The Earth After Rebirth

"You don't have to be so on guard. I can quite literally feel your anger, I'm not going to do anything to your master. Even if I did, there's nothing you could do."

"I don't care, I'll die before I let you do anything to him." He spoke for the first time in a long time, that's why his voice came out raspy and hoarse.

"You know, I knew your father. Bright kid, brave too."

"So?"

"So, you can trust me. We had a healthy rivalry, your father and I. Me, the only one from my tribe to ever exist, him, being the next in line for the crown. We both had our burdens, maybe that's what we bonded over, despite being natural enemies."

"If you were such good friends, why did you let my uncle win, why didn't you help, why did you let his only son to be tossed aside in a foreign land."

Hubris was out of breath when he finished talking, he was clearly very angry. The monkey King looked at this erratic behaviour with pitiful eyes. The kid in front of him wasn't like his friend at all, he was too much of a hothead and a stubborn one at that. He wasn't letting out any hostile aura, yet the hound was restless.

"As you know, I ascended to godhood. I don't know if you know this, but you should have an inkling, gods are absolutely forbidden from interfering. Something, an invisible force, physically stops us.

"So, even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to. Your father was a prideful hound, he didn't ask for help, even in his dying breath. His only regret was that, he didn't teach you enough." He finished softly, this seemed to have reached darkest, deepest parts of his heart.

Hubris saw his anger melting like butter. He didn't quite remember his father, so hearing these things about him made him feel closer, if only a little, to him. Although life would've been different if he hadn't died, he wouldn't have met Kiro, that was the only qualm he had about it.

He had gotten so close with him, he couldn't imagine a timeline he wasn't following him around. He didn't want to imagine a time when he wasn't able to share his feelings with Kiro, as much as his father's death was a tragedy, finding a true companion made him believe it was all fate.

Thinking about these things, only made his resolve for revenge stronger. He knew he just had to take revenge, he had to dirty his hands, he had to kill his own uncle and become king. He didn't know what that would mean for his relationship with his master, but he trusted that, no matter what happens, they'll always be comrades.

"Mr. Monkey King, how did my father die? He was supposed to be the strongest amongst my people, but my uncle was able to defeat him in a royal battle, how?"

The more he thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. The royal battle was put in place so that the strongest of the pack would be the leader. Although it's chosen by bloodline, Hubris' bloodline was the most special amongst hellhounds. His bloodline would always have an edge, if the fights were fair and square.

So it didn't make sense that his Uncle, with a secondary bloodline, won the royal battle. These details only came to him now that the person in front of him was telling him about his father, to exert revenge he needed to know everything. To avoid falling into his uncle's traps like his father.

"Your father was down to earth, very nice, very fierce hellhound. Even though he was stupidly nice, he loved fighting. That's how we became the best of friends.

"We met at the river lephe, the rumour back then was that, the river lephe harboured the strongest monster in the Underworld. So as a youth who loved fighting, we gathered there.

"We were the only two who had the guts to go all the way. A monster did make itself known, it came out of its home and faced the intruders, who were us."

Hubris was happy hearing all of this. As he was being told, the images were also planted in his head. It was as if he was watching a slideshow of his dad, and his then best friend. The way he fought was also different, it was quick and concise.

He didn't waste any moves, every move had a purpose which it achieved. He was entranced by his fighting style, he wished he could pick it up. But he knew it would take him a few good years to be as good as that. Seeing his father fighting only set to solidify that his uncle cheated somehow.

"We defeated the monster together, from then on we became inseparable. Of course the elders in your tribe didn't approve of our relationship, but your father was a stubborn one. Without a good reason, he refused to cut ties with me.

"I think that's even why his position was questioned. A lot of the elders weren't on his side to take the crown, they favoured your uncle.

"It came down to fighting for it. Naturally, your father won it. He didn't think anything of it, it was natural for leaders to be challenged. His first mistake was not letting his trust for your uncle waver even after that."

Hubris wasn't even angry at the accounts of things, it was as if his heart was cleansed of the anger that clouded his judgment, his resolve just continued to to be strengthened as he listened to the tale he wouldn't have known about had it not have been for the man in front of him.

Just then, a violent glow came from Kiro.