Chapter 388: Kuro's Offer

Point-of-View: Sylvar Miirphys

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Well, this is strange. Today's the 23rd of December, and it's been nearly two weeks since I last encountered any pursuers from the Laus Domain...has Sant given up on trying to kill me? I mean, I have killed a ton of his troops at this point. 

No, there's no way that's the case, he won't give up...after all, so long as I'm still alive, he won't have a Wind Sage under his command. He's already been without a Water Sage for over a thousand years, so I highly doubt that he'd be willing to lose another Elemental Sage. 

I was pretty tempted to head to the Laus Domain and try to kill Sant, but I'll probably get myself killed instead. Stabbing or decapitating him simply won't work, he can instantly and unlimitedly recover from any physical injury...hm, wait, after the attack on the Rustlands, he couldn't recover from his injuries for a while. 

That's when his obsessive hatred of Kuro really began...huh, I wonder how Kuro got him into that state in the first place? Probably not through any conventional means, that guy's got an incredible amount of tricks up his sleeve, and factoring in combos, he probably has a near infinite number of attack patterns and moves. 

And on top of all that, he gained Sant's Clone Magic. That particular magic is an absolutely broken technique, no time limit, no Mana consumption, no restraints on replacements for defeated clones...the only weakness is that it's limited to twelve clones at a time, but still...thirteen Kuros would probably be more than enough to wipe out an entire nation in matter of minutes. 

I let out a sigh as I sat down, my back leaning against a tree. For the past twelve days or so, since the last time I killed the pursuers sent by Sant, I've slowly but surely begun to feel more and more restless with each passing day...I didn't quite get it at first, but I think I do now. 

I'm no longer conflicted over killing those from the Laus Domain, I don't feel that crushing sense of guilt anymore. I've noticed the gradual change in myself over the past few months...initially, every time I killed one of them, I felt awful, but after a while, I started getting numb to it, it bothered me less and less with each passing day...and then I got used to it, and it became something that almost seemed natural to me. 

And now, I...I think that I'm actually starting to...starting to enjoy it. I feel so restless...it feels like I'm itching to kill someone, I could feel myself desiring the sensation of my spear cleanly slicing through living flesh, my wind blasts bursting through bodies, and bones shattering under my fists. 

Even as I realize all that...it doesn't bother me. I just don't care anymore. I've changed into something completely unrecognizable from the person I used to be, as I am now, my old self probably would have found the current me disgusting...but like I said, I just don't care anymore. 

"I really like this new look in your eyes, it's quite intense, to say the least," Suddenly spoke up a familiar voice. 

In the past, I'd have reacted in surprise or alarm in this situation...but now, without so much as a single thought or a shred of hesitation, I instinctively and swiftly picked up my spear and slashed in the direction that the voice came from, the motion almost as natural to me as breathing. 

But instead of slashing into flesh, it struck and clashed against something, a blade...but it didn't shatter. Which means...it's another of those unbreakable weapons like my spear... 

"Impressive, that was a nice reaction. You've really toughened up over the past half year or so, huh?" Remarked the person who'd blocked my slash. 

"You probably shouldn't sneak up on me like that...Kuro Black," I responded with a grimace, putting down my spear as he sheathed one of his twin blades. 

"Oh, it's fine, your movements may be several times sharper than they used to be, but I'm no slouch myself, you know," He replied with a smirk. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever...so, what do you want, anyway?" I inquired bluntly. 

"It's pretty simple, I'm just here to make you an offer," He answered with a smirk. 

"Hm? What kind of offer?" I responded, feeling intrigued. 

"Well...it looks like the Laus Domain will be attacking Abyss in two days, so I was just wondering if you'd like the opportunity to take a crack at Sant. With your abilities, you can't kill him...but you can still make him feel a whole lot of pain. Though, actually...with my help, you'd be able to kill him quite easily," He explained tantalizingly. 

"Heh...I can't deny that that's an incredibly tempting offer. But what's in it for you?" I inquired warily. 

"Isn't it obvious? I have zero respect for Sant whatsoever, he disgusts me...so just imagine the kind of look he'd have on his face when you're cutting him down. And besides, there's no denying that you're quite formidable as you are now, it'd be a welcome boost to my forces," He replied, before adding, "Of course, this doesn't mean that you're working for me or anything, think of it more like outsourcing...basically, you're a freelance agent and I want to hire you for this upcoming battle, something like that."

"I guess that makes sense...but first, I want to know the specifics of what you want me to do," I stated firmly. 

"Sure, that's fine. After the battle begins and Sant is found, I'll be taking him on, and I want to summon you to assist with that. If I'm being honest, your main purpose will be to distract and agitate Sant, get him so riled up that he can't think straight...for the purpose of creating an opening so that I can hit him with the beam that put him in that state where he couldn't use his magic at all. Which, of course, includes his Restoration Magic," Smirked Kuro deviously, before continuing, "Oh, but don't land any fatal hits after that. Cut off his limbs or something, and that's when I'll swoop in and finish him off slowly and painfully..."

"Let me guess, you want to steal his other Divine Magics like you did with his Clone Magic, right?" I surmised. 

"Not bad, you're pretty sharp. Yeah, that'd be great, he's got some pretty handy powers up his sleeve, after all...but he's pretty awful at properly utilizing them," Scoffed Kuro disdainfully. 

"Yeah, that's for sure. His Clone Magic in particular was really badly utilized, the Laus Domain would have probably crushed the Rustlands if he'd created clones and had them spread out and attack," I replied in agreement. 

"Well, anyway...what do you say, Sylvar? You interested? Let me say this, you don't have to fight anyone besides Sant, it's upto you, but...there's a good chance that you might have to go up against the other Elemental Sages, if Sant has them stick close to him instead of splitting up," He warned me, "With that in mind...you in or out?" 

Even with how much I've changed over the last few months, there are definitely people against whom I'd rather not go up against...especially Bell and Esta, along with a few more Elves and some others. 

"Fine, I'm in...so, you gonna take me to Abyss now or what?" I asked him, as I accepted his offer. 

"Nah, I'll summon you during the battle, so feel free to do as you please until then," He replied with a wave of his hand. 

"Summon me...how?" I inquired curiously. 

"Hold out your hand," He instructed, as he raised his hand. 

"Oh, uh...like this?" I responded uncertainly, before stiffening as I felt something slither up my arm. 

"Relax, it's one of the monsters under my command, cast with invisibility and soundproof spells...you can feel it but you can't see or hear it. I'm gonna have it wrap itself around your waist, then when I summon it, you'll be summoned along with it," He explained, as I felt the snake monster curl around my torso, causing me to break out in a cold sweat as shivers ran down my spine. 

"Th-this feels seriously unsettling," I stuttered nervously. 

"Relax, it'll stop moving now...after a while, you won't even notice it."

"Hey, now I get it...so this is how you always seem to know what's going on in the Laus Domain, you use these monsters to spy on them, don't you?" I remarked in realization. 

"Exactly. Well, I'm gonna go now, still have a lot of preparations to make before the attack...I'll see you in two days time," He replied, before turning around with a wave. 

"Wait a sec, two days means...December 25th! And Sant is-...holy crap, talk about a coincidence!" I exclaimed with an amused huff. 

"I know, right? Santa Claus is coming on Christmas...sadly, very few people actually understood that reference when I said it," He sighed wistfully, before suddenly vanishing out of sight. 

I have to say, while we may not quite be allies, it sure is a hell of a relief to not be enemies anymore... 

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