Chapter 95: I Hate This
“My chains failed to bind you. Is your soul incomplete?” the Goddess of Magic asked, her voice betraying no emotion. “But we summoned you after you had fully recovered your soul through sleep, and currently, your soul appears to be perfectly intact. I’m curious… What have you done to your soul?”
Abyss’s soul did appear whole. The piece he had torn from his face to feed the Lord of Submergence had fully regenerated. His soul form, like his physical body, had a smooth, pale face.
He smiled and spread his arms, inviting the Goddess of Magic to examine him.
“…I see. You didn’t allow your soul to heal naturally. You replaced the missing fragment with an artificially crafted soul,” the Goddess of Magic said, quickly discerning his thoughts. “This artificial soul is remarkably intricate, which explains why it took you some time to create. It allows your soul to function as before, but it’s like a prosthesis, not truly a part of you.”
Abyss nodded.
“Replacing a part of your soul with a fabricated construct… Truly remarkable. You are a genius. No one has ever attempted this before,” the Goddess of Magic said, nodding slightly.
“Indeed, Goddess of Magic. I hope you will reconsider your decision to monitor me. I dislike being watched. It might not harm me directly, but I hate the feeling of being controlled,” Abyss said, his tone sincere, devoid of arrogance, yet his words were audacious in their defiance.
A mere mortal, expressing his “hate” to a god? If the Church heard this, they would try to kick him for his insolence. Gods didn’t require the opinions of mortals, and mortals were not to defy divine will. This wasn’t about respect for elders or superiors, but about the inherent hierarchy of rank. Before the absolute power of gods, mortals had no right to refuse their commands!
Even though Abyss had challenged and defeated an Outer God, he was still mortal. And he was currently in soul form, within the Divine Realm, the gods’ domain!
Magic was a naturally occurring force in the Haitville world. The Goddess of Magic wasn’t its creator, but its absolute administrator. With a mere thought, she could strip Abyss of his control over magic, turning him into a frail, ordinary boy. Flora and Leona would also perish, as their existence depended on his necromancy.
Yet, Abyss dared to defy her!
“You know I can recall the soul fragment you intentionally separated,” the Goddess of Magic said, her voice calm, but her words carried a subtle threat. “Leona’s dream realm is outside our observation. I don’t know the specifics of your actions, but I know your soul fragment must be hidden somewhere to allow for its automatic growth to meet the Lord of Submergence’s needs. If we search for it, it will be found.”
“I know you can’t recall it,” Abyss said, sitting down casually on the ground. “I did store my soul fragment somewhere, but it’s a place you can never reach. Yes, don’t look at me like that. I hid it within Leona’s soul. And Leona’s soul possesses the power of the Creator God…”
“…Whose rank surpasses ours,” the Goddess of Magic finished his sentence.
“Exactly. I’ve done my homework on this rank business,” Abyss said, nodding smugly. “I’m betting you can’t interfere with Leona’s soul. She’s mortal, yes, but the Creator God’s power within her is genuine.”
“Do you realize how reckless your actions are?” the Goddess of Magic asked. “Do you understand that if Leona is ever severely injured, you will not only suffer the backlash from the necromantic link but also endure grievous damage to your soul? This is not an exaggeration. Your enemies are Outer Gods. They can easily achieve this.”
“I trust Leona’s strength, and I will do everything in my power to protect her. That’s enough,” Abyss said, meeting the Goddess of Magic’s gaze.
“You are defying the will of the gods. I can strip you of your control over magic right now and make you pay for your arrogance,” the Goddess of Magic said, her voice hardening, though she still appeared calm. “You wouldn’t want to lose your power and your followers, would you? I’m giving you one last chance.”
“No, you won’t do that,” Abyss said with a smile. “For some reason, you can’t directly intervene against the Outer Gods’ invasion. I am your only tool, right? And I sense you have a grander plan in mind, although the details are unclear. But I’m confident in my assessment. A powerless mortal wouldn’t be of much use to a great god like you, would I?”
“…” The Goddess of Magic fell silent.
“So, can I go now?” Abyss asked, shrugging. “I miss my lovely followers.”
“You are cunning, bold, even audacious,” the Goddess of Magic said, observing him closely. “You have the ability and the audacity to toy with gods. No mortal has ever dared to treat us with such disrespect. Even a simple act of irreverence can bring misfortune or disaster… Yet, you fear nothing.”
“You flatter me,” Abyss said, standing up and dusting off his non-existent clothes.
“But I will let you leave. You may go. We will cease our monitoring of you.”
Abyss smiled brightly, bowing to the Goddess of Magic.
“Thank you, my lady.”
With that, his figure faded from the Divine Realm, vanishing completely.
The Goddess of Magic stood there, walking slowly towards a tree in the courtyard.
A tall, thin man stood beneath the tree, his expression unreadable. “Hilianda, are you really letting him go? He should be under our surveillance,” he said.
“We can’t antagonize him, Drayhem,” the Goddess of Magic said calmly. “This is the second chance we’ve waited eons for, and I sense there won’t be a third. We must seize every opportunity. He has read that journal, as we intended. We should be content and not act like greedy mortals.”
“You’re right, Hilianda,” the tall man said, nodding. “Niliya and I will continue monitoring the balance of life and death. If Belator’s actions cause problems, we will reconsider our approach.”
“Have you heard from the master?” the Goddess of Magic asked suddenly.
“You know our master acts on whim, there’s no pattern to his actions. None of us have received any news,” Drayhem said, shaking his head.
The Goddess of Magic nodded slightly, and both figures vanished from the courtyard.
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