章 23: Rasoul Meet The Old Monk
"Hey lad, how's it been? You've become quite handsome, I see," the old man remarked, casually settling down and snagging an apple from the fray as if he owned the place. Confusion marked the faces of Princess Vina and Vira.
"Old man, you're here. I've been searching for you, just like you asked. I just got back from the Dark Forest, and this place is my first stop. I've heard an old monk saved some city from a monster tide, so I thought, why not look into it, especially since you both go by the designation OLD," Rasoul said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
The old man chuckled, his eyes sparkling with ancient wisdom. "Ah, lad, the tales of my exploits seem to have reached your ears. Well, I do have a knack for getting involved in a bit of trouble. You'll find there's more to the old than meets the eye."
[Host, be careful around this person; he is a sage.]
'Relax, he is a friend.
[But still]
'Okay, I will.
"Dark Forest? You mean you're from the Dark Forest?" Vira asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Observing the confusion, Rasoul decided to play a little prank on Vira.
"Yeah, the infamous Dark Forest—my birthplace, you see. I've spent my entire life there. I only graced human civilization with my presence a few days ago," Rasoul said, a hint of mockery evident in his voice.
"I know it's weird to say, but are you a human or a beast? We've never seen anyone with pure white hair in their youth before," Princess Vina inquired.
"We're not exactly human, nor are we a beast. We're a combination of many things, but we can be human when we want to. The hair color is something only those in Supreme Nexus have," Rasoul explained with a gentle smile.
Lara raised an eyebrow. She was well aware of Rasoul's shameless nature, but the extent to which he carried it amused and surprised her. Nevertheless, she thoroughly enjoyed Rasoul's playful deception of the ladies.
Unbeknownst to Princess Vina and Vira, a profound secret surrounded Rasoul's identity. He was neither human nor a beast; rather, he bore the extraordinary combination of the two most powerful races to have ever existed across the multiverse. A dormant bloodline lay hidden within him, awaiting the moment of awakening.
The old man gazed at Rasoul, who was enjoying the expressions on Princess Vina and Lara's faces. Among all present, he alone truly knows about Rasoul's lineage. He held the answers and, as someone who had been following a playbook crafted by a very powerful being a few years ago, he knew his timeline would be ending soon.
After a while, he interjected, "Rasoul, lad, I need to talk to you alone for a bit. Come to the orange farm up on that mountain," he said, pointing at a certain peak, then stood up and left.
"Who is that old man?" the Princess inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"He is an old friend who saved me about a year ago," Rasoul answered, refraining from disclosing that he had been saved from an assassination attempt by his own girlfriend. Nevertheless, Lara could sense Rasoul's gratitude toward the old man for some undisclosed reason.
After conversing with the princess duo, Rasoul excused himself and headed for the mountain. A few minutes later, he spotted the old man sitting under one of the orange trees. The old man's face lit up with a smile when he saw Rasoul.
"Ah, you're here. Come, have a seat."
Rasoul sat down and asked, "Old man, why summon me here? I hope you're not asking me to die again."
"No deaths this time around, young Master," he replied.
"Errh, young Master?... you must be mistaken here, old man. I am not the heir of some big family or kingdom. I am just an orphan with no backing," Rasoul replied, confused about the old man calling him "Young Master."
"No, young Master, your background is more significant than those petty princes and family heirs. I can't reveal everything now, but I will impart the legacy left behind by your parents. When you become strong enough, you can access it and know your true lineage," the old man said with a smile. Rasoul gazed at him for a while, then asked.
"Who are you?" Rasoul asked, his eyes showing a focused gaze, and his sitting posture shifted to welcome the answer he was about to receive. He knew the old man was no ordinary human when he first interacted with him.
"My name is Kane Desmos Trinity, the last of the Heaven Saints monks," the old man began, unraveling a tale of tragedy and resilience. His family of monks, dedicated to the pursuit of peace, once thrived in a distant sanctuary. Their harmonious existence was shattered when a tribe known as the Dark Ones attacked, ruthlessly slaughtering the entire monk community. Kane survived a fatal arrow due to the sacrifice of a friend, though the poison left him on the brink of death.
A benevolent couple intervened in a twist of fate, saving Kane's life. Grateful for their kindness, he dedicated himself to serving them for years. But when the couple faced the inevitable departure, they entrusted their newborn child to Kane's care. That child was Rasoul/Clay, and from that moment forward, Kane watched over him from a distance, safeguarding him from the shadows.
As Kane concluded his poignant narrative, tears welled up in Rasoul's eyes. He believed his parents had abandoned him all these years, harboring resentment for his hardships. Now, he discovered that even in their absence, his parents had arranged for a guardian to protect him.
"So, my parents are still alive?" Rasoul asked, tears streaming down his face.
"Yes, they are. If you want to meet them, you'll have to work hard and become strong," Old Kane said. "They love you a lot."
"Good to know," Rasoul replied with a determined look, subconsciously clenching his fist.
A smile escaped the old man's lips when he saw this. He was more than satisfied with how this young master of his had turned out.
"So the Dark Ones, who are they, and what did they want with your kind?" Rasoul asked. He wanted to know more about the race that exterminated the Old Man Kane's family.
"We were a race that dedicated our entire existence to follow the Supreme One, the one destined to save all of us from the clutches of darkness. The dark ones are the race that opposes the rise of the Supreme One. They will do anything to prevent your rise, so should you encounter them one day, either kill if you can or flee if the odds are against you. They are notorious to the point they wouldn't bat an eye when killing innocents."
Guilt welled up in Rasoul's heart as he continued to listen to the reason behind the extinction of Old Kane's family.
"It's not your fault, so don't feel guilty about something you have no control over; everything happens for a reason.
"Now, allow me to pass the legacy left by your parents. Even though you can't access it now, when you become strong enough, you will be able to..." The old man said as he began chanting something.
"What do you mean by..." But before Rasoul could complete his sentence, he felt something entering his body and saw the message.
Ding...
[Legacy Transfer initiated]
[Name: Legacy of Diablo Voidkin and Lara Destiny Child]
[Do you wish to accept?]
>>Yes
>>No
'Yes...Without any hesitation, he replied to the system.
[Transferring: 10%]
[Transferring: 20%]
[Transferring: 40%]
[Transferring: 60%]
[Transferring: 80%]
[Transferring: 100%]
[Transfer successful.]
[This legacy is locked. The host can access it when he reaches the realm the restriction requires - Great Sage Realm.]
"That is the legacy of your birth parents; they wanted you to know they love you and hope you will reunite with them one day. Take it and thrive to become stronger. Don't let anybody look down on you because you are the son of two of the strongest beings in the universe.
The old man began turning into a sparkle of light as he gradually dissipated with a satisfied smile. Rasoul is already aware of what is happening since he also went through the same thing back on earth.
Even so, he clenched his fist as he muttered, "Dark Ones."
It's evident that he registered a newfound hatred for this race, and soon, he will clash with them with everything he has.
******
In a grand meeting room somewhere in the Human Empire, 7 individuals could be seen in what appears to be an urgent meeting. The discovery that there is a legacy left behind by Nino sparked their interest to the point where they would do whatever it took to secure the legacy, even if it meant allying with each other.
2700 people will be venturing into the Tomb, but that doesn't deter the Great Families as they all have their secrets and those secrets will be their key to obtaining what they want even if that thing is going to be challenged by 2700 young prodigies.
The stakes are high but with adequate preparations, they are confident they would be able to get themselves 27 bonified Great Sages as their Slaves.
"We have to do whatever we can to secure that legacy. We cannot afford to lose it to any other kingdom," declared an elderly man with conviction.
"Our families have secured seven spots for this year's expedition. We'll be sending our seven best members, and we hope that alone can give us an edge," added one of the attendees at the meeting table. "Of course, I will find a way to secure an additional 7 if you guys are up for it.
"The Rainy Kingdom has already begun making subtle plots. We must get ready because the tomb is set to open in a month. If we aren't prepared by then, we'll miss out on numerous opportunities," remarked another person with a sense of urgency.
The tension is not because they are afraid they won't be prepared. It's the fact that they would only be able to send Saints who are below 120 years. Had it not been because of that, they would have sent their beast Generals that has the potential to topple armies.
The results of the expeditions convey the idea that whoever succeeds in securing the legacy will undoubtedly hold the key to controlling the entire empire. Having 27 Great Sages as slaves is an extraordinary occurrence, not something that happens every day.
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