With my words, the amiable face of the old gentleman suddenly turned serious.
And that expression spoke answers already.
Just by mentioning the war, it invoked memories that should've been buried in his mind. Even as an Incarnation.
"Why? Why are you interested in that? How did you come across it?"
With a calm disposition, the old gentleman asked. His eyes were now focused on me and perhaps, he was trying to see what I was getting at for asking him about it.
"Is this answer enough?" I stretched my arm forward and opened my palm. From there, Level 3 Flux Energy began to gather, squeezed out from my body, before forming into a small ball.
Upon seeing that, the old gentleman's pupil narrowed as he stared intently at it.
A few seconds later, he closed his eyes and began walking back to the mansion behind him that was already half in ruins.
I looked to my left and right where Jayna and Yumiko were standing. Yumiko has grown stronger now. Perhaps if it's about UPL, she's a bit behind. However, the diversity of her Higher Spirits gave her an edge to even stand toe-to-toe against me.
As for Jayna, the Earthfire Essence that she absorbed had begun to look more prominent. If before her hair only got a few red hues, at this moment, the red of her hair was starting to look natural. Her previous innocent aura had changed to a mature one. Nonetheless, her eyes were still the same, it's very bright and full of curiosity.
I held their hands and together, we followed the old gentleman inside the ruined mansion.
Back then, we stopped before crossing the line that was visible on the ground in fear of the old gentleman's retaliation.
But now, I confidently stepped past it and finally got a better view of the mansion as well as the corpses littering its surroundings.
They're all experts that were most likely Rank 3 Transcendents or above. The same as those outside the line which we looted the first time we arrived here.
When they saw us moving forward, the four who followed us here also bravely stepped forward.
Truthfully, they're not needed here anymore but being our former comrades, I couldn't just reject them when they steeled themselves to accompany us whatever the danger we may face.
To increase their chances of surviving in case the situation truly comes to worst where fighting was inevitable, apart from listing them to Allies list, I used one of the five Skills I gained after completing my Mortal Pathways to them.
Spirit Bestowal.
It's a Skill only to be exclusively used on individuals treading on the Spirit-type Pathway.
Although it wouldn't enhance their UPL, by using that skill on them, all of their Skills and Abilities borne from their Pathway were all enhanced.
And that included their Transformation Skills.
The twins, Rei and Ren whose Transformation Skill was called Golden Sprite was thoroughly enhanced. Jagu and Chee's Human Transformation also experienced a change.
Moreover, their real form somehow underwent a slight evolution. If it's only around Rank 1 Transcendents below 200 UPL, the two of them would be invincible when it comes to their speed.
When they felt the changes in their bodies, the four thanked me and vowed to continue improving themselves to become of help with our fight.
Even though their desire to continue walking us was still burning brightly, they more or less accepted that… it's impossible for them to catch up to us.
And that's also why Rei and Ren decided to somehow distance themselves from Yumiko. Nonetheless, if Yumiko needed assistance, they would be the first ones who would throw away everything for her.
The Spirit Bestowal and the other four new skills were actually a way for me to enhance someone.
And naturally, they had to match the Source Energy Type or Pathway-type.
I already tested them and enhanced all of my Companions.
However, it's not a Skill that I could use often.
It actually cut away some of my prowess on the specific Pathway.
For Spirit Bestowal, it's cutting a chunk or a bucket from my own Spirit Ocean. That bucket of my Spirit Ocean was what's enhancing them. While they're being enhanced with it, I was consequently letting go of some of my prowess.
In any case, it was bound to regenerate so I didn't hold back with enhancing all of my Companions, including Lexie and Ophelia.
As for the other people… it depends if they moved me.
Well, there's also another limitation for the Skills. I couldn't use it on someone stronger than me. Due to that, my father, the sly old man and the other old fossils who I thought of enhancing were postponed.
I would do that once I surpass their strengths and who knows? The Skill might undergo some changes as well.
-
-
Inside the ruined mansion, the old gentleman entered a room that was surprisingly well-kept. There were sofas, big and small, neatly arranged with aesthetic designs as well as other furniture.
The old gentleman sat on one of the bigger single-seater sofas and gestured for us to take a seat.
A few seconds later, he sighed and asked a question.
"You haven't heard of my name, have you?"
We all shook our heads as an answer to him.
Upon hearing that, a forlorn look appeared in his eyes. He was probably yearning to hear about his real body.
The way this Incarnation was made… It's probably an intricate Pathway Skill that it was even possible to cut him off like this. And most likely, he was left with a command.
Perhaps, to continue guarding this mansion for eternity or until he vanished.
If not for that, this old gentleman would probably not remain stuck here. He's strong enough to wade through the infinite cosmos and arrive in distant worlds.
"I see. Well then, since you took the time to visit me here to ask for answers… I will be giving it to you, in exchange…" The old gentleman trailed his voice and stared at me. Perhaps he noticed my extraordinariness so he was now betting it all on me. "… Look for my real self and tell him to… relieve me of my duty."
At this point, the old gentleman sighed heavily. Even though I had no idea what's the story behind that sigh, I could feel his loneliness and… tiredness.
"Leave it to us. I will accomplish that but I cannot guarantee that I will actively look for him."
"That's fine. All I need is someone who can relay my message." The old gentleman accepted my answer before straightening his back as he began answering my question from earlier.
"The War. It was a devastating war that spread across the whole Sage World Region and it was started by a rogue Divinity, rousing some other Sage Worlds to start a mutiny against one Divine World called the Celestial Garden."
A rogue Divinity and Celestial Garden.
I was closer to my previous life than I had thought.
The Rogue Divinity was most likely that guy who informed me.
And the Celestial Garden was the Divine World who tried inviting me.
Although they technically didn't do anything to Earth, the proof I saw that the rogue Divinity showed me was enough for me to direct my hostility towards that Divine World.
Before I perished completely back then… I remembered that the Envoy returned to converse with me. As to what we talked about, he called me 'foolish and savage' with a high and mighty tone. The arrogance he showed that time was completely different than what he showed when he's amiably inviting me to visit their Divine World.
"Unfortunately, the Divine World is too strong. Strong enough for them to only send one Divine Realm in every prominent Sage World leading the mutiny. After making an example of them, the mutiny was quelled. However, another Divine World showed up and… they somehow backed that Rogue Divinity and supported his endeavor by waging a war against Celestial Garden. With two Divine Worlds battling against each other, the Sage Worlds had no choice but to take a side… As you might have already guessed, this place is a chunk of a Sage World that was just one of the numerous results of that bitter war that shouldn't have happened in the first place."
The old gentleman stopped there and silence reigned within the room. He waited for us to digest what he said while trying to observe my reaction.
There's another Divine World. And that Rogue Divinity… How did he get the backing of that Divine World?!
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel