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?!"