Return of the Fallen Volume 8 Chapter 71
Still pale from the after-effects of mana sickness, Asuna could barely stand as she shouted.
“ETORA STOP!”
Both Etora and Kazuki paused before Etora shook his head.
“Asuna. I’m glad you survived and I know what you might be thinking but this creature, this thing is not Kazuki. Kazuki is no longer of this world and this Vazul simply wears his flesh. Look away, you don’t need to see what I’m about to do.”
Etora opened his mouth once more but before he could inhale the world, Asuna moved and blocked his path. Her arms spread out as wide as possible, she gnashed her teeth as she spoke.
“I don’t know what a Vazul or whatever you called it is but Kazuki is not that. Kazuki is Kazuki, I know it!”
Etora understood Asuna was feeling emotional. She had watched Kazuki fall into the abyss. There was no possible way Kazuki could have survived it yet Etora understood that level of grief where you wish with all of your heart to believe that the impossible is possible. That Kazuki somehow miraculously survived that infinite darkness and somehow climbed out but life is no fairytale.
“Asuna, look at him. He may have the face and he may sound like Kazuki but just look at his body. He’s as big as I. Not only that, he’s using strength unnatural for a human. He even healed within seconds. These are all unhuman things. I don’t wish to crush your heart but open your eyes.”
Asuna refused to move.
“Asuna, do you recall back at the mountain base. I told you I believed that Kazuki was still alive.”
Asuna nodded with a hopeful expression.
“I was wrong. Seeing this thing in front of me, I was dead wrong. Kazuki…He’s gone and he’s not coming back. You need to know this and stay out of the way.”
Asuna began to tremble but Kazuki was not having any of it.
“ETORA! THAT’S ENOUGH!”
Kazuki landed heavily on the ground and walked over. His aura folded over itself and made layer after layer. At first, he felt resistance and his movements were suppressed by Etora’s aura but after folding his own aura nearly 100 times, his own aura didn’t lose out in any way. Etora was understandably shocked seeing this. Kazuki was now able to withstand Etora’s own aura and his footsteps continued forward.
“I told you this already but it seems your dog ears are just for decoration and you can’t hear me. That Vazul bastard has already been resealed. Don’t tell me your nose has really gone to shit. Take another whiff already and stop spouting bullshit. I’m dead, the fuck you say?”
Etora was too surprised by Kazuki’s actions that he let his guard down slightly. Kazuki was now only a few steps away from him but he couldn’t use his devouring ability because Asuna was directly in the line of fire. He would accidentally swallow her if he tried.
(Damn this bastard. He’s using Asuna as a shield. If he dares harm a hair on her head, I’ll crush his head between my fangs and drink his blood!)
Etora said nothing which pissed Kazuki off.
“Seriously. I know it’s been a while but will you really not show me an ounce of trust? You said I smelled like a Vazul, if you just listen for once in your life instead of using your fist, I can explain everything.”
Kazuki reached forward and was about to grab Asuna. Etora was about to snap.
“YOU DARE!”
His nails extended and sharpened and he was about to cut Kauzki’s head off when a wall of ice grew between them in an instant.
The wall was dense and stood over a hundred feet tall. Its frosty temperature was evident as everyone around it could see their breath with their very next exhale.
Off at the side, Nunully stood on shaky legs as she called out.
“Uncle. If you don’t trust him then will you at least trust in me.”
The very next moment she could no longer stand properly as she was still recovering from mana sickness yet she had just used whatever magic she had just recovered. Nunully tried to stay upright but fell over the very next second.
Etora didn’t hesitate to dive over and catch her. Just as her consciousness began to leave her she whispered once more.
“Uncle, trust me.”
Etora’s eyes darted between Nunully, Asuna and Kazuki. He was 100% sure that Kazuki was no more and instead was being possessed by a Vazul but with his niece’s words, his mind filled with doubt. At the same time, he noticed Kazuki could have attacked him from behind just now or even attacked Asuna as she was defenseless but he made no moves.
Etora looked Kazuki up and down before sniffing at the air around him. As soon as he did this, he looked confused.
“I swore I could smell the foul dark being but now…now the smell has vanished.”
“I told you it’s me.”
Etora’s mind grew muddled. He was never the biggest thinker but knowing now that there was a chance he was wrong, Etora was more than a little conflicted.
“Could…Did you really survive the fall?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to say. If I wasn’t really Kazuki then would I know some of your secrets.”
Kazuki began to whisper something but Etora quickly denounced it.
“Stop! What you know doesn’t matter. There are too many different methods in the universe to take a peek at one’s memories. It wouldn’t be strange for a Vazul to be able to see what’s in your head and repeat it back to me long after your soul’s been eaten. If you wish for me to believe, then there’s a method I know.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s simple. Lower your guard completely and allow my aura inside your soul world. Once in, I can directly take a look. Vazul’s tend to take route near one’s soul tree. Once I check your soul world and check the validity of your words, I’ll know for sure.”
Shaila realized how bad of an idea this was and even though she was still being supressed by Etora’s aura she still managed to shout.
“Don’t do it. You said the wolf king was an ally but he attacks you as soon as he sees you. If you lower your guard, he’ll kill you just to be on the safe side!”
Etora glared at Shaila and increased his aura, pressuring her even more. Shaila collapsed to the ground and was being crushed into the ground.
“ENOUGH!”
Kazuki stood directly in front of Etora and waved his hand. A small tempest came flying forward and cut through Etora’s energy. His aura faltered and Shaila was allowed some relief.
Etora was taken aback. He recognized that attack. It was the same his brother Glacious used.
“The severing tempest. Glacious learned that from Kazuki’s brother Kai. At the time though Kazuki was not capable of using it either. I’ve never heard of a Vazul being able to learn a technique from a corpse’s memories.”
Etora began to believe more and more but to be safe he still insisted.
“Trus goes both ways. You wish for me to believe in you then open your soul world to me. Any more delay and no matter what others say, I will be forced to believe that you are hiding the truth and you and I will continue where we left off. Now, what is your answer? Let me see the truth or battle it out?”
Asuna grabbed Kazuki’s arm and the two shared a look.
“It’s been a long time since someone has been so worried for me. I almost forgot what that was like.”
Kazuki gently held Asuna’s hand and her eyes filled with tears.
“Go ahead, do it!”
Etora held notihng back. He took his aura and without hesitation, he slammed it into Kazuki. Kazuki had completely lowered his guard and allowed this strike without defending himself which caused his body to go flying back like a rag doll.
His eyes shut and the very next moment his mind was inside his soul world. Standing before him was a human-shaped form, that had a wolf head yet stood on two legs similar to a werewolf. A radiant light glowed around this figure as if he controlled the element of light.
Etora looked around at Kazuki’s soul world.
“It’s kind of cramped in here, is it not.”
Kazuki was a bit annoyed.
“Is that your first thought after you knock someone’s physical body down? Talking trust this and trust that, yet you slam me like a tank.”
Etora ignored Kauzki’s words and looked at the form his mind made. Kazuki looked exactly the same outside his soul world as he did inside.
“No foul energy coming from your form.”
Etora’s nose sniffed and somehow worked inside the soul world which led him to the base of Kazuki’s soul tree. Etora found the sealed gate and noticed some damage here and there. He began to get the picture. One thing he firmly hated though was the energy he felt around the seal.
“Why do I smell that weird bastard Zetrazz here. His energy forms most of this seal.”
Kazuki answered honestly, there was nothing to hide. Etora though disliked this.
“That damn titan. Always a bother even now. No doubt he did this so you could owe him a favor. If not that then he most likely did it just to piss off Glacious.”
“Whether it’s to owe him a favor later or to piss off Glacious, either way, I’m still alive and not possessed because of this. Now that you see the evidence, you believe me now?”
Etora became quiet before he looked around some more.
“I do but I don’t get it, where is Kai and where has Danny gone. The two were trapped here right?”
The moment Etora said this, Kazuki’s expression turned bitter.
“Kai…My brother…is no more.”
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