Return of the Fallen Volume 3 Chapter 43
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch43
“So, you’re going to help me correct?”
“Help? When you’ve yet to walk me through your thought process. You’ve explained about the kids but what about the adults. Why didn’t you move them to a different time as well?”
“I’ve told you before, it cost both time and energy, did I not? Not only that I told you I grow weaker after each move. Being in this realm so long without a meal, I’m basically skin and bones right now. Fighting you all has drained me a bit as well. What more can I do in this state, huh?”
Fake Zetsu curled up into a large ring and laid down lazily.
(So it was a matter of power?)
Kazuki eyed fake Zetsu suspiciously.
“What, why are you looking at me like that human?”
“Being in this realm for so long, using your abilities like a ferry back and forth, why have you not replenished yourself. All the humans around, all of those souls, why not have a few and fight Zetsu in your best condition.”
Kazuki wasn’t condoning eating souls or goading fake Zetsu, rather he was genuinely curious why a being that is starving every day can simply watch as food trots in front of it teasingly. However the answer he most definitely did not expect appeared.
“I don’t eat bugs.”
(What!?)
“Zetsu as well, he seems quite desperate, otherwise I don’t believe he would be willing to feed off human souls as well.”
(Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.)
“Why is Zetsu so desperate to escape, what did he do to be hunted down and be put to death?”
“Put to death, whoever said he would be put to death? At most he’ll be sealed within the clan for 100 years. As for his crime. Zetsu went mad and killed one million mortals in our realm and injured a guest.”
Kazuki’s jaw almost dropped.
“A god is only to be imprisoned for a hundred years for killing a million people, how can this be.”
Fake Zetsu waged its antennas back and forth.
“No, he will receive 1 year for the million mortals and 99 years for the guest he harmed. Were the guest not involved he may have gotten off with no punishment whatsoever.”
Kazuki’s mind began reeling.
(How can such an absurd thing be real? 1 year for killing a million people, what the fuck is that?)
“Then what about now, are you telling me Zetsu won’t receive any punishment for all the villagers he’s taken or killed?”
“Punishment, why would he? There just mortals after all.”
Kazuki lowered his head in silence. Fake Zetsu was mildly aware of where he went wrong just now.
“Ah, I get it. Are you upset about innocent lives being taken? No need to worry as long as the souls are still intact, later on, those people will simply reincarnate and will have completely forget about their horrible past.”
These words did little to comfort Kazuki. He wasn’t one to worry about everyone in the world but there was something within his chest that felt sour at the idea of life being brushed aside so easily by the gods. Taking a deep breath, Kazuki felt the punishment didn’t fit the crime but there was nothing he could do. Letting out a long sigh, Kazuki shook the depressing thought away.
*Haaa*
Kazuki decided it was best to just move on from here. Pointing at the cave around him, the question that had been bugging him for a while he asked.
“This cave and that weird greyish purple fog, what is it, are you its creator?”
Fake Zetsu smiled.
“The tunnels you see, both I and Zetsu carved them. The rest of the cave was found the way it is. You see, when Zetsu fleed from my realm, he couldn’t just go anywhere. He had to find a location with thick and dense power. It had to be so rich with Space and Time elements, that the elements literally become visible to the naked eye. Not only that, the two elements had to be closely bonded, fused together if you will. Once he sniffed out the location he tunneled his way here from my realm. By the time I chased after him though, the tunnel connecting my realm to this one was incredibly weak. After I arrived here, it collapsed, cutting us both off from my realm. For Zetsu, it was perfect but for me not so much. However, there is one major saving grace and for me that’s technique.”
Kazuki’s interest was piqued.
“Technique?”
“Yes. I am a veteran of time and space, while Zetsu is an amateur at best. I’ve managed to control most of the fog. Doing so has allowed me to escape his vicious attacks time and again. Even now, I’m controlling it in certain places within the cave to hide not only me but you as well. If it weren’t for such an overwhelming abundance of these elements, I would have lost long ago. At the same time, as Zetsu grows stronger, he continues to wrestle away control of the fog bit by bit from me. Like an ocean wave, he is relentless and only grows stronger, eroding more and more of my control. I’ve only held on so long because I’m better at manipulating the elements and the soul but I can’t continue that forever. Once he has control of the fog, I will no longer be able to hide my presence from him. He will then come and kill me. This had been a worry for a while but it may be the best opportunity to counter. If I were to be bait, and you and your friends ambush him. Yes…this might just work.”
“Whoa, your switching topics again. You keep adding us in like we’ll just help you but in the end, isn’t this a matter for the gods. If Zetsu escapes, how is that any of our concern? Afterall I and my friends are simply human.”
Fake Zetsu roared out with laughter.
“Bwahahahaha. Hearing a descendent of a god say he’s only human, now that’s rich. Kid, don’t pretend. I saw the look you got when you heard of Zetsu’s punishment. One year for a million death but 99 for hurting a guest. You must think us gods are twisted.”
Fake Zetsu lowered his large human face directly in front of Kazuki’s and smiled creepily.
“Well your not wrong. We gods do what we want when we want but it ain’t all clouds and roses. I know you felt something hearing such a punishment. I may not know what it is you felt but you did indeed feel something for your fellow man. Gods are gods and humans are humans. I don’t feel anything watching people die and nor should you feel a thing when an ant dies but what about your friends over there. Can they simply watch other humans die? I feel the answer to that is a resounding no. It seems your past has turned you cold, no?”
Fake Zetsu could see he was hitting a nerve and decided to change things up.
“In the end, there’s one very important thing you’re overlooking.”
Kazuki stared at Fake Zetsu trying to figure out what he meant, while Fake Zetsu was looking this way and that at the cave around him.
“Come on its obvious what I’m talking about.”
Kazuki though was lost. Fake Zetsu rolled his large plate-sized eyes.
“Come on, I’m sure you noticed the world was different the first time you left the cave. If you help me capture Zetsu, then I’ll easily have enough power left over to shift you, your friends, and all of the villagers back to the right time. The villagers will be able to reunite with their kids and you and your friends will be heroes. Glory unto you as they say…at least that’s what I think they say.”
A thought occurred to Kazuki and his glare became stone cold.
“Are you the one who brought us to a different time with the fog?”
Fake Zetsu squinted his eyes at the accusation before his face relaxed.
“No, that wasn’t me. As I stated earlier, Zetsu’s been wrestling control away from me little by little. It could only have been him. Besides up to this point I’ve only been getting people out, why all of the sudden would I decided to bring in a bunch of randos, think logically little human.”
Kazuki looked deeply into fake Zetsu’s large pitch-black eyes, trying to discern something but in the end, he found nothing.
Kazuki rubbed his storage ring and a thought came to him.
“You say you weren’t the one responsible for bringing us here with that fog ad it was Zetsu’s doing correct?”
Fake Zetsu nodded.
“I see it differently though. You are the sole being responsible for the apprehension of Zetsu, yet your failure in your duties has caused me and my friends to be entangled. Wouldn’t this also be the truth.”
Fake Zetsu furrowed his brows and went silent.
“Don’t be upset it’s just a fact. Had you solved your problem in a timely fashion, none of this would have happened.”
“What’s your point human?”
Kazuki held up his hand and rubbed his fingers together.
“My point is, the compensation you offer is not equivalent to what you ask of us.”
Fake Zetsu stretched his head nearly 60 feet high and twisted his back. Clear poping noises resounded outward and echoed off the cave walls. It looked like an odd dance but maybe it was him contemplating things. Either way, after a moment the popping stopped and Zetsu lowered himself back down in front of Kazuki. His antenna tapping on his large chin in thought before he finally understood.
“A reward…is that what you want?”
Kazuki’s brow rose.
“Wasn’t that obvious from me doing this.”
Kazuki continued to rub his fingers together signaling money.
Fake Zetsu started to laugh again before showing Kazuki all of its legs.
“Boy, does it look like I have fingers? How in the 7 hells am I supposed to know what a weird human signal means?”
Kazuki was lost for words and just stared blankly.
(Seriously.)
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