Can you believe that?"

Wara chuckled softly. "I can see how that could be annoying," he said sympathetically. "But why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"Oh, I've tried," Bill replied, shaking his head. "But she just didn't listen."

Wara nudged Bill with a smile, "Oh, come on, Bill. It couldn't have been all bad, right?"