Chapter 59: ᵥₒₗᵤₘₑ ₅, ₚₐᵣₜ ₉ ₋ ₛᵤbₜₑᵣfᵤgₑ: The Approaching Epilogue.
"You could've just killed mother."
"She is not your mother. Fuck off!"
The Emperor Ranked stone cannon crumbled into pieces as Julian's overwhelming Infinity flickered in response to the impact.
He looked at the barrier wavering, his eyes widening a fraction of an inch.
'Such potency. He was holding back on it as well. It might almost bypass it.'
Amidst the chaos of shattered stone and debris scattering in every direction, Julian pondered his next move.
Rudeus confronted Julian, staff aimed at his face.
The force of their clash sent tremors echoing through the city. Nanahoshi emerged from the house, already aware of the commotion.
Meanwhile, Adam stood ready at the front gate, holding his teal sword, though it remained sheathed for the moment.
*Cough, Cough*
Zenith coughed; her lungs filled with the turbulent air that bore the lingering aftermath of the clash. She shielded Norn and Aisha in her protective embrace, ensuring their safety amidst the short moment of chaos.
"Rudy!"
Zenith exclaimed in astonishment as she gazed upon the boy standing before her.
He was adorned in a long white robe, a stark contrast to Julian's black attire.
The boy's wide eyes absorbed the varied expressions on his family's faces—surprise, elation, happiness, skepticism, and even anger—all directed at him.
"Mom..."
Rudy's voice trailed off. However, as soon as his expressions faltered into a smile by seeing Zenith, a wave of horror washed over him as he saw Nanahoshi.
Incidentally, she was wearing the same robe that she was wearing all those years ago.
He raised his hand, gripping his staff with a much firm grip and mana started congregating above his head.
"Stay away from them."
Rudy shouted at Zenith. However, Julian was already in front of him.
Gently placing his hand over Rudy's staff, he lowered it.
"What gave you the confidence to act so cavalier in my presence?"
Julian's voice was like a sharp, cold dagger, cutting through Rudy's ear. Every fiber of his being screamed at him---screaming and urging him to flee from the looming specter of imminent death that now stared him in the face.
The chaotic assembly of congregated mana within Rudy's staff was disrupted as Julian's palm descended over its top, momentarily constricting the magical conduits within the orb.
"It happened once. Don't make me repeat myself."
Julian whispered, his hand gradually closing around the back of Rudy's neck. With a sudden jerk of his head, Julian compelled Rudy to meet his gaze.
"Know your place."
Julian towered over Rudy and stared down at him, who was a head shorter than him.
The pressure of Julian's touki weighed down on Rudy, causing his legs to totter. The ground beneath Rudy nearly cracked, forming a fissure as the conflicting forces of Julian's touki and Rudy's barrier mana clashed with one another.
"Both of you, stop, right now!"
The battle aura flickered out of life as Julian looked over his shoulder.
"We are just saying good mornig---"
His reassuring lie was disrupted as Rudeus threw his staff and casted a Saint Ranked Fire Spell in Julian's face.
However, a veil of sand that was a compressed Saint Ranked Spell ate away at the flames before they fully manifested, leaving behind smoky embers that disappeared in the gusts of spring winds.
Rudeus' eyes started shining, silhouettes of possible futures popping in his mind. Countless---hundreds of thousands of them---or that was what he was expecting. The futures he was watching were limited---unlike last time.
After all, Julian wasn't in a mood of compromising his family's safety. However, that condition too was self-imposed. If it came down to it, he'd...
As if they had planned together, Julian's [Mana Eyes] activated at the same time. The flow of mana became apparent, each tendril of ambient and conjured mana turning into a tangible object.
"Sorry. But I don't think he is willing to obey."
Julian apologised to the frantic mother who watched her sons after so long, going for each other's throats.
Nanahoshi ran over to Zenith, a horrific expression over her face as the beads of sweat lined her face and her pulse escalated.
"Dad. Don't stand there. Don't let her get to mom!"
He screamed back as Paul looked at Nanahoshi. He was skeptic at first. He wasn't feeling an ounce of mana from the girl. However, since he had chosen to believe his son, he bolted forward, ready to stop Nanahoshi. He wasn't attacking.
It was just a purely physical---"non-mana" attempt at stopping her.
"Adam."
Julian whispered as the boy stood between them. Aura flickered to life around him, making his crimson eyes gleam. The hue made it look exceedingly bleak as his silver hair casted shadows over his eyes sequenced with dark circles.
"Brother..." Julian stopped. There was no reasoning with Rudeus as he was now. He was in Man-God's clutches for good. "...Rudeus. Do you think you can beat me? Did a title stuffed some otherworldly delusional confidence in that empty box you call head?"
"Shut up! Don't you dare call me by my name or brother!"
Rudeus growled at him as he directed his staff at Julian.
"Haah... I am not forcing anyone. Look at our mother and sisters. Do you think I am deceiving or forcing them?"
Julian replied as he slowly unsheathed the crimson sword. The grating sound of sword was suppressed by the rapid beating of everyone's heart.
[God of Flames---holy breath that burns all evil. Blessed with the endless heat, servants who dye themselves in crimson, swoop down into the ocean of light, the pure despoliation that they deserve---Pyroclasmic Inferno]
The very air around them quivered with anticipatory dread. Then, as if drawn from the heart of a volcanic abyss, an immense sphere of swirling crimson flames materialized. This seething orb of destruction grew with each passing heartbeat, a harbinger of unparalleled devastation.
[Phase, Samasara. Paramita. Laws that defy nature, polarity, forces of repulsion---Divergence]
The very fabric of space and time warped around Julian as he finished his own incantation.
A sphere of pulsating energy manifested, crackling with the power of a thousand collapsing stars. This gravitational anomaly made Rudeus feel like his guts were getting turned upside down.
'So much mana...no, it's not mana. The very nature of the spell is this destructive. Hitogami said Orsted knows everything. He would've taught him about gravity magic.' Rudeus came to the conclusion.
At the same time that Rudeus launched his spell, Julian fired his own and the surrounding environment contorted as all matter within its sphere of influence was subjected to an unyielding, antigravitational force.
Time seems to stretch and twist, as objects, creatures, and even light itself bend to the whims of the divergent sphere.
It ate away at Rudeus' spell and then disintegrated at the exact spot, not damaging a single inch outside the 2-meter radius.
Julian's sword touched Rudeus' neck.
"A mage is at his weakest after a strong spell. But that does not apply to you..." Julian paused, "...you are skeptical of him as well, yes?"
Rudeus swatted his sword away and took a few steps back.
"Mom, Norn... please believe me. You have to come with me."
"No. Just no. First you beat up dad. Then you fight brother Julian. And now you want us to come with you? You almost killed us twice by now if brother didn't save us. Never. I am never coming with you."
It was Norn who went on a talking spree, looking at Rudeus with eyes full of scorn and hate. She was scared of Rudeus, scared he would do the same to her as he did to Paul. However, things had changed now.
Rudeus wasn't her only brother. The brother that had always been there when she was at her lowest---physically and in spirit---was also present there now. She could act and speak as she liked.
"Go away. We don't need you. You'r-- oww."
Julian pinched her ear softly.
"Don't talk when elders are talking."
"Ouch...ouch, ok, ok. Sorry..."
"Hm." Julian hummed, cracking his neck as it let out a loud pop.
He suddenly looked over in a certain direction and sighed in relief.
Julian stepped to the side, leaving a clear path between everyone and Rudeus.
"You all are free to do as you wish. I am not constricting anyone to any scenario. Do as you wish." Julian spoke as he looked at Aisha and slightly ruffled her hair, "My doors are always open for family. There might be some confusion about me, but you have seen the monuments already. Real names appear on the monument tablets. I doubt there would be another Julian Greyrat in this world."
Rudeus bit his lip.
Confusion, skepticism...rage, hate...more confusion.
He was at a loss at what to do.
"Are you really Julian?"
This time it was someone else who talked.
It was the woman who was standing beside Paul all this time.
Lilia.
Or rather, Lilia Greyrat now.
Julian looked up from Aisha to Lilia. "It's Master Julian. Since you have entrusted yourself the title of maid, better stay that way."
The razor-sharp cold tone sent a shiver down her spine. Normally, she would've said that the Julian she knew would never say something like this. However, she knew the reasoning behind it.
Long ago, a promise that she made to him was broken.
And despite not spending too much time with him, she knew he was someone obsessed with his own goals.
"Hold your tongue!" Rudeus interrupted again.
"Sorry for the informal usage of language."
Swallowing a dry lump, Lilia bowed and apologised. Julian looked back down. His family was in a good state...as long as he was not concerned.
"Like I said, if they want to stay with me, they can stay. If they don't want, it's ok as well. I won't be shutting the doors any time soon."
Julian changed his sentence a bit as he looked at Paul. Not 'any time soon.'
The skepticism directed at Paul made him even more furious. The remorse he had flickered out of existence.
Rudeus looked down at his mother... his sisters as he tried to walk past Julian. A wave of mana washed over him as Julian tilted his head.
"I never gave you the permission to move freely."
"Stay in your limits, whoever you are. You know damn well the only reason I am not doing anything is because my family is here."
Julian rocked his head sideways.
"I don't think you're capable of anything, even if you didn't have this excuse."
Rudeus scowled at him but then looked at Zenith.
"Mom, please trust me. Come with me." Rudeus pleaded, keeping one eye at Julian who was standing with his hands folded and a look that screamed that he didn't even need to stand in a battle stance.
"I don't get what's happening..." Zenith's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "...why are you all acting as if it isn't Julian. He looks the same. He talks the same. Look at the sword the boy has in hand, it is the same he used all this time. Only his hair turned white because he exhausted himself during the Mana Calamity. Then why are you believing some shady god who appears in your dreams and not your own blood?! He is your son, Paul! Your brother, Rudeus!"
"It is a lot more complicated than that, mom. Man-God helped me find Aisha and Lilia. If it wasn't for him, they would've been imprisoned for life. Even worse, Aisha would've been gifted as a sex slave to some noble. He is actually helping us all. And he---"
Rudeus looked at Julian.
"---he is trying to kill him. I wouldn't mind but the Man-God lies in the center of this world. If something happens to him, the world will collapse. If he was really Julian, would he want any of his family to die?"
Despite the lingering tension, Nanahoshi suddenly scoffed.
"Julian. Your brother as dumb as hell."
"I know."
"You should tell him he has wings on his back, and he'll jump of a cliff so he can fly." Nanahoshi suppressed her cackle.
Aisha placed her hands on her mouth as well, her face red from suppressing her laughter as well. Meanwhile Norn, who had no respect for Rudeus, busted out in laughter, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"Tsk...." Rudeus clicked his tongue. No matter how much he talked, all of it seemed non-sensical.
"Aren't you the one in the wrong here, Rudeus? Let them decide. Are you trying to force them into something?" Julian commented as Rudeus balled his fists.
Paul grabbed Lilia and then walked to Zenith, grabbing her arm as well. Pulling them towards Rudeus, he walked across Julian. "We are going with Rudy. I have no way of telling he is Julian or no, but for now---"
"Don't touch me."
Zenith jerked her arm off, but Paul just held it again.
"Well then, if that's how it is..." Julian started, "...leave her hand, Paul. You might not have the chance to grab anything in 5 seconds."
Instinctively, Paul suddenly left Zenith's arm as she trotted away from him.
"All of you need some treatment. I am staying with Julian until you two do something about your brains." Zenith announced and Pulled Norn towards herself.
"I am staying with brother too. Rudeus has lost his mind." Norn affirmed.
Rudeus bit his lip. "And what about you Aisha? You're smart. Do you also want to die by some strange---"
The words in Rudeus' throat remained stagnant as he saw Aisha tearing up.
"Don't call brother a fake. This is Brother Julian. I remember everything...." she paused, sniffling, "...sorry mother, but I don't want to be Rudeus' maid. I want to be brother's sister."
And as her words fell like the final nail into the coffin, the Greyrat family divided into portions.
However, somehow, amidst all this, Lilia didn't felt disappointment in her kid for not listening to her. She didn't utter a single word. Instead, with a suppressed smile, she turned away.
Rudeus, Paul and Lilia made their way to house that was given to him via an unknown benefactor while Zenith, Norn and Aisha stayed back with Julian.
Once he directed his family inside, Nanahoshi closed in on Julian.
"You looked concerned."
"Hm, yeah. His mana potency has increased too much. Good thing we were in an enclosed space."
A shiver ran down his spine as he saw Rudeus' small back become even smaller as he walked away with Paul and Lilia.
(***)
Silence. Complete silence.
Inside the living room of Julian's house, 4 figures sat on couches, a maelstrom of emotions that had a diverse variety swirled between them like a haunting specter.
The first one was Zenith, nervously nibbling on her teeth---a habit she had developed over the years. She was sitting with her elbows on her knees as they juddered in a moment of a nervousness.
Just by her side, patting her back sympathetically, and equally confused was her sister, Therese Latreia. She had the same features as Zenith, similar to an alarming extent. So much that Rudeus mistook her for Zenith once and even called her mother.
Across the glass table, Norn and Aisha sat together, looking around with wide eyes. The room was decorated quite lavishly---something that Julian didn't really appreciate much but he stayed silent.
He wasn't really the one to comment on such things.
However, it was safe to say that he preferred a much minimalistic way of living and decorating.
The floor was made out of the same mechanism as the multiplex ducts weaved throughout the house that kept the house warm in winters and cold in summers.
On top of that the floor was covered with a rather dense padding that made it rather soothing to step on.
The final layering was a carpet that matched the ambiance of the room and was the same shade as the thick curtains that were draped over the huge windows.
The curtains were thick enough to not let a single streak of sunlight inside. However, the curtains were tied to the side and the windows were open, letting the fresh, fragrant air inside.
*cling, clang*
The utensils made a subtle sound as Nanahoshi placed them gently on the table in front of Zenith and Therese. The fragile chime made Zenith snap out of her reverie as she looked up.
"Ah, Nanahoshi." She spoke up, smiling suddenly as the frown disappeared from her face.
"Please, call me Shizuka. You don't have to be formal with me." Nanahoshi replied, wiping the miniscule trail of sweat from her forehead. She seemed to be gasping---although very laggardly.
Zenith met Nanahoshi's gaze. Therese looked at Zenith first and then at Nanahoshi.
"Are you ok?" Zenith asked.
Nanahoshi tilter her head to the side, making her loose hair cover one half of her face.
"I am, hehe. Thanks for asking." She replied, flashing a bright, extended smile. "Ah, apologies for late introduction. I am Shizuka Nanahoshi. Please feel free to call me Shizuka." She adjusted her name, saying 'Shizuka' first, since it was how names in this world worked.
"Are you brother's wife?" Norn asked, picking up a croquette from the plate and shoving it down her throat.
"Uh--eh, hehe.... um, uhm..." she didn't reply, nervously fumbling with her fingers, "...well, no, I am not. At least not yet...." her voice trailed off.
After all, she wasn't sure of what would happen to her. Julian never seemed to show interest in someone else, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he did. She was well aware what kind of blood coursed through his veins.
"Not yet? Not even now?! This kid!" Zenith huffed angrily.
Nanahoshi let out a nervous chuckle. She had seen before how even in her vegetative state, she used to bonk Julian every now and then for things that she deemed punishable.
"Well, hello, Shizuka. I am Therese. Therese Latreia. I am Zenith's sister, so that would make me Julian's aunt. You can call me aunt too, hehe."
Therese introduced herself, throwing in a wink that embarrassed Nanahoshi a bit but she recovered soon.
She had gone through more embarrassing moments already to be flustered by something like this.
"Nice to meet you." Nanahoshi replied in a meek tone.
Then she turned back, as if waiting for the sisters to introduce themselves too. Norn took the lead, confidently introducing herself.
"Hi. I am Norn Greyrat, Julian's little sister. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She spoke with confidence and a confident glee on her face, still sitting on the couch comfortably.
Nanahoshi smiled at her. However, when she looked at Aisha, she suddenly jumped up from her seat, standing up. "Greetings. My name is Aisha Greyrat, Rudeus and Julian's sister. A pleasure to meet you."
The words that came out of her mouth were dull and lifeless, almost like a cyborg repeating a command over and over again. Unlike the subtly teasing introduction from Therese or the lively one from Norn, despite being much more refined, it felt lackluster.
'She almost sounds like Julian.' Nanahoshi thought. 'Her tone and actual feelings are not aligning.'
"Sister? Do you know her already?" Therese asked, breaking Nanahoshi's thoughts since she was the only one who didn't introduce herself and Nanahoshi too seemed to be quite at ease with her, a contrast to the shy and awkward behavior around the other family members.
"Oh, yeah. I told you about a girl that little Julian seemed to be interested in, right? It's her. She also took a lot of care of me. I am really indebted to her." Zenith finished the last bit of her sentence by looking at Nanahoshi.
She nervously scratched the back of her neck, "You don't have to feel indebted. You, as well, made up for the lack of a mother figure for me when I was down. If anything, I should be the one extremely thankful to you." She replied, bowing her head in Japanese style.
All of them found the gesture a bit off since they had almost never seen anyone bow in this way. But then again, they relinquished the thought since they never encountered everyone in the world. Cultures had a huge variety after all.
In response, Zenith just smiled heartily at her.
After that a few moments went by in silence as she served the guests---or rather the new 'family' she'd be living along with... of course, if everything went well.
She offered them bowls of white rice with meatball and gravy on them. It was the newest dish in the Sevenstar Restaurant. Although, it wasn't Julian's creation. Nanahoshi made it and after quite a lot of trial and error, it was approved upon perfection.
Everyone's eyes widened as they took the first bite into it.
"Wowies! What ish thish?" Norn asked with her face stuffed with the food.
"Don' talkh while eathing." Aisha replied to her, even her mouth still full of it.
"What is this? I never ate something like this before." Theres commented, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Ahh...well, uhm, we ordered it from Julian's restaurant th---"
"Julian has a restaurant?"
"Brother has a restaurant?"
"Brother has a restaurant?"
"Mhm. Yes. It is called the Sevenstar Restaurant. You might've heard about it in Milishon as well."
"You are joking right?" Therese jabbered, her jaw dropping on the floor.
"Eheh, no I am not....Oh!" Nanahoshi suddenly remembered something. Looking at Zenith she spoke, "Excuse me..."
"Just call me mother. Like before."
A pink-ish tint appeared over her face. "Thanks... but, I wanted to ask. I haven't seen Eva with you. Is she okay?"
"Hmm? Didn't Julian tell you? He ordered her a year ago when we got the letter. She was ordered to go and maintain something in Begaritt."
Nanahoshi, stupefied, look at her face in surprise. She had no idea. But she shrugged off since most of the things he did was unknown to her. If she started to keep track of everything he did, she'd be sacrificing her own happiness.
"By the way, where is Julian?" Zenith asked and for a moment, Nanahoshi froze.
"Uh...ehm, he said, he wanted to take a bath since he was quite fatigued. He would be back in a while." She replied, her words stammering over each other.
Zenith felt a little suspicious but shrugged it off. "I understand."
JULIAN GREYRAT
"Sounds absurd to me." Orsted replied, his voice raising as it boomed inside the office room, despite it being heavily decorated.
He was standing, his hands crossed, and his face contorted into a stone-cold frown as he leaned against the wall and looked outside the window. The aura around him was barely under his control, ready to run rampant.
"It is not, really. There is sound logic behind all of this." I replied as I removed the hot towel from my eyes that Shizuka gave me before I left the house.
Currently I was in the separate building that I purchased as a 'meeting spot' with Orsted. It also served as Orsted's home with the exception of the basement which is my personal property.
Orsted seemed to be not taking the news of Rudeus growing so strong so quickly.
"He was supposed to barely be able to stand up to the North God, let alone you." His voice was like a thunder, sharp and caterwauling.
"It is not that hard to accept it, Orsted. I could feel like he has God Rank in at least 2 elements. However, there is a fatal flaw in his magic." I spoke, adjusting my posture.
"Flaw?"
"His magic---his techniques, they are developed to counter me and my technique. In short, while his magic is attuned to perfectly keep me away and barrage me with spells that can bypass my barrier, it doesn't seem like he would be able to handle someone who is not 'Julian Greyrat'."
Orsted cocked his head to the side. But after a moment, he realised what Julian meant. "That is where I come into play?"
"Maybe? You can assume that, for now. Although, I do not have a way to counter Rudeus if we met in a battlefield. Surprise attacks might work or if we are already in close quarters, which is unlikely to happen."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Hm, nothing for now. However, the war is approaching."
"You mean the war for throne?"
"No. Not that. That is just the steppingstone---a simple battle for the bigger war."
Orsted's eyes bore into my skull as I looked back at him, "Although, I have something to do in the King Dragon Kingdom and The Begaritt Continent."
"That would take some time. What are you going to do about things in Asura?"
"Hm? Oh. Adam is on his way there."
"The little kid?"
"Mhm. He has my sword as well."
"He is just a kid."
"I know."
"He might die."
"That would be unfortunate. I invested a lot of resources into him. Although, if he dies, then that is just how low his worth was. Nothing can be done about that."
Orsted glared at me.
"We don't have the luxury of caring for personal relationships, Orsted. This plight we are a part of, I will end it all soon enough." I spoke as I looked down at the toppled White King on the chess board.
Let them taste the victory as much as they can. Let them enjoy the taste of a good initial position as much as they can.
Repayment would be due for everything.
The Kingdom of Asura. Grabell. Water God. North God. My own brother---Rudeus.
Man God.
The end is near.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone