Chapter 167 A New Bones

'MASTER' He spoke through their connections this time around, but still he received no answer.

'Is he --- Is Master Prince Wyatt?….. Is he dead?' He thought. His little furry head foraged for answers.

'MASTER'.

[ Will you stop whining? ]

He blinked. 'Why is Master's voice different?'

[ It is me, Rat!... It's Ag'na, the sleepy behemoth. Don't tell me you've forgotten about me after just a few seconds.]

'Ag'na'.

[ Yes, rat.]

'My name is Bones, not rat' Bones thought in annoyance.

[ Well, I will only call you by your name when you accept the name I have given you.]

Bones thought. 'Master gave me that name, so I wi ---'. But his thoughts were instantly interrupted.

"BAMM!"

Knowing what it was, he crawled towards the edge of the giant blue hand and stared at the menacing beast. A beast that looked exactly like Ag'na, and one that he would have been so skittish to look at if he hadn't gone toe to toe with Ag'na.

He channelled his thoughts towards Ag'na. 'Is that you'.

[ Of course, it's me.. ]

Bones blinked in understanding. 'So, you can also speak in my mind' He asked. Even though he didn't want to admit it, he still found it weird that someone other than his master could communicate with him through his thoughts.

[ Yes I can, and you can also communicate with me through your thoughts. There is no need to speak out loud ] Ag'na said. [And this, I presume, is your master, the one who altered the course of the future and reshaped the pages of history, all for the singular purpose of elevating your power and prowess?]

'Yes' Bones nodded with a furry bob of his head, as his shimmering crystal claws caressed his whiskers with a delicate touch. 'Master Prince Wyatt did all those things for me.'

[ Master Prince Wyatt, indeed.] Ag'na admitted. [ For your master to be able to accomplish such feats, he cannot be taken lightly. I wonder, though, just how powerful he truly is... From the sheer magnitude of magical energy I can sense seeping out of him from you, I detect the presence of a Rank 4 Ascendant.]

Bones nodded his head again. 'Yes, my master is strong'.

[ Just because I can't ignore the fact that he possesses a pocket world dimension, that is why I agree with you, rat.] Ag'na said, clearly unwillingly. [However, if your desire is to one day catch up to and surpass your master, then you must heed my advice and follow my instructions closely.]

Having been told about such instructions beforehand, Bones responded in like-mindedness. 'Alright'.

[ Alright. Now, let me look at myself ]. Ag'na instructed.

Silently, Bones swivelled his gaze to meet the stare of the beast that pursued them, its intense gaze fixed solely on him.

[ It dares not to attack because it can feel my other remaining soul in you.] Ag'na said.

Bones mulled over the situation quietly and asked. 'What are we going to do? That beast attacked master…. It--'.

[ That beast remains a facet of my being.] Ag'na snorted. [ It only lashes out because the absence of its other half has disturbed its senses. And let us not forget, who commanded your master to linger in the very location where he seized my soul and inheritance, then bound them to yours? You should consider yourself fortunate that my more feral self has, thus far, elected to observe rather than to strike.]

Ag'na added. [ Otherwise, it would have torn your master to shreds before we even had a chance to detect its presence.]

As Bones absorbed this critical information, his claws dug into the solid, gelatinous surface beneath him. His voice quivering with nervousness, he posed the question 'How --- How are we going to stop it then?'.

[ ….. ]

'Ag'na, are you still ther--?' But before he could finish, a vigorous voice boomed within his thoughts.

[ If fear still grips you so tightly, abandon the fragment of my soul and the offspring of my flesh, as I have already demonstrated..] Ag'na retorted with a sneer of contempt and anger. [ Allow me to depart and find another inheritor among the other mutated creatures. But if you possess the courage to stand your ground, then prepare to engage my main body in battle, as you have already battled with my soul, and show these mere humans what it truly means to be a magical beast.]

'But --But --' Bones stammered. 'But, I didn't win'.

Ag'na scoffed, with a touch of disbelief. [ Did you honestly think that with your current strength, you, a mere rat, could defeat a beast as mighty and ancient as I, the Sleepy Behemoth? Though such an achievement may be within reach in the future, but for now, your best course of action is to drive away my main body. Otherwise, when it acts upon its instincts, the consequences will not be in your favour.]

'What do I need to do?' Bones inquired, with a hint of dread in his voice, as he grappled with the unsettling information

[ Show me your determination, your unwavering spirit, and your raw power. Prove to me that you are worthy of carrying my soul and inheriting my strength. ] Ag'na added, urging Bones to rise to the challenge.

Upon feeling one of the humans approaching him, Bones spun around and fixed his gaze on her. Despite the challenge of differentiating between humans, his Master Prince Wyatt had effectively taught him how to identify them.

"Another one of those mutated beasts" The woman muttered under her breath.

Bones was about to respond when Ag'na quickly sent him a warning.

[Don't waste your time on that human, rat. I fear my other self's patience is running thin. It's time for you to act now.] Ag'na cautioned.

Bones tore his gaze away from the human, summoning a sudden force that unleashed beneath his claws in the form of an icy white mist. He propelled himself into the air and launched a headfirst dive towards the beast.

The behemoth's attention was immediately drawn to the diving figure of Bones, who was unwavering in his approach. The beast halted its movements and lifted its head, lifelessly staring at the oncoming attacker.

However, Ag'na bellowed within his mind, joyfully exclaiming [ Hah! I never thought I would see the day when I would gladly cheer for a rat to defeat me.]

Bones felt a tiny seed of uncertainty suddenly sprout within his heart, and for the first time, he reluctantly admitted "I am afraid, Ag'na'.

Ag'na erupted into laughter [ HAHAHAHAAHA! Why wouldn't you be? After all, you're facing the formidable main body of the Sleepy Behemoth. It's only natural to be afraid.] But his voice soon turned resolute. [ But I will not allow you to be afraid, for you are no longer just a common rat. You are my inheritor.]

Bones stiffened his body with conviction, urged by Ag'na's words. He raised his claws, poised for the most devastating attack his ancestors could only dream of achieving.

The energy within him was palpable, and he could feel its raw power surging through him.

"Ag'na continued [ My knowledge, my strength, my experiences are yours. All that I have, all that I am, and all that I have seen are now yours. I am you, and you are me.]

As Bones approached the beast, he realized that it didn't even plan on blocking or dodging his attack.

It underestimated him!

Fueled by this realization, he decided to channel every ounce of magical energy he could muster into this one decisive strike.

[ As my successor, through you, my legacy shall live on….]

With Ag'na's words echoing in his mind, Bones felt an unyielding drive to push his body to its limits. And he did, without a moment's hesitation.

[ With a speck of my soul and the essence of my being within you, I am reborn.....] Ag'na proclaimed.

With his claws enveloped in a thick, unyielding fog, Bones unleashed his attack against the beast's nose. Power erupted from his tiny claws.

"BOOOOM!".

The force and strength behind the strike were enough to send the beast tumbling downwards, its jaws crashing forcefully into the ground.

"BAMMM!"

The impact was so powerful that it destroyed the surrounding terrain, creating a thousand-foot-wide crater around them.

[ And when the beasts that scour the wild and the giant serpents that soar through the sky ask with uncertainty, 'Who are you? ] Ag'na's voice echoed in Bones' mind.

Bones stood in the crater, only four meters deep, as the beast slowly lifted its head, unaffected by the devastating attack. Its eyes locked onto Bones, and its razor-sharp teeth glinted in the morning glow.

With a voice as cold as the ice that surrounded them, the beast spoke, "Are you the successor of my other self?"

Bones answered with confidence "Yes, I am". His magical aura intensified, enhancing the power behind his words and sending them soaring towards the beast's attentive ears.

[You shall roar with unwavering conviction and announce your name...]

Ag'na's other self roared with a fierce growl "A mere rodent, a commonplace vermin, as my successor? Unacceptable". The behemoth advanced, poised for battle. "Fear not, I shall tear my legacy from your clutches and bestow it upon a creature more deserving. One with limitless potential, capable of reaching heights even I was unable to attain".