Return of the Fallen Volume 12 Chapter 23
Kazuki could sense the fear in Codex. He had placed a Slave Mark upon the Gauntlet and even though the Gauntlet was an Artifact, it had been unable to remove the powerful seal and free itself from Kazuki’s control. Artifacts were powerful and seals and inscriptions were easily seen through by them. So for the Gauntlet to still remain within Kazuki’s control, Codex was right in its fears of this unknown frontier.
(Kazuki, this ability of yours is quite dangerous. I don’t believe you will ever use it against us but if one day you so choose to betray us…It only makes sense that I have my reservations. You see that don’t you? So if you wouldn’t mind telling us what took place between you and this Gauntlet…It would put us at ease and our trust would stay perfectly intact.)
Kazuki chuckled lightly.
(Do you think I would give away such a secret? The ability to take over an Artifact…is this not the rarest of all skills? To give this knowledge away for free is reckless is it not?)
Codex did not like this one bit. Kazuki was acting as if he would really use it if things between them broke down. Just as Codex was really questioning whether or not Kazuki was serious, Kazuki began to laugh.
(Hehe, I really had you going. I can sense the fear surrounding you. Codex, there’s no need to be afraid. I have no need to use such a skill against you, for we are not enemies…Right?)
If Codex had a throat, it would be gulping right now.
(Of course, we are not enemies. I’m just saying what everyone here is thinking.)
(Are you? Because in my eyes, you are the only one giving off this air of fear. Forget it. We are partners so I’ll gladly share my knowledge with you if you so wish but nothing comes for free.)
As Kazuki continued to fly through the sky, he rubbed his fingers together greedily as if telling Codex it will cost you greatly.
(What…What is it you wish of me Kazuki? You know I have no valuables.)
(Physically, that is true. You hold no items and even if you did I would not want them nor would I need them. As for currency. The Higher Realms mainly use Divine crystals, which as of the moment I escaped from CHaotic space…
Kazuki held up his empty right hand and with a thought, A divine crystal formed seemingly from thin air.
Sword started dancing around inside Gauntlet’s inner space with a good deal of interest. Codex and Arc sensed what he had done and were amazed.
(Brat, you just created a Divine Crystal from those weird energies didn’t you?)
(Arc, this is just the start. Normally you would have to absorb Divine energy from your surroundings and at a high enough concentration that it takes this physical crystal form. Most Demigods would much rather absorb this energy directly and have their powers grow as a result. With my newfound knowledge of energy now, I can do it much faster and with much greater ease. They can only use Divine energy around them to create Divine Crystals but I am different. Because of my knowledge along with the fused piece of Artifact I received from you Arc, I can transform any energy into any other at a whim. Well, any energy except for Origin energy, can’t crack that one…At least not yet.)
Arc and Codex were amazed. For them transforming one energy to another was something not all Artifacts could do but it was not a rarity among them. What was difficult though was the cost. Normally it would take them nearly an equal amount of Origin energy to convert it to Divine energy but Kazuki had no Divine energy. Not only that, he had used the energies that are abundant in Chaotic space.
(Kazuki, do you realize how dangerous that was? If even a single calculation or combination was off, that energy could have exploded inside your body and destroyed it instantly. Brat, you really like to push your luck.)
Kazuki had converted a portion of several different energies into Divine energy. These energies were the same ones that flowed through Chaotic space. Kazuki could also feel these energies flowing freely through this Higher Realm. Since he could feel every single one of these energies and calling them all out individually would be an annoyance, he deemed to call these energies all under one name…Chaotic energy
(It was not luck Arc. As you well no, I do not rely on such things. Even if this energy did somehow go rampant within me, I would have simply devoured the energy or countered every energy precisely with its weakness.)
Arc wanted to grumble but it knew how Kazuki was.
(True, you don’t even believe in crap like that. Still, even if you think you have full control, never be so confident that you become blind to the risks. You may be able to perfectly control and react to the environment within your soul world but that does not take into consideration outside factors.)
(Aw, sounds like you’re worried about me.)
(Brat, just heed my warnings. You know what Is ay is true.)
Kazuki didn’t deny it.
(I know this already but thanks for the heads up. I’ll keep it in mind.)
Codex didn’t care about where the conversation was going and changed the topic back to the former.
(Kazuki can we get back to it already? I asked you what you want in exchange for the truth. Since you can take care of your own wealth and I have no valuables, what then do you wish of me?)
Codex wondered if Kazuki was going to ask for more Artifact knowledge. if it was this then Codex would have to of course refuse. Such knowledge was far too much for a Demigod and could easily unravel Kazuki’s mind. Codex really wished to know Kazuki’s secret so that it could potentially take countermeasures but if it was this that Kazuki wanted, It would have to flat-out refuse.
Even if this put itself at risk it could not afford for Kazuki to lose his mind.
To Codex’s surprise, what Kazuki asked for was completely different.
(I had to give something important up in order to receive your help before. You and Sword both have a piece of my soul. I was desperate and had to give it up but now things are different. After receiving a fraction of Arc and it became a part of me. I realize just how valuable a piece of one’s soul can truly be worth. So that’s what I want. Give me back what’s mine and in return, I’ll tell you exactly how I placed this Slave Mark upon the Gauntlet and your worries will never come to fruition.)
Codex went silent. The piece of Kazuki’s soul it had was the only advantage it held over Kazuki. With it, Codex or Sword could damage, possibly even kill Kazuki with a single move. This though was already waning. After Kazuki had fused with Arc’s fragment he had gained abilities Codex and Sword and even Arc were not fully aware of. On top of that, he absorbed enormous amounts of Chaotic energy with both the spinning void in his soul world and his soul itself.
His body had grown to the extremes and one could say he was untouchable to any other Demigod. His soul as well had transformed further and grown to an extent that one could easily mistake it for that of a Gods.
Codex knew from the bottom of its very existence that Kazuki had already surpassed it in nearly every aspect. With no Origin energy left, if Kazuki went against it, and didn’t fulfill his promise, Codex would have no way to make him keep his word. As a matter of fact, with Kazuki’s soul-reading ability, it was already a wonder if Codex could even threaten Kazuki with soul damage. It had witnessed portions of Kazuki’s aura being destroyed in CHaotic space and then with a thought, Kazuki simply absorbed more Chaotic energy and used it to automatically and near instantaneously repair his soul.
Codex was feeling defeated before negotiations had really even begun. Its tone grew soft as it asked.
(Kazuki, if I and Sword return these fragments of your soul back to you…What guarantee do we have that you will fulfill your promise and find our Master?)
Kazuki suddenly became serious.
(You have no guarantee. The moment you hand over what is mine, I could do whatever I please. At the same time, do you think I cannot simply take it back at this point if I so choose?)
Codex shuddered inside and Sword was saddened by the way this conversation was going. Kazuki was going to let this linger in the air for a moment but felt sorry for the two.
(Let me ask you this Codex. Have I once gone against my word in the time that you have known me? When It comes to allies and enemies, is the treatment not clear-cut by now? For what reason would I just go back on my promise? You’ve seen my memories. I destroy those who try and do harm to me and mine and I care and protect those that are on my side. When it really comes down to it, who would most likely betray who. You or I?)
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