The Villain's Story

Chapter 696: [696] Kizmal(8).

The environment had changed, Alanʼs unconscious body lay on flat, obsidian black ground, one where life could not grow. The skies were black, and dark clouds inhabited them.

These clouds were constructs of pure darkness, not of air and water. They behaved like living beings as well, taking on an infinite number of forms whenever they so pleased.

Even the sun, or whatever star could be seen in the sky was black, as black as tar itself, but an outline of white light existed around it. It wasnʼt much, but it made things visible, at the very least.

Alanʼs spear, the Ame-No-Sakahoko was a sorry sight to see, the legendary spear looked worse for wear, clearly, the battles against Kizmal and his scalding blood had not been kind to it. However, it was still sharp.

It could still cut, pierce and stab. The spear was still formidable, despite itʼs recent decline. It shone with a slight, golden hue, slowly inching closer to its unconscious master. After a while, it had traversed the distance and poked Alan in the head, urging him awake. Alan opened his eyes, confused at the world around him.

He wasnʼt at the platform outside the tunnel, and neither was he in the realm where the fragment of Kizmal resided. He was someplace else, it was familiar to him.

The clouds of complete darkness up above, the little light, the odd star above, and the cold, chilly air. He knew this realm, or world, or whatever it was, well.

It was where his ʼgrandmotherʼ, Ariel, resided. Alan sat up, and looked down on the ground. It wasnʼt land, it was Arielʼs body. He was currently at some place on top of her body.

Given that she was the size of entire continents, it was hard for him to discern where, she was definitely bigger than Kizmal, the original one.

In a weak, tired voice, he called out. ”Why did you bring me here?”

The dragon was silent, and Alan opened a portal in front of him, which would lead to the actual ground of this realm, in front of Ariel. He had been there a few times, and his memory of that was vivid.

How couldnʼt it be? Of course, he would remember that.

However, before he could step inside the portal, his surroundings changed. He blinked only once, and he was somewhere else, the ground beneath him gray and lifeless, like ash. A few odd bones could be found sticking out of it, whomever they belonged too was unknown.

Alan looked up, at Ariel, more than half of her enormous head was covered by fog, both white and black. He had seen her enough to not even be surprised.

Just her head was the size of the fragment of Kizmal he had been fighting against for so long. It could be bigger than the fragment, but he needed the mysterious fog to clear to be sure.

Alan was about to repeat his words, but Arielʼs voice interrupted him. It wasnʼt one that could cause the world to quake, or unleash shockwaves so powerful his body would be sent flying. Such a voice was befitting her titanic size, but it wasnʼt like that.

Her voice was usually one that would resound in his mind, or from everywhere at once. Ariel could change it at a whim, and sometimes did so to either confuse him... or just because she felt like it. He was oblivious as to which was truly the reason. ”Is it so wrong?”

He found himself at a loss, he couldnʼt exactly respond to her like how he did with Lanesha, and if he tried the way he treated Suleras, he was sure he would not live. He didnʼt know what to say as well, but he had to respond. ”Itʼs just... odd.”

Ariel didnʼt respond, she only looked down at him from eyes he could not see, obscured by the nebulous mist. He sat down on the lifeless, gray ground, holding the Ame-No-Sakahoko, practically hugging it. ”Your body is a mess.”

She said, and he examined himself. He was sure it shouldnʼt be a mess, his regeneration should have taken care of it. It was the only reason he was still fighting so frequently.

But it was a mess, his regeneration did heal his wounds, but it did not heal the scars. There were several marks on his body, marks that resembled lightning. It was definitely because of how much he had been electrocuted by the fragment.

But they were nothing major, besides decreasing his [Charm] stat, they didnʼt do anything else, and it wasnʼt like his regeneration was unable to get rid of them, it was perfectly capable of it.

It was just... he had directed its focus to wounds, not scars, anything would hinder the normal functioning of his body was fixed in an instant, it was so he could fight again, as soon as possible. However, scars did not count.

Alan let out a tired sigh, and fueled his regeneration with aura, and his scars were gone in an instant, the only abnormalities present on his body was the bloodline mark of the Phoenix on his right arm, the jade serpent on his left arm.

And the black dragon on his back. He couldnʼt get rid of them, if he could, the serpent would be long gone.

After he had gotten rid of the scars, he looked up and shrugged his shoulders. ””

Ariel did not respond, he was confused as to why she was so quiet, normally, her voice was never so soothing, but like a ferocious storm, tearing his ears apart. ”Why did you call me here?”

Alan asked once more, he was truly confused as to why he was here, Ariel wasnʼt the type to do this, unless it was for a lesson on treating Kazikato better or some other thing he needed to get yelled at for.

Her voice was soothing, not one filled with anger this time, so that could not be the case. But then, what could it be?

He understood Lanesha well, and even Suleras to a great degree, but he was completely in the dark about this dragon. Ariel was simply one he did not get along with. He didnʼt understand her at all. ”I brought you here so I can tell you, your methods are stupid.”

Alan didnʼt respond, and even if he wanted to, Ariel wouldnʼt give him the chance at this moment. ”Twelve times, you have challenged the fragment, and yet, you hardly understand his abilities. You have merely fully understood only five of them. Furthermore, your attitude has changed.” ”... Whatʼs wrong with my attitude?” ”For the first five attempts, you went at him with the intention to kill, the intention to destroy him, destroy anything about him. However, after that, you shifted your focus to survival, to prolong the fight for as long as possible.”

Alan was mute for a moment, but he didnʼt plan to stay silent forever, he still had a response. ”And how is that wrong? Iʼm trying to understand what he can do, what he is capable of, so I have a better chance? How is that wrong?”

This time, Arielʼs voice was not soothing, it was not calm. ”The essence of combat, whatever the form, is murder! Not to dance around your opponent, trying to get him to use everything he has. After the ninth attempt, you have not even bothered to go on the offense, playing defense all the time is the act of a fool.

Going in alone, trying to do everything by yourself, is even worse, how many times have you challenged the fragment alone? You brought Kato there, only four times!” ”And how is that wrong as well?! You want me to bring him there again and again? He canʼt do it so many times, he also doesnʼt have the ability to teleport out of danger if things go awry! I have to go and save him.

And have you taken a look at him? Heʼs tired, he canʼt do this as much as me.”

Alan rebuked, harshly as well. Even though he was talking to a dragon the size of continents, there was not an ounce of fear in his voice. It was filled with frustration instead, and exhaustion.

He didnʼt want to be interrogated about his ways, he was certain he could guarantee his victory with only a few more attempts. He was so close to understanding everything about the fragment.

Just a few more, and he would kill it, as painfully as he could. That was the depth of his resentment at the damn trial. He would do even worse things to the fragment than the fragment had done to him.

He just needed time... just some time. ”The very definition of insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, expecting something to change. At his rate, it will take you months to defeat the fragment.

Even years.”

Sadly, her advice had hit him at a wrong time. ”So what?! Just slow down the time, Azmakul did it for the others, canʼt he do the same for me, are dragons not immortal? It wouldnʼt even affect me.” ”You may not die of old age, but is that the same for everybody else?”