Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Chapter 1159: Open Mystery To The Far West

Chapter 1159: Open Mystery To The Far West

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While entertaining the thoughts of his phantoms - and studying the phenomenon caused by the white clouds around him - Replicus spared some attention to what Sause was talking about with the others. Aurolio seemed to question him about minor details surrounding Edagon and about how Benzard ended up here in the first place.

To that, Benzard himself freely explained how he had been a part of the Ideal Ark, quite a prestigious Guild in Inhone and then told the dark story of how his close friend, a brother even, Eobald, who had been the leader of the Ideal Ark, had confessed himself to be a

necromancer.

He explained how he and the other members of the Ideal Ark had pursued Eobald, feeling betrayed, to the Tremur Forest, and how he (Benzard) met Skullius.

It was strange to Replicus how casually Benzard used the words "foolish", "unfair" and "prejudiced" to describe that version of him from the Tremur Forest - and before he was brought to Edagon. The Warmoth's Progeny had noticed his shift in personality and ideals earlier when he gave his condolences for Allora's death, but now, as the man gave an honest narration of that tale from all that while back...

'He's really changed...' Replicus thought.

Benzard gave no excuses for his actions - the way he, Irlen, Reon and Denille treated Skullius on the journey to the Labyrinth of the Yoke.

He then went on to explain how he received a Hidden Class fashioned by Sause while they were in the Labyrinth, and only then, did the Giant interrupt him.

"Well, in all honesty, I never really intended for all THIS to happen afterward. I ended up giving you my power after he" - he turned to Replicus - "almost killed you with that nasty Veneration art, ahaha. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't just abandon you after that. I had to nurture you and the power I had given you, which is still incomplete because I am alive, sharing the powers that must all be flowing through you, ahaha."

Replicus recalled the bit Sause referenced.

He had been standing at the door that was guarded by Fulgardt's corpse, Reon and Benzard assaulting him. He had then used his Veneration art which swiftly killed Reon, but Sause had indeed managed to save Benzard.

'Old times...' Replicus thought almost fondly.

If the product of those times wasn't the reason he was planning how exactly to beat the living daylights out of himself right now, he might have sniffled humorously.

'I wonder what would have happened if Skullius' goal was to find the anchor too. What even is that bastard's goal? Fulgardt wanted to go against the Deities back then, but that can't be what Skullius' aim is, right? It doesn't make sense anymore...' Replicus thought, realising that the longer they trudged down the steps that indeed, for now, Serenity's quest could wait.

It wasn't just about fighting Skullius anymore.

It was wiser to wonder what exactly he was doing right now.

Serenity seemed to know a lot about his aims, but she had left while he was still working his horrible wonders.

She had told him that indeed, she would tell him all of it, but he couldn't help but want to force all the information out of her already.

Still, he waited as the continued their way into the wad of cloud.

Something had sparked his interest from the conversation ongoing before him.

"...it's the same as the one Sause has. Since there's a lot of... vacancies, I help in keeping Aigas' secrets that are etched onto Edagon. Just like what happened this time, there's always going to be a threat to this place. The necromancer just happened to be the first. I've come to know that there aren't really any absolutes in the world," Benzard said after Yuyui inquired about his role.

Aurolio nodded and then with a fold of his arms and a daring look to him, he asked:

"Speaking of Aigas' secrets, is Amanas also another mystery you can't comprehend? So far, I've only read that Amanas can't be breached. Even when your kind" - he pointed at Sause - "did your little tour to fuck up our lives, you weren't able to get into Amanas, were you? Or was that perhaps another thing we weren't supposed to know?"

Sause's expression didn't change at all. He had adopted a lighter, freer visage since they exited the opening into the Sovereign's Peak he had caused.

Indeed, the human records told of how the Giants reached every continent except Amanas, which seemed to be walled off by some kind of barrier.

Aurolio wasn't sure this was credible anymore.

"Well, that part is true. We did indeed try to reach Amanas and spread the truth of the Deities, but we were restricted. Unfortunately, this is one internal mystery that none know anything about. No record from the Drakkens or their lesser draconic offspring tells anything about Amanas," Sause said solemnly, "It is a strange place. Its purpose isn't known to anyone but the Deities, I'm afraid. Whatever it was made for... it seems the time has not yet come for that to be revealed.

This news was rather disappointing, so much so in fact that the group spent the rest of the way through the clouds in silence.

Replicus had been wondering if Amanas was some kind of red herring created by the Deities when the guidance field flashed in his face.

[Process Complete!]

[Configuration 3, 'Embryotic Stuffing' has successfully been formed in your body!]

Replicus was stunned at first, but a wide grin soon split his face in two!

Finally.

It had taken three hours, but the third configuration to his body which he had made after the request to own two extra arms and to create a nervous system linking his Phantoms to his limbs had finally finished rendering!

Replicus looked at the damage to his body which was still healing very slowly - his lost lower arm and gouged torso, eaten through by the appalling effect of the large palms from

Caxellac's Serene Grace.

If there had been no timer for the process of creating it, he would have used the Embryotic Stuffing immediately after sending forth the [Nullmancer's Wretched Reaper of Ugly Divinity] – his new Reverse Supreme skill - towards Caxellac in fear of dying to the Null Devil

King's attack.

But that would have been a mistake.

Evidently, the dire damage he took could be healed over time and wasn't worth wasting a

precious trump card like the Embryotic Stuffing.

'Good!' Replicus thought gleefully.

Now, he had completely exhausted all the primary benefits to reaching Tier 4. Well, all except one - In-Verse glimpse - and he wasn't sure he wanted to use it just yet.