Paradise of Infinity: 344 (Patreon)

Title: End Time

“Accu-mulet’s partner?” The yellow flames steadily disappear under Joseph’s shocked expression, except the ones blocking the exits as he hears Nik speak. “So, you know what’s going on, don’t you?”

Joseph shudders. His entire being seems attracted to Nik’s eerie presence as he curses under his breath—‘An Incubus? Fuck…’

He grits his teeth before shuffling to move as a wind suddenly knocks into his chest, slamming him back into the ground. “Stay in that position,” Nik narrows his eyes. He’s calm at the thought of Ray dealing with the superior threat. As for Joseph? He must be delusional enough that Nik would ever let him back on his feet.

“You want me to stay in this position?” Joseph suddenly smirks. ‘His’ feature shifts. His skin softens, his face turns rounder, his hair grows out, and his narrow eyes turn slightly slender. His firm chest protrudes as voluptuous breasts strain against his dusty shirt. His legs turn curvaceous as he… SHE spreads her knees. Puckering her pouty lips, ‘Joseph’ smirks, “Is this enough?”

Nik tilts his head, unfazed. Indifferent to her gender, he questions, “Tell me everything about Scar of Finite.”

Joseph blinks before smiling, “What do I get in—”

*Chhk*

The metal from beneath her suddenly rises into a sharp spike, removing her right hand from her arm.

“Aaaghhhh!” Joseph shouts as her hand floats midair while blood around her wrist congeals, turning into an icy blockade. Nik controls the hand as he removes the limiter ring from Joseph’s finger under her frightened stare.

“You get to live,” Nik muses, lying. Will he let the possible perpetrator of this fucked up situation live? He glances at the several corpses. No. All these men were prepared by Accu-mulet. Things would have been the absolute worst if he hadn’t raked his brain with Balalaika, preparing SOME preventive measures.

Yet… Nik finds himself unable to care for reasons. No, that’s incorrect. Desires and reasons exist within Nik. That’s why he’s even standing, questioning Joseph. It’s only—he’s indifferent to Joseph.

“Your only value is information,” Nik mutters. “So? Tell me everything.”

“Fuck you!” Joseph grits her teeth. “Do you think I was born yesterday? I’m not telling you anything unless you ensure my survival. Accu-mulet sent you after me, didn’t he? How else can you use your powers…” Her eyes widen. “You’re… was that metalbending?” She glances at her amputated wrist. “This is bloodbending, no, waterbending. You’re… a paradox’s host.”

She blinks before bursting into laughter.

“Hahahaha! Fuck my life! Maybe Accu-mulet didn’t have anything to do with it. First, a deity’s host, and now a paradox’s host! FUCK!” She shouts as Nik shrugs. He can empathize with a person experiencing bad luck. He’s been on the receiving end several times.

“Ensure my life,” she looks at Nik. “I will do everything you say. Isn’t your partner willing to save my women? I’ll remove those bracelets. All it takes is a thought.”

“Your women?” Nik blinks. “Why would you release them in a different world if you cared for them.”

“Why not?” Joseph beams. “I have a few valuable treasures. I’m serious. I will do anything for my life.”

“Even offer your women?” Nik tilts his head.

Joseph grits her teeth before nodding.

“Even the ones inside your Scar of Infinity?” Nik continues.

“Yes,” Joseph’s shoulders sink as she sighs exasperatedly. “Please. We have grounds to cooperate—”

The metal from the nearest seat extends and slices her neck. Her eyes widen incredulously. Nik tosses her right hand away. “Hey, you’re the one offering everything. I just accepted it.” Nik glances at the corpse before tucking it away for later AP farm. “It’s a good thing I find torture shitty.”

As for taking her hand? Why would Nik give Joseph a chance to use her Limiter Ring?

“Hmm?” Nik frowns as he notices the duo fighting Rosarita and Shenhua getting intense. There’s a reason why Ray tried to make Joseph release them and not kill her outright. After all, those binding bracelets don’t disappear after the host’s death. Instead, they make the slaves more active in avenging their masters against their own volition! Why?

Avenging their master’s death is one of the ways to remove the binding bracelets. This is done by the Infinite Auction to instill a sense of ‘acceptance’ within the Hosts, making them feel their ‘property’ won’t forget about the former until the last moment.

‘Should I kill them, too?’ Nik suppresses the Frenzied Flames before entering the compartments filled with corpses. He frowns as he glances at the students. ‘Damn,’ he clicks his tongue. At least the students didn’t deserve this shit. To think Joseph would bring them all for Saki… Nik shakes his head and continues ahead, already hearing the sounds of fighting.

“You killed her, sorry!” Faye suddenly points her gun at Nik as Rosarita tackles Yor into the ground the second the latter distracts herself. “Hey!” Shenhua slashes at Faye as Nik scratches the back of his head, ignoring the four. Instead, he crouches by the unnerved Saki. Smiling gently, Nik brings his hands over her broken nose.

“I’m going to heal your nose. Can you bite this?” He offers her a clean handkerchief from his pocket. Taken by his warm demeanor, Saki does as he asks, prompting him to add, “This will hurt. But it will be quick, alright?”

*Krrk*

Her nose rearranges itself as Saki lets out a pained shriek into the cloth. Nik calmly warms the blood around her nose, using it as an agent to heal other injuries around her nose. The warmth eases Saki’s pain as she looks more than grateful. Tears fill her eyes as she starts sobbing.

“N-Nik-Sensei,” she whispers, quickly shoving herself into his chest, tightly embracing him.

“You’ve been a brave woman, Saki-San,” Nik smiles and pats her back. Yet, he notices something vile inside her.

“N-Nik,” Saki pants, letting her hands wander around Nik’s back. She groans, “Nik!”

‘This presence…’

Under the quartet’s shocked gazes, violet light flashes in Nik’s eyes before they hear a strangled cry. A flicker of yellow wisp appears from the back of Saki’s head before dissipating.

“Ah!” Saki jumps back, flushed. Her cheeks and ears feel hot as she hurriedly presses her hands onto her face. “I-I’m sorry, Nik-Sensei. I don’t know… it was weird. Please, I didn’t mean—” She stops as she feels a pat on her head. “It’s okay, Saki-San.” More than amused and willing to direct her attention to anything BUT the carnage around her, he teases, “But please don’t tell other students about us henceforth.”

Saki’s vision darkens as she almost faints.

“N-No… I mean, y-yes, pleased to h-h-have you…”

Nik almost snickers aloud as he glances at the quartet with a refreshed expression.

“Hey, you two. I may have a way to free you.”

“Grrr—” tussling against Rosarita with a swollen face, Yor blinks. “What? How—”

*Thud*

A fierce punch lands on her face, breaking her nose with a resounding crack as Rosarita grins, “Don’t look away, slut!”

“Can you? Truly?” Faye’s eyes widen as Nik stands with a shrug. “I can try. Freedom is my thing… I guess.” He walks over to the calmer duo and extends his hand. “Your hand,” he requests.

Faye hesitates before resting her bracelet-riddled hand upon Nik’s. Under everyone’s bewildered gazes, Nik’s eyes reveal a sharp violet glow.

*Crack*

A soft sound of glass shattering echoes around Faye before the bracelet crumbles into dust. Even Yor and Rosarita stop fighting as Faye stares at her wrist with a numb expression.

“It’s gone…” she whispers. “I can’t feel anything. Yor! It works! Can you do the same for the rest? That bitch has a few more inside her house. Please!”

She settles her excited green hues on Nik, who shrugs. It was either saving them or killing them, right? Nik prefers the former.

“Nik,” Rosarita blinks before shoving Yor away. “Young Master! Did you find Young Master Garcia?”

“One of them claimed to have known Garcia, Chang, and others.”

Shenhua grows alert as Nik continues. “If he spoke the truth, I secured them. Though, we need to get out of this place to be sure.”

Rosarita stills before grabbing Nik’s hand and staring into his eyes. Sincerity flickers in her eyes as she tightens her grip around his hand. “Thank—”

And then a sidekick to the face sends her flying. Shenhua gapes as a woman with swollen features grabs Nik’s hand. “Please, free me!”

“... kay.”

With that done, Nik helps the unconscious Rosarita up until Shenhua takes charge. “Take Saki with you guys. Stay with the rest.”

Nik whispers with a tense expression. “Things are far from over.” He looks in Ray’s direction as he continues feeling ominous.

Things are going too smoothly for some reason.

Nik isn’t used to that…

He is simply NOT that lucky.

“Aren’t you coming, Nik-Sensei?” Saki calls out anxiously as he shakes his head. “Sorry, but I can’t. Oh, Shenhua, tell Revy that I might have found Benny, Dutch, and Eda.”

“Yes,” Shenhua nods before glancing at Saki. “Girl… close your eyes.”

“Here,” Yor adds rather sincerely. “I will help you cross the compartment. You shouldn’t look at those things.”

“T-Thank you,” Saki stutters before turning to look at Nik. She isn’t sure if Nik can see her from this distance in the darkness. However, there’s a pleading need for his safety in her gaze.

Observing this, Nik thins his lips. He did NOT plan to do… well—that. However, he would rather distract Saki than let her experience a mental breakdown.

‘Let’s regather with Ray and end this thing,’ excitement flickers in his eyes. He could metalbend and remove the Scar of Finite. However…

There is something he wants to test, even if it’s risky.

And the risks will be worthwhile should things turn out the way Nik expects!

<<<>>>

Ray observes the Chaotic Deity’s host.

“Chaos, eh?’ she frowns, feeling something amiss. Nik and this host treat each other as natural enemies. It’s enough to force this host to reveal some intelligence.

“What is your relationship with that heretic pursuer of freedom?” the host demands hoarsely.

“Well,” Ray sweetly smiles, three rings on her fingers. “He just gave me three rings~ I believe we’re engaged for three lives!”

The toasty-eyed host remains unamused as he tilts his head. “You ARE aware all things lead to Chaos, even Freedom.”

“The fuck I care,” Ray smirks. “I’m just here to offer some well-deserved payback, asshole.” Of course, she wouldn’t even fight IF they could avoid conflict. However, there’s nowhere to escape. Her glare sharpens as the first ring disappears—so does Ray.

Five seconds, that’s how long the unnamed host needs to resist before—

*Boooooooommmmmm*

A terrifying explosion erupts INTO his back, unleashed by a devastating punch! Smoke fills the compartment as Ray follows after the unnamed host, appearing by his side in another second before attacking his head again. The unnamed host covered his head in Frenzied Flames the last time. However, he’s disoriented this time. As she punches, a cloud of pheromones emerges from her body, covering the host.

Another explosion surrounds Ray’s target.

“Ugh!” A wave of nausea hits Ray as the surrounding walls shimmer and return a wave of pressure that knocks the breath out of her lungs. There’s nothing Ray can do about the Scar of Finite and its protection. Every attack she unleashes will result in an equal counter from her surroundings. As for going easy? Ray doesn’t delude in such fantasies.

Her opponent is no ordinary Host.

He’s accepted the influence of a deity!

There is a difference between deities and executives within Paradise—a grave one.

‘It’s the high-ranked mission for you,’ she feels bitter. ‘If only Nik’s rating wasn’t so high.’ They already encountered monsters like Managed-Ant and Lava-Head, much less wealthy Hosts like Accu-mulet!

Hosts like Nik and this Frenzied Flame’s Host rank higher than others in Ray’s book of threats.

‘Did it work?’

Ray distances herself as the effect of the Limiter Ring vanishes. Ray waits for the dust to clear, unwilling to waste the limited resources.

‘If only I’d hatched my familiar before,’ Ray thins her lips.

*Crackle*

Ray’s eyes widen as the unnamed host howls! A fountain of frenzied flame twists and bursts from his eyes as he clutches his face. Each splash of the yellow fire melts the nearby seats into pools of liquid metal while the impact against the Scar of Finite is absorbed by the host… again. This is a massive disadvantage for Ray. Her usual illusions fall short against the mind consumed by chaos. Also, her opponent isn’t affected by Scar of Finite’s counter.

Dodging the attacks, Ray notices severe burns on her opponent’s body. The bones of his shoulders and back are visible. Yet all Ray sees past his skin are threads of frenzied flames flowing through the gap. Her spine shudders at the thought of the pain her opponent is experiencing.

This isn’t normal.

This SHOULDN’T be normal.

Fear births the urge to end her opponent. Such an emotion is rare for Ray as she activates another Limiter Ring.

An intense, sweet scent fills the compartment. Sure, illusions won’t work. But the flesh has its limits, too. Ray’s succubi charm overflows, dulling the howling host’s ardor. The yellow flames stop spewing from his eyes from the gaps between his clutching fingers. Meanwhile, Ray appears behind him.

She clenches her fist, ready to deliver her strongest explosion at point-blank before—

*Crackle*

The man falls to the ground.

‘Eh?’

Ray blinks. The time limit of the Limiter Ring ends as she observes the corpse.

‘It’s done?’ Ray kicks the host, forcing the corpse to roll over. Still warm, the corpse keeps his face covered. Yet, Ray doesn’t sense any breath.

Dead.

She glances sideways, noticing Nik enter the compartment as he controls the errand flames to dissipate.

“Is he dead?” Nik frowns for some reason.

“What’s with that look?” Ray questions as Nik observes the corpse before closing his eyes, sensing the entire train. Yet, his gaze returns to the corpse.

“Nik… about Joseph. Is he…”

“Dead,” Nik replies. Ray’s eyes momentarily widen before she lowers her head.

“Though, I did free the women you’re probably feeling bad about. As it turns out, Mokshi is more versatile than you imagined.”

Ray’s head snaps in his direction as he shrugs. Instead of speaking further, he suddenly controls the nearby pool of lava to cover the corpse.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure,” Nik frowns. Unease grips his features. “I can sense some activity within the man. It’s… disgusting.”

*Crackle*

A small burst of yellow flames suddenly dance atop the layer of lava. Nik’s breath hitches as Ray glances at the fire, too.

‘Are you kidding me?’ The duo thinks at once.

*Crackle*

Ray grunts as a horrifying pressure forces her to kneel. Cold sweat oozes from her forehead as Nik casts a surprised glance in her direction.

“Ray,” he tries helping her. “What happened?”

The lava parts away, revealing a charred corpse. Yet, the threads of yellow frenzied flames reform the dead host’s remains. These yellow threads act like ethereal nerves, flesh, and muscles.

However, Ray and Nik can only stare at the creature.

His head is nowhere to be seen. Instead, connected to the torso is a ball of darkness burning with horrifying yellow flames that seemingly distort the nearby space.

“A-Agghhhhhh!” Ray howls the second she glances at the ball of darkness. Yellow taints her previous pink irides as she covers her eyes. She cries loudly, gasping, “I can barely hold it in, Nik! Argh! It’s trying to invade my mind!”

Nik’s eyes widen. Incapable of experiencing all this, Nik hurriedly creates a wave of golden fire.

[Flames of Nirvana]

Instead of healing Ray, Nik merely creates a defensive wall, forcing the eldritch influence away. After all, Nik only loses his lifespan IF he heals something.

Ray’s body stops shaking. However, Nik feels Mokshi’s fright as he instinctively creates another layer of golden flames around them.

The Eldritch abomination waves his hand as if enraged by the mere presence of Ra’s golden flames. A thick pillar of yellow flames flood the compartment. Strangely, the flames have a physical pressure. It destroys everything it touches! The roaring flames slam into Nik, who covers Ray. A thin film of Nirvana Flames barely protects Nik as the duo’s bodies slam through exits and walls, forced back through all the compartments!

More than that, the yellow flames carry a maddening taint.

Be it corpses Nik wished to preserve or any possible survivor, everything turns into ashes and a long trail of magma.

“Ah!” The students gasp in surprise when Nik’s and Ray’s huddled body tears into the last compartment. Ignoring the raised guns, Nik merely stays at the entrance, using the last of his energy. A weak, hazy violet glow shimmers in his eyes as he offers a bitter smile to the spectators. He’s burnt from several spots, his flesh well done. Ray’s already unconscious.

A wall of bright Golden Fire keeps the yellow flames at bay. Yet, Nik feels bitter and… accepting of this result.

NOW—it feels that things are going the way they are supposed to.

Why wouldn’t something downright horrendous appear to fuck him over?

Nik wished he could metalbend the compartments away. Yet, Nik is unable to use his bending outside from this compartment. It’s an infective influence—that ball of fire and chaos. Free Nik might be, but he isn’t strong enough to push the influence away. He can only stand because of Mokshi’s existence in the first place.

‘We need to run,’ Nik tries sensing anything he can metalbend to remove the Scar of Finite. Yet, a wave of dizziness floods him. Just that one stand against the ball of flames took everything he had…

“Nik!” Revy shouts, her figures rushing at the man as he falls to a knee. Only now does he feel the left portion of his face burnt.

“Stay… back…” Nik utters as he glances at Ray. He weakly stretches his arm to stroke Ray’s head as the last of violet glimmers in his eyes before he passes out, leaving the wall of golden flames burning ever so bright.

“Prepare yourself,” Boris whispers. He lets Revy drag Nik and Ray away.

Their group is the only survivor as Ray moans weakly, rubbing her head.

“What happened to Nik?” Revy grips Ray’s collars as the succubus steadily comes to be. She glances at the half-burnt Nik before glancing at the wall of Golden Fire. Ignoring Revy, Ray looks at her left hand, observing the final Limiter Ring.

‘A sacrifice or something similar,’ Ray feels bitter. ‘It has to be that. How else would a deity descend on the host? That fucker… wasn’t attacking aimlessly. He was offering his body to his chosen Deity…’

But what can Ray do even when she knows this?

“Where’s Koro?” Ray questions as Revy strangles the succubus.

“What happened to Nik?! Answer me, you bastard—”

Ray calmly pries Revy’s hand away, not in the mood to maintain the usual cheery persona. “He’ll live,” Ray promises, not to Revy but herself. “Where’s Koro?”

“Um, Koro-Sensei locked himself in the bathroom,” Nagisa offers as Ray nods. She was merely fearing that someone had killed Koro.

“It’s so hot inside!” Koro’s voice echoes from the inside. “What’s going on?”

Ray ignores Koro, nervously staring at the wall of Golden Flames. Whatever these flames are, they can oppose the Frenzied Flames.

‘What to do?’ Ray gulps, sweat-soaked. ‘How can we deal with that monster?’

“What’s happening, Ray-Sensei?” Meg whispers as Ray thins her lips.

She can’t admit that they all are about to die, right?

“We’re probably dead, nyehehehe!” Koro snickers from inside.

“Well, we all knew this day would come,” Faye mutters. “At least I die a free woman.”

“Please don’t scare the children,” Yor shakes her head.

Meanwhile, nursing her bruised cheek, Rosarita comes to be. “Hmm? I didn’t know hell had golden flames.”

Ray ignores everyone. She nervously rubs her limiter ring, waiting for the monstrous enemy to part through the Nirvana Flames and attack them.

Seconds turn into minutes…

Minutes turn into hours…

“Ugh…” Nik moans and slowly sits up, glancing at the wall of Golden Flames. Everyone looks at him in surprise as he blinks. “See? That’s why you guys shouldn’t have tried killing Koro. Now we’re all in hell.”

“Nik-Sensei!” Quicker than Revy, much to the latter’s angst, is a young girl. She buries her head into Nik’s exposed chest, sobbing.

“Wait…” Nik looks around. “This isn’t hell?”

Boris glances at the man, nodding, “Da. However, your face looks like it’s been through hell.”

“My face?” Nik blinks as he instinctively pats Saki’s back. Meanwhile, his other hand touches the left portion of his face. He shrugs. Nik closes his eyes before letting out a surprised noise.

“Stay here,” Nik whispers before standing up. Others grow surprised when Nik turns his back to them as he walks through to the wall of Golden Flames. As he enters the Nirvana Flames, he activates them to heal his burns and remove the chaotic influence from his flesh.

“W-Wow…” Irina mutters.

“So, nobody is going to tell how Pedo-Sensei just mooned us all?” Karma’s words elicit other girls to blush.

“Huff,” Ray exhales a soft chuckle before collapsing and fainting. These few hours had been the most tense for her.

Meanwhile, Nik walks through the solidified lava, stopping in front of a pile of ash.

His expression turns slightly complicated.

They all almost died in one single attack. Yet…

The ball of flames…

That Chaotic Deity used up the host’s flesh for that one attack.

‘If it hadn’t been for Flames of Nirvana…’ Nik shudders. All of Nik’s sourness about being strongarmed into accepting the Flames of Nirvana fades at this moment.

‘It’s over…’ Nik exhales. ‘Only this Deity was out of my depths.’ He suddenly feels a chill at his back.

‘Hmm?’ He touches his back before his expression falters. ‘Forget about clothes. I’m just glad we’re alive. Now? How to get out of here?’

***

Alternate Title: Nik VS Joseph; Taking On The Offer; Difference Between Torture And Caution; Unhinged; The Brawl; Saki’s Wet Dreams?; Frenzied Flames Being Saki’s Wingman; Nik: Freedom Is My Thing *Mokshi: Unlimited Wet Works*; Destroying Binding Seals; Freeing Slaves; Fucks of Liberation?; The Bomb; Bomu Bomu No Mi; Vs Chaos; Frenzied Flames—Being Philosophical *Ray: Real Shit*; The Sacrifice; The Eldritch Descent; The Flames of Frenzy and Nirvana; The Final Help; Lost Hope?; Doing Everything Possible; Koro Shall Die In The Shitter; Panic and Last Prayers; Rosarita: Damn? Hell’s Beautiful; Nik: I Told You; Nik Accidentally Flashes Cheeks; Revy Who?—Saki Team; Irina Gets an Eyeful… So Does Karma; Karma: Wasn’t The Moon Destroyed?; The Saving Grace; Waiting For Their Death; How To Get Out?

***

A/N: For context, the Frenzied Flames is the concept from Elden Ring derived from an unnamed outer deity that offers these flames to its hosts. At the end of its quest, the mc of Elden Ring actually dies and allows the deity to use its body, unless you use a needle in the location where time stands still. Anyway, I didn’t want Nik’s first proper encounter with these beings of Laws to be the usual plot armor of Nik failing before suddenly awakening and destroying the enemy. I first had planned to make Mokshi control Nik’s body. However, that felt cheap. Why would have Mokshi waited until now if that was even possible?

So, I stuck to the basics. Nik was down in luck. However, all he needed was to live through that one attack. It’s like a boss’ cutscene where even if the MC dies and loses, the characters live in the game since all we needed was to take on that one attack.

As for slaves from Infinite Auction?

That’s another way I’ll try to introduce more harem characters since I can’t put Nik in worlds like Cowboy Bebop and Spy x Family for the characters alone. So, do suggest characters you’d like to see but have more troublesome fiction or lore (including games and hentai.) Though, I cannot promise I will add every suggestion. But it’s nice to know these options since I might add them in some other ff. *shrug*