The peace was overturned in just a day… It sounds like the world we were located in her memory got invaded by a higher and stronger world.
The World's Will of Earth becoming unawakened or reverting to being unawakened was the result of what happened.
Now, even if the World's Will reawakens, we'll definitely get to know what kind of terrifying enemy we will face in the future.
There's no running away from that upcoming revelation. And each day that passed, we're inching closer to that truth.
Well, it doesn't matter, I will still want to remember what I have forgotten after all. It's just a matter of what I will do next after remembering it.
Hours later, I roused from my sleep at the same time as Zerina made slight movements while using my chest as a pillow.
"Are you going?"
"Un... The others, they're also waiting for me to look for them."
"I understand. I will start my Absorbing Session, Daisuke. Besides it hurt less than I expected…" Ending her sentence, Zerina shyly covered her face that was about to turn red again.
Well, she's already a Transcendent. Her tolerance for pain had already increased a lot. But seeing this expression from her, I can't help but think of teasing her.
"You know, we'll do it more in the future. By then, you will not feel any pain anymore." I whispered in her ears before hurriedly getting off the bed, Before her retaliating fist hit me, I'm already a distance away from her, resulting in her punching the air.
Embarrassed, Zerina puffed her cheeks.
Upon seeing that, I went back to her and pulled her in another kiss. It was one thing to tease her and it's another to see her act cutely like that. Because of that, I failed to restrain myself from pouring her more of my affection.
Only when she became satisfied did I stop to complete my exit.
With a bit of reluctance in her eyes, Zerina could only nod and send me off the door.
We're together now. This kind of night will surely be plenty in the days to come.
It's not like we'll always do it but having this kind of night will deepen our relationship. Of course, the real reason was that I couldn't resist their allure and perhaps they're of the same mind as me.
There's also a silent competition among them on who will get the most of my attention but it's not as serious and for sure it will disappear in time. For now, I just had to show them that I'm not playing favorites, right?
We'll all be together from now on. Having a harmonious relationship is a lot better than ones riddled with competitions. That will be suffocating us and I'm sure they all understand it.
So far there were only small cases of jealousy concerning who I called or who I sent my Incarnation to but they're all being subtle about it whenever that would spring up.
Moreover, it's up to me to read it. And whenever I did, I would immediately fix it by either appeasing them or letting them talk to me about what's bugging them.
I have my Adaptability to use for those situations. As soon as I detect that kind of emotion from them, being my highest priority, my mind will enter its overthinking mode to think of a way to resolve it.
When I reached the door of the next girl, I could feel that the energy in the surroundings was being stirred, everyone was using the time to increase the progress in their Pathways, even Irja who had just broken through less than a week earlier.
I told the girls to complete their Mortal Pathways after all. After these Mortal Worlds, our enemies will just grow in strength. Even by becoming a Rank 3 Transcendent, it will not be enough to face the masterminds or whoever orchestrated everything.
As I opened the door, Avelin who was currently sitting in a lotus position in her bed had a thick veil of Level 2 Energy from the stones covering her body as she steadily absorbed it.
Judging from her current progress, one six-hour Absorption session left before she reached the 5th Stage King Realm. It's a lot faster since she still has only one Pathway, same as Erin. Tomorrow, their strengths will increase again.
As for Zerina, she's also about to reach the 5th stage of the 4th realm. Before we leave this world, all of us, except Irja will be at the same stage, with Yuko leading a bit.
Reaching the 5th realm will surely need more energy, especially for those with more Pathways to tread on. Look at me. Even after days of continuously absorbing the Energy Stones since I broke through at the Dark World, my progress is still below 10%.
Since Avelin was concentrating on her Absorption, I sat down a bit away from her to avoid disturbing her.
Watching her like this, I remembered the first time we met.
As the strongest of her small tribe, she's leading her Mortal Realm tribe members to resist the Corrupted Beasts controlled by the 1-star Dark Beastmasters.
Perhaps that was also destined to happen, reaching that place right before she was about to be run over by that Corrupted Beast. Starting that day, I got to know her and had grown closer to her. Although our strengths have already reached this height, Avelin is still the same innocent but adorable girl who could destroy someone with the use of her great axe.
Well, perhaps not as innocent anymore. With Erin's influence, she became bolder when approaching me and openly showing her affection to me. She's somewhat the opposite of Zerina who kept on holding back.
Although Erin has a straightforward personality, she still knew how to observe the time and location. Unlike this girl who will just jump at me anytime she likes or when she wanted me to spoil her.
"Daisuke, you're here."
Upon seeing me in her room after she finished her absorption, instead of being surprised, a bright smile bloomed from Avelin's lips.
"Un. I watched over your progress. You're soon to breakthrough." I answered and stood up to my seat to join her in bed.
As soon as I sat on it, Avelin threw herself in my arms.
Just like with Zerina, I planned to spend the remaining time before morning with her, talk about things and do something to further our relationship. Well, the last part will only happen if Avelin also got into that mood. In any case, we will surely be this close until the sun rises.
"Thank you for the axe. It can cut through things easily. It's a lot different than what I was using."
"Well, yours was a simple weapon made from beasts' sharp and sturdy bones. It's already a wonder that it can still be used by you even after reaching Transcendence."
"Inca tried her best to keep up. If you didn't give me a new one, she might've been broken by now."
"Inca?"
"Un. It's the name of my axe."
"Wait… Do you mean your axe awakened consciousness?"
"Consciousness? I don't know. She started talking to me when Axeforce started covering her. When I'm in the Transcendent Trial, she helped me a lot."
This girl… She didn't know that her axe had awakened a hint of consciousness… Just like my Willful Sword. If it's conversing to her, is it fully awakened or she's just interpreting how it acted?
I haven't explored that kind of mystery about my Sword. Yuko's Saber, Erin's daggers and Zerina's short swords hadn't exhibited the same trait. Even if they probably achieved a state Similar to 'One with the Sword' with their respective weapons, it didn't give birth to a hint of consciousness. That state was what allowed for my Intermediate Sword Mastery to upgrade to Advanced Sword Mastery. It also allowed me to use Swordforce.
At first, I thought everyone's weapon would also have a hint of consciousness but back then, even Nysia's morning star hadn't exhibited that kind of unique properties even if she could use Bluntforce.
Because I also couldn't explain it myself, I put it at the back of my mind, just letting the Willful Sword grow along with me whenever I will use it.
Surprisingly, here's Avelin who got her low-quality axe, based on its material, awakened a hint of consciousness.
But according to her, it's about to break. Is it because it hasn't been tempered or it's just its limitations?
"Let me see your previous axe. It's something precious."
Although she's puzzled at the hint of urgency from my voice, Avelin took the Axe from her Necklace and handed it to me.
As soon as my hand touched it, my Adaptability and system worked to provide me the details of its uniqueness.
[Inca: A great axe crafted from a beast's shoulder blades and a leg bone tied together by the beast's tendons. It has awakened a hint of consciousness. However, the beast bones used for creating it had already reached the limit of its durability.]
It really awakened a consciousness… but at the same, it's truly about to break.
I tried pouring my Flux Energy in it, however, I felt a resistance from the axe itself as if it's trying to reject my energy to flow through it.
However, because of my Energy Control, it's unsuccessful at doing that. As soon as my Energy completely covered it, the great axe hummed before a cracking sound entered our ears.
"Ah! Let me see her, Daisuke."
Upon hearing that sound, Avelin worriedly grabbed the axe from me.
"That… I'm sorry. I'm trying to test it."
"She's already about to break… She's been with me even before I became the Chieftain of the Whiteshade Tribe… Is there a way to restore her?"
Although I wanted to erase that worry on her face about her treasured weapon, I have no choice but to shake my head.
"I'm sorry. I don't know."
It's something I haven't really thought about yet. Although I was aware that it's not a usual situation. It's still a mystery for me how a weapon could awaken a hint of consciousness.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢