บท 11: Clay The Mastermind

Many believed Clay succumbed to the poisoned pancake served by Celine, but, except for him and an aged fortune teller residing not far from his village, no one else was aware he still drew breath. Clay foresaw his impending death, so he devised plans to elude it. However, fate, a cunning trickster, played its hand against him.

Clay's death wasn't a run-of-the-mill assassination. A few weeks before his alleged death, he had an encounter with a very strange Old man. Whether it was mere fate or destiny, only the Old man knew it wasn't sheer fate but a twisted path laid out by a very powerful entity about 18 years ago.

Clay earned his livelihood by undertaking missions from the Adventures Guild. On one occasion, he agreed to deliver herbs and fruits to a peculiar old man on the outskirts of the village—an oracle shunned by many. After completing the delivery, Clay was about to leave when the old man spoke.

"It is time to reunite with the other you. The moment to be whole again is approaching, young man," the old man said with the look of a saint.

Clay originally dismissed the old man's words, but a part of him wished to know what the Old man was all about.

"You dreamt about him again, didn't you? The connection you felt four years ago keeps getting stronger by the second." The old man spoke again, however, he caught Rasoul's attention this time.

Clay stood frozen, the Old man's words rendered him in a state of shock. The man just unveiled a secret he guarded from everyone, planning to take it to the grave. Not even his master was privy to it. Four years ago, around the time Rasoul living far on earth received a diagnosis of a rare heart ailment, Clay began experiencing a connection to a distant yet familiar entity. Aware that unveiling this would brand him a lunatic, he kept it hidden from everyone—or so he thought.

Clay attempted to brainstorm, crafting logical explanations to cloak the grim reality glaring at him through the guise of an old man munching on an apple with half his teeth missing. He devised various scenarios pointing to one plausible conclusion: the old man before him could read minds. It was the only logical explanation, for no conceivable way a stranger could possess such knowledge.

However, just when he was trying to deny it and run off, the old man dropped yet another bomb, solidifying his stance as the know-it fortune teller he is.

"You've been stuck in a recurring dream, haven't you? It's about a man going on a killing spree. Well, let me shatter that illusion for you—it's not just a dream, it's reality. That man you dream of is like the missing piece of your soul, and your dreams offer you a glimpse into his life.

"I understand it's a lot to process. The thing is, you're not a whole soul yet. You must find and connect with your other half to unlock your destiny. Your current life is merely a warm-up for what you're meant to live. I won't demand your trust, but you sense the truth in my words deep down.

"I've been observing you for a while, and it seems you struggle to differentiate between dreams and reality." The old man spoke again, while slowly moving toward Clay.

"I have much to share, but your presence here indicates that your awakening is imminent—no more delays."

It may sound unexpected, but this is the first encounter between Clay and the man. The man's extensive knowledge about Clay isn't a coincidence—it's more like he has a playbook about how Clay's life will turn out.

Despite all this, Clay feigned ignorance and asked, "If I'm supposed to believe even a fraction of what you're saying, I need to understand how you can read my mind. That seems only fair, don't you think?"

"Hahaha, look at you, attempting to be clever. I never read your thoughts, nor did I have any interest in doing so. But here's the blunt truth—you've got a mere two weeks left. If you want to avoid permanent death, quit fooling around and heed my words," the old man declared snapping Clay back to reality.

"Your lover and his companions are scheming to end your life and seize all seven Tomb passes. You pose a threat to them, so they aim to eliminate the orphan." Sitting cross-legged, he proceeded, "The martial world is akin to a chess game; the powerful manipulate the weak as pawns to achieve their desires." He emitted a Gandalf-like aura.

"Their strategy involves a slow-acting poison that will deplete your stamina until there's nothing left. Subsequently, any random creature could finish you off. It's a clever and discreet method of murder, leaving no trace behind." He revealed with a smile.

"I am not even going to ask where you got that information from, nor would I think much into but please stop freaking me out..." Clay said as he took a few steps back.

"I don't know if it's the tone or the entire scenario, but I find it hard to believe Celina would poison me."

"Naive, I see. Why not ponder it over for a second? We know that the Tomb houses numerous rare and valuable treasures, tempting even brothers to turn against each other for a chance to enter and claim those resources. How much more would a lady who's merely been using you to achieve her goals go? It's hard to believe, but the catch is that if you die here, your chances of awakening die with you.

"But I assume you have the means to keep me alive until this awakening you keep mentioning?" Clay inquired, his voice tinged with a touch of resignation. While part of him acknowledged the potential truth in the man's words, there remained a stubborn desire to believe that Celine would never betray him. He is like a love-struck puppy, wandering, lost in love.

"That I do. To survive, you must follow my instructions diligently. The choice is yours—compliance or not—but, at the very least, hear me out first."

"Take these two items."

The old man produced a pill and a scroll. Speaking earnestly, his words carried a weight that commanded immediate attention. "When you sense your stamina dropping, simply swallow the pill. And if you find yourself in big trouble, tear this sheet, and you'll be teleported back to me."

Clay listens to the old man's instructions with a thought of his own. He longed to go to the forest to train but because of the restrictions put on it by the king, they only get the chance when there is an event.

However, in his hands is a pill that can help him fake his death, and as someone keen on training in the most dangerous place in all of the empire, he knows his chance has come.

A faint smile escaped his lips as he took the items from the Old man.

Without uttering a word, he pocketed the items, readying himself to depart. However, before he could take a step, the old man spoke his final words with an air of mystery and vanished into thin air.

"Look for me after your awakening, and use that scroll only when faced with danger."

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Two weeks later, deep within a dense forest, Clay confronted a monstrous creature. The mere sight of it sent shivers through even the most courageous bystanders. Cleverly feigning a struggle against the beast, Clay convincingly portrays himself on the brink of death. The intense battle persisted for 30 minutes until, suddenly, a frost spike pierced the neck of the monstrous Three Horn Wing Lion—a Dark beast renowned for its wind attacks.

After securing the creature's core, Clay handed it to a spectator, delivering a message with the last traces of life force before seemingly collapsing in defeat. To the observers, it seemed he had died in his final moments, falling backward. However, a small pill discreetly slipped into his mouth just before his collapse, accompanied by a subtle smirk. Instantly, something pulled Clay into a trench, creating an ominous scene. In reality, he had employed a mechanism acquired from a friend in the blacksmith guild.

Having shared his plan with the friend and fine-tuned the details, Clay's supposed demise was part of a meticulously orchestrated scheme, flawlessly executed from A to Z. All proceeded according to plan until the rune, intended to teleport Clay, inexplicably turned to ash, transporting him to a distant location. He blacked out instantly. Unbeknownst to Clay, his plan was a tiny piece of someone else's grand design—a meticulously crafted scheme orchestrated by the mysterious old man, who had masterminded the entire sequence effortlessly.

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In a semi-conscious state, Clay heard a voice that was all too familiar.

"Unite with your other soul, but don't worry; your body will be fine and safely protected.

See you soon, Young Master." The old man said as he vanished, leaving behind a cocoon hovering above the ground