Chapter 417 Rikko“s Dastardly Plan
"Oh… Rikko no like smell… How Pestro wear this?"
That high-pitched voice casually came from behind Pestro, startling the Demon God. Pestro jolted around to face Rikko, asking, "What are you doing... "
Unable to finish his question, Pestro's rage and anger rose to new levels. He choked on his anger, struggling to breathe properly and speak. The sight of Rikko pinching his nose shut while holding Pestro's loincloth in the air was too much for the already irritated Demon God.
"GIVE THAT BACK!!"
"Rikko warned Pestro," the Goblin God replied with a nasal voice as his nose was pinched. "Pestro no be mad when face consequences…"
"Rikko, return them now or die!"
"Oh? You want fight? Pestro not confident naked?"
"RIKKO!!!"
Jack suddenly teleported behind Rikko and burst into laughter. He didn't have the confidence to stare at the hideous, bare god before him but knowing the situation was enough for Jack to laugh till his lungs gave out.
"Silence! I won't stand for this!"
"Uh, uh, uuuh… Pestro face consequences, now Rikko took loincloth," replied Rikko, still plugging his nose while smiling back at Pestro's nakedness. "But loincloth smell, so Rikko burn."
"No! Give it back, NOW!"
"Then Pestro leave?" Rikko asked, raising one eyebrow. "Rikko and Pestro shake on it?"
Completely humiliated, Pestro snarled and ground his teeth. His glare bounced back and forth between Rikko and Jack, catching on that this was a plot all along. That only fueled his raging fire but Pestro understood that Jack couldn't be killed so easily, especially now that Rikko got involved.
"So? Rikko and Pestro shake, or Rikko burn loincloth? Pestro want return naked?" Rikko questioned, hurling more verbal wood onto the fire of Pestro's fury.
Taking deep breaths, Pestro grunted and started to slowly walk forward.
"No halberd or no shake!" demanded Rikko, threatening to tear the loincloth.
Snorting angrily, Pestro stored his halberd. Though his weapon was now gone, Pestro's gaze was sharper than ever, trying to slice through the comical expression on Rikko's face. "Now, give it back…"
"Shake first!" Shooting his hand up for the massive god to grab, Rikko smiled while holding the loincloth behind him.
Pesto clenched his fists and popped his knuckles before he grasped Rikko's hand firmly, trying to squeeze it till the hand broke. But the goblin's grip strength was startling, nearly matching Pestro's. It was something that only made Pestro angrier as he tried harder and harder to squeeze the life out of Rikko's hand, which was quite large for a goblin.
This continued for a few seconds as the two gods stared each other down. One was attempting to burn holes into the other with his hot glare while, at the same time, the other softly stared back with a toothy grin.
"Since Pestro shake, Pestro get loincloth." Rikko happily held the loincloth in front of him as Pestro snatched it and finally let go of Rikko's hand. "Remember, now Pestro leave and no return. Bye-bye!"
"See ya! Wouldn't wanna be ya!" Jack joked and waved at Pestro while carefully standing behind the shorter Goblin God.
Not saying anything else, Pestro eyed the two of them as a loud shriek filled the air.
A giant, winged fiend with a collar descended from the clouds above. It then landed behind Pestro, waiting for the large god to mount it.
Pestro kept quiet as he climbed onto the fiend's back and sat himself on the comfortable seat jutting from the fiend's back, yet his heavy glare at Jack and Rikko didn't seem comfortable at all. And once he was seated, the fiend took off and returned to the world above the clouds.
"Ha! Ha! Rikko score big!" Dancing and jumping around, Rikko celebrated.
"What do you mean, Uncle Rikko?" Confused, Jack looked to the ecstatic Goblin God and asked, "Why'd you give him back the loincloth?"
"Rikko no want loincloth, Rikko want something else…" Rikko tilted his head from side to side as he answered.
Squinting, Jack then asked, "But you asked for my help to steal the loincloth… What were you really after?"
"Nephew Legend, Rikko make best steal in long time! Thank you for help, Nephew Legend," Throwing his arm over Jack, Rikko pulled the hero in his giddy jig. "Uncle Rikko and Nephew Legend celebrate now!"
"But what else did you steal? I didn't see you take anything, and Pestro didn't have anything else on him…"
"Nephew Legend no see clear. Pestro have lots stuff Rikko want. Pestro have storage, Rikko want what in storage," chuckled the Goblin God.
Going wide-eyed, Jack froze and looked back to Rikko in befuddlement. "Uncle Rikko… you can steal from people's personal storages? But wouldn't a god have a secure storage?"
"No matter to Rikko!" The goblin continued dancing as he answered proudly, "Rikko take what Rikko want. Secure storage no stop Rikko. Nothing stop Rikko!"
"Then… what did you steal from Pestro?"
Finally, Rikko stopped dancing but his smile got wider. Rikko wagged his finger at Jack, motioning for the hero to come closer. When Jack eagerly lent Rikko an ear, the Goblin God whispered the name of his new trophy.
"WHAT?!" Jack jolted his head back and grabbed it tightly with both hands. "No way! Show me, I don't believe you!"
"Then Uncle Rikko show Nephew Legend, but Nephew Legend never doubt Uncle Rikko again."
"Never again! I'll never doubt you again, Uncle Rikko! Now show me!" If what Rikko said was true, there would never be another reason to doubt Rikko's tactical abilities.
With a proud grin, Rikko thrust an open hand into the air. Then, Rikko summoned his newest item, giving Jack a sense of awe.
The item was longer than Rikko was tall and quite ornate, even though it was mostly black and hid most of the intricate details. As Rikko twirled the halberd around, Jack was in awe. Never had Jack imagined that he could steal a god's personal weapon so simply. It gave Jack hope to retrieve Naparn's sword in the future.
"So, what Nephew Legend think?"
At a loss for words, Jack replied, "It's… it's unbelievable… I can't believe you stole that… How did you do it?"
"Personal skill!" shouted Rikko, struggling to balance the halberd while twirling it at high speed. "Rikko need Nephew Legend to make Pestro angry. That make Pestro careless. Rikko also need Pestro store halberd while Rikko watching. Then, Rikko find item inside storage. Rikko need two or three seconds for steal halberd, that why Rikko shake so long."
Hearing Rikko's explanation, Jack understood why Dragas had earlier mentioned her caution around Rikko. Should someone underestimate Rikko, they'll greatly regret it later.
Jack could only imagine how livid Pestro would be once he learns about his lost halberd.
"Rikko best!" The Goblin God continued his dancing, giddily bouncing around with flailing limbs.
"Uncle Rikko, how did you pinpoint the halberd of all the items in the storage?" asked Jack.
"Easy! Pestro use energy with halberd and Rikko find leftover energy in storage," explained Rikko. "More energy make easier find and faster steal. That why Uncle Rikko need Nephew Legend make Pestro angry and wild. Make easy steal for Uncle Rikko."
"But… what about when Pestro realizes you stole it?"
"Rikko no stay here, so no matter!" Rikko laughed, not batting an eye. "Rikko go Trodar with all goblins. Then, Uncle Rikko and Nephew Legend have more fun!"
Both Rikko and Jack broke out in laughter. Rikko was glad to have a worthy accomplice to some of his future thefts and excited to pull off such a great heist against Pestro. Jack was over the moon to have another god join his side. Also, the fact that Rikko stole Pestro's halberd and could possibly help Jack steal Naparn's sword in the future excited Jack like no other.
They danced toward the nearest goblin settlement, preparing to announce Rikko's public return to the goblins and to inform them of their immediate migration.