3 bar menu

Return of the Fallen Volume 6 Chapter 78

Author: Blue_Rat

ch78

Going over map after map and searching through many old and ancient scrolls, Kazuki was having trouble finding anything that made sense. All of the archives and ancient documents Oren possessed was far too degraded and falling apart. The ink was thinned and faded and pages were worn beyond belief. While Oren was in charge the records were in top shape but just a few hundred years with Groud as king and nearly all records became either lost or withered beyond recognition.

When Oren first found out about his records, unbelievable anger took hold of him but with a long sigh, he could only let it all go. Inside he blamed himself for many of the actions his son took as he was the father and it is a parent’s responsibility how one is raised. At the same time, at some point, you have to let go and let people grow into who they are going to be.

(“Even though I said ya could look over all the maps to try and find a way to the surface, I didn’t know my records would have deteriorated to this state. I don’t know what to say, honestly.”)

Kazuki put a few old documents down and shook his head.

“You can only take so much of the blame. Groud was not interested in such things so it was only natural for them to become like this. It’s that same attitude that clouded his judgment and led to his downfall. If I were he, that last battle would have been a bit different.”

Kazuki piqued Oren’s curiosity.

(“How do you mean? In the end, Groud lost the crown and couldn’t use magic, what more could he have done.”)

Kazuki quickly pointed the problem out right away.

“That right there. The fact that he didn’t have a magical tool should have been of little concern. You and he and all of the other Adrola apes are all magical beasts and therefore you all have magical beast cores inside of you. Humans store magical energy inside their mage cores while the beast’s keep theirs inside their beast cores. For a human, it is incredibly difficult and exceedingly rare to use magic without a magic tool such as a magic ring or staff but magical beast such as yourself are different. Even without a magic tool, magic beasts can naturally use the elements and perform magic.”

As Kazuki went on Oren’s face was loaded with confusion and shock.

(“Wait, what are ya talking about. Every creature needs a magic tool to use magic, I don’t understand what your talking about.”)

This time it was Kazuki who wore a look of confusion. He then went on to explain how on the surface any magic beast could use magic. He then went on to describe several magic beasts and the many encounters he’s come across with creatures that were far weaker than Oren and other Adrola apes yet they were capable of using the elements.

“Did you really not know this?”

Oren shook his large head.

(“This is all news to me. Ever since I was a youngling the ways of magic were never separated from tools. If what ya say is true though, this talk becomes very interesting.”)

“Hmm, I simply thought Groud was simply lazy and that’s why he couldn’t use magic without a tool but the fact that you yourself didn’t know leads me to believe that at some point in the long history of Adrola apes, you all must have left the natural ways and adapted to using tools. In doing so, after hundreds or thousands of years passed you all became disconnected from the natural way and became dependent on tools. When I first entered the prison with you I had wondered why you simply didn’t use magic to control the orichalcum but after a while I just thought you couldn’t because orichalcum is special in its own ways but it turns out quite different then I imagined, fascinating.”

Oren began to grow more and more interested in the way his ancestors may have used magic.

(“Kazuki, the way ya speak of it, ya sound like an expert. Tell me, do ya think ya can teach me how to use magic without a tool.”)

Kazuki tilted his head slightly.

“I doubt it. If I knew don’t you think I would have used magic without a tool long ago?”

(“This and that are different. The way ya described it, we creatures are different from ya and it’s natural for us to be able to use magic without a tool but not you. It makes sense that ya wouldn’t be able to do it but that doesn’t mean ya wouldn’t be able to teach. Just looking at ay I can tell there’s lots of information and theories buried in that head of yours. Help this king out, will ya?”)

Kazuki initially denied Oren.

“You heard my story. You know there are people who think I’m dead and I need to return to. I can’t continue to waste time down here. I need to find the correct path up and out of here. I’ve been stuck down here for far too long as it is.”

Oren sat down for a moment in thought before coming back with…

(“Right, ya spent many months down here and I know you’re dying to get back up to the surface but when did I ever say I’d get ya to teach me for free. For example, the way you used wind aura to flip your position with my late son just before ya went splat on the ground, with a little more time I can teach ya how to better control it. Learning to fly isn’t a bad deal, now is it?”)

Oren was right.

(If I learn to fly It would make things that much easier. Once I make it back to my original spot or fuck it once I find the cliff wall leading to the surface I could simply fly up at that point instead of toiling away looking for rubber rocks to climb up and out. The question is time. I don’t know what’s happening on the surface but with Glacious and Etora things should be fine, right? My sister shouldn’t have come back but even if she did, they should be able to handle things. Even if I was there, my strength can’t compare to theirs. I would be no help and in fact a burden instead. Nunully…Asuna.)

As Kazuki thought about it, Oren’s deal wasn’t a bad one. If he learned more about aura, things that seemingly Glacious and Etora don’t even know, this could become an incredibly large boon for him. Not just for him. Yes increasing his strength was a priority but if he learned how to use better use aura then he could then pass his knowledge onto Glacious.

(Glacious is a genius among geniuses. He can use every element and can even fuse elements for more power. If I were to teach him a different way to use aura, for example, the way to use aura as if it’s the physical body’s strength, Glacious strength could instantly double. Fera would be able to do nothing to him at that point.)

“This deal, I want to add something onto it. Besides learning how to better use wind aura, I want you to teach me about that aura strength technique. The one you said can mimic a person’s physical strength thereby using it doubles said strength. Teach me that as well and you have a deal.”

Oren chuckled.

(“I was already planning on teaching that to ya as well. I’m interested in seeing ya grow. Not only that, are ya still interested in the orichalcum baptism. If it takes you would be able to clear ya entire body of Zetrazz’s breath and then you’d be able to use magic tools again.”)

“Didn’t you say the baptism could kill me or am I remembering wrongly here?”

Oren shrugged his shoulders making his shoulder spikes rise and fall.

(“You’d only die if it didn’t take, hehehe. Seriously though that was before I knew about that healing ability of yours. When the two of ya smashed into the ground, I thought that was it for ya personally. Watching your entire body heal in seconds, that was beyond all of my expectations. It was then that I thought, if ya can heal that fast then the baptism shouldn’t kill ya. Maybe it’d bring ya close to death but as long as that healing of yours doesn’t crumble, I don’t doubt you’ll be able to walk away cleanly. So what do ya think, one to give it a go?”)

Kazuki had plenty of confidence in his ability to heal but even that wouldn’t give him the courage to try the baptism. Only because he now trusted Oren’s word that he could survive did he nod his head.

“If you think I can survive then I’ll trust you. Let do this.”

Oren nodded.

(“Right right right, ya should definitely survive….at least I think so.”)