"Calm down, you maniac!"
Vale held Awilix pinned to the ground as she repeatedly chomped while inching her head closer to Mias.
"Co on, Vale! Let see what he tastes like!"
"No!"
’Please, Mias! Wake up!’
[Level 10 has been completed]
’Seriously?!’
Not only did he have to hold back this Monster, but...
’No bonus Aether?!’
Vale tightened his hold.
’Why are you being stingy now, weird voice?!’
And, Vale had also confird Level 10 as not the required one for Ergent.
But, as much as he was curious to check out Level 11,
’I have to figure out what happened to Mias!’
It’s not like Vale could do anything to help him.
Salo, with a rad crystal arm, appeared at the end of the current hallway, surprise instantly washing over her face.
"Oh my..."
She wasted no ti in dashing to Mias’ side and stabilizing his draining Aether. But, as she fed him Aether, an odd look crept onto her face.
"Salo, can you tell what’s wrong with him?"
Salo’s face contorted into a mixture of confusion and unrest.
"Fear."
There was a lot the Reaper didn’t let on, but...
’Mias has fears?’
Furthermore...
’What type of fear can knock soone like him out?’
"Sorry, let correct that. A fear ability."
Salo took her hand away, revealing the wound was patched.
"Soone feared his soul. And, since his soul was fragnted and fragile to begin with, the shock must have been too great for his mind to handle."
’Lost Expanse...’
Vale understood it now.
"I see. The other Mias is the one who’d been attacked, and this Mias had that damage reflected to him."
Salo finished his thought.
"And since it was a soul attack, and not Aether, the distance played no factor in sparing all of his shades."
’Damn.’
Salo looked down at Awilix, who was spouting curses and still being restrained by Vale.
"He seems like he’ll recover just fine... But it all depends on the other Mias. He needs to survive his ordeal, whatever it may be. Well, this Mias does hold the ability to detach his soul link, I think. But, then he’d never be able to reform and would permanently lose the connection."
’Sothing I doubt he’ll do...’
Mias may not be able to see what his other self was up to, but he had way too much trust in himself to give up part of his soul.
"For now, take him to his room."
As Vale said that, Greed walked out from the Thunderdo, behind him.
"Valentin, why is my asset in this state?"
***
Vale left Salo behind to explain the situation to Greed (Greed having temporarily caged Awilix like she once did Salo). Mainly, she clarified it would have happened regardless of whether her portion intervened in the fight or not. Plus, that he would either recover or die.
And, if he died, Vale lost him too, so she deserved no compensation.
In any case, Vale made his way through his Dungeon, past the reserves of his Legion, and to his throne.
But before he sat down on it...
"Pykon, I never got to thank you directly."
Vale had been a little too emotional at the ti to think all that clearly.
The red-haired woman waved her hand dismissively.
"There’s no need. I rely completed the task asked of ."
"Still, without you, I really don’t know what I would’ve done."
The noble knight bowed slightly.
"Well, I accept your praise with grace."
Vale turned to the pine tree Champion.
"And Juniper, thank you as well."
The tree man cocked its head, as if confused by the very idea of ’thanks,’ then returned to his idle pose.
’What quiet Champions Greed has...’
Or perhaps they’d been selected for her excursion based on their silence.
Greed was probably very particular in those she let be around her during negotiations, as faces of bystanders who know hidden truths sotis spill unintentionally.
’Not only did she travel with two silent Champions, but one lacks a face and the other has three expressions: happy, sad, or focused.’
Perhaps that explained Pykon’s stoic nature as well.
She might have been trained to act like that.
’Or it’s her personality.’
Either way, Vale was thankful for their assistance.
Passing by them, Vale approached the throne, his heart beating louder and faster with each step.
Carefully, he lowered himself onto the cushioned seat.
[Level 11]
Enemies:
[Blood Pri: 1]
"No—"
’Way.’
Vale understood what Wrath ant now. But he knew what Level it would be.
’H-how.’
There had to be sothing wrong. There must be sothing wrong.
"Uh, Pykon."
"Yes?"
"Your master... she’s Blood, right?"
"Correct."
Vale’s face blossod with fear and angst.
’Just how...’
How was he supposed to defeat a being at the sa Rank as Greed?!
Sure, Greed was a Vice and this foe would be Pri. Speaking of ’Pri...’
’Why is that the Class?!’
From what Vale knew, Pri was equivalent to Mutant; however, it referred to that step in relation to that of a Flesh Construct.
’A human...’
Vale was either summoning a human or sothing quite similar to one.
But, human or not, this bastard was going to be Blood.
"Pykon, for the Level your master completed to ascend, what was the difficulty for her first evolution?"
Pykon bowed.
"I’m afraid I was not summoned at the ti, nor have I been permitted to share such information."
’Figures.’
Anyway, Vale had a suspicion his Levels were harder than what the others went through.
’Surely!’
No way anyone could defeat these Levels without Vale’s summoning luck.
Well...
’Am I that much weaker than the others?!’
Vale knew Lust seed to be the physically and technically weakest of all the Vice, but how large was that gap?
’Frustrating....’
The next Trait Vale earned, Vale would make damn sure it was combat oriented, as well as sothing that didn’t involve so grotesque body transformation.
Vale pushed himself off his seat.
"Sadly, it’s not like I have a choice."
Nor was he daring to risk Greed’s help.
This fight had to be done on his own.
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