Book 4: Chapter 60: The Hole IX

Book 4: Chapter 60: The Hole IX

Zeke awoke from his deep slumber, disturbed by a strange sensation. As he opened his eyes, he was met with the curious gaze of two green orbs. It was Soria. The girl was leaning over him, curiously studying his face while lightly poking his cheek.

Startled, Zeke slapped her hand away. What are you doing?

Soria didnt answer immediately. Instead, she looked deeply into his eyes. There was a hint of uncertainty in her gaze, making Zeke wonder what the girl was thinking about. However, he didnt have to wait for long as she gave voice to her suspicion a few moments later.

Master? she asked, her tone a mixture of confusion and hesitation.

Zekes jaw dropped. What did you just call me?

Are are you my Master, Ezekiel? the girl repeated.

Zeke blinked, uncertain as to how she had come to that conclusion. What makes you think that?

Soria remained silent for a moment, collecting her thoughts. However, after a while, she shook her head helplessly. I dont know, it's its just a feeling.

Zeke lightly pushed the girl away, urging her to give him some space. After he had properly sat up, he started to think about this situation. Do you know anything, Akasha?

[Answer]

I cant make any definitive statements as of yet. However, it should be easy enough to figure out if she is right in her assumption.

Zeke nodded. He had taken a risk by returning the Soul fragment to her, and he didnt yet know what the consequences would be. For now, he would have to confirm what he could.

I want to do a little experiment, Soria. Can you try to resist my next order? Zeke said, waiting for the girl to nod. After he had her agreement, he spoke with as much authority as he could muster: Walk over to that wall!

Immediately, Soria stood up and walked to the wall he pointed at. Zeke was dumbfounded. It was clear from her expression that she was trying to resist. However, she could do nothing to stop herself. He had become her Master?

Did I fail to return the fragment? Zeke asked nobody in particular.

[Answer]

Negative. There are still only three fragments in Hosts Soul.

Then, how do you explain this? Zeke asked, nodding at the girl who was looking back at him with wide-open eyes.VIsit n0(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

[Answer]

Unclear.

Zekes mind raced. He must have succeeded in returning the fragment. This was proven by the fact that it was not within his Soul, yet the girl was still alive. There was no other place it could be, as a Soul could not survive without being anchored to a body. But if he had returned it to her, then why was she now bonded to him?

Fascinating, he murmured.

However, now was not the time to dwell on this matter, as Zeke noticed an expression of alarm surfacing on Soria's face. It was evident that her growing apprehension stemmed from his own evident confusion.

Zeke cleared his throat, changing his expression to one of triumph. So it worked, after all, he stated confidently.

With a sigh, he acknowledged that rescuing the Slaves using this method was unfeasible. Even when subtracting the time spent searching for the fragments and strategizing, each attempt would still require several hours. Furthermore, he would have to rest after each attempt. No, he couldnt save more than a handful of Souls using this method. And he still needed to complete his main task: to weaken the Archmages Soul

But that didnt mean that it was completely useless. Zekes eyes shone with a strange light. How much time is left before the week is up, Akasha?

[Answer]

There are 4 days, 14 hours, 56 minutes, and 11 seconds remaining.

Zeke fell into deep thought. However, the longer this state lasted, the further the edges of his mouth crept up. This was it. He had finally found a way to bridge the gap between himself and the Archmage.

***

Over the next few days, Zeke spent most of his time immersed in his Soul-Form while Soria practiced her Mana breathing technique. The two only interacted during their daily meals. Contrary to what Zeke had thought, she seemed perfectly happy with this arrangement and didnt pester him.

Between her meditation sessions, Soria spent her time sitting by the edge of the hideout, listening to the sounds of the ongoing skirmishes below. The situation in the hole had devolved into sheer pandemonium, with nearly half of the initial occupants either deceased or grievously wounded. Nevertheless, Soria appeared relatively unfazed. It appeared that her life in Undercity had equipped her to confront such harrowing scenes with a degree of resilience.

Before he knew it, four days passed like that.

Zeke returned from his latest trip, taking a deep breath. He had made substantial progress over the last couple of days, constantly chipping away at the Archmages Soul. By now, the Archmage had become aware that something was wrong. He had even sent his subordinates to call for all sorts of doctors. However, none of the summoned specialists had been able to determine what was wrong with him. However, it was as far as Zeke would go using this strategy.

Lately, it had become a lot harder to infiltrate the Soul. This was a direct result of the accumulated damage he had dealt and a sign of the Soul raising its guard. Zeke was well aware that he would only be able to enter the Archmages Soul one or two more times before he would be cut off for good.

None of this was unexpected, though. It just meant that it was about time to start the next phase of his plan. Steeling his tired mind, Zeke entered his Soul-Form one more time. After struggling for a while, he managed to use the almost-collapsed entry point to gain access once more. However, this time would be different.

Instead of stealthily destroying a couple of memories, Zeke went on a rampage. He started consuming the Archmage Soul with abandon. The effects were immediate. It almost felt like the Soul was crying out in pain under his furious onslaught. However, it didnt take long for the wounded Soul to retaliate. Zeke didnt even have a chance to fight back before his Soul tether was completely destroyed.

With a start, he found himself back in his body, his forehead covered in sweat. Well, that felt like shit, he murmured with a shake of his head.

[Notice]

Host has inflicted serious damage to the opposing Soul. The plan has succeeded.

Zeke nodded, satisfied that all his preparations had been finalized. He had long since grown weary of this disgusting place, and he anticipated his departure eagerly. Now, he simply needed to be patient for a little while longer.

Soria, he called softly.

The girl, who had been engrossed in her breathing exercises, looked up with a start. I am going to leave in a bit, he said.

Where are you going?

Zeke smirked, raising a single finger and pointing upwards. Im going for a stroll, he said mysteriously. But dont worry. Ill be back in a bit.

Soria looked at him with wide-open eyes. However, before the girl could respond, the familiar rattling of a hand crank reached their ears, accompanied by the jarring shrillness of a bell.

Feeding time! a gleeful voice called from up above.

Zekes smile turned predatory. His timing had been perfect. Finally, he would get to do something he had been looking forward to for a very long time.