NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Finn’s Frustration, Bubblegum’s Fear
Chapter 10: Finn's Frustration, Bubblegum's Fear
"Impressive," said PB, staring through the lens of a microscope in front of her. She wore a white lab coat, with her transparent lab goggles pushed up to her forehead.
The sudden loud sound of the door opening startled her. It wasn't just the invasion of her lab—it was a crime to barge into any place she occupied within the Candy Kingdom. She spun around angrily, only to find her small friend, Finn, looking at her.
"Oh, Finn, you..." Her gaze was caught by his new outfit. "I always knew a different style would suit you," she smiled, removing her goggles. The idea of Finn sporting a fresh look seemed to impress everyone. Previously, Finn had preferred clothes that were comfortable for fighting, paying little attention to fashion. Not that this Finn cared much either, but his outfit bore a strong resemblance to those he wore in his first life.
"Hah, do you like me?" He tilted his head slightly.
"Not really... I mean, yes... I mean, it's not bad." She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she also didn't want to admit her true thoughts. Despite everything Finn had done for her kingdom in the past, acknowledging that she liked him would contradict her personal vow against men.
Finn smiled and walked toward her with steady steps, bypassing her to sit on the table in front of her. "So, what's up?" he asked, leaning on the table with his arms.
"Good, I guess," she replied nervously. Perhaps it was was his unusually casual demeanor throwing her off. "I wonder why you seem so different today," she said, turning her attention back to the microscope.
"Really? In a good way or a bad way?" he asked with a small smile and a sharp gaze.
"I wouldn't say good or bad, but your vibe feels like someone else's," she chuckled softly. The only explanation in her mind was that he was like any teenager trying to assert his presence after reaching a certain age.
Finn remained seated, watching her work beside him. The air grew thick with tension, even for him, though she appeared calm and pretended he wasn't there at all. She stayed silent, focusing intently on her work.
Finn couldn't detect any weaknesses in her demeanor. To him, she was like an impenetrable wall. Just as he had anticipated, this girl was exceptionally unyielding. Her temperament and intelligence made her difficult to crack.
"So, have you seen Marceline lately?" he asked suddenly.
She glanced at him, her expression tinged with sadness. "Yes, but she hasn't been well. I'm not sure what's wrong with her," she said, clearly concerned for her girlfriend.
"Why?" he probed.
"Um, I don't know. But while we were... uh, together, she pushed me away and left upset. When we met again, she seemed fine but acted cold toward me," her voice wavered with sorrow. Such uncharacteristic behavior from Marceline hurt her deeply.
"Simple—she's probably just bored of you. That's why she left you in a moment like that. Not exactly something lovers do, right?" he sneered, his tone and expression dripping with disgust and barely concealed amusement.
She glared at him indignantly, but he spoke before she could. "Doesn't matter, you know..." His eyes roamed over her body. "In the end, she's the one losing out," he said, his gaze fixed on the curve of her chest visible beneath her lab coat.
PB froze in place. Finn, her small, cute, and polite hero, had just made a dirty joke without a shred of shame. He didn't seem nervous or even emboldened—he looked relaxed, enjoying the view of her.
It wasn't just his crude words; his gaze was unwavering, dangerous even. It pierced through her body with a cold, intimidating intent. Despite her long life and countless unimaginable events, this young man's demeanor made her shiver.
She steadied her nerves, organized her thoughts, and replied, "Well, thank you, Finn. Now, could you leave? I have a lot of work to do." She pulled her lab coat closed.
"Tsk... Enough work already. Why don't we enjoy ourselves for a change?" He rose from his seat and stood beside her, close enough to catch the intoxicating scent of her hair. Slowly, he raised his hand toward her back.
"I wouldn't mind, but I'm busy right now, and children wouldn't understand such things, you know," she said firmly, her conflicting emotions evident. Her words had the intended effect; his hand, which had been on the verge of invading her space, froze mid-air. This wasn't just a remark—it was her attempt to calm the beast that had emerged before her.
Finn fell silent as she resumed her work. Though she didn't look at him, she could feel his intense gaze piercing her body, causing her to accidentally drop a glass vial onto the floor.
She bent down to pick it up, only for Finn to grab her hand over the vial. He looked up at her, his golden eyes glinting with a cold, detached glare that sent a chill through her. Their eyes locked in that moment, and the tension grew thick. Finn's expression was unreadable yet piercing, as if he were calmly dissecting her. She trembled slightly, her breath hitching as the weight of his icy presence pressed down on her.
She had lived for centuries, enduring and witnessing the unimaginable—powers that defied logic, disasters that reshaped worlds, and catastrophes that time itself had buried. Yet, the way his eyes bore into her now, sharp and unyielding like blades of golden steel, sent a shiver coursing through her entire being. His gaze wasn't just cold—it was predatory, piercing through her defenses and stripping away the composure she had honed over lifetimes. In that moment, it felt as though her entire body was plunged into an endless, frozen abyss.
"What's going on, Finn? What do you want?" she murmured, her voice trembling, each word revealing the turmoil and fragility unraveling within her once steadfast spirit.
"Something kids wouldn't understand," he whispered near her ear in a deeper voice. He pulled the vial from under her hand and placed it on the table. Then, without another word, he left the room, the sound of the door slamming shut behind him.
She remained on the floor, her body frozen in place as beads of sweat traced down her forehead. The oppressive weight of Finn's presence lingered even after he had left. Finally, she exhaled shakily, relief washing over her in uneven waves. Using the table for support, she pushed herself up to stand, her legs unsteady. "What... was that?" she muttered under her breath, her trembling voice laced with both fear and disbelief as her gaze fell on the slick sheen of sweat glistening on her trembling palm.
Finn was furious, unable to believe she had resisted him so strongly. He left the castle, his nerves alight with frustration.
[You should have just made a direct move on her. With your experience, I doubt she would have resisted,] Sika remarked.
"You just don't know her, Sika. That girl is unyielding to the core. Perhaps I had it too easy with Marceline; I'll make up for it with her," Finn muttered, narrowing his eyes.
[Fair enough. So, what's the next step?]
"Good to see you're finally refraining from prying into my thoughts," Finn replied, pushing his earlier irritation aside.
[For your information, the things you don't want me to know will remain unknown unless you tell me. I already know general information, but your plans, thoughts, and your past life are all private unless you decide to share.]
He stopped in his tracks. "You're aware of my stance on that last part, right?"
[Yes, the instructions are clear. But to be honest, I'm really curious how someone who's twenty-one or younger can have such a... mature outlook,] Sika teased.
Finn heard her words but didn't respond, continuing down the path, already brainstorming ideas for his next move.
---
The massive, hairy giant fell to one knee, screaming in pain as one of its legs was severed. Its body was mangled in multiple places, a pitiable sight.
A shadow darted through the rubble, leaping along the length of the giant's body toward its head. As it neared the skull, a green sword extended along Finn's arm, and he swung it with deadly precision, aiming to claim the giant's life.
The giant's hand moved instinctively, catching Finn off guard. It gripped him tightly, raising its fist to its face with a victorious grin. But a bright orange light and smoke erupted from within its palm, forcing it to scream and release its hold.
Finn slipped from its grasp and ran along its arm, the giant's molten hand disintegrating into lava. With a final, brutal strike, Finn drove his sword deep into the front of the giant's face, causing its brain matter to splatter violently out the back.
The giant didn't even have time to scream. Its massive arms fell limp first, followed by its entire body crashing to the ground in a bloody heap. Finn stood proudly before its hollowed face, his expression brimming with smug satisfaction.
[Third-level Beginner Phase giant defeated.]
[Reward: 100∆]
"How many coins do I have now?" Finn asked.
[After paying Simon's liberation fee, you were left with 60. Now you have 160 coins.]
"That's too little," he grumbled as he left the scene.
[At this rate, I have some good news for you.]
"Speak," Finn said, intrigued.
[It's time for the real missions to begin. Unlike the wolf trial mission, these will be more dangerous but also far more rewarding.]
"And these missions come from your master?" Finn inquired cautiously.
[Yes.]
"Forget it," he said, deeply wary of the idea. He feared that allowing even small things like these missions might give this "master" more control over him. He wasn't about to leave any vulnerabilities.
[As you wish. For your information, missions are divided into levels: Easy, Normal, Moderate, Hard, Very Hard, and Nearly Impossible. If you choose to participate, you'll receive missions at random difficulty levels. The higher the difficulty, the greater the rewards. Also, your random battles will give you at best 200 LIB coins.]
Finn fell silent, realizing he desperately needed more coins; otherwise, his development would slow to a crawl—or stop entirely.
"I can refuse missions, right?" he confirmed.
[When you receive a mission, you can simply reject it.]
"Ha, quite generous, but... I like it. If your master thinks he can control me through these missions, he's picked the wrong guy," Finn declared, his voice filled with defiance.
[So, you're agreeing?]
"Give me the first mission," he said, grinning as he cracked his knuckles.
[Mission 1]
[Level: Moderate]
[Eliminate three golden two-tailed scorpions.]
[Countdown: One day.]
"Hey, where can I find these?" Finn asked, wracking his brain for any memory of such creatures. He came up blank.
[That's your problem. Also, consider yourself lucky—your first mission is Moderate level.]
"Fine," Finn muttered, unsheathing his sword. "But I'll need help."
---
In a dark cave, a golden scorpion with elegant twin tails darted forward, only to be struck by a glowing blue arrow. It froze instantly, encased in ice.
Simon picked up the frozen scorpion and flew upward, followed closely by Marceline, who carried another scorpion tightly bound in chains.
Ahead of them, Finn sprinted on the ground, battling a much larger scorpion. With swift movements, he severed its first tail, then its second. As the scorpion screeched in pain, Finn dove underneath it and delivered a vertical stab, splitting its belly open. The creature collapsed, dead.
Marceline tossed her bound scorpion aside, slicing it cleanly in two, while Simon kicked his frozen scorpion, shattering it along with its icy prison.
[Mission 1 completed.]
[Reward: 600 LIB coins.]
Finn frowned at the meager reward as the other two landed beside him.
"Remind me why we killed these scorpions?" Simon asked irritably, still harboring grudges after learning the true nature of Finn and Marceline.
"You don't need to know," Finn replied with a smirk. "Just know that we've got more work to do," he added, twirling his sword before letting it wrap back around his arm.