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Return of the Fallen Volume 10 Chapter 117

Although Arc did not call Kazuki a demon, the way it was put was just the same to Kazuki.

(Me…A demon?)

(I did not say you were a demon but if the actions you take are indeed similar, if you derive pleasure from seeing your enemies suffer, at least to me that is no better than what a demon would do. Again though, I’m not saying you are. From what I’ve witnessed of you, you have a side that could easily be led down such a path and the cost of that would be…grave.)

Kazuki really began to think about his actions, about his future. He knew Sephra needed to pay but he also no longer felt rage toward her. Now there was something else he could do, something else productive. If he could use Arc to track down the souls of the fallen, of those he cared about, then he could make a new body for them and bring them back to life.

(If Sephra’s victims are alive again, is there any point in pursuing revenge?)

To his own question, Kazuki really didn’t know. He knew bringing them back to life would not fix everything Sephra had done but once they were alive and well, would revenge even be worth it.

(At that point if I brought them back to life, seeking revenge would only put them in danger once more. As it stands, Sephra is Orberus’s prisoner, she has no freedom, this doesn’t fix things but maybe peace isn’t a bad option.)

(Kazuki, I feel you should know something before things progress further. I said I would help you but there is something that needs to be mentioned.)

Kazuki stopped flying.

(What else. Are there more insults you have for me?)

Arc spun around Kazuki’s thumb as if it were saying how ridiculous.

(I did not insult you. I merely spoke of what I had observed and gave an opinion, nothing more. No, what I have to say, It’s about those you wish to return to life.)

(What about them, is there a problem?)

(Yes. My ability is something most cannot match but my powers are not infinite. Once I have sufficient energy, I can track the souls of any you wish but there may come a point where the end line is beyond my grasp.)

(What does that mean?)

(Simple. Souls are incredible things. They can technically last forever but that is only if they do not expend any energy. Take your brother for example. I have seen your memories and saw Kai inside your soul word for an extended period of time and he in that state managed to last for a long time. However, I no longer sense him within your soul world. From your memories, I saw that Kai had used something called Sword forms. That used up energy and caused his soul to shrink and grow weaker. From your memories, it seems he fought with a Vazul. Zetrazz told you that he sacrificed himself in order to help save you. From this, I believe his soul is no longer in existence. With my powers, even if I track his soul through the past it will eventually end in his nonexistence.)

Kazuki already figured that and didn’t find that part all too surprising. He knew Kai was gone forever. What started to fill him with unease was the fact that his granny master may no longer be around. She was killed several years ago. From what Arc showed him, his granny master’s soul followed him around all the way up until he was teleported back to Gordonia.

(Granny master should still be around. She was strong and stubborn like iron. There’s no reason for her to of used any energy back on Earth so her soul should definitely still be there. Plus there might also be reincarnation. Do you know anything about that?)

Kazuki was still hopeful but Arc poured cold water on these thoughts.

(I won’t lie, I have seen and know of many things but reincarnation is something I have never confirmed. Is there something beyond after one dies? We know for a fact that the soul remains but after a while, if used up, even a soul will vanish. Souls are made up of energy, if that energy is run dry, does that not mean the soul is no more.)

Kazuki began to think about the others and his heart fell. His brother was a no-go, Old Tilly’s soul may be around but Glacious and Etora no longer were after he devoured them. This brought more sadness just thinking about it. There weren’t many that died but the souls were the problem.

(If I didn’t devour Glacious and Etora, there would still be a possibility of reviving them but my power ate their souls as well as their bodies. At the same time, without their flesh and energy, I would not have been able to have lasted as long as I did in my fight with Fera. In the end, my brother and the others, most of them cannot come back.)

Kazuki felt guilty. His brother sacrificed himself for him and so to did Glacious and Etora and his granny master, yet he only had the possibility of reviving his granny master and the chances of that were slim due to time passing.

(Granny master may no longer exist. Am I doing all of this for naught?)

(Are your feelings so weak Kazuki?)

(What did you say?)

(Please Kazuki I have watched you for a long time, I know you are not stupid. You understand exactly what I mean. The Kazuki I know would not just give in so easily and do you think your granny master would want you to give up so easily?)

Kazuki already knew the answer without Arc telling him.

(I get it…To think you are this cold now.)

Arc spun.

(Not cold, just pointing out what I observed is all.)

(Right. Knowing granny master she would be quite disappointed in me right now. I don’t give up, not on those I care about.)

Arc spun around again.

(Not only that but the possibility that your granny master’s soul is still around may in fact be higher than you think. After all, Nevius spoke of his own family’s demise. He said it took place thousands of years ago. He knows this but still, he firmly believes their souls remain somewhere. He may know something neither of us does.)

Kazuki thought about how he left Nevius wallowing in a crater. The way things went down left a bad taste in his mouth. In the end, Nevius did not seem to be a bad person. Even if he was manipulative, Kazuki understood doing anything for the ones you love.

Kazuki looked at the stars around and decided to continue the gathering of Origin energy. He opened a rift next to him and stepped through. Coming out the other side, he was near a new star.

(Hmm, you’re not flying anymore.)

(The stars that were nearby I could fly to in a few minutes since they were that close. These stars are much further. If I tried to fly to them it could take years or even hundreds of thousands of years. Using a rift gets me where I need to be instantly. Shouldn’t you know this already, you use the element of space.)

Arc spun dully.

(I do know that. It’s just that there were plenty of stars still in the vicinity that you housed Origin energy in the depths of their cores. Why not consume those?)

Kazuki was slightly annoyed.

(You already know why. I’m trying not to consume any stars that have planets with life on them. I do not wish to end them for my own selfish reasons.)

(See, that means you are not a demon. After all, would a demon care about destroying innocents? Hehe.)

Kazuki shook his head in annoyance.

(You are an odd little one aren’t you?)

Arc spun again.

(Odd isn’t necessarily bad. Much better than what others who used me had called me when they did not get the result they wanted.)

(What did the ones who previously had you call you?)

(Sometimes trash or useless. It’s because sometimes I could put up some resistance and I would show them as little as possible. They got angry at that point but none of them could afford to throw me away, hehe, the bastards.)

Kazuki felt that was kind of sad.

Coming upon another star, Kazuki used up the last of his Cosmic crystals, filling them to the brim with energy while Arc absorbed more Origin energy.

(I’m out of Cosmic crystals so we’ll have to return.)

(Hmm, can you not just release the energy inside of them. There’s not much around here anyway so the destruction would be centered here and you could take care of it.)

Kazuki felt that would be a bit of a waste. After all, with the number of Cosmic crystals he filled, he could power a few more Titan Golems.

Before he mentioned any of that Arc followed up.

(Or you can just devour the energy. You did just fix a part of your soul right. With that, the spinning void inside should be able to consume a little more correct?)