Chapter 1200 A Scheme of Ascendance
Books floated around the seer like a solar system, answering his hunger for knowledge like an imminent echo of a valley. Characters jumped to life as if that was their purpose all along, to serve the seer and fuel his wisdom. "How can we fight such a thing?" asked Arthur, his mind preoccupied with the looming threat of a seer who could not only see through the world, but reshape the past itself. It seemed almost impossible. "There is a reason that the power balance exists in the world," said Sier as he turned toward Arthur, his violet eyes squinting at him. "No one can defeat the empyreans backing every nation." "What about Osian the Invincible?" asked Arthur with a smile that seemed to trigger the seer's frown. The fact that Arthur himself defeated an empyrean known as invincible disagreed with Sier's argument. "The outsider was always meant to break the fragile balance of power," said Sier with a smirk of his own. "That's the reason everyone flocks around you like flies, wishing to obtain some of that power and wealth."
"I could say the same about the members of Mistletoe, right?" "Ascent is nothing but a gathering of rebels."
"Better than thieves."
Imaginary gunshot sounds echoed in the room as bullets were fired, shaped like words that cut deeper than any weapon. However, the two did not seem hostile, but rather held smiles that mirrored each other. "You started as another member of Mistletoe, but now you have your own people," said Sier with a grin. "Speaking of Ilios, that reminds me of the ambush they have set for us. During the Runes Apprentices Cup, you vowed to take revenge. And you did, although not as a member of mistletoe."
"You should have been the one to save Ivy, Sier."
"Why would I, when I already know that she would choose your side once she learns about our argument?" asked Sier with a sliver of loneliness, making Arthur pause. Did he take too many things from the seer? "We have a common enemy now," said Arthur with a frown. "I know that you desire revenge against the Yalen King, and I wish to save Emma and Oriole. But I doubt that I can save them without a fight."
"As long as I stood against my father, we were destined to fight together," said Sier as he gazed out of the window. "I agree to this temporary alliance, but don't stand in my path later. Yalen is mine."
"I couldn't care less who runs things here," said Arthur with a frown. "Tell me where Emma and Oriole are."
"Oriole is in Giant Garden, and Emma Agard has disappeared from this world."
"What do you mean?" "Giant Garden is a valley that suffered a mana explosion, resulting in unnatural growth of living beings."
"I meant regarding Emma. What do you mean that she disappeared from this world?" asked Arthur with confusion. "How could she disappear if she is set to be executed in a week?"
"One would think that she is entrapped by the king himself, but I found no traces of that. I cannot find her, learn of her existence, or even find someone who met her. Caleb was our only source, but I was too wise to touch him. After all, grandfather would rewrite the entire past to save him."
"Temporal manipulation has its costs. Your grandfather might erase his very existence if he messes too much with the timeline."
"That would be a lovely paradox," said Sier with a smile. "You are right. My grandfather is careful with his power, to ensure that he does not temper with the timeline too much. Thus, he mostly affects other worlds, dungeons, or insignificant lives."
"We can use that against him, but I don't know how. Does he have any other weakness?" "Most seers lack combat abilities. As long as you get close enough, he is no stronger than a deme-ranker. We don't exactly train our bodies like the rest of awakeners do."
"…can you find Emma for me as I go to Giant Garden?" "I can send William to do that, but I'm afraid it's too late."
"Too late for what?"
"For Oriole to survive. My grandfather has already began moving, chasing after him. Even if you go to Giant Garden now, you might find nothing but a corpse."
The atmosphere in the room shifted as Arthur's eyes narrowed, dangerous light flashing within them. A cutting and sharp aura leaked from his body, enough to make the seer alarmed. This was the natural result of becoming the embodiment of wrath, a godslayer nonetheless. "If something happens to Oriole," muttered Arthur, his voice as deep as the ocean. Black lightning crackled in his hands, wrath coursing through his veins. "The entire Yalen Bloodline will be eradicated." The words were not a threat toward Sier, but a promise. The seer looked at him with apprehension before someone knocked on the door and came in after sensing the aura. Zas and William were outside, weapons in hand, as they looked at Sier to his command. "You have finally shown yourself, traitor," spat Zas with loathing, but Arthur was not in the mood to bicker with him. Snakes of black lightning rose from his body, leaving their burrow. As the whipped toward the teleporter, he stood there like a lamb awaiting slaughter. "We are allies now," said Sier, making the black lightning freeze in its place, burning through the very fabric of space. Arthur met the seer's eyes, and no more words needed. "Go and save Oriole, and I will look for the Agards."
"Fine," said Arthur as he glanced at Zas and William. "Be warned, you two. I don't have the same patience as I had before. Tread carefully, lest you fall into a bottomless abyss."
After leaving those words, Arthur walked out of the room, past the two frozen Deme-rankers. They were no longer a threat to him, no more than arrogant ants that could be squashed with a thought. He left the mansion the same he entered -– the main door.
Zas and William stood at the doorway, sweat covering their backs. Although they wanted to act normal, their bodies could not process the imminent feeling of death. "You live for another day, Zas," said Sier as the books returned to their place. "Arthur is no longer someone you can antagonize. If you meet him again, walk with your head down, unless you want to live without a head."
"I can…" "Lies are useless in my presence, Zas. Fear should not be a source of shame, but relief that you are smart enough to survive. That's the very purpose of fear, to survive."
As he imparted the impatient teleporter with his wisdom, Sier looked out of the window again, this time to study the moonlight. A thin smile hung on his face before he turned toward his loyal followers. "Arthur has arrived to Yalen, as we have anticipated. The Seven Families have been awaiting his arrival to Yalen to start the next step of their plans."
"And the start of ours," said William with a smile as he knelt down. "After we achieve our true purpose amidst the chaos and their fight, you will become an actual god."
"Whether that is possible or not… is hard to decide. But if I want to obtain a power without any strings attached, a power to call my own, I must use the God Summoning to enter Devaheim."
"If we are allies with that prick, shouldn't we warn him?" asked Zas after recomposing himself. "It would be more beneficial for us if he puts up a fight against the summoned god. If he dies with a single slap, the god will return and the Gate to Devaheim will close."
"Arthur is not going to lose."
"You mean he can defeat a god?" "I don't know what kind of god is going to be summoned, but can you imagine Arthur losing?" asked Sier with a smile. "I cannot do that. He has been the center of our world ever since he awakened."
Zas listened to his words with thoughts of his own, lowering his head to the ground. After a moment, he voiced out a question as he looked at Sier through scattered hair strands. "Do you regret not killing him when he first awakened?" "I don't know if I even could at that time. Master Ronin was obsessed with Arthur and the dreams he kept seeing, and would have sacrificed his life just to save the outsider."
"I didn't ask if you could. Would you kill him if time rewinds?"
"…I would have," said Sier with a grin. "The outsider is too unpredictable. I cannot see a future that contains him, so I feel nauseous every time I look at his face. He does not belong to our world."
Zas looked at Sier in silence before kneeling. The seer glanced at him before turning to William, commanding him what he promised Arthur. "Look for Emma Agard and her family. She could prove herself to be a useful card in the upcoming fight, especially as the strongest seer in the world."
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