Chương 116: Gap
A boy with thousands of cuts, dripping with blood, stared with an expression and demeanour that made it seem as though he'd completely ignored his wounds; his eyes stared, bewildered.
Before him stood three figures standing side by side.
"Merlin…"
Isaac muttered, his teeth slowly tightening as he stepped forward, his arms limp by his side.
He didn't know why he was surprised at this point.
In addition to everything happening in the past few hours, he always had suspicions about Merlin.
Though he'd become close with her, there was always a part of him that slept with one eye open.
She was too carefree about her Possession. She'd accepted it too leisurely like she didn't care for some reason.
This paired with a few other things, made him doubt her, causing his expression to return to a serious one as he glared with contempt…
'What?'
Isaac asked, his expression faltering as he witnessed Merlin's smile fade. Continuing to stare at him, she now did it with a blank expression.
Isaac knew her well. He'd never seen a moment where she wasn't smiling, her expression and emotions always in check as she fashioned a perfect poker face.
"We had a deal," Merlin spoke, breaking the silence as Isaac took a second to realise who she was talking to.
"He's alive, isn't he? He should count himself lucky. With this vessel, my Black Coffins without an incantation are still so weak. Though, my spiritual attacks may prove diffuicult for a mortal to heal from." Aizen replied; he, too, kept his eyes straight as his smile remained.
Isaac darted his eyes between the two.
"What deal?" He asked while staring at Merlin.
"A mutually beneficial one."
It was Aizen who instead answered, continuing shortly after.
"In return for scavenging everything Jayne collected for her Possession and giving her Aldan and sparing your life, Merlin will help me reveal the "Gap"."
'Gap?'
Isaac turned his eyes to Merlin, countless thoughts running through his mind. And this time, as if she could read his mind, she spoke.
"Before Aizen, I thought it was just me. But he was able to prove my theory."
"Every Possession is reborn with a certain 'Block' in their mind. Like a dream that you remember having, but can't recall no matter what you do."
"I don't know what it is, where it came from or when it happened. I only have theories."
'A dream? Memory? Of what?'
Isaac thought, but he was still confused about why this had Merlin this way.
"Though it's only a theory, filling this 'Gap' may be what I need…to get back home."
Isaac widened his eyes as dozens of realisations and revelations clicked in his mind.
Seeing her straight face at the moment, Isaac realised something.
'She…she's never accepted it. This life. She's always had this goal in mind.'
However, in the next second, Isaac lowered his head.
"Was I not good enough?"
Isaac muttered as he raised his head to meet Merlin eye to eye.
"You didn't need him. We could've planned and plotted like we usually do. We could have figured out something!"
Isaac took another step forward as his volume increased with every word.
"Ever since Ravenwood, it's just been the two of us. Katlynn, Xavier and Onyx. We did all that, by ourselves, and we could've done this too."
"I'm not mad that you want to leave. I get it, this isn't your world. But I-I…"
Isaac stammered for a second when he and Merlin locked eyes; their mental connection allowed him to feel her…guilt…sorrow.
"I could've…I would've helped you, Merlin."
Silence prevailed as on the side, Logan couldn't help but slowly look between Isaac and Merlin, lowering his head soon after.
"I know you would have. But from the moment I've arrived, I've been tirelessly trying to solve this puzzle and get back."
"But for the first time, this is just a problem I can't solve. It feels like I'm trying to blindly solve a puzzle."
"This might be what I need to figure out how to get back. I have friends to get back to…a family."
'Again.'
He couldn't help.
"I'll make this right."
As Merlin added a few seconds later, she raised her hand, turning her head to the side as her forefinger pressed into the side of Aizen's skull.
"Inner Prison."
As she said this, Aizen's smile faded as he dropped his sword, his expression becoming blank as if he were a vegetable.
Isaac, Logan and the Priests watched in awe as Aizen dropped to his knees, drooling as his vacant eyes…
"How menacing of you."
-SHING
"Merlin!"
Isaac yelled, watching as the previous Aizen disappeared into thin air, reappearing behind Merlin as he drove his sword through her chest.
Merlin widened her eyes as she froze, just before she relaxed, purple smoke rising from her.
"That's a cute Illusion. Too bad it's useless against someone who created the concept of Illusions."
Aizen darted his eyes behind him, his smile faltering as a second Merlin appeared behind him, repeating his move as if to mock him, Aldan before her hand as it charged a purple energy.
"What…"
"Extermination Ray."
-VUAM
Before Aizen could finish, the purple energy unleashed, shooting out a layer that easily burned through Aizen's torso, continuing further than the eye could see and vaporising any plant life in its way.
And this time, Aizen's face remained the same, his expression frozen in shock just before Merlin attacked as if his brain still hadn't understood what had happened even after death.
With this, he dropped to the ground facefirst, staying down.
'She did it…it was that easy.'
Isac thought, seeing Aizen on the ground, eyes wide and expressing his final thoughts.
"Damnit."
Logan mumbled, seeing this as his four red tails snapped into action, pointing toward Merlin.
However…
-THUMP
Isaac tackled Logan to the ground as they tumbled together, the former's body still unhealed as he gushed blood.
However, mounting Logan and using one tail to tie and contain Logan's Kagune, he snapped his head back.
"Do it now!"
Isaac yelled, Merlin, staring for a second as this happened.
Despite the urgency, Isaac took a second to express a warm smile.
"Go."
With this simple word, a glint appeared in Merlin's eye, coming back to her senses in the next second as she nodded and waved her hand.
"Complete Regeneration."
Green specs washed over Isaac as his wounds instantly healed and stamina returned.
He didn't need to be surprised as he'd seen Merlin perform far greater feats.
"We can't…"
Before the red-haired Priest could finish and attack, he and his female partner were met with two black tendrils whipping in their direction as they dodged out of the way.
Grunting, the red-haired man followed this tail, seeing it lead back to Isaac.
And this small delay was enough for Merlin.
Bringer Aldan before her and hovering her hands over it, she closed her eyes.
-BOOM
High levels of Mana exploded from her, more than Isaac had ever sensed before as Merlin's hair started to flutter and the surrounding plant life began to rustle rapidly.
The energy was so powerful that it caused Logan and the Priests to pause and stare at the spectacle.
"Infinity."
At the peak of her power, she muttered these words as Isaac could feel her Mana remain at its peak like a running faucet.
As this all happened, Merlin turned her head to Isaac one last time, muttering as her lips slightly curled upwards.
All the nights they read together, the hardships they'd been through and the bond they'd formed.
Despite Merlin's urgency to return, it made her time in this world…more bearable.
"Thank you…for everything."
She muttered, not giving Isaac a chance to reply as she looked back to Aldan, closing her eyes once again.
This was her chance.
She would finally return.
"Clairvoyance."
She spoke, snapping her eyes open as it revealed itself to be all white, her pupils disappeared.
Then…nothing.
-THUD
Aldan dropped to the ground with a THUD as all the Mana abruptly disappeared, leaving Merlin standing, frozen.
'What happened?'
Isaac asked, no one daring to break the cold silence.
With Merlin facing away from him and him not knowing what should be happening right now, it was hard for Isaac to follow what was…
"Isaac…"
Isaac felt his heart stop as his breath halted, his pupils dilating.
"Merlin…"
Looking back, Isaac witnessed Merlin's torso become grey as cracks spread like spiderwebs.
This stone substance crawled up her neck and crept up on the side of her face as she smiled at Isaac.
"Y-You…are the…please, save us all."
Merlin muttered.
[A thread has been woven]
Isaac's hands shook as he toppled off Logan, rising to his feet as he trodden toward her.
Despite this sight, Logan didn't move, he too frozen as he watched this.
"Hey, wait…"
A single tear ran down Merlin's cheek as the stone was inches away from enveloping her.
"Goodbye."
With that, Merlin's body had completely changed to stone as Isaac halted in his steps.
"Fascinating."
Beside Isaac, Aizen made his way to his feet, his chest returning to normal as he sheathed his sword, watching as his grin seemingly grew wider.
"You were right, my lord."
Not too far away from them, a figure rose to his feet with a grin.
"What, you never heard of an immortal, kid…huh?"
[Name: Marshall Mathers]
[Inherited Character: Juuzou Shishimi]
[Verse: UQ Holders]
Marshall gloated, however, upon locating Isaac and finding the boy still had his eyes glued on the stone Merlin, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
However, with a shrug, a slight hum could be heard as two sleek black swords summoned into each hand.
"This is confirmation, Isaac." Aizen turned to the boy, speaking.
"Tell me, have you ever wondered how Inheritors came to fruition? Where these verses are or how the System was created?"
Logan turned his gaze to Aizen.
It's not that these questions weren't asked, it was just that no one ever had answers to them.
"But this has proven that there's something…someone trying hard to keep it hidden."
"Like some sort of…God?"
Marshall asks, listening in, and surprisingly, he is given a reply.
"God? No. What God cowers behind a veil of mystery and uncertainty? As far as I know, no one stands upon the heavens. However, that intolerable vacuum will come to an end. Henceforth...I shall stand upon the heavens."
Aizen watched as Isaac, or rather his Tail finally moved, coiling around his body as it crawled up his neck, wrapping around his head.
[Gauge: 100%]
"Despite the Curse some might think has befallen me, losing a considerable amount of power, it's the opposite."
Isaac's skull became completely wrapped in darkness.
"Hogyoku, Dragon Balls, Philosopher's Stone…endless possibilities. Don't you think me being here is fate, Isaac? A throne waiting for my presence."
The shadows started to unwrap from Isaac's head as they revealed horns.
"A throne that truly sees overall. A ruler that truly stands above all. That is my destiny…no, that is my right!"
Aizen spread his arms as his grin seemed deviously wider than usual.
[Kitsune's Pall, 1st Tail: The Freak]
'Ryu.'
-BANG
Isaac, his Aura concentrated on his feet, leapt from his position; a dark mask with even darker mist exuding from it, as well as a wide grin with sharp teeth and long tusks pairing well with the wrinkles engraved on it, could be seen placed on Isaac's face.
He shot toward Aizen as the latter simply grinned, unmoving.
"Draw."
[Perk: Clarity (Lvl. MAX)]
[Description: You shall not succumb to any trickery]
[Gauge: 100% -> 70%]
Just as this Perk appeared before Isaac, he dug his feet into the ground, coming to an abrupt stop as he turned his crimson red eyes that burned brighter than ever, locking eyes with a figure that stood beside him.
'Who's he looking at?'
Logan and the others thought, seeing him turn away from Aizen who stood before him
"What? How…"
Aizen widened his eyes as Isaac stared at him. For once…he was genuine.
-SLAM
However, before he could finish, Isaac's palm slammed into his face as the boy's fingers wrapped around Aizen's skull.
-SMASH
-BANG
Aizen's head SMASHED into the ground as Isaac put every drop of strength he had into the attack.
'What…'
Everyone present widened their eyes, some of their jaws dropping as they suddenly witnessed Aizen appear on the ground with Isaac slamming him into the ground.
'What just happened?!'
Marshall yelled inwardly, stepping forward but hesitating, same as the others, for a second, they caught a glimpse of Isaac…
If the black mist exuding from him and bright blood-red eyes that peeked through it wasn't enough, the Aura they felt from him…
Cold…
Bloodlusted…
Terrifying…
The Priests took a step back as everyone present had one thought.
'He's the Devil.'
'Is that…really the Isaac I knew?'
Logan felt himself shaking for a second.
As this all happened, Isaac raised Aizen's body from his head, all his Aura condensing in his hand.
[Nen Proficiency: 7 -> 8]
'Ko.'
"No, you don't!"
Marshall kicked off the ground, his sword in hand as he forced himself to approach Isaac.
However…
-CLANG
"I'll be your opponent."
Appearing from nowhere, a girl with dark hair and a purple hue within it clashed her sword against Marshall's.
And because of this delay…
Isaac released Aizen and in the split second that the latter hung in the air, Isaac pulled back, swinging with full force.
-BOOM
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Next chapter title: Full Power!
NNext chapter title: Nothing Happened
NNNext chapter title: The World!
There we go, everything is as it should be. We're back to Isaac.
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