49 Book 3 Chapter 45

However, such a drastic change mostly came from the blueprints, and considering how hard it was to assault a small stronghold, they wouldn't be getting more anytime soon. As long as the alliance could manage the next few blood moons, Peter decided not to take on a stronghold until everyone had at least five runes.

Shenlong gathered his team outside the haven after everyone got some rest. He wanted to change things up. "Let's hunt in groups of two today. Amara and Carly, Dubaku and Olivia, Jason and Tank, and Roy and I."

Dubaku gulped and couldn't help but notice everyone had some form of healing except for his group. Roy understood from Dubaku's reaction and reminded, "Don't you have some of Su Long's equipment imbued with my healing skills?"

"It isn't the same…" Dubaku muttered quietly. Yeah, it was great Su Long created healing equipment by copying Roy's skills, but how could that compare to a bonafide healer like Carly, Roy, or Tank?

"Stop moping; the teams will be different tomorrow." Shenlong had the final say in the matter.

Carly's eyes twinkled as she glanced at Jason's shoulder, or more specifically, Tank. "I want to team up with Tank tomorrow, please, please, please!"

Shenlong immediately shot her down. "Who will kill the demons then?!"

"Oh, right," Carly reluctantly accepted the truth.

Tank gave her a consoling squeak before Shenlong continued, "Alright, let's split up. Since there's no way to communicate, just make sure to return to the haven before night."

Tank waved goodbye from Jason's shoulder as he picked a random direction to walk in. Unfortunately, mounts were useless on this floor. The breeding industry couldn't produce mounts strong enough to survive here. They might eventually, but that was far in the future, so jogging it was.

Jason maintained a pace just enough for his stamina regeneration to match his consumption. Even though it was a light jog, it was still over sixty mph. From this, it could be seen ascenders truly stepped into the realm of superhuman. It only took him under two years to grow to this level, so what about Aros and the other gods? They had a lifespan of millions of years to work with.

Jason killed whatever demons he came across until, eventually, he found a suitable hunting spot. Below him was a canyon a few miles wide. The howling of monsters came from inside, making him wonder what tier they were. Considering the haven was the starting point of the floor, there was little chance a hostile demon on the level of Lavos was in the canyon. He decided to enter.

He scanned the horizon but found nothing. The land was barren, so there was nowhere to hide. Jason thought it was strange. The demon's will disappeared as soon as he turned. It might have some type of cloaking ability, but how could it hide its will? He only knew two people who could do that.

Thinking this, he raised his guard. Something was lurking out there, forcing him into a passive situation. Jason and Tank were silent. The only sound was the howling of the wind coming from the canyon.

A minute passed, then two.

The demon had more patience than expected. There was only one way for Jason to break the stalemate. If the monster wouldn't show itself, then so be it. He decided to return to the haven. He slowly shuffled his feet along the ground, making sure to keep a battle-ready stance.

Sure enough, as soon as the demon saw his intent to leave, it attacked. Jason spun around, the demon's will voicing its thoughts. It didn't have a cloaking ability but could travel underground. There were a few monsters on other floors with this ability, so Jason wasn't surprised.

However, when he turned around, there was nothing. No monster emerged from the ground like expected, leaving Jason aghast. His awakened soul was wrong? How could this be? There was only one possibility. If something wanted him to turn this way, then didn't that mean- a sharp whistle came from behind, interrupting his thoughts.

It was too late to dodge. Jason could only watch as an arrow emerged from his chest, with blood spraying in a beautiful pattern. The arrow left a gaping hole in his chest where his heart was. It was gone.

Jason staggered forward from the sonic boom brought by the arrow. Blood poured from his mouth and chest as he spun around to face his attacker. Simultaneously, Tank anxiously cast a few healing skills, only for a black mark on Jason's chest to negate their effects.

Warning! A Tier 4 Rune has cursed you. All healing skills and effects are negated for thirty minutes.

Remark 1: Recovery based stats and skills will continuously reduce the duration.

He was cursed just like Lavos had been. Not only did it negate healing skills, but it also prevented Jason's recovery stats from healing the wound. This type of effect was a tank's Achilles heel.

The situation was dire.

Jason's awakened soul was useless and harmful, so when a barrage of arrows shot towards him, he decided not to rely on it. However, this was easier said than done. For months Jason had relied on the omniscient effects of his soul, and listening to it had become second nature.

The first arrow curved in from the right, moving so fast it was a blur. Jason naturally raised his sword to deflect, only to realize it was coming from the left. Again, the fourth realm betrayed him. The arrow pierced through his armor, followed by another, then another. Jason was knocked off his feet and sent flying backward.

These five were much weaker compared to the first. Even then, the power behind each arrow broke the sound barrier. As Jason landed on his back, the collision knocked Tank off his shoulder. She bounced off the ground, only coming to a stop a hundred feet away.

Warning! The gravity applied to you has increased by twenty-five times for one minute.

Jason faced the sky as blood poured out from his wounds, his vision blurry. While his condition was terrible, the stats and skills he accrued over the past two years enabled him to live without a heart for some time. However, he lacked the will to fight. His opponent outclassed him in every way. Worse, his prided fourth realm betrayed him.

Maybe… maybe it was time to let Peter and the others take over. He did his best, right?

The alliance was strong enough to finish Jason's mission. He could now join his fallen friends and comrades. Ever since the day he entered the depths of his soul and saw the locked memories, a part of himself had stayed there. He wanted to join them so, so much.

A pitiful squeak came just when he wanted to close his eyes. Through his connection with Tank, he was able to feel her lifeforce weaken. He felt her pain and fear as if it was happening to himself.

Not yet!

He couldn't give up until he handed Tank over to Roy and the others. He didn't care about anything else as he focused his resolve. Using all his strength, he fought against the increased gravity and forced himself to his feet as blood poured out in lethal amounts.

"Wow, you're still alive?" For the first time, Jason saw the identity of his attacker.

With disheveled black hair and leather armor in disrepair was Cay Wolf, the once feared assassin. He stood in human form not far from Jason. In his hand dangled Tank, wounded beyond belief.

Jason's eyes widened then narrowed as he growled. "Let. Her. Go."

"A soul companion, huh?" Cay glanced down at the turtle. In the next moment, his fingers transformed into claws before piercing through Tank's skull. Tank let out a whimper and turned into a flash of light. The light entered Jason's body in an instant as he stood there in disbelief. The connection between them went silent. What? Tank died? Just like that?

Warning! Your soul companion, Tank, has died. To revive her, you must sacrifice 25 levels and 50 to all stats.

Jason grew hopeful upon reading the notification. However, another one popped up shortly after.

Warning! Due to your soul companion's death at the hands of a pure demon, her soul is deeply wounded. Due to her battle physique and the connection you share, she can be revived by upgrading your battle physique to the next level.

Jason dropped to his knees. It was hopeless. The requirement to upgrade his battle physique was unknown, and in all these months, he had yet to make any progress.

Cay saw the despair in Jason's eyes, and for a moment, he paused. Slowly, he asked. "How's Olivia?"

Jason didn't respond. He only glanced at the ground with a dull expression.

"No matter, I'll find her myself." Cay shook his head. He gave Jason another glance. "Jason, right? Back then, I didn't know what an awakened soul was, so I lost and had to become a tool of the tower. Although I lost my freedom, I learned so much." Cay considered his words. "Considering your response to my first attack, you still have a lot to learn. You don't know how to mask your will, nor deceive another. Do you even know what a domai-"

An immense power forced Cay to his knees. The ground cracked in every direction with Jason as the center, and the very air trembled. The world grew dark with despair and hopelessness. Jason's will unfolded as he lost himself in the reality of Tank's death. Never before had he so intimately shared feelings with another person, or in this case, a creature. No death had affected him as much as this one.

Cay looked around in shock. He recognized this power. It was precisely a domain, formed from will and powered by intent. While he wasn't the target, Cay just so happened to be right next to Jason, the source. Cay's will was like a small boat in a storm, barely afloat. Jason's will seeped in, drowning Cay in his emotions.

Cay's tears hit the ground as long-suppressed emotions rose to the surface. The shattered pride of the strongest assassin upon failing to kill Shenlong, and the regret from killing his wife, son, and brother for power in a moment of weakness.

At this moment, a near-impossible situation occurred: a resonance between souls.

Back when Jason and Shenlong clashed wills during the tournament, they knew continuing further might irreparably damage their souls. Usually, there would only be a single victor between a clash of wills. However, in absurdly rare cases, a resonance would occur.

Depression and hopelessness powered Jason's will, while a small part of him wished he was stronger. He knew he lacked talent, and only by taking on a role which required the least amount of it could he keep up with Roy and the others.

On the other hand, pride in his power and joy in growing stronger powered Cay's will. Confidence in being the strongest, overlooking all. It was only a small part of him that regretted killing his family. After turning into a pure demon, Cay realized something: would a truly powerful person have to sacrifice their family? No, definitely not. This conclusion left him depressed, and he could only lock away such feelings.

Either party could easily block a resonance, but Jason's willpower was several times stronger than Cay's. How could he resist? Jason's will entered Cay's, and the process continued. Jason wasn't doing this on purpose. At the moment, he was still thinking about Tank's death and his powerlessness to save her.

As the two wills connected, Jason permanently altered Cay's will, and conversely, Cay changed Jason's. Slowly, the will manipulating the world changed from hopelessness to one of pride and strength. Confidence to fulfill one's desires, and to protect what needed to be protected. Shockingly, the auras of the two men flipped.

The resonance ended as soon as Jason came to his senses. The first thing he felt was an endless motivation and the will to accomplish anything, leaving him stunned. He had never felt so good, not for decades. Perhaps only before the tower arrived, when he spent each day in construction, did he think this way. However, even then, it was never this powerful, this clear.

By this time, the curse binding Jason was gone. His wounds had almost healed; his heart grown anew. Standing up, he pulled out the arrows in his chest before looking down at Cay. The man was collapsed on the ground, his tears soaking the dirt.

"What just happened?" Jason muttered, a few ideas surfacing, though he couldn't be sure. Regardless, he felt great and didn't need to have an answer. He closed his eyes and entered his soul. There, he found Tank in a deep sleep. Opening his eyes, he scanned the horizon with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll revive you in no time."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Cay's muttering came from below.

Jason looked down at the man with pity. "Now, what do I do with you?"

The man had a lot to answer for, and Jason's pity for Cay wouldn't stop him from finding justice. It was time to find Olivia.