Return of the Fallen Volume 12 Chapter 14
After Sword’s little dance, Kazuki snapped his fingers.
(Sword is correct.)
If Arc and Codex had eyebrows, the two would be raising them right now. Codex got a little closer and asked.
(If I am understanding Swod correctly, rocks are the answer.)
Even though Codex could understand Sword the best, even it was having a hard time imagining this was the real answer to Kazuki’s question but Kazuki didn’t deny it.
(Yes, Sword has the answer. Its rocks.)
Arc and Codex shared a knowing look but both began to think Kazuki had finally lost it.
(Brat, here I thought you had finally come up with something but your embarrassing me in front of the empty book. What do you mean the answer is rocks?)
(Arc, my earlier question was what exists in this place. Besides all of the weird and vast energies and the tears that seem to appear at random, what else is there? It is in fact these Realm-sized rocks. When you shared your senses with me, I only got to take a curious look before my mind began to unravel from the overload of your senses. In that small window of time, besides the explosions rocking our surroundings, the objects that existed in this place were none other than those rocks. I believe it is these rocks that are the key to our escape.)
(Whoa whoa, hold on a minute. The stupid clumps of rocks…You think we’ll be able to escape this place using them? Heh. You have lost it. You made progress moments ago and cut out a path in Chaotic space, something I did not think was possible. I thought you had a real plan and then you hit me with space rocks. Kazuki, I think it’s time you take a break for a while. Your thoughts seem to be unbalanced and scattered. The time magic in your soul world seems o be having a negative effect.)
Kazuki could tell their faith in him had waned and it was a reasonable response but he was not losing it. In fact, he felt sharper than ever.
(Arc, I understand your concern but it is not necessary. What I say makes sense if you just take a moment and think about it. In this place where we can not use normal magic by any means, we can barely affect our environment, and our power is eaten away and destroyed in Chaotic space, what is there that we can use? Look at those rocks. In this place where everything breaks down and is destroyed, those rocks still exist. Even after they are shattered into tiny particles, after a moment there is some kind of reversal and they are put back together as if they were never destroyed in the first place. Us who understand almost nothing about this place, are you really telling me those rocks are not an oddity in this place?)
Arc was quiet for a moment before it began to relent.
(What you say…does make sense.)
Codex did not like where this was heading and interrupted.
(Arc you can’t seriously be going along with this nonsense. Yes, I’ll admit Kazuki has shown us something truly incredible as he cut through Chaotic space but that was a mere fluke. This and that is entirely different. If you give in now and let him do what he wishes on a whim, will you deal with the consequences when he fails and he loses all rational and sanity? I don’t think so.)
Codex was using Kazuki’s last outburst as a measurement. It believed if Kazuki had any more epic failures and disappointments, then he would really lose it and break down entirely.
(Codex, do you look down on me so much? You really have no idea who I am and what I am capable of. I have endured infinite darkness and infinite loss. A ravenous hunger that could drive one to the brink of insanity and pain that would destroy any other, yet here I stand. A man unbroken with a will that thus far has always pulled me through. Yes, I acted foolish earlier but no one is perfect. At the same time, that bit of stupidity and outburst is not my norm, and I am once more fully in control of myself. To judge me off a single incident, that would be quite shortsighted of you, no?)
(Short-sighted, me. You think I would judge you off of one incident? No, I have seen your struggles, I have seen what you have endured and I have seen what fuels you. A hatred so deep and so hot it could burn us all and drag us down with you. Your primary goal is one that will lead you to destruction. This woman that was once your mother clouds your focus and it’s all in the name of revenge. I simply wish for the best outcome and the way you are going about things is reckless and above all dangerous. Kazuki, try and see reason.)
(Everything you just said, is meaningless. Yes…Revenge is my ultimate goal but Sephra does not cloud my focus. The image of her face is burned clearly in my mind and it clears my thoughts. She is the basis of my rage but after all this time I’ve come to learn that like the rest of my emotions, they can be used. My rage is merely a tool for me to temper myself to forge an unyielding being. One that will never stop, and never give in. I am that being. In the end though, what we say here, none of it matters because I am not trying to convince you. I do not need nor want anything from you Codex. As far as I’m concerned, you are merely an observer. Arc on the other hand…)
Kazuki turned away from a stunned Codex and faced Arc.
(Arc, you’ve told me time and again how you are the one true, an almighty being that has lost what belongs to you. Before we entered this place, you also told me you were tired of waiting and you wished to have your missing piece as soon as possible. Tell me, was that all just talk, or did you actually mean what you said? Are you the one true almighty being and if so, should you be made to wait on what rightfully belongs to you? Shouldn’t you be striving with every fiber of your being to take back what is yours or would you much rather wait and rot in this strange place in the hopes that it one day grows bored with you and spits you out like a piece of wet garbage back into one of the Realms? The answer, isn’t it damn obvious?)
Arc began to tremble. Codex wished to chime in but both Kazuki and Arc turned away from the floating book.
(Kazuki, damn have I been weak. You are 100% correct. I am the one true. and I am not one to wait. Getting forced into this place, and not having any way out of this prison is truly stifling and rage-inducing. Sharing my knowledge with you is guaranteed eternal death for you but if your goal is to get to a chunk of rock…Well, that should be simple for an almighty being such as myself along with a clever little Demigod right? So go ahead, borrow my senses and let us try out whatever crazy-ass idea you come up with next. I’m ready for it.)
(Well said Arc. Let’s do this.)
The last time Arc had shared its senses with Kazuki, Kazuki was bombarded by an insane amount of different energies flooding and crashing into him. Now though things were completely different. He had spent millions of years in his soul world learning, adapting, and comprehending all of these different energies. The vast amount and overwhelming amount of power contained within these energies was still something he could not physically take without some restrictions before he was destroyed but now at least he would not come undone when coming into contact with them through Arc’s shared senses.
As he shared Arc’s senses it was like a pair of eyes had formed outside of Arc’s Gosechu box body. Now as Kazuki was being bombarded with these many energies, it was just painful. His soul shook with each impact but it was something he could endure. His soul was constantly damaged but his soul-reading ability was out repairing the current damage.
(Kazuki how is it? do you really need my sense, couldn’t I just tell you where these big rocks are located?)
(For now, I can handle it. As for you showing me the way. Yes, you could do that but I need an absolutely clear image and goal in mind. After all in order to open a path to one of these rocks it will not take a short while. If you just tell me the location and tell me how and when to strike out a path, problems could easily occur. If we are even a moment out of synch, everything could be reset and then we have to start over from zero. I need to be able to set my own rhythm and go at my own pace and not yours if that makes sense.)
Arc understood this and let Kazuki borrow its senses. After a short while, Kazuki found the nearest Realm-sized rock.
(That’s my target.)
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