Return of the Fallen Volume 10 Chapter 79
Kazuki’s aura flared up and a crushing pressure spread out in all directions.
“Zephris, as you know, I don’t like being used.”
Zephris had a new body that was formed using dragon DNA as its basis, so it was made from some of the strongest materials in the world. He was also at the same stage as Kazuki. After witnessing Kazuki’s memories, he could even use Kazuki’s technique and fold his aura, creating many layers, but he could not perfectly duplicate it, and he couldn’t make nearly as many. Not only that, but Kazuki’s soul was many times stronger than Zephris’s, especially after Kazuki devoured one of Sephra’s soul fragments from Fera’s compass.
Because of this, there was an extremely large gap between the two. Even if he resisted with every fiber of his being, he could not stand up to Kazuki. Not with his strength, not with his body, and most certainly not when it came to the soul. The ground split and cracked in every direction as Zephris was forced to kneel in front of Kazuki.
“You think you can just drag me into your plots, Zephris? You think you can force my hand and make me do your bidding? We’re not enemies, but when you pull bullshit like this, it seems as if you won’t be satisfied until we are clawing at one another’s throat.”
Zephris could hardly maintain focus under such tremendous pressure, but he denied it.
“Not true. You know that is not my intention. You know what it is I seek. Why…Why is your vengeance justified and mine is not!?”
Kazuki shook his head.
“When did I ever say that? I don’t care if you want revenge. It’s your method that I disagree with. You know I’ll have to get involved.”
“Wrong. You are the one involving yourself in matters that have nothing to do with you all on your own. You are allied to Detra, but not this asshole. You are the strongest being in this Realm; no one can force you to do anything you don’t want. So I am asking you, the one being in this world who knows exactly what I’ve gone through. Step aside and remain neutral…Please.”
The two stared at one another for what seemed like a long time before Kazuki finally sighed and pulled his aura back.
*Haa*
“Why make waves right now? Why can’t you simply wait until the timing is right?”
Zephris shook his head.
“There is no such thing as the right time. I don’t know when the next opportunity would have come. It’s best to be ready at any given moment and pounce the very second weakness is shown.”
“And where was this so-called weakness? You captured him at a time I wasn’t watching; are you saying I am the weakness?”
“Not that you specifically are the weakness; instead, you have weaknesses that you yourself have yet to address. You can not be everywhere at once, and you cannot see everything all of the time. Because of this, there are gaps. You know this already though. Me telling you is probably a pointless thing but too many things are reliant upon your abilities. So this is something; even if you are already aware, you need to be even more aware that others are aware. Redundant yes, necessary, again yes. Unless you’d rather be left caught with your pants down.”
Zephris was annoying—beyond annoying—but he made a point in all of that blabbing.
“So all of this, is it even about your revenge, or is it to show me I’m not being watchful?”
“It’s always been about my revenge. The rest is simply extra. You could say that by me pointing it out like this, I’m actually doing both you and me a favor.”
Zephris smirked after saying this, annoying Kazuki further.
“Right, forget all the roundabout shit and just speak clearly. What exactly is it that you plan to do with Torzz.”
Kazuki spoke up to here before he could feel time suddenly slowing around Zephris before stopping entirely around him. A rift opened in the middle of the room, and out walked a furious Detra.
She didn’t even look at Kazuki and walked toward Zephris, but before she could come close, a wave of greyish energy came pouring out of Zephris, surrounding him in a thin layer of it. His body was freed from the stopped time, and he again held a smirk.
Kazuki and Detra were both surprised by this.
“I may not be at your skill level in terms of manipulating the element of time, but I have always been a gifted individual when it came to magic. After getting this draconic body, magic comes all too easy. Breaking your magic around me is simple, so don’t do it again; otherwise, I’ll take it as you intending to cause harm.”
Zephris displayed the prison orb in his hand. Detra saw her son trapped within and became impatient, but Zephris tightened his grip around the orb in a threatening manner.
“Take another step bitch and I kill him. Don’t think I’m lying. After being trapped for too many years to count, one thing I thought about before my soul and mind were ripped up and put together again and again was revenge. How to capture Torzz, how to torture him, and how to destroy him. This orb is quite special, you see. Breaking it will cause a chain reaction within. It will both deplete all of the magical energy sustaining him while at the same time crushing his soul into oblivion. The fun doesn’t stop there, either. This orb and I are personally attached. The moment this body or my soul is destroyed, again, the orb activates, and your vile shitstain of a son is no more, so if I were you, I would take a step back before things get out of hand.”
Detra suddenly became cautious before taking a step back. Her rage just barely contained.
“And whats to stop me from simply snatching it from you and binding
Before she could finish what she was saying, Zephris interrupted her.
“Whatever you are thinking, I’ve already thought of countermeasures. Anything you try is pointless and will only cause the acceleration of your son’s death. Afterward, you will only have yourself to blame. You may be incredibly strong but here, your power means nothing to me. You cannot kill me even if you tried and if somehow you did manage to overpower me, which is basically an impossibility at this point, I would simply flee. I no longer have any attachments to this Realm, your son, and Sephra I have to thank for that. I’d tear open a crack in space and go to another Realm and you would never see me again so stop with the cold glare before I lose my patience.”
Detra looked to Kazuki.
“Can’t you do something?”
“When we entered into an alliance. I agreed to not harm either of your sons; I never agreed to protect them.”
Detra felt her heart sink.
“Kazuki, that’s my son. I…I.”
Kazuki nodded.
“Yes, that is your son but Torzz is also the enemy of all humanity. Are you going to protect him from every single being that holds a grudge against him?”
Detra didn’t know what to say to that.
Detra knew Zephris wasn’t bluffing. She could sense magic inscriptions she had never seen before. All of them complicated and beyond her. Were she to really try something, she did not know how things would go. To take the risk when her son’s life was on the line, she couldn’t do it.
“Kazuki, what can I do to get you to put a stop to all of this nonsense? This revenge does not benefit anyone and only digs up what has been buried long ago. We should all be sticking together in these difficult times, not dividing ourselves over this rancor.”
Before Kazuki could answer, Zephris began to laugh with madness.
*Heheha Bwahahaheha!*
“Nonsense you say! dig up what’s been long buried. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!”
Zephris pointed at Detra and spilled a cup full of blame in her direction.
“You really see nothing but what you wish to see. Long ago, your son was the one who started all of this. It was he and a bunch of beasts and villains who attacked the island that housed my family. Luckily, I got there in time and put a stop to that. At the time, I could not kill Torzz but there were many harms I could have laid upon him. Instead, I took him prisoner for his crimes. Do you remember what you said to me when you came to me at that time? You told me I could do with him what I will. Back then, I was satisfied with keeping him locked away so that he could do no more harm to this world, but then Sephra stole him from me, and it was the two of them that helped turn me into a monster. Do you remember what happened after I became the Miasma?”
“You destroyed…
Detra couldn’t finish that sentence, but Zephris was more than happy to.
“I destroyed everything that I touched. Only the Azirians were left unaffected. Under Sephra’s control, under your son’s control, and under Fera’s control, I ate the beasts. I ate the animals, but I didn’t stop there. They played with me like a puppet, and I was made to eat my own people. I ate women, innocent children, the weak, and the old. Millions upon millions of them. Their screams echoed out. Even after they died, little pieces of their souls remained within me, and I could still hear the screams. Millions of screams. every. single. day. I could not stop it, I never had a chance but out of all of the powerful beings in this world there was one who could.”
Zephris looked into Detra’s eyes as if he were searching for something before he asked with a trembling voice.
“Why…Why didn’t you put a stop to it?”
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