Return of the Fallen Volume 13 Chapter 102
While sitting in the dining hall, Kazuki had taken a look at nearly all the inhabitants of the mansion. These memories contained very little in regard to usefulness. There were still a few he wished to look into. His hidden aura pierced through several floors, entering the underground. His aura arrived at the smithy in no time at all. There he found the man he was looking for, or rather, half the man.
Editrix still appeared to be in agony. His lower half had been removed by Mefius as punishment. Even in this state, he was forced to work. He floated a few feet off the ground, a hammer at his command, as he used his imitation Sozo-like item to manipulate the many elements. All in order to repair Bodock’s damaged sword.
Kazuki did not wait. While holding a conversation in the dining hall, he made his aura shoot forward and delve into Editrix’s soul world. He only wanted one thing and one thing only.
(The ritual…It’s not here.)
The memories concerning the ritual had already been removed by Mefius.
(Mefius must have taken them while I was busy making his swords. DAMN! I was too slow to act.)
Kazuki wanted to find some way to secretly interfere with the ritual but he needed more information regarding it. With Editrix’s memories already extracted by Mefius, this now became a pointless endeavor.
Kazuki observed Editirx and saw how pitiful he appeared. He felt zero sympathy.
(Serves the little imp right…This won’t be completely fruitless though.)
Kazuki looked at the Sozo ring Editirx wore as well as the sword on the anvil and a thought occurred to him. His aura without notice sank into both the sword as well as the ring. Figuring out how these two items operated was fairly simple. Kazuki had deep knowledge when it came to a Sozo glove and this ring that Edtrix wore was more of an imitation than anything. Understanding its operation and structure was in no way difficult.
(If I just change a few inscriptions here and there…Yes…this will work nicely.)
Kazuki took advantage of this opportunity and swiftly made subtle adjustments to both Editirx’s ring and Bodock’s sword. The changes were not something one would notice in less they were a true master of their craft. Editirx’s knew how to operate his ring but did not know its inner workings or how it was made.
Kazuki did not know Bodock’s background but took a chance.
(I can’t say for sure if Bodock will notice this but my instincts lean towards a no. The evidence I’ve seen is that Gerians have a difficult time with mastery in terms of aura and energy. At most, he may be able to sense a change in his sword but he won’t understand what said change is. So long as it operates the same way, he should have no complaints and even if he does have some gripes, that blame should fall on Editrix’s since he’s the one in charge of repairing it. None would suspect me and I should be able to slide under the radar without this leading back to me.)
After tweaking the Sozo-like ring and Bodock’s sword, Kazuki planned to check a few other things when another idea struck him. He moved his hidden aura toward the shelves, tables, and cupboards where all the different materials were.
There he spotted something useful.
(This same brown-colored rock. This is the ore Monsuta uses to make his special Monsuta rock.)
Kazuki covered a small fist-sized piece with his hidden aura and focused. Half a second later, this small rock seemed to vanish entirely.
After another moment the rock reappeared as Kazuki removed his hidden aura from it.
(So this works as well. If I can hide small objects like this, I can sneak some of it as well.)
Kazuki laughed at something Basha said and nodded along.
(For now, I’ll leave these rocks alone. If I take it right now I’ll have to keep it undetectable with my hidden aura. I still have a few more things I still need to do so this would be inconvenient. If I brought it up here I’d have no place to put it. Not unless I shove dit yup my ass but there’s no way in hell that’s happening. I’ll get some of it later.)
Kazuki pulled his aura from the smithy and sent it lower and lower until it was at the lowest level. There Monsuta and a few other creatures were once again surrounded by darkness. The only source of light was an orb Kazuki had left behind for them.
Kazuki was going to say something to Monsuta but first, he needed to check the tunnels or rather the hidden inscriptions embedded in the walls at the opening of the tunnel.
After deciphering the inscriptions in the secret room, Kauzki had his suspicions about the ones near the tunnels. His aura touched the inscriptions around the outside of the tunnels and sure enough, it was as he thought.
(Yes, just like in the secret room, these inscriptions are meant to hold something. That something is clearly Yidriss. Once it goes in, there would be no way for it to escape by itself.)
With a thought, Kazuki sent his hidden aura forward and entered the tunnels with it. The last time he went anywhere near these accursed tunnels, his slave collar activated and he was brought to his knees as his collar drained his power and amplified its attack.
Unlike last time though, Kazuki was different. His aura was different. He entered the tunnel with his aura and was completely undetected.
He had used his hearing and a simple stone throw to sense the inside of these tunnels the first time and found that they ran throughout the city underground. Some of the tunnels seemed to be a complete mess while others connected and formed links and layers similar to inscriptions.
Very quickly Kazuki located the geographical location directly under Yidriss’s secret room. There were a few markings carved into the ceiling and Kazuki began putting it together.
Just as Kazuki was gathering clue after clue. Up above Basha got a little too friendly and slapped Kauzki on his back with a laugh.
As soon as she did this, a part of Kazuki’s concentration was broken.
His hidden aura was suddenly revealed out of nowhere and the tunnels detected his presence. The moment his aura was detected inside the tunnel, his slave collar began to glow with red light.
Everyone at the table was both shocked and confused. Just as he was about to be shocked and lit aflame, Kazuki pulled his aura back instantly and removed it from the tunnel. As soon as it was removed from the tunnel, the inscriptions along the wall dimmed and the light faded. In response, his slave collar also went dormant.
Kazuki held his collar as if he were terrified and he swiftly shifted the blame.
“Basha…Why?”
(Sorry Basha.)
Basha looked stupified and was taken aback. She looked between her hand and everyone else at the table.
“Eh eh eh?”
Desetos immediately gave her a chop on the top of her head, before he apologized for her.
“Sorry Kazuki she didn’t mean any harm. Those stupid collars, their nothing but relics from a nasty history. I don’t understand why we still use them today. Basha, quickly apologize.”
Basha was still upset but she understood how terrible those collars were. She winced in pain and gripped the top of her head.
“Eh…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to activate it! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose. Please believe me Kazuki!”
A few people began berating Basha but Kazuki stopped them.
“No no, it’s fine. As you said it wasn’t on purpose. It was a little terrifying though. Even if I can withstand the pain to my body, the amount of torture and damage it inflicts upon my soul is no joke. Still, I don’t get why I even need to wear this thing. I mean it’s not like I can go somewhere Master can’t find me. Even if I have all my magic back, again Master could easily overpower me and my friend is here. We have no place to go, this is our home now.”
Hearing Kazuki call this place his home, these people were really buying it. Kazuki didn’t need to lie like this but found it easier to not attract suspicious gazes. Having them feel sorry for him and accept him made making moves and moving about that much easier.
Basha nodded along.
“Right. It’s pointless to even keep them around. Those collars are just cruel. Besides master is all powerful. No one can go against him and noe can defeat him. Very soon he will lead our people out of the danger and we will slaughter all of the shriekers once and for all.”
With that little speech from Basha, the soured mood completely turned around and they cheered happily.
Kazuki on the other hand sighed in relief inwardly. Had he been a second too late, one of the observing crystals may have seen his aura where it should not have been.
(That was way too close. I’ll have to be even more cautious as to how and when I use my hidden aura.)
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