Return of the Fallen Volume 13 Chapter 69
The room was now empty of all things. In place of stacks of paper, desks, and equipment, now lies a ruined, smoldering, ash-covered husk of what once was. The smell of smoke filled one’s nose and the taste of something burnt remained in one’s mouth.
The moment Kazuki’s aura entered the smoky room, a few crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling flickered with light but failed to light the room and became faded until they no longer responded.
“You again.”
An eerie voice appeared in the center of the room. Kazuki had not noticed its presence beforehand but he knew the shadowy figure had to be somewhere in the room.
Kazuki knew he did not have much time before a new observing crystal floated down to the 15th subfloor and discovered he had entered this room. Once that happened his lies would be exposed and Mefius would come for him. He tried to explain but before he could say a single word to the shadow, the shadow rushed forward.
“The puppet returns to face his ruin. I’ll use your body wisely this time.”
The shadow entered Kazuki’s soul world with little resistance. Actually, if the shadow did not simply rush ahead, it may have noticed that even the resistance was not real.
It appeared in Kazuki’s soul world and aimed for his soul tree. Just as it prepared to take control of Kazuki’s soul tree…
*BANG*
The shadowy figure bounced off the soul tree and crashed nearby.
(Can you wait a moment before you start causing trouble? I wish to help you.)
The shadow heard Kazuki’s voice echoing all around it but choose to ignore it and try and pierce the soul tree in front of it once more.
*BANG*
Again it was knocked back. It felt a barrier of aura blocking its power. This aura was used differently from the way Mefius used it. The shadow could sense many layers folded repeatedly creating a strengthened force. Even with this, the shadow was not impressed. Reaching out a large shadowy hand formed, one that was much larger than natural. It gripped Kazuki’s aura and began to tear at it.
Little by little Kauzki’s aura was being torn apart. He had folded his aura countless times and even used aura strengthening. On top of that, he used aura breath to try and weaken the shadow’s overwhelming power.
He did not wish for the shadow to enter his soul world again but actually found it more convenient afterward. Time stretched inside his soul world so he had one less thing to worry about.
(WAIT! IF YOU HELP ME I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU! IT MIGHT JUST BE POSSIBLE TO FREE YOU!)
The shadow was cautious and thought this to be just another ploy from Mefius.
(YOU THINK I’M FOOLISH ENOUGH TO FALL FOR SUCH TRICKS! TELL YOUR MASTER TO FALL ON A SWORD AND BE DONE WITH ALL THIS DEVIANT NATURE. I WILL NOT GIVE HIM WHAT HE WISHES!)
The power of the shadow seemed to grow as he narrowed his focus on a singular spot. Cracks began to form rapidly on Kauzki’s barrier and his aura was falling apart. If he did not stop him quickly his aura would fail and he would once more become possessed.
(I can’t make you believe me but I swear this to be the truth, I am no puppet of Mefius’s. He is holding my friend hostage. If you help me, I promise I will do everything in my power to free you from this place!)
The shadow exerted even more force. It was as if it was burning its own life force just to try and kill Kazuki. It roared at him furiously.
(LIES LIES AND MORE LIES. JUST DIE AND LET ME HAVE MY PEACE ONCE AND FOR ALL!)
Kazuki’s aura was on the verge of breaking. This was something he would not allow to happen. He may have been taken over before but he was also not expecting a devious force to suddenly invade him and rip control from him. This time was different. He had come with purpose as well as a contingency of sorts.
This shadow shared similarities with the Shadow he faced in the depths of space. Kazuki had gained deep insight into the ways of darkness. Not just from his own mind but also from the memories of both Arc and Belux.
Belux’s dark energy was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. When compared to all energies it was one that stood second above everything else. Only Origin energy could claim the top of all Realms. Third would be the primordial flame, possibly it was equal to Belux’s energy. Besides those three, nothing else stood close.
Kazuki could see through the shadow in its entirety. A portion of his aura separated from the rest and he created his sword forms. This time though this sword form also contained aura breath as well as the primordial flame. Kazuki was confident he was the first in this Hell Realm if not all Realms to use the primordial flame in such a manner.
The primordial flame within his soul tree for a split second was shaped like a burning sword and was covered in aura breath as it swept out from the center of his soul tree and struck the shadowy figure. Because the shadowy figure was so similar to the other shadow, Kazuki knew many weak points.
His primordial sword form slammed into the shadowy figure and severed one of its arms in an instant. The cut arm flew off and was reduced to particles in Kazuki’s soul world. This alone caused the shadow to retreat backward and stare wide-eyed in shock but things were not finished.
The particles from the severed arm did not immediately fade. Instead, a portion of Kazuki’s aura began to hammer away at it using Monsuta’s forging technique. Kazuki then proceeded to beat the shit out of these particles until he knocked away every and all impurity. When the remaining energy was as pure as a crystal lake, Kazuki wrapped his aura around it and pulled it into his soul tree, and absorbed it.
Kazuki could feel his power and strength grow ever so slightly while he sat in the meditative position inside his room several floors up.
At the same time, Kazuki had absorbed the now-purified energy. The primordial flame had formed another blazing sword that appeared directly beneath the shadowy figure’s neck.
(If you make one more move against me, I will destroy you here and now.)
Kazuki was bluffing to a certain extent. Even though he had controlled the primordial flame and used it as if it was a sword form. He could sense the primordial flame was rejecting this. Similiar to when he tried to activate his spinning void at the base of his soul tree, it was obvious the true owner of the primordial flame did not like the way Kauzki used this primordial flame fragment.
At least this time, it did not attack him out of nowhere like last time. Kazuki was thankful for that and dared not put this sword flame to use again.
The shadow gnashed its teeth.
(DAMN YOU! How can a puppet of that bastard have such moves? This doesn’t make any sense.)
Kazuki nodded along.
(True. If you realize that fact then maybe you can see that I am not his puppet. Otherwise couldn’t I just use this move to pressure you until I made you give Mefius whatever the hell he wants from you?)
The shadow paused for a moment as something clicked in its mind.
(Wait… you’re not the scum bags minion. But you wear his collar and you do his bidding do you not? You were even following Editrix’s commands and he is another dog of Mefius’s.)
(I was merely following along. As I said, Mefius has my friend. I cannot go against him openly. That is why I came back here.)
The shadowy figure stared down at the sword at his neck and began to question his own sanity.
(Say you’re not lying. If you can do this, you should easily be able to destroy that bastard’s soul. For what reason are you pretending to be under him and don’t say your so-called friend again? You should be able to end things instantly and go on your way. You should have no reason to come find me. Especially after I took over your body. From one moment to the next, an enemy does not suddenly become a friend. Speak and do not lie or I will use everything in my power to fight back and we shall both meet our demise.)
Kazuki found it funny that this shadowy figure was still so confident. Even though he did not know everything about this shadow, so long as it was inside of his soul world, he could deal with it somehow, at least for a little while. Outside it was a different story and things would not end well for him but inside with his own preparation…this was his soul world and he was king here.
Kazuki smiled inwardly before he began to explain.
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