Chapter 103 to Chapter 110
Chapter 103 Fragile Ego
The monastery in the State of Avalon.
At the deepest region of the monastery was a building with a large dorm. Some hundred meters ahead were dozens of antennas which were internally connected to the dome of the building.
Unless one looks carefully it was hard to know that the antennas were made of blue crystals. Even the wires connecting to the dome was made from crystalline wires.
Kurtis gave Akshobhya a slight bow after which he stepped inside the building. The stone door behind Kurtis closed.
The interior walls of the hall were covered with frescoed paintings. At the center of the hall was a blue crystal platform where Akshobhya was sitting.
Some ten feet above the platform, three blood-red cubic crystals were floating. The crystal cubes were joined together in the form of a triangle by a blue light.
Some twenty feet further above was the ceiling which was actually an oculus of the dome. The platform, the crystal cubes, and the oculus were in one line if one looks from the sky.
"You haven't given up?" Akshobhya asked.
"Can I ever give up?" Kurtis said with hate in his voice.
"Hate is the greatest enemy of living beings," Akshobhya said in a deep voice, "Alas, the hate has already corroded every portion of you."
"If what I wanted was preaching, then I would be with those disciples of yours," Kurtis continued after arriving in front of the platform, "Nor you actually desire for me to drop my hatred, right?"
"....."
"If there was no hatred or malice in this world then there would be no business for people like you," Kurtis said with a bit of ridicule in his words, "Anyways, I have already paid with a Dharma Chakra coin earlier."
"I'm aware but what you want would cost the monastery more than the coin can pay for," Akshobhya said ignoring the ridicule.
"Sometimes you should follow what you preach about greed," Kurtis traced a finger on a bracelet over his right hand, "This should satisfy your other costs."
The bracelet flashed multiple rays of light and in the next moment, the floor was filled with multiple mutated fruits: Vermillion Fruit, Blood Revival Fruit, Essence Nourishment Fruit and a few more.
In the age of evolution, the greatest attraction for everyone was definitely power and eternal lifespan. The advancement in genetic technology has made it possible to gain more power and lifespan then what nature has blessed.
The mutated fruits, mutated herbs, and mutated beasts were the main ingredients for the manufacturing of genetical drugs.
This made flora and fauna of the evolved world in danger. While the mutated beasts were strong on their own right, they weren't as smart or technically advanced as the humans.
The greed of humans has now made the other species on the brink of extinction. The only safe havens for the endangered species was the impenetrable wilderness created by the meteorites.
While there were dozens of such safe heavens, the most resource-rich is Amazon Rain Forest. Even the World Government has very low success in the extraction of the resources from there due to the nature of the mutation in the region.
Akshobhya didn't think the fruits were from Amazon Rain Forest. The only place he could think was Desolate Blood Forest.
There was Atlantis, of course, but the members of the sea race were pretty close to each other and they would rarely allow humans to exploit their resources.
"It would be impolite to refuse your kind gesture," Akshobhya smiled and snapped his fingers. He didn't truly care how Kurtis got the fruits.
The praying beads on his right hand twinkled and the fruits disappeared from the floor. The bracelet and the bead were created based on an alien technology originating from the supreme world.
"I hope you remember that I can't help you unless you have the source of that kid," Akshobhya said.
"No need to remind me something so obvious," Kurtis took out three blood pearls from his bracelets, "These should give you the half of the source."
Akshobhya took the blood pearls in his hand and then threw them towards the floating blood-red cubes.
Swoosh~
The blood pearls disintegrated into a mist of blood and were absorbed by the three cubes.
"That should be the blood from your children and Rebecca, right?" Akshobhya asked.
"Yes, that bastard shares half his blood with my children," Kurtis's eyes were filled with hate, "Rebecca is his mother so it should help you further in tracing the half source."
"What about the other half of source?" Akshobhya asked, "If I don't have that then it would be futile just like decades ago."
"Obviously I have made arrangements," Kurtis took out a small specimen glass container from the bracelet, "This should suffice, right?"
Akshobhya was startled. He hurriedly took the container with an expression of disbelief on his face.
Inside the container was an eyeball! An eye carrying an icy shade of blue!
Akshobhya opened his third eye which was blood-red in color just like the crystal cubes. A red light manifested from his third eye and passed inside the container.
"H-How?" Akshobhya muttered in total shock after his eye has confirmed the genuineness of the eyeball, "How can you get your hand on this?! The incident from back then should make it impossible for someone like you---"
"Am I obliged to answer?" Kurtis cut in Akshobhya's words and asked.
"Of course not," Akshobhya regained his composure, "But do you truly wish to waste something so precious just for that kid?"
He knew how valuable the eyeball was especially when he remembered the ability of the owner of this eye. If it was normal times he would have tried to steal it and use it for his own growth.
But he didn't dare now. Not after the payment of Dharma Chakra golden coin.
He knew what would wait for him if he broke the trust after accepting the coin. Even death would be an easy outcome for betraying the cause of Dharma Chakra.
"I'm using its true value by using it now," Kurtis coldly said.
"The fragile ego of men truly makes one stupid," Akshobhya thought with disappointment in his heart, "To avenge the so-called slight they would go to any extent."
The nature of most men was funny and hypocritical. They don't believe their acts of sleeping around as wrong or immoral but if a woman does the same, then their ego is hurt.
The woman becomes a slut for how can she enjoy the pleasure outside? How can she get the right of having multiple lovers when she is 'reserved' for a single man?
Only a man should have the right to have multiple sexual partners!
A man wishes to have multiple lovers but always want his woman to only have him as her eternal lover.
This nature of men has always been hypocritical since the inception of time.
The harems of the kings of the past are the best example. A concubine caught having even slightest sexual activities with another man would result in her death!
The era and time have changed but the ego of men continued to be fragile... Not like women the women were any better with their ego. Akshobhya believed ego was the greatest enemy of humans along with hatred.
"Then again Rebecca wasn't just sleeping around since she was separated from Kurtis at that time," Akshobhya thought further, "She planned to elope with that man for they were in love..."
Akshobhya didn't know how to judge the situation. Not like he cared for the ego has brought him a good business.
The only reason he even thought about this was due to the precious eyeball which was being wasted to satisfy a grudge.
"Maybe he is angry that she loved another man and had his child," Akshobhya contemplated in his heart, "Or perhaps he is just another man with hypocritical tendencies."
"What are you waiting for?" Kurtis couldn't stand the thoughtful expression on Akshobhya's face.
He knew the opposite party was definitely thinking him as a lowly man but so what?
How can the world understand the mockery and slight he has suffered because of that bastard?
"Apologies," Akshobhya threw the specimen container towards the floating cubes, "Things should be ready in an hour."
The container shattered in pieces and the eyeball disintegrated in tiny particles. Just like the blood pearls before, it was absorbed by the crystal cubes.
"If that kid has his father's abilities then he would be prepared for me from months," Akshobhya said with a serious expression, "That ability can make things difficult for me."
"Even if that bastard has the ability, it is useless unless someone teaches him how to properly use it," Kurtis wasn't worried the least bit, "If he was nearby us then he could have sensed it in advance but not now.
"I'm pretty sure he is not in Avalon so there is no chance of him knowing given his age. At most he would realize moments before the inevitable."
"Your words make sense," Akshobhya nodded his head, "And lastly, don't forget I can't promise success if he is in those life forbidden zones."
"I'm aware," Kurtis said, "But I actually doubt that bastard would be in those suicidal areas."
"Just reminding you," Akshobhya already knew the chances were zero, "Is there anything specific you want me to do when I start?"
"I'm glad you asked," Kurtis' eyes were filled with malice, "Torture him for entire life by turning his brain into a vegetable."
"If that is what you want then sure," Akshobhya said with an audible sigh, "That kid can only blame his bad luck."
"I'm sure he wouldn't be in a state to blame anyone after you are done," Kurtis started laughing loudly thinking the reactions Rebecca would have when she finds her bastard son.
"....." Akshobhya ignored Kurtis' words. He closed his three eyes to establish a mental link with the crystal cubes.
-------
Royal Heart Academy, Delta City.
Zed was sitting in the cafeteria along with Felicity, Jessica, and Loren. A waiter cleared out the empty breakfast plates and replaced with juices and coffee.
"The dinner was great," Loren said thinking of the dinner last night at Felicity's house, "Being rich sure has its advantage."
"Yeah," Jessica nodded her head, "Sometimes I wish to kidnap Felicity and Zed for ransom."
"We would definitely become rich if we kidnap them," Loren agreed, "But sadly they are not easy targets."
"Kidnap?" Felicity was intrigued, "I have always wanted to be kidnapped but sadly no one has dared to do so till now! It would be so much fun if I was kidnapped!"
Zed, Jessica, and Loren: "..."
"Zed," Jessica changed the topic after a minute of awkward silence, "Can I use your training facilities today?"
"Sure, I---" Zed brought the cup of coffee from the table to his lips while answering her, but then suddenly his hand started shaking.
CRASH!
The cup fell on the floor and shattered into pieces. The coffee splashed around and stained the legs of Zed and Felicity.
"Hey!" Felicity looked at Zed in annoyance but then she noticed his body was trembling. His entire face was drenched with sweat.
"What's wrong?" Felicity was worried.
Zed was in no state of mind to answer with his scalp turning numb by every passing second. His entire back was soaked with cold sweat just like his face.
He felt as if a load of an entire mountain was placed on his body. The pressure was not physical but mental.
His entire body was warning him of an impending doom!
"Life & Death crisis?!"
Chapter 104 Psychic Hunter
The monastery, State of Avalon.
Faint blue ripples of light originated from Akshobhya's body and they merged with the floating blood-red crystal cubes.
Slowly, inside his consciousness, two different types of source started merging.
The source was the origin of one's very own existence. Like for every human, their origin is their parents and so on. The source not only associates parents and children by bloodline but by also psyche.
The psyche has been called by many names throughout the history. Some call it as soul, some as spirit and while others as consciousness. The scientists believe the so-called spirit or soul is nothing but a fragment of data.
Just like how children derive their genes and blood from their parents, similarly, a portion of psyche or soul is derived from the parents.
Akshobhya planned to use the source to seek bloodline and psyche connection.
Swoosh~
The three blood-red crystal cubes, which were joined in the shape of a triangle, started radiating flash of light. A large column of light originated from the center of the triangle and merged with the oculus of the dome. The light then connected to the internal crystalline wires joining a dozen antennas.
Zzzz
Meanwhile, outside the Earth's orbit.
A satellite covered with blue crystalline layer started moving out of its natural course. Inside the satellite were three small blue cubes which were connected to the receiving and transmitting antennas.
The front of the satellite started releasing blue invisible waves towards the Earth.
Kurtis sat down on the floor since there was no chair in the hall. He looked at the crystalline cubes above Akshobhya and couldn't help but marvel at them.
"That supreme world was so great," Kurtis thought with some reverence, "The royalty of that world created a system to track down and kill renegade from their families. This made rebellions against the monarch almost impossible."
Kurtis then looked at Akshobhya and gave a sigh.
"The treasure from that world really suits him," Kurtis further thought, "Especially given his innate ability. The fate of that bastard is set."
Akshobhya's consciousness passed through various locations on Earth at the speed of light. Soon it stopped when he arrived at the region he was seeking for.
"How strange," Akshobhya thought. He felt two lives similar to the source he was seeking for.
While one life fully matched the source, the other life was strange since it only carried a faint part of the complete source. This strange life was like a flower in the middle of budding. A life waiting to arrive in this world.
"That kid has a child?" Akshobhya thought but then he was startled, "No! There is no bloodline connection at all with the kid but there is a connection to the psyche. How can it be?!
"I wouldn't even able to associate this if not for close proximity of the kid and that life blooming," Akshobhya cleared his thoughts, "It doesn't matter about the life yet to bloom. My task is that kid."
--------
Cafeteria, Royal Heart Academy.
Zed stood up from the chair after the sense of warning has passed.
"Just what is going on?" Zed was shocked by the sudden life and death crisis his instincts felt, "Is it the government?"
Claudia has informed him about the arrival of the main investigation team in the city so it was possible for them to be a threat.
"Or Sky Fiend Group?"
Back during the party at White Angel Corporation, he (in the Kiba form) has similarly felt a deep sense of life and death crisis when Hank informed him of his plan to attack Sky Fiend Group. This was why he refused to participate in Hank's plan and ultimately their relationship turned sour.
Ever since he gained the Cosmic Spark, today was the second time he felt life and death crisis. He has hypothesized that his instincts know the full extent of his hidden powers. So they wouldn't warn him unless it was something which can really create danger for him.
"Is the crisis near or far?" Zed thought deeply, "If the past trends are followed I would know about the crisis days or weeks ahead."
"Zed, are you all right?" Felicity asked. She could see his face was still soaked with sweat.
"I'm fine," Zed said wiping the sweat from his face, "I have to leave for some task."
He didn't know when the crisis would arrive but he believed he should ready himself since he has no idea what was the danger. The previous time he knew the danger was Sky Fiend Group so he could avoid it.
But this time he didn't even know what was the real reason. So he wanted to find out what he could after returning to the lab.
"Zed," Felicity looked at him, "You remember our promise, right?"
"Of course," Zed said glancing at her, "Trust me I would never shy away if I need help."
He brought the cell phone from his pocket to contact Claudia.
[[All emergency protocols have been activated.]]
Zed was wearing a bracelet similar to the one Claudia has designed for Felicity's protection from physical and energy attacks. The bracelet continuously studied his body condition and passed the information to Claudia.
This was why she activated all protocols the moment his instincts warned him.
"Good, I'm coming back," Zed stepped out of the cafeteria.
"I should come with you," Felicity followed from behind.
"Felicity, I am all right-----"
Zed felt the entire world was spinning around. He lost his balance and felll on the floor.
"Zed!" Felicity hurriedly stepped in to support him.
Jessica, Loren, and other students were equally startled by Zed's sudden fall.
Zed felt the surrounding fading around.
"Psychic Hunter!" Zed gritted his teeth and used his entire strength to retain consciousness.
Without caring about the consequences of his secret being leaked, he decided to send his Will to the Cosmic Spark in order to transform into Kiba.
AARGH!
Before he could send out his Will, he felt thousands of needles poking on his brain.
He lost focus and the Will faded. Everything happened in a span of ten seconds from the time he fell on the floor.
"Urgh!" Zed's eyes were bloodshot and the veins on his forehead were trembling.
His body continued to wriggle in pain due to agony while his consciousness arrived at a world where there was nothing but blue.
"Kid, consider it as your honor for you to suffer under my hands," A male voice sounded inside the world of blue.
Zed's consciousness was in the form of a projection of his body. He was in no condition to think ab out the voice. All he cared was returning his consciousness back to the body.
He needed to regain his sanity, or at least loose consciousness completely, in order to activate Cosmic Spark. This state of half-consciousness was the most dangerous for him.
"It is useless to struggle," the voice from before said, "Why don't you revisit your memories instead?"
Thousands of memory fragment arrived in the world of blue. They were like multiple giant screens projecting movies.
Movies of his life.
Zed could do nothing as his consciousness forcefully entered one memory fragment after the another.
------
Four years old.
In a ruined building somewhere in the slum.
"You can't even get enough money!?" The brown haired caretaker kicked on Zed's stomach.
"Sir, there were not enough almsgiver but too many beggers like me," Zed's eyes were full of tears, "I would get more money tomorrow."
"Useless bastard," The caretaker dragged Zed to another room and said, "No food for two days."
"Please, sir," Zed begged, "Please forgive me for today's mistake."
He was already hungry enough and he didn't think he could handle another two days.
"I would never repeat this mistake," Zed pleaded further by knocking over the caretaker's feet.
"You think I am being cruel by this punishment?" The caretaker separated Zed from his feet and said, "If not for me you would have been dead."
"I know, sir," Zed tried to pacify the caretaker, "You have been only kind to me."
"Kind?" The caretaker started laughing, "I know you feel I am cruel to you."
"Sir..."
"If you want to blame someone then blame your mother," The caretaker's face carried multiple expressions: anger, longing and even lust, "She promised me money and resources for protecting you from their clutches. I did what she asked by risking my life but she went back on her words.
"Instead I lost my powers protecting you! So stop blaming me for being cruel! Blame your mother and father for abandoning you!"
"Mother and father," Zed muttered in his heart, "just why?"
----
Nine years old.
"It is even worse than horse piss," The caretaker threw a bottle of whiskey on the wall, "Is this how you show gratitude to someone who saved your life?"
"S-sir, this was the best I could get," Zed backed away trembling in fear, "I would buy another one in a few days."
"Few days?" The caretaker dashed ahead and caught Zed by his hairs, "I have to wait for days?!"
What followed was a series of beatings which resulted in a swollen face and broken bones.
Zed sat down in a corner crying.
"Mother and father... What crime I have done for you two to leave me in his hands?" Zed thought with bitterness, "If you didn't want me, you should have just killed me."
"I can't let this continue," Zed wiped his tears after few minutes, "Otherwise there would be no end to this. The only one who could help me is myself and not anyone else."
He stood up from the floor and eyed the sleeping caretaker.
"Just wait," Zed's eyes were filled with sinisterness not suiting his age, "Maybe in a year or two or three, but I would definitely express my gratitude to you for saving my life."
He stepped towards the wall and started clearing the mess the caretaker earlier created.
"Mother and father," Zed threw the broken glass pieces outside the building, "I hope you two rot in hell."
-----
In the world of blue, Zed's consciousness screamed in agony as more memories resurfaced. He was reliving the torture the caretaker and the slum overlords put him through in the past.
Hunger, physical injuries, loneliness, and cold. Every negative experience in the first ten years of his life was haunting his consciousness.
A sigh ringed inside the world of blue and the memories temporarily stopped invading Zed's consciousness.
"You had a pitiful and tragic life," the male voice from before said.
"Pitiful?" Tragic?" Zed started laughing even with all the mental pain, "I am alive so how can I be pitiful and tragic? Just because of a few bad experiences?!
"My life is full of what I have always wanted! Women, riches, and vanity!
"I have lived a life which few people in this world can boast! So if anything, I should be glad and proud of my achievements no matter how short my life was!
"And yet you call my life as pitiful and tragic?! Are you sure your brain is not rotten, you shitfaced dimwit?!"
"Kid, calling sensual pleasures as achievements?" the voice sounded offended, "And even using rude words? You truly don't know what is good for you."
He has even given him temporary relief but yet the kid dares to curse?
"Cocksucker, forget about my good and instead pray for your good," Zed used all his strength to mutter the words, "You better hope that I am entangled in the memory loop forever."
Zed realized the psychic attacker wanted to trap his consciousness inside the memories. This would result in unbearable strain on his brain.
In the best case scenario, he would go in a coma and in the worst case, his brain would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.
"Oh?" The voice was intrigued by his words, "What would happen if you survive this?"
"Nothing much but you can rest assured that your fate would be truly pitiful and tragic," Zed's voice was filled with madness, "So for your own sake do your best."
Chapter 105 Psychic Hunter Part 2
The world of blue.
Zed's consciousness was feeling thousands of needles stabbing him. The pain was far worse than even the severest of physical injuries for the pain this time was directed at the consciousness.
"Is this the best you have got?" Zed asked with a smirk, "Surely you don't think this can entrap me forever?"
"You've got guts," the voice said with some appreciation, "let me see what gives you so much confidence for someone with such a pitiful past."
The voice didn't really think the kid has the ability to harm him. While he wasn't in the top echelons of the world, he was confident there were a negligible amount of people who can prove a risk to him.
There was no way for a kid to be one of the rare people who could harm him! Still, he wanted to see more of the kid's memories and know where the confidence originated from.
His client has asked him to torture the kid so he doesn't mind prolonging the pain. Making the kid feel multiple emotions would be the best form of torture.
After all, is there anything more torturous than making the target feel hopeful only to fall back in despair?
More memory fragments started appearing in the world to replace the earlier ones. These fragments consisted of memories after he turned ten years old.
--------
Ten years old.
Zed was sitting on a column of debris in the outer layer of the slum. Besides him was a girl who was at the same age as him. She has plum brown hair with caramel skin tone.
"How great the world be if there was no inequality?" The girl asked looking at the boundary that separated the slum and the city.
"Why think of the impossible, Elissa?" Zed asked.
"There is an attraction to the impossible," Elissa said, "Even my mistress says the same."
"There is an attraction for sure," Zed looked at his famished body, "To have a meal only the city residents could afford."
"Would you pray for me?" Elissa suddenly changed the topic.
"Pray?" Zed asked surprised.
"Yeah," Elissa traced her dust-covered face, "I'm being sold to a man from another city."
"Oh?" Zed wasn't startled by her words, "Do you have an idea about the owner?"
In the slums, prostitution and organ harvesting were pretty common. Most families would sell away their children for some resources. And for others, they would be forcefully dragged by the overlords.
"No," Elissa shook her head, "Hopefully a man with a soft heart for teens."
"I would hope for that as well," Zed said with a smile, "Hopefully you can find some happiness."
"Yeah, maybe I would become a mistress in the future," Elissa looked at him and said, "If I do then I would help you to leave the slums and even kill your caretaker."
"I would like that," Zed agreed.
Both of them didn't talk about another possibility: Her body lying in a sewer somewhere after being brutally defiled by her owner. That was a common fate for most sold women.
They knew this but kept this possibility in their hearts. One can always pray for better...
--------
Eleven years old. (Refer Ch. 39 for a detailed scene)
"Allow me to express my gratitude for everything you have done for me by sending you to hell," Zed pierced a bloodstained knife in the heart of caretaker.
"You...are cold-hearted like your mother," The caretaker muttered, "Everyone in your family is the same."
The caretaker fell on the floor lifeless. His throat was sliced and his heart pierced by a knife.
Zed was on his knees fully exhausted. The rush of adrenaline finally stopped and the gravity of his actions set in.
The thoughts of his first killing made him tremble and throw up. His body reactions were different from his heart.
His heart only felt joy...
---------
Zed, in a ragged clothing, was standing outside the annual charity gala.
A platinum blonde left the building followed by two boys. The woman's eyes were deep brown and her slender jade neck was complemented by a pearl necklace.
Zed braved his heart and went in front of the three with a bowl in hand.
"Madam and sirs, can you please give me some food?" Zed's eyes were full of hope.
The charity gala was one of the few time the slum dwellers could get their stomach feed and Zed has faith he would get his share of food as well.
The boys look at Zed with complete disdain. The rotten slum insect dares to ruin their good mood?
"Get lost," one of the boys landed a kick on Zed's stomach, "You think we are running a restaurant?"
Like a kite with its string cut, Zed fell a few meters away.
"Osiris, you should not use too much force," the woman laughed at his actions. She turned her face towards Zed and said, "Let's see that kid's Strings Of Fate."
The woman's eyes turn violet as she gazed at Zed. A moment later her face lost its color. Hurriedly she rushed towards Zed.
"I'm sorry for my brother's attitude," the woman wiped the dust off from Zed's body and said, "Please give us a minute and we will bring some food."
"Marina, what are you doing?" the boys were annoyed by their sister's behavior.
Marina cast them a dreadful look and the boys shut up. She then took them inside the building and minutes later, they all returned with a tray of food.
The boys were now looking at Zed with pure horror in their eyes.
"Please forgive my rude behavior," the boy apologized by giving a deep bow. The three of them then offered him the food and quickly left.
Zed was dumbfounded but he didn't give this any thought as his mind focused on the plate in his hand. He quickly grabbed the food and stuffed it in his mouth afraid someone will snatch it away.
--------
Twelve years old.
In a street somewhere outside the slum.
Zed was sitting on the road looking at the woman in front of him with eyes wide open. She has auburn hairs reaching her shoulders which complimented her red dress.
"What is it you desire?" The woman crouched in front of him ignoring the dust on the road. Far away there were a dozen men in black looking at the twelve-year-old youngster and their master in disbelief.
"Answer me, kid" The woman placed a hand on his dirty hairs, "Ask me anything and you shall have it."
"Food," Zed answered. He hasn't eaten anything good in a while and he thought the woman should be able to fulfill his wish.
The men in black started laughing at such a pitiful request but the woman was looking at him with a smile just like before.
"Are you sure?" The woman asked, "I can fulfill your wish with a snap of my fingers but think how ruined your life would become."
Zed's back was drenched with sweat as the gravity of his request hit him. He turned his face back and saw various hungry faces far away. They were just like him from the slums trying to make a living out of begging.
If he got the food and he didn't share then he knew what waited for him. Even if he agreed to share, they wouldn't allow him to eat even a small part.
He would be punished severely for wasting food if he eats a single portion. No matter how he looked at his request, he understood it would only result to pain.
"I..." Zed looked back at the woman and faintly muttered, "Money?"
"Are you sure?" The woman repeated her previous words again.
Zed was unconfident of his request. In his ten years of life, the only important thing he knew was food, money, and clothes.
If he couldn't get food then money was the second best. But was it? He looked back at the hungry eyes and knew his answer.
"Don't look at them," the woman took his chin in her hands and said, "Even if not for them, the society out there would not spare you if you have a treasure you couldn't protect. Greed is not restricted to your slums."
Zed realized the meaning of her words after some contemplation. He has always thought the slums were hell and the society out there was heaven, but it seemed the laws of slum still applied everywhere.
"As long as you wish for materialistic benefits, regardless of whether it is food, money, clothes, or even strength; your life would only become worse," The woman explained with a smile, "None of them are things you can afford to have in your current state."
"What should I request for then?" Zed asked her in a confused tone.
"That is a question only you can answer," The woman stood up from the ground, "But if you want, I can give you the greatest gift the world has ever known."
"Greatest gift?" Zed stared at her blankly.
If he got the greatest gift then wouldn't he become a target of everyone?
"Rest assured for the gift is something no one can ever take from you," The woman looked around before continuing, "It is something which can never be stolen even by the greatest of the thief."
"What is it?" Zed asked lost in her words.
"Eternal Wisdom," The woman brought her eyes back on him and said, "Everyone in this world believes they are born with this wisdom but alas, it is just a delusion."
Zed's eyes were filled with curiosity. For a moment, he forgot his existence as a slum insect and truly tried to think what was this wisdom which has eluded everyone.
"Do you wish to have it?" The woman's eyes were sparkling like a galaxy as she stared in his eyes.
"Yes," Zed nodded unconsciously.
"I, Veronica, shall then give you the greatest gift out there," She placed a finger on his forehead, "The Eternal Wisdom of Dream.
"Remember to dream is to hope."
Chapter 106 Psychic Hunter Part 3
Meanwhile, in the real world.
While Zed's consciousness felt like years have passed during the attack of memories but in real life, only five minutes have passed since he fell on the floor.
Felicity sprinkled water on Zed's face but there was no change. His eyes were still half open like he was conscious but not conscious.
She touched his forehead and the body temperature was far too high beyond normal body conditions.
"Just what is going on?" Felicity wiped the sweat from his face and looked at Jessica and Loren, "How long before the ambulance arrives?"
"Ten minutes," Jessica said, "But the academy doctors would be here in a minute or two."
VROOM
"Watch out!"
The students scattered away as a red hovercraft rushed towards the cafeteria at a high speed.
The hovercraft arrived in front of Felicity in no time.
[[Lady Felicity, please put master inside the car]]
Claudia's voice came from the car.
Felicity nodded her head and from the floor, vines sprouted which pushed Zed's body on the back seat.
"I will come along---" Felicity didn't even get time to complete her sentence as the car dashed away without waiting for her.
"Damn!" Felicity looked around and noticed a bike far away, "That bike better be as fast as the car."
The hovercraft ran at its top speed ignoring all rules. Claudia couldn't understand how things turned so worse in such a short time.
The main investigation team has arrived in the city some ten hours ago, and now this state of her master. She wondered if the team was responsible for her master's condition.
------
In the world of blue, Zed's consciousness entered another memory fragment.
Eighteen years old.
"You all are getting a chance to be recorded in the history," A white-haired man with glasses loudly said, "So join me in a journey which would change the destiny of the world."
The white-haired man was standing in front of a gathering of slum dwellers. At the corner of the gathering, there were twenty men with laser guns in their hands aimed at slum dwellers.
"The entire order of the world would change after our exploration completes," The white-haired man continued, " Every single of you would be remembered as heroes who changed the world for better."
"Castor Damon?!" Akshobhya was startled. So far he has never commented during the memory play but this time he was shocked.
He has heard about the disappearance of Castor Damon while seeking something special. Then he remembered the recent activities by the government and other organizations. He further recalled the location where the kid was located.
"Wasn't it said that every slum dweller who worked for Castor Damon died?!" Akshobhya's consciousness was contemplating when the world of the blue started trembling.
"WHAT?!" Akshobhya was shocked. The memory fragments started dissipating and a new memory fragment came in the picture, "What is going on?!"
"Hey, cocksucker," Zed's consciousness muttered, "Wanna see something truly horrifying?"
"How did you changed the memory?!" Akshobhya's voice ringed inside the world of blue.
"Isn't that easy?" Zed asked, "You are using my consciousness to bring out my memories. So how hard could it be to change the order of memories?"
"That should be impossible!" Akshobhya said, "The pain would kill you."
"Asslicker, what you have made me feel wasn't even 1% of the pain I felt back then," Zed's consciousness was laughing, "It is just that the last four years have made me too soft."
"What are you talking about?" Akshobhya was in no mood to care about the foul language of the kid.
"Why don't you see for yourself, dickless scum?"
The new memory fragment started playing in the world of blue. When Akshobhya saw the scenes, his entire consciousness started trembling.
"What is that?!" Akshobhya saw a world in which there was nothing but menacing darkness. From time to time there would be golden and gray particles glittering inside.
The golden particles looked like galaxies but there was something eerie about them. The gray particles looked like the primal chaos at the birth of the universe, but there was something dreadful about them.
Even though this was just a memory, Akshobhya felt a chill down his spine in his body back at the monastery. Without even realizing it, his entire body was soaked with cold sweat.
The darkness was like an ominous existence corrupting everything. Akshobhya felt his consciousness would be ripped apart if this scene continued for another second.
"Don't chicken out just yet," Zed's voice was faint for the pain he felt was far too worse, "This scene pales in comparison to what you are about to see."
Akshobhya couldn't fathom what type of existence could create such dreadness just from memories. Judging from the kid's words there were even worse scenes.
He didn't dare watch any longer so he forcefully severed the connection with the memory fragment.
"Now!" Zed's consciousness took advantage of the temporary disturbance in the world of blue to return to his body.
Zed opened his eyes fully in the back seat of the car.
[[Sir!]]
"AARGH!" Zed started screaming away the next moment. Akshobhya was a powerful psychic and he was able to regain control in no moment.
"Claudia...i....can't....concentrate," Zed muttered the words forcefully before his consciousness returned to the world of blue.
"Kid, you tricked me for a moment but it is useless," Akshobhya felt insulted to be tricked by a child.
He was a reputed Psychic Hunter revered around the world but yet a child made him feel afraid?!
"Maybe not," Zed's consciousness' replied.
"What?!"
-----
In the real world.
[[Understood]]
Claudia realized her master's predicament. From the body signals and the words Zed muttered just now, she understood he was being attacked by a Psychic Hunter.
[[There are two ways for the master to transform into his other form. One is to send out his Will inside the Cosmic Spark but this requires focus. It is impossible for now.]]
[[The other way is his instincts to replace the Will when he is in danger. But now this half-consciousness state and the mental attack has stopped his instincts from taking control over.]]
The instincts of the body could be overpowered by the conscious state. Like how instincts act when one shoves their hand inside the fire. The instinct would make one drag away their hand back. But if one wants, then one can forcefully overpower the instinct and continue to push their hand in the fire.
Zed's survival instincts were suppressed basically due to two reasons. Firstly, he wasn't completely unconscious and secondly; the psychic attack fooled his body instincts into thinking there was no real danger from the current state of Zed's brain.
Claudia knew she has to make his instincts take over him. The only way to create such a situation was by creating real life and death crisis.
The moment his survival instincts take over, they would establish a contact with Cosmic Spark inside him.
[[Activating Level III EMP waves]]
The car was dashing on the highway filled with security cameras. The highway was reserved for the rich so the traffic was very low but there were still people around.
To avoid future troubles, Claudia released EMP waves from the car. All security cameras, cell phones, and any other recording device in 2 km radius started malfunctioning.
[[Now activating self-destruction of the car]]
The engine of the car started heating beyond its safety limit while sparks were artificially created in the fuel tank. The hidden weapons inside the car also started malfunctioning.
BOOM!
A loud explosion reverberated throughout the highway. Far away, Felicity was speeding in a bike when she suddenly saw a car bouncing in air engulfed by flame.
"Zed!" Felicity gritted her teeth and increased the speed of the bike
The hovercar was shredded apart as it fell on the road. At the backseat, there was a mutilated body engulfed by the flame of the explosion.
"Urgh!" Suddenly the disfigured body opened its eyes. Inside the blue pupils, a tinge of gold was replacing the blue.
Woosh~
A large column of fire shot in the sky with unbelievably high speed. The destroyed car ripped apart in fragments after the column of fire left from the backseat.
Some distance away, Felicity saw a column of fire dashing away in the sky like a beam of light.
"He is alive!" Felicity sighed in relief but she didn't lower the speed of the bike.
Inside the large column of fire dashing high in the sky, a new skin was formed on the disfigured body. The tinge of gold has completely replaced half the blue in both pupils.
Swooosh~!
The column of fire ripped apart in all directions to reveal a man with golden hairs.
Chapter 107 It Has Begun Part I of II
The monastery, State of Avalon.
Akshobhya's body shook heavily and he opened his eyes the next moment. There was a look of complete disbelief on his face.
His connection with the three blood-red cubic crystals was severed due to the sudden changes and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Akshobhya?!" Kurtis couldn't believe what he was seeing. The great Akshobhya was sweating and shaking along with coughing up blood?
"What just happened?" Akshobhya thought of the sudden changes in the world of blue.
Just a minute ago, within a span of few moments, Zed's consciousness was forcefully pulled back. When Akshobhya tried to bring him back, he realized Zed's consciousness' power was growing multiple folds.
What was even more strange was that in the next moment Akshobhya was no longer able to track the source of Zed. This resulted in a backlash and his consciousness returned back to his body at the monastery.
"Hang on! Back then I felt a new life blooming which was connected to that kid," Akshobhya thought of the scene before his confrontation with Zed, "The new life has no bloodline connection to the kid but yet it seemed it was the child of that kid! Their psyche carried familiar source!"
"I remembered the bloodline source of that child of his, so I should be able to track that kid, "Akshobhya further contemplated," Not to mention I still have the trace of his consciousness."
Akshobhya wasn't worried about the increase in the power of Zed's consciousness. When he attacked him, he hasn't even used five percent of his powers.
He was someone who was revered as Psychic Hunter. Even among those with psychic powers, his power was unrivaled.
"I even have my trump card," Akshobhya looked at the blood cubes and then at the crystal platform upon which he was sitting, "I have to get my hands on the secret that kid has!"
Akshobhya's heart was full of greedy ambitions. He ignored Kurtis and closed his eyes.
The satellite in Earth's orbit once again activated...
------
Delta City.
Kiba was hovering high in the sky. There were no clothes on his body, and all the injuries his other form suffered due to the explosion were completely healed
"Oh?" Kiba looked down and noticed Felicity speeding on a bike.
Her eyes were on the road so she didn't notice the disappearance of the column of fire after confirming he was alive.
Even if she noticed him, she wouldn't be able to see him since he was far too high in the sky. From the ground, he would look like a point object.
"I'm so sorry for making you worried," Kiba muttered in his heart, "I would make up for this."
Rays of white light surrounded him and he disappeared from the sky.
----
Section I, Dream Rise House.
Kiba teleported inside the lab.
[[Sir, I am glad you are fine.]]
"Claudia, thank you," Kiba took a set of clothes from a humanoid droid, "You truly know me best."
[[....]]
"Please contact Felicity so that she stops worrying about me," Kiba said further, "In the meantime also find me information about that Psychic Hunter."
[[Sir, I would advise against a confrontation for now.]]
"?"
[[Your innate ability warned you of a life and death crisis even though your instincts know the full extent of your hidden powers. What you faced so far shouldn't be considered as anything bad given your willpower.]]
"Claudia, it doesn't matter," Kiba's eyes were filled with malice, "If the situation turned worse then I would go all out. I can definitely kill that man."
[[Sir, you are not in the right frame of mind to decide things. Your anger and aggression is far beyond your normal self.]]
"You think I would be happy after being nearly put in a vegetative state," Kiba asked annoyed by her words.
[[No. But the lab sensors are detecting an unusual level of chemical and hormonal changes in your body.]]
"What are you talking about?" Kiba had a frown on his face.
[[The changes are the proof that your instincts are still active in your body after helping you transform into your current form. I am sure you know it better than me the danger your instincts carry when you are in your current form.]]
"Don't tell me!?" Kiba teleported to the corner of the lab and injected a syringe filled with green serum in his right hand, "They found the best time to influence me."
[[The hormones and chemical activities have been balanced.]] Claudia read out the new sensor report.
A higher form of life would always have disregard for a lower form of life. This would be due to a sense of supremacy in one own's instincts.
It was similar to how humans felt while killing ants or insects. Humans wouldn't feel a tinge of guilt or sadness while taking the life of a lower power being.
Similarly, from the perspective of Kiba's powers, humans (mutants or not) were nothing but ants. The humans have their powers derived from Divine Particles but his power source was Cosmic Spark.
Kiba was a higher form of life than others which made his instincts feel others were vermins who needed to be exterminated.
Just like how humans couldn't handle the presence of insects in their homes, Kiba's instincts made him feel there should be no human form insects in this world.
There was no concept of good or evil involved in this urge. It was something natural just like other primal instincts every living creature is born with.
Even Agatha has this urge of extermination but she avoided it so far by rarely using her powers. Kiba, on the other hand, used his strong willpower to suppress his urge.
For worst case scenarios he has prepared serums which could help him neutralize the effects of his instincts. This made sure that he wouldn't carry out a genocide.
The psychic attack by Akshobhya and the following events gave his instincts a chance to take over. They subtly started influencing him by taking advantage of his hatred against Akshobhya.
If he gave in to the anger and hatred now then there would be no telling what he would do after facing Akshobhya.
"Dammit," Kiba took a deep breath, "I can't let that bastard live otherwise I would go crazy."
[[Sir, we are not aware who is the attacker or his reason. If it was someone from the government, then they should have already surrounded our home.]]
"I understand," Kiba injected another serum to clear his mind, "I couldn't believe how I didn't think of such a basic fact."
[[Your instincts stopped you from thinking logically so that you would give to your desires.]]
"...."
[[If you hadn't seen Lady Felicity after transforming, perhaps you wouldn't have come here. Her presence made you rationale since you felt guilty for making her worry. This guilt brought you here so that you could command me to inform her.]]
"Yeah---Argh!" Kiba felt a sudden headache, "That asshole is attacking again."
Kiba and Zed forms had different DNA and gene structure, heat signature, physical features, aura, etc. Only one feature remained the same: consciousness.
If his consciousness was modified or evolved then he wouldn't be him. He would become a completely new person both in body and soul.
This made his consciousness his weakness since it was still same as his Zed form. While the presence of cosmic power made his consciousness stronger than before, his psychic powers weren't strong enough to resist someone of Akshobhya's caliber.
"Kid, your consciousness is powerful than before," Akshobhya's voice sounded inside his mind, "But don't think you can resist me forever."
"Get lost," Kiba gritted his teeth and temporarily blocked him out.
[[Sir.]]
"He is either using a satellite or signal towers to attack me," Kiba muttered looking at the ceiling, "I felt his psychic attack in the form of electronic signals."
[[What? The lab interior should block out outside signals. Unless the signals are generated from a technology as advanced or higher than ours.]]
"Open Section IV," Kiba's eyes were firm, "Let that bastard know there are places he should never try to barge in."
[[Opening that section would be dangerous since we haven't made enough preparations.]]
"Do you have a better way without me using my full powers?" Kiba asked.
If the psychic attacker was nearby, he could have attacked him in the current form. But given the attacker was at an unknown place using a satellite or signal tower, he wouldn't be able to land a counterattack now.
This was mainly since he didn't have any experience facing a powerful psychic like Akshobhya. The only other way to win was going all out.
There were far too many eyes on the city and he didn't want to attract attention for the time being.
This is why he temporarily wanted to block out Akshobhya by using Section IV while he found another method to counterattack.
[[Opening Section IV.]]
Zzzzz
The entire electricity from the underground floors started transferring towards Section I, II and III. Even the electricity from the villa cut off and started flowing towards these sections.
This electricity transformed into a high-density white force field covering the entire lab and other two sections.
CREEK~
The door to section IV started opening up while the red force field protecting the door disappeared.
When Agatha visited the lab a few weeks ago, she believed the red force field existed to prevent any intrusion to section IV but in reality, it existed to protect the outer world.
Powerful violet energy waves manifested from the small opening of the door.
CHI~
The violet waves attacked the force field covering the corridor walls and some of them passed to the other sections.
"Argh!" Kiba's head started numbing, "That cocksucker has started again."
He waved his hand and a golden force field surrounded him to stop the energy waves from Section IV while he fought the psychic intrusion.
"Kid, you truly surprise me," Akshobhya's voice ringed inside his mind, "Your bloodline is completely different from the time I first face you."
"Damn!" The intensity of Kiba's headache was increasing.
"How could you make such a transformation?" Akshobhya asked with deep curiosity, "I guess I would find out after I turn your brain into a vegetable."
"Dream on," Kiba said. The door of Section IV was 1/4th opened.
"I would find your secret after dissecting you," Akshobhya continued, "Then there is that child of yours who is yet to be born."
"What?!" Kiba's breathing turned ragged.
He knows about Hope?!
Chapter 108 It Has Begun Part II of II
"That child's blood source matches your current transformation but not the previous one," Akshobhya said with deep interest, " I'm sure I could find many interesting things after dissecting that child as well."
Just two days ago, Kiba has made a commitment to balance his dreams and his responsibilities as a father.
The family portrait he took with Agatha flashed inside his mind: His hands wrapped around Agatha's belly from behind.
Dissecting my daughter?!
Kiba's pupils dilated to the size of a needle as the gravity of Akshobhya's words stuck inside him. His heart skipped a beat while the emotions he was barely suppressing erupted like a volcano.
Swoosh~!
Golden ripples radiated out from Kiba. They clashed with the violet waves from Section IV.
BOOM!
The entire lab shook as the clash of two energy resulted in an explosion.
Kiba was in no mood to care about the damage or the plans he has set for facing Akshobhya. His mind was only filled with the fate of his child.
"WHAT DID YOU SAID?!" Kiba's expression twisted into that of a demon. In his eyes, there was nothing but a strong desire to slaughter.
Far high above in the sky, the morning sky was slowly replaced with dark clouds...
---------------
Let us rewind the time by five minutes and see the happenings at Atlantis.
The crystal temple.
Rhea was resting on the crystal throne thinking about the future which she believed would happen around ten months from now.
Ssss
Rhea's eyes turned wide with shock and she looked at her naked body with terror. The gray matter suppressed inside her turned hostile.
"ARGHH!" Rhea released a blood-wrenching scream.
The gray matter was multiplying itself and in the span of milliseconds, her entire body turned into gray. The gray matter was like a termite maliciously eating through her blood.
"W-what's going on?!" Rhea felt an hatred as deep as ocean from the gray matter.
Ever since Rhea gave the memory crystal to Poseidon, she was not attacked by the gray matter again.
She believed as long as she didn't share the secret of the future with anyone, the gray matter wouldn't harm her. At least, she didn't think it would attack her so suddenly with such viciousness.
"URGHHH!" The gray matter moved inside the sclera of her eyes and soon covered her pupils...
---------
Bermuda Triangle was home to the most dangerous life forbidden region on Earth.
Paradox Dimension!
Created in 1900 by the strange meteorites, Paradox Dimension has been an object of attraction to everyone on the planet.
It was a life forbidden zone for no one has ever come alive after going in the interior zones of Paradox Dimension. Yet every year, countless people risk their lives and enter the dimension seeking a chance for power and longevity.
The entire Bermuda Triangle was filled with spatial and temporal cracks. Most people on Earth consider this region as the end of the world due to the spatial and time vortex.
The outer layer of the Bermuda Triangle was thousands of kilometers away from the interior zones. It was in the form of a black sea.
Currently, hundreds of battleships were sailing on the sea. More than half the ships belonged to the world government while the others belonged to revolutionaries and other factions.
In ordinary times, the government and revolutionaries would fight against each other but currently, they were battling for resources against alien creatures from spatial cracks.
If one can get their hands on a spatial crack in the outer layer of the Paradox Dimension, then one can get countless rare resources. Almost every spatial crack was joined with a resource-rich land.
Mutant fruits, herbs, minerals, etc. Nothing was rare here as long as one can survive the expedition.
From the battleships, giant robots leaped up to fight alien beasts while the ships proceed ahead to collect the bounties.
"If the outer layer is so rich imagine the interior zones," A Buddhist monk sitting inside a cabin said. He was watching the battle outside through a screen projection.
"Lord Kakusandha, surely our government would conquer the interior zone someday," The commanding officer said.
Lord Kakusandha! One of the councilmen from the world council!
"My heart has being been blinded by greed just like Ice Queen said," Lord Kakusandha gave a sigh, "But I truly wonder what is there inside the core zone of Paradox Dimension."
Ten thousand kilometers away from this ship was the inside zone of Paradox Dimension. The inside zone almost seemed infinite with no definite end.
The laws of the world flew in reverse and opposite to what was deemed possible. There were hundreds of thousands of creatures inside: Giants, Titans, Hydra, Angels, Chimera, Griffin, etc.
They each had their own area of influence in the zone and most times there would be a struggle against each other's territory. Wars were a common occurrence.
Yet there was one part of the zone where there was only peace and serenity. No creature ever dare step in there much less create trouble.
It was at the middle of the dimension in the form of a castle made from elements unknown both to men and god.
Somewhere in the castle was a giant hall filled with skeletons of various races. If Rhea was here then she would easily identify them as the ruling races of her homeworld.
At the end of the hall was a giant throne. The throne was entirely made from pitch black darkness.
On the throne, a man was sitting with his head resting on his hand. It was impossible to see his facial features or even the color of hair or skin.
"Hmm?" The man seemed to be disturbed from his rest. He slowly opened his eyes and as he did, his vision passed through everything.
BOOOOOOM
The creatures inside the interior zones screamed in pain and agony. Some of the weaker ones even exploded into blood and gore.
In the outer layer, the battleships and giant robots suddenly stopped in their path. Even the alien beasts and humans were struck on the spot as a horrifying force came over them.
BANG!
The metallic layers of the battleships and robots were ripped apart. The weapons of mass destruction inside the ships lost their terrifying power and exploded like firecrackers.
Inside one of the ship, Lord Kakusandha coughed up blood while his internal organs dislocated from their original positions. Blood was leaking from all his orifices and the blood flow inside him turned chaotic.
The commanding officer next to him exploded into pieces but Lord Kakusandha was in no mind to care about his death. He suppressed his injuries inside him forcefully for he felt on verge of exploding.
A crack appeared on his forehead and it extended till his torso. Lord Kakusandha gritted his teeth and used all his power to stop the crack from expanding any further.
The chaotic force inside him disappeared and he breathed in relief knowing he has avoided death.
"W-what happened?" Lord Kakusandha rushed out of the sinking battleship.
His eyes were filled with terror as he saw the scene outside. All battleships were ripped into two and sinking in the sea. As far as he could sense, there was no trace of any living being in the sea except for him.
Some creatures have exploded into blood and gore while the rest turned into a mist of blood.
"What is going on?" Lord Kakusandha felt himself under a vision which could destroy the entire world if it pleased.
He concluded with great horror that the deaths and destruction so far weren't intentional. If the vision truly willed it, he would have died as well.
The vision has a complete disregard for him like he was an ant not worthy of its attention. The vision passed away from him and the region and instead, it went far away.
In no time the vision stopped after it arrived inside the crystal temple in Atlantis.
Rhea's entire body was engulfed with gray matter. She was like a gray statue struck on a crystal throne incapable of doing anything as the gray matter sucked on her bloodline.
"Don't interfere where you are not needed," The man on the throne of darkness slowly said, "Remember your objective."
Ssss
The next moment, the gray matter retraced from Rhea's body. Once again it lied dormant inside her.
"Ah!" Rhea sighed in relief.
Her body was pale and soaked with cold sweat after the close counter with death. The energy from the blood crystals inside the temple moved to supplement her exhausted body.
"Why did the gray matter retraced? No! Why did it attack me so suddenly!?"
Rhea now completely believed her earlier conjecture of the future being more complex than she saw.
She thought of the golden-haired man who faced a giant existence due to some deep hatred, and then the final part where everything was gray.
She further recalled the gray man whose presence has made that giant existence ran for its life. Every single step of the gray man has created a carnage in the city.
"What role does that existence have for me?"
Rhea dreaded the future. She has a premonition the gray matter would attack her again and the next time there would be no mercy...
The vision of the man on the throne moved away from her. It arrived at Delta City where dark clouds were slowly converging.
The vision passed by a cylindrical glass pod filled with blue liquid. The vision then briefly paused on on a large stasis capsule somewhere in the city.
The next moment, the vision moved on a woman speeding toward a villa. And finally, the vision arrived at an underground lab below the villa.
Inside the lab, a golden-haired man was standing in the midst of explosions with absolute madness in his eyes.
"Haah," The man on the throne of darkness deeply sighed, "It has begun."
"The onslaught of reality."
Chapter 109 Facing Bugs
Section I, Dream Rise House.
Golden ripples clashed with the violet energy waves.
BOOM
The force field protecting the lab equipment showed signs of faint cracks.
[[Sir! Stop!]]
Claudia knew how serious the state of the lab was. The lab could barely stand the energy waves from Section IV and now even her master was radiating out strong ripples.
Kiba continued to stand with a look of madness. Far high in the sky, the layer of dark clouds has covered the morning sky.
Within the radius of 200 km, every living being felt a suffocating pressure from the sky above. Their breathing turned heavy as they felt themselves under a pressure which felt like crashing of mountains.
In an apartment, Agatha was changing her clothes when suddenly her eyes flickered as pressure arrived. She clenched her fist and her body turned immaterialistic to save her and her child from the pressure.
On the streets, people lost control of the vehicles and they started crashing into each other. Felicity was speeding on a bike when she suddenly lost control.
"Ahh!" The bike crashed on a pole and she fell down on the road bleeding.
[[If you continue then Lady Felicity would die and same would be the fate of Lady Agatha and Lady Eva.]]
Inside the lab, Claudia reminded her master. She brought the body stats of Felicity and Agatha who were wearing the bracelets she has designed for them.
"What?" The words struck Kiba and his anger partly subsidized.
[[The dark clouds have already engulfed a part of the city and if this continues, the golden lighting would manifest. Lady Felicity is near the villa and the other ones who you care about are within the 200 km radius of your power.]]
"I can't even use my power here," Kiba's eyes were bloodshot, "Things just keep turning worse."
If the golden lightning manifested then the fate of everyone in its domain would be the same as the team sent by Sylvan during the wasteland incident. They would obliterate out of existence.
"Kid, how is your consciousness turning stronger even now?" Akshobhya's words rung inside his mind, "Just what secret you found from Castor Damon's expedition?"
BOOM
More powerful ripples radiated out from Kiba. His entire being hated the voice of Akshobhya and just his voice brought the madness back.
[[Sir! Think of the consequences if you use your full powers now!]]
"Fuck consequences," Kiba was engulfed by a column of white light and he disappeared from the lab.
[[Sir!]]
Claudia couldn't understand what has happened for her master to turn insane. She was further worried after his sudden teleportation.
In the sky, the dark clouds disappeared from the city in the blink of an eye. Felicity who was lying on the road could finally breathe again.
"Zed," Felicity muttered before she lost her consciousness. She was alive with no major injuries but just the pressure from dark clouds have exhausted her entire being.
-----------
Most of the wasteland was now in the form of a crater.
A team of five high ranking investigators and fifteen junior investigators were in the wasteland. They were accompanied by a hundred local military officers along with the equipment they have brought.
The other high ranking investigators and few junior investigators were in the other parts of the city.
Currently, the team on the wasteland were standing on the only intact landmass in the crater. Other places were ruined but the landmass for few miles was intact.
The team believed the incident originated from this place. They inserted a metallic cylindrical tube inside the ground surface to read the radiation signs.
"Hey!" An investigator named Bruno looked towards the city and said, "Aren't they similar to the dark clouds during the incident?"
"You are right," A man named Dylan said, "Thankfully Liam, Morgan, and others are there in the city so they would find out."
The main investigators were injected with serums and reinforced with equipment to protect themselves from the effect of lightning and dark clouds so they weren't afraid. Even the junior investigators were given the serum after the arrival of the main team.
"True---What?" Burno and others looked on as the dark clouds disappeared in few moments.
"They disappeared so soon?" A man named Kacie muttered.
RUMBLING~!
The sky above the wasteland suddenly was filled with an intense sound. The weather turned into dark and stormy as dark clouds engulfed the sky.
Everyone in the wasteland looked above in total astonishment.
*BEEP*
An investigator looked at a tablet in his hand in disbelief.
"We have lost signal with outside!" The investigator muttered.
"What is going on here?" Dylan asked.
BANG!
The land shook heavily as a figure engulfed by rays of white light landed on the ground. As the light disappeared, everyone saw a golden-haired man.
"Kiba?" One of the investigators identified the man. They have checked the basic profile of everyone who has meet Lisa Rey.
Kiba ignored the shocked investigators and looked towards the dark sky. The half-blue in his eyes was now being replaced with gold.
BOOM
Followed by sounds of explosions, the dark clouds were filled with golden lightning. Deafening thunder reverberated in all directions and the team of investigators felt their chest becoming heavy and tight.
"URGH!" The local military officers cried out blood-wrenching screams. Blood was leaking from all their orifices and in just a second, their bodies started dissipating into dust.
First, the skin was ripped apart followed by the blood and lastly the skeleton.
"Save me!" A hundred officers begged for mercy.
"Stop!" Dylan angrily looked at Kiba. Everyone was now sure Kiba was responsible for the incident in one way or the other.
Kiba ignored Dylan and continued to look towards the sky. After the manifestation of his full powers, his golden hairs extended till the end of his back.
His eye pupils were fully golden and golden sparks radiated around his body.
"What are you?!" Akshobhya's faint voice resounded in his mind, "How could your power increase even now?!"
Akshobhya could barely maintain the telepathic link. He couldn't understand how his target's strength increased thousands of folds.
What truly startle him was the things his consciousness saw in the surrounding. The lightning in the sky made him tremble and he couldn't help but remember the things he saw in the memory of Zed.
"Think of your answers in the hell," Kiba pointed a finger towards the sky and the pressure of lightning reduced in the area.
He didn't wish for his connection with Akshobhya to cut off by the pressure from his power.
Kiba turned his head fully towards the sky and his vision passed the dark clouds. The layers of atmosphere didn't hinder his vision and soon he vision was in the Earth's orbit.
He saw a satellite covered with blue crystal coating radiating blue waves in his direction. His vision entered the interior of the satellite where three blue crystal cubes were joining the circuits.
"Crystals made from Galinum?" Kiba plainly said without any emotions, "Do you think having the technology of that world gives you the right to be so cocky?"
"You could see the satellite?!" Akshobhya didn't dare believe the words.
How can a person's vision pass through a distance of about forty thousand kilometers?!
In the monastery, the three blood-red crystal cubes started showing signs of a crack. Akshobhya felt the situation turning worse by every second. He sent a mental command to a team of monks in other parts of the monastery.
Quickly the monks brought around fifty children to an adjacent hall. These children were the same ones who were earlier playing in the courtyard with happy smiles.
The children sat down in meditation positions and soon blue ripples emanated from their forehead. The ripples passed in the next room and started merging with the blue crystal platform.
----
In the wasteland.
"Can't you listen to me?" Dylan was incensed. Almost ninety of the hundred local officers were turned into nothingness.
"Get ready," He looked at others of his team and signaled them to attack Kiba.
Dylan gritted his teeth and his body started bloating and increasing in size. His face deformed while his hands transformed into metallic claws. From his back, metallic tentacles with spikes emerged.
Bruno transformed his hands into chainsaws while on his forehead, three small holes originated releasing purple light.
A woman named Bella opened her mouth and from her throat, sonic waves manifested ready to attack.
Another man named Kazir crouched down and struck his hand onto the ground. From the ground, spears made of stone and earth emerged.
"Now!" Without waiting for the others, the four of them launched their best strikes.
Dylan was the first to arrive at Kiba with his metallic claws aimed at Kiba's neck while the tentacles with spikes attacked his opponent's heart and lungs.
From another side, Bella released sonic waves on Kiba. The ground below shook as the spears made from stone and earth moved forward to pierce Kiba.
Bruno attacked from another side with his chainsaw aimed at the torso while the three small opening on the forehead released purple light aimed at Kiba's chest.
"Guess you could live for a few more moments," Kiba turned his face from the sky to the incoming attackers.
There was no more anger or madness on his face.
His expression was nonchalant without any signs of coldness or malice. It was like he was just a spectator seeing a play without any involvement.
He extended his right hand in the empty air and then clenched it down. The air in the surrounding compressed into multiple folds and then exploded into a turbulent energy storm all around.
The sonic waves dissipated by the turbulent storm and the same happened for the spear from the ground. The three rays of purple light were absorbed by the air particles and the storm turned more chaotic.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Impossible!"
"Just like that?!"
"So easily?"
Dylan's eyes were filled with horror as the turbulent air particles struck him when he was just a step away from his opponent.
"No!" The metallic claws and the tentacles were ripped apart in fragments by the turbulent storm. Blood leaked from his entire body after the physical enhancements were sliced away.
"ARGH!" Dylan cried miserably struck in the air helpless.
"You bugs are truly annoying," Kiba flicked a finger on Dylan's forehead, "Crying at every single instance."
BOOM
"AAHHH!" Multiple cracks originated from the point of contact and extended around the head. Like a watermelon falling on the ground, Dylan's head exploded into a mix of white and red liquid.
The headless corpse fell on the ground with a loud thud. The body twitched for a few moments before entering eternal rest.
Kazir, Bella, and Bruno were struck in the air by the turbulent storm. Unlike Dylan, the air particles didn't attack them.
They didn't dare celebrate at this small mercy after seeing the condition of their fallen friend.
"There is that insect trying to invade my consciousness and now you all, "Kiba lightly tapped his foot on the ground.
BANG!
Multiple spears protruded from the ground and struck towards Kazir who was in midair in the shape of X.
Earlier he has launched a similar attack but the turbulent energy storm neutralized the attack.
"AHHHH!" Kazir could do nothing as the spears pierced every part of his body. The spears from the ground were stained with blood and gore.
Kiba took a single step and he was in front of Bella. She was beautiful on her own right with a porcelain skin tone and black hairs.
"You were the loudest one," Kiba wrapped her neck with his right hand.
"Please spare me," Bella whimpered helplessly.
Kiba looked at her without emotions. He increased the force of his grip and as he did, Bella's face turned pale. Her eyes were completely bloodshot while blood leaked from her orifices.
"Pl...ase..." Bella muttered her final words before Kiba snapped her neck into two.
Bruno and other dozens of investigators were terror struck on the spot. The golden lighting on the sky continued its struggle of trying to enter the Earth.
Kiba took another step and he arrived in front of hovering Bruno.
"No matter what type of enhancements a bug takes," Kiba moved his hand on one of the chainsaws, "A bug would always remain a bug."
SNAP!
"URGHHH!" Bruno helplessly watched a chainsaw snapped from his hand.
"The government send you here depending on these trash enhancements?" Kiba brought the chainsaw on Bruno's face, "Or perhaps they are more powerful than what their appearance makes them out?"
"Don't!" Bruno's eyes turned wide with horror. The chain started rotating and its set of teeth stuck below his eyes
"AHHHHHH!" Flesh filled with blood fell on the ground as the chainsaw further moved inside. Bruno's shrieks stopped a moment later after the chainsaw has struck till the end of his head.
Half of his face fell on the ground followed by the remaining part of the body.
"Not bad for a bug," Kiba turned his body around towards the remaining eleven investigators, "I have to agree that you bugs truly have a powerful reproduction system."
"There is just no end to you all," Kiba said with contempt in his voice.
The rocks continued to shatter into fragments and soar high to turn into nothingness. The group of eleven backed with fear evident in their eyes.
"He is not a human! He is a monster!"
"How can such a monster even exist?"
"The government never warned us of such an existence!"
"They sent us on a suicide mission!"
"Fucking bastards! We have to run!"
"Yes!"
"Stop being so noisy," Kiba made a grasping motion and the team of eleven crashed down on the ground.
"No!"
"Please!"
Kiba waved his hand and ten cyclones appeared in the area. He clenched his fist and the cyclones started moving towards the group of eleven.
Suddenly, Kiba released his fist as a look of struggle appeared on his face.
"Damn," Kiba's eyes were filled with rationale after releasing anger and frustration, "I'm giving in to my instincts instead of carrying my true objective."
"Time to focus," Kiba then looked in the sky, "Why so silent, old man?"
The cyclones continued to exist as a wall to prevent the eleven from leaving.
"Kid, don't become so arrogant," Akshobhya's faint voice ringed inside his mind, "Your fate would remain same."
"I'm waiting," Kiba has a faint smile on his face, "Why don't you start if you have completed your preparations, pedophile?"
"What did you say?" Akshobhya was shocked by the address and words.
"You think I didn't felt your psyche slowly accumulating with young and naive psyches?" Kiba asked with his smile expanding, "Now it explains why you were so against my joy with the women. You were a pedophile all along."
"YOU!" Akshobhya was incensed.
He was someone who strictly followed celibacy but yet he was blamed for such a heinous crime?
"No need to be so angry," Kiba continued with a smile, "A man with a small dick like you can only feel big with innocent children."
"Kid, just wait for few seconds and I would be done with preparations," Akshobhya swore to torture Kiba after he has completed merging with the consciousness of the children monks in few seconds.
"Few seconds?" Kiba's smile turned into a smirk, "Truly you are a disgrace to all men if you could only last for few seconds."
Chapter 110 Finishing Strike
In his life, Akshobhya has met many people but none as foul-mouthed as Kiba. Even during the worst psychic attack, none of the victims have used as many varieties of curses as Kiba.
When Kiba called him Shitfaced dimwit, Cocksucker, Asslicker, Dickless scum, Bastard, and Asshole; Akshobhhya could still handle the curses.
He believed the kid was from a generation which was uncultured and lacked moral sensibility. So as a monk he tried to be broad-minded and didn't take any offense.
But now Pedophile?!
He has strictly followed celibacy in his entire life and yet he was blamed for such abominable crime?! He truly felt offended by this word and swore to torture the kid.
Like this wasn't enough, the kid went a step beyond by calling him a disgrace to men who couldn't even last for few seconds!
Akshobhya has read memories of many male victims so he understood the hidden meaning of this insult! This hurt him more than being addressed as a pedophile.
"Kid, even death couldn't clear your sins," Akshobhya's last bit of consciousness has merged with those of the young monks, "You would regret using such words."
"I don't know about me but you sure are going to regret your choice of words," Kiba's eyes were filled with viciousness, "Time to end this play."
Kiba clenched his fist and the cyclones in the area started creating havoc as they moved towards the remaining eleven survivors.
"I didn't want to resort to slaughter," Kiba leaped towards the sky, "But now I can't have any loose ends here."
"Please, sir!"
"We won't reveal anything!"
"STOP!"
Kiba ignored their state and dashed high in the sky. He didn't even glance back to see their fate for it was pretty much sealed.
If it was his normal cosmic form even then they would have died much less now. As he dashed towards the sky, the struggle of golden lightning in the dark clouds reduced.
Turbulent air currents greeted his face as he passed stratosphere. From the ground, he looked like a thunderbolt striking the vault of heaven.
Golden sparks covered his legs like wings and his speed increased. In less than a minute, he has covered a distance of five thousand kilometers.
"Ugh," Kiba felt headache returning, "Is this the best you could do even after defiling the children?"
"Kid, your foul language knows no end," Akshobhya was annoyed, "The young monks are my disciples and I would never commit such a grave sin."
"Fool the world with those lies," Kiba increased his speed, "By merging with their consciousness, you are making them mentally handicapped for life."
He pretty much understood Akshobhya increased his psyche power by merging with children who have telepathic or psychic ability.
The younger one is, the less complex the consciousness is. This also means low chances of backlash if one tries to merge with the young consciousness.
Akshobhya might defuse with their consciousness later on but how can the children bear the strain of merging with a powerful psychic? The strain is always shared by the weaker party and Akshobhya knew what awaited for the children.
"Argh," Kiba stopped after arriving ten thousand kilometers from the ground. He hovered in mid-air with his hands on his head trying to fight the mental pain.
The psychic attacks were invisible and formless. Even with the increase in his powers, his consciousness was still his weakest part.
Akshobhya, on the other hand, didn't believe Kiba's consciousness was weak. The blood-red crystal cubes in the monastery were cracking at a rate visible to the naked eye.
A small crack appeared on the blue platform and Akshobhya felt worried about the aftereffects.
"I would definitely win but the price would be far too high," Akshobhya didn't want to lose the technology the ancestors of the monastery has retrieved from the meteorites, "I should stop now and make more arrangments before I take it to the final step."
Akshobhya decided to retrieve his consciousness back but suddenly his real body started trembling.
"Impossible!" Akshobhya muttered, "You have formed a reverse link?!"
Kiba was in no state to answer as his consciousness invaded his enemy. The pain was increasing with him feeling thousands of needles piercing his mind.
"How can this be?" Akshobhya was sure his opponent didn't have psychic ability before, "Don't tell me that you have copied my ability?!"
"Think what you want," Kiba gritted his teeth and once again resumed his journey to Earth's orbit.
A golden column of light wrapped around him and his speed further accelerated.
"You were bidding for the time by distracting me with those curses!" Akshobhya felt more aggregated.
He was sure Kiba tried to distract him while he studied his mental attack to strike back.
"Actually no," Kiba said after crossing some twenty thousand kilometers, "I just love cursing."
"You bastard!" Akshobhya cursed for the first time in decades.
He understood there was no chance of stepping back now. If he tried to back away then the backlash would be far too much for him to handle due to the reverse link.
Kiba continued to dash high while golden waves rippled around him. The air in the surrounding ripped apart with sonic explosions as he cut through layers of the world.
Inside his consciousness, Akshobhya's consciousness opened his third eye. His third pupil looked like a vortex of nightmares.
"ARGHH!" Kiba stopped as the mental pain increased.
"Live your worst time," Akshobhya muttered. He didn't dare bring the memories from mining expedition so he tortured Kiba with his earlier nightmares.
"Damn," Kiba cursed as his consciousness was engulfed by a rotating pupil.
In the real world, his eyes closed shut as the past struck him. His willpower was strong but the attack of Akshobhya was far too stronger this time.
He lost focus and his body started rapidly falling from twenty thousand kilometers above the ground while he relived his worst times.
----
The days of hunger and cold. The unbearable pain of starvation while he trembled from weakness.
The times of punishment by the caretaker and later on by the overlords.
"You want this piece of bacon?" An overlord threw the bacon in a cage filled with two dogs, "Then take it from those wild dogs."
The pain of flesh being ripped apart by hungry dogs. The jeers of the spectators.
"Slum insects, want the biscuits?" A man with a camera asked a group of slum dwellers, "Behave properly and you might get one."
The humiliation of treated like animals. The realization that life was nothing but an enjoyment for others.
The moments when he wished to end his life to rid of the sufferings. The hope that the next life would be better than this one.
"Everyone in this world should die."
The times of envy and hate at the unfairness of the world. The days when resentment turned into a curse against the people of the world. A wish for the world to be exterminated...
-----
Meanwhile, inside his chest.
The Cosmic Spark was in the shape of a pitch black amethyst crystal filled with golden and gray particles.
There were few thin cracks on Cosmic Spark and one could make out that they were the sign of missing parts. The cracks were, in fact, negligible in the fist-size Cosmic Spark but nevertheless present.
As the nightmares brought out the resentment and hate inside him, one of the gray particles slowly jumped out from the thin cracks and merged with his bloodstream.
---
In the real world, Kiba fell towards the ground like a meteorite engulfed by flames.
"I'm not my past self," Kiba fiercely opened his eyes, "Nor I'm a victim so stop trying to make me believe otherwise."
His body stopped a few thousand kilometers above the ground. Like a bolt of thunder, he once again dashed towards the orbit.
His movement was more fierce than before and so was his determination to end this. A deafening sound of explosion reverberated all around as he broke through the final layers of the atmosphere.
In the monastery.
BANG!
Two of the three blood-red cubes exploded in fragments.
"Cough!" Akshobhya coughed up blood. The backlash of his technique being nullified affected both his body and consciousness.
"If that kid hasn't copied my ability then I would have won," Akshobhya cursed the luck of his enemy.
Some distance away, Kurtis was terrified by the sudden destruction of the cubes. He refused to believe what the destruction signified.
In the other part of the world, Kiba arrived above the Earth's orbit. Despite the protection of the golden column of light, he felt a bone-numbing chill.
He ignored the chill in the space and turned his head above. Some ten thousand kilometers ahead was the satellite covered with a blue crystalline layer.
"You wanted to dissect me and my daughter to get my power, right?" Kiba's cold voice ringed inside the consciousness of Akshobhya, "Let me gift you this power."
"What do you mean?" Akshobhya was confident Kiba couldn't reach the satellite. Ten thousand kilometers in space and Earth were different concepts.
Akshobhya has felt the great power Kiba carried but he was sure he couldn't harm him physically. They were on the opposite sides of the globe connected with nothing but a satellite.
Kiba focused his attention on the satellite. His vision passed inside the satellite and was now on the three blue cubes.
Zzzz
Faint golden ripples of current appeared on the blue cubes.
Veins protruded out of Kiba's forehead and blood trickled from his eyes but his gaze remained on the satellite.
Back in the monastery, Akshobhya's body started shuddering as thousands of voltage passed inside him from the crystal platform and blood-red cubes.
Even in his worst nightmares, he has never thought someone can be capable of using the reverse link in such a fashion.
"Take my power if you can," Kiba said as more of his strength continued to flow in the blue cubes.
He was ten thousand kilometers away from the satellite. To transmit his power at such a long distance in the space and making sure it carried his desired effect, it took a very heavy toll on him.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth while his body lightly trembled. It was the first time he has felt such exhaustion after using his full powers.
Sssss
The blue in the crystal cubes was slowly replaced with the gold just like his eyes.
Inside the monastery, the last blood-red cube and crystal platform similarly turned gold.
Chi Chi Chi~
Golden ripples slowly replaced the red and blue ripples connected to Akshobhya.
"AAHHHHHHH!"
The golden ripples invaded him and as it did, he sensed a decaying force developing inside. His eyes turned wide in astonishment as he realized what his enemy has planned for him.
"No! !" Akshobhya grabbed his neck to choke himself to death.
"You can't die yet," Kiba's faint voice resounded, "Not so easily after the words you spoke."
"Ple...ase," Akshobhya couldn't even strangle himself under the pressure of golden ripples, "Don't you want to know---"
"I don't care," Kiba interjected in between. He made his intention clear as he transmitted last of his energy inside the satellite.
In the monastery, a final golden ripple originated from the platform and cube.
CRASH!
The platform blasted apart and Akshobhya fell on the floor. The connection with the satellite and Kiba was broken but it didn't give any joy to him.
"Akshobhya!" Kurtis rushed forward to help.
"Save me," Akshobhya started aging rapidly while his organs decayed.
From a middle-aged man, he turned into an old man at the twilight of his life. Every corner of his body was filled with horrible sickness as he further aged from an old man to an ancient man.
"What?!" Kurtis instinctively backed away.
Akshobhya's face was filled with wrinkles with his eyes turning listless. The teeth from his mouth fell away like rotten shrimps.
He wanted to beg for help but all he could do was flap like a dying fish...