Defiance of the Fall

Zac felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders when he threw in the towel. He'd been worried stepping down would affect his mental state, but there wasn't even a ripple in his heart. If anything, it had solidified, and Zac even sensed he might have been worse off if he won. Coming up short was frustrating, but it let him nip the growing arrogance in the bud.

It was an important lesson and an opportunity to refocus on what mattered. Why should he care about wins and losses, or whether he was unbeatable at his level? Why should he make that part of his identity, his ambitions? It was just empty accolades in the face of his goals and pursuit of the Dao. He should welcome a thousand losses like this if it meant he could refine his path.

Zac also knew his loss was deserved. He wouldn't have seized even one point on Kator if not for his lucky mid-battle epiphany. And truthfully, he only got his sole point because Kator wanted to counter the Void through technique. Kator's current state was absolutely terrifying, and Zac knew his newfound ability wasn't enough to deal with it. The usefulness of the Void didn't come from unmatched power. It came from the fact that it was alien and unpredictable. But Zac had repeatedly proven that tricks were useless in the face of overwhelming power.

He couldn't continue fighting even if he wanted to. Kator might not have known it, but he would have managed to turn the situation around even if he didn't activate his final Miracle Bone. He was almost completely out of Void Energy, making it impossible to maintain his [Void Zone] much longer. His body wasn't in any better shape. He'd been forced to extract a huge amount of power from [Conviction of Eoz] since Kator conjured his Domain, and Zac was nearing a threshold where the damage wouldn't mend in a day or two.

Even the illusory mountain in his mind felt faded, and Zac was afraid it'd break if he kept going. It would be a huge loss if he wasted his opportunity on something like a duel.

The only thing that called for a continued battle was Boje Zethaya's plight. But as much as he wished, Zac ultimately couldn't save everyone. He'd see if he could trade Boje for Starstorm or a future sealbearer. They'd likely accept the offer if they knew they were targeting the Hollow Court.

Zac's tranquility wasn't mirrored in his opponent. If anything, his aura grew, and Zac frowned upon feeling the pressure mount.

"Forfeit?" Kator sneered as mysterious light poured down his flanged mace. "You think you can just hit and run?"

The reaver's Daos formed a gravity well beneath the head, filled with Death and Time. It almost looked like a gateway to a lower plane had been forced open, and Zac suspected it wasn't far from the truth. He sensed a familiar pressure behind Kator's bearing, the pressure of a world. That was obviously impossible for a Middle Hegemon. Had Kator used the Earthly Peak to connect with a hidden dimension, borrowing its strength to empower himself?

Zac couldn't take one of those hits head-on, yet he wasn't worried even when the reaver shot forward like a runaway train.

As expected, three figures stepped out of thin air between him and Kator. Enis and Laz had appeared by Zac's side in case the reavers wanted to try something. Luckily, it didn't prove necessary, as Kator was suddenly gone. Toss had effortlessly flung his ward into a spatial crack, probably depositing him back in his quarters.

Monarchs were simply at another level—even someone like Kator was helpless in front of them.

"You made the right choice," Enis said as she looked at Zac with an approving gaze. "Don't feel discouraged about your loss. Even I can't see the limits of your future."

"I apologize about Kator. Unlocking the ultimate strength of his body comes with some mental side effects," Toss said as he walked over.

"That's okay," Zac smiled, nodding at Tavza and Pavina as they appeared on Toss's tail. "I've been there before."

"Mh," Toss slowly nodded.

No one said anything for a few seconds. Zac didn't feel anyone scanning his body, but it still felt like all five were trying to see through his secrets. There was a palpable tension in the air, where the slightest movement contained the possibility of a drastic shift. Zac would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, and he was ready to use [Flashfire Flourish] at a moment's notice.

His escape treasure wasn't strong enough to elude a Monarch without a Chaos Mote fueling it, but Zac was certain the Draugr would cover his escape if it came to that. The Abyssal Lords had paid a large price to assist his awakening. Laz and Eniz wouldn't let that sacrifice go to waste because of his Void Emperor Bloodline. Thankfully, it didn't come to that. Toss shook his head, and it was like the tension dissipated from the arena.

"I was skeptical after hearing my cousin's description," Toss rumbled. "Your ability to seal the Dao has incredible potential, especially if you manage to fuse it into your technique. Work hard; the Abyssal Shores are blessed to see the Bloodline of Eoz return."

Zac nodded in thanks, but he could hear the unspoken implication in Toss's words. He was clearly suspicious about the origin of Zac's ability. And while there was no change in expression on the three Draugr, Zac knew they probably were the most confused. Eoz's Bloodline might have been lost since the Dark Ages, but there was no way they didn't have records of things like Bloodline Talents or Hidden Nodes.

But as luck would have it, [Void Zone] was actually very in tune with Eoz's Bloodline if you looked at it at a surface level. Their inner workings were based on completely different concepts, as his difficulty in mixing the Void and the Abyss showed. Still, the talent was almost like a mix of [Adamance of Eoz] and [Immutability of Eoz]. Zac could argue it was a hidden variation or mutation of the long-lost branch.

"I'm still some ways off. I should thank your young master," Zac said with a bow. "I wouldn't have been able to grab onto the solution if he hadn't shown my understanding of technique was too narrow."

The words came from his heart. Zac felt he owed his opponent a debt of gratitude for opening his eyes, even if the guy was pretty damn annoying. Kator's technique was simply better than his. Perhaps not in grade or complexity, but definitely in the way he'd adapted it to his unique circumstances.

Every aspect of the reaver was infused into his technique, from his complex combination of Daos to the unique advantages of his body and race. Everything created a holistic system where weaknesses were covered and strengths were amplified. Zac was far inferior in that regard, even if his Stances were very well attuned to his Daos. He'd essentially fused his Daos and personality with the Mastery Skills and called it a day. He wouldn't have thought to use his Bloodline Talent the way he did if not for Kator showcasing how he dealt with the cyclic nature of his Miracle Bone.

Zac knew Kator was almost twice his age, but the stark discrepancy was still humbling. He'd somewhat felt unmatched at his level, whereas Iz Tayn was the exception that proved the rule. But the Multiverse was vast and ancient, and every moment allowed another earth-shattering genius to appear.

Kator might not be at Iz's level, but his accomplishments were far beyond Zac's in multiple areas. Zac wasn't even convinced he'd have won in a scenario where they were the same level and age.

"You have reached very far on your own, but having insightful mentors and talented peers can let you go further than when traveling alone," the reaver said. "Feel free to come back any time. Even if Kator is busy with the war, other talented fighters in Kavista can help you refine your technique."

"Thank you," Zac said. "I have to go over the duel while the impressions are fresh."

"Go ahead," Laz said before a swirl of darkness surrounded him, perfectly isolating all sound and energy.

Zac didn't sit down to meditate. He ignored the complaints of his wrung-out body as he began to reenact the battle without the Dao or Energy. The only difference was that [Death's Duality] had been replaced by a roasted hind leg of a Middle Beast King while his free hand shoved pills and tonics down his gullet between bites.

His moves were slow and measured, like when he practiced [Void Vajra Sublimation]. However, he wasn't trying to comprehend the fusion of Death and Void, or even the essence of his attacks. He was simply trying to get closer to the Void of Life by copying his own movements.

There was no way around it, he needed to start from the ground up. His foundations weren't just shaky regarding the Void—they were practically nonexistent.

His first brush with the Void was one of chance. He was essentially like Leviala, born with an ability he didn't fully comprehend. Even then, the Void has gradually infiltrated every aspect of his cultivation, from Body Tempering to Cosmic Core. Now, it had come knocking at the door of his techniques. Lord Engo had warned him that his comprehension was borrowed from Ultom.

That needed to change, and quickly.

And finally, Zac saw a path forward; through the illusory mountain. Zac still didn't know why he'd been dragged into the vision mid-battle or why the System felt the need to reiterate its warning of the Terminus while it dragged him back. But he knew what the mountain represented. It was the Void taken form, the hidden bedrock of the Multiverse.

Zac doubted the mountain was an actual place. It was pure truth, or lack thereof, beyond the limits of his comprehension. The mountain was simply his mind trying to translate its existence into something it could take in, similar to his Dao Avatars. Besides, why would the First People have gone extinct if the mountain was real? Zac would have to be crazy if he believed himself capable of reaching a place Void-cultivating Supremacies could not.

No matter the truth of the matter, the mountain was real in the sense that it existed in his mind. It still felt weakened and hollow, but it had stabilized now that Zac no longer triggered it with [Void Zone]. Judging by how it slowly siphoned unattuned Mental Energy and his remaining Void Energy, it would recover with time. He might even nurture it by feeding it refined Void Energy or treasures in the future.

The Void Mountain might become the key to deciphering the true nature of the Void in a way that his Bloodline couldn't. The Void Energy released from the depths of his cells was too profound. Studying it was like trying to grasp the Dao of Chaos from the get-go. In contrast, the mountain somehow destabilized his Void Energy and separated it into all kinds of expressions.

It let him observe the Void from different angles, including those pertinent to his path. That was his best shot at understanding their nature in the same way he'd grasped his Daos.

As for the ancient wills he sensed just before the vision shattered, Zac wasn't sure what they represented. Zac didn't even know if the Void Mountain or one of the hidden wills had beckoned him. The expressions of unbreakable resolve and utmost power were missing from the miniature mountain in his mind, and he hadn't gotten a good sense of their nature before the vision ended.

He'd only felt their existence within the darkness, but Zac knew they weren't simple. Were they perhaps the eight pillars of the System? Each was founded on an Eternal Heritage worthy of emitting that kind of eternal determination. If so, he'd probably been pulled into the vision by Ultom itself. But shouldn't he have recognized the signal if that were the case?

Did he even want to know the truth? Zac sighed with helplessness as he finally sat down to let his body rest. What was supposed to be a simple duel had led him down a rabbit hole that equally reeked of danger and possibility. The Multiverse was too deep and mysterious. Whenever he got closer to an answer, more things popped up to upend his worldview.

The Heavens and the Void. The Terminus and those who wanted to guard or destroy it. The hidden fight for the direction of the Era, schemes billions of years in the making. The more Zac got embroiled in these matters, the harder it would be to extricate himself. He couldn't let himself get distracted at this juncture. He wasn't strong enough for his opinions to matter, nor was he a historian or a scholar. He was a fighter, and he had people depending on him.

Zac put the matter aside. He was better off focusing on the path forward. Using the mountain to infuse wisps of Void of Life into the Inexorable Stance was only a stopgap, a shallow mimicry. The real long-term solution was the one he stumbled onto before the vision. Mind-bending epiphany aside, Zac understood that state wasn't anything new. It was just like when he fused his Daos into his Thousand Lights Avatar, letting soul and Dao harmonize with his technique. Except, he'd used [Void Zone] and his Bloodline to accomplish something similar.

Did that mean reforming his spiritual avatar was a waste of time and energy? His awakened Bloodline was already an amazing conductor, and his Void Vajra Constitution would eventually catch up. No! Zac suddenly had a new idea, one that refused to let go the second it took hold. Wasn't his broken avatar an opportunity for him to rebuild something better? Something better suited than the original Eidolon technique.

His Children of Draug-bloodline could easily carry his Branch of the War Axe, but it was ultimately a body of Death marked by the Abyss. Similarly, his other body was purely Life-attuned, even if it was cultivated by borrowing concepts of the Void. And he had his Void Emperor Bloodline and the mountain to cover the Void. That left the third, and possibly most important, pillar of his techniques—Conflict.

What if, instead of a Thousand Lights Avatar, he formed an Axe Avatar? Or an Avatar of Conflict?

Instead of fusing Void and the Abyss as he'd tried during the duel, he'd create a spiritual state where everything perfectly came together. That would turn his body into the ultimate vessel for his stances while fully utilizing bloodlines and constitutions to empower his technique. That would be a true integration, like how Kator used his Miracle Bones and Hidden Nodes.

The idea had immense promise, and Zac was certain something amazing would come out of it. Zac urgently wanted to reform his spiritual body to confirm, but he suspected he'd need the help of Ultom to reforge [Thousand Lights Avatar] into something that could stand toe-to-toe with the overwhelming power of his bloodlines.

Zac spent the next three hours making preliminary deductions and reshuffling his training priorities while mending the microscopic wounds left by [Conviction of Eoz]. Ultimately, Zac knew he had to go. Every extra second he spent in Kavista came with the risk of things turning south.

He emerged from the swirl and found that only Laz Tem'Zul remained.

"Everything sorted out?" the Monarch smiled.

"For now," Zac said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad to see you could turn the situation into something positive. Only those with indomitable hearts have the qualifications to strive for the peak."

Zac nodded in thanks. "I'll keep working on it. It's about time I returned. Could I trouble you to send me back to the teleporter?"

"In a moment," Laz said.

Zac still frowned in displeasure, even if he wasn't surprised. He'd somewhat expected there was some hurdle remaining before he could leave.

"Don't worry; it's nothing big. We are just as eager for you to continue your work on the missions. Kator wished to exchange a few words before you left."

"So he wants to gloat now that he's calmed down?" Zac sighed. "Well, let's get it over with."

Laz gave him a helpless smile before transporting them to a large dojo. Kator was already sitting on a mat, surrounded by the haze of two high-quality incense sticks.

"You're finally out!"

"Had to give you time to calm down," Zac commented.

"Sorry, sorry," Kator laughed. "You surprised me, and I wasn't ready to have the fun end."

"It's fine. Was there anything you wanted to—"

"Still, I feel bad," Kator interjected. "It's not like me to lose control like that. Besides, I can't call it a victory after I had to go all out. If my buddies back home heard I acted all high and mighty after being pushed so far by a newly hatched Hegemon, I'd never hear the end of it."

"You called me here for a rematch?" Zac frowned.

"Afraid not. Neither of us has the time. This little diversion has already cost me thousands of merit and the chance of finding more sealbearers," Kator said as he lazily scratched his head. "Did you forget about the poor guy I've been keeping around? Why don't you just take him as a form of apology?"

Kator turned toward a nearby door. "Buddy, come on in!"

Zac was shocked and quickly turned toward the doors as they creaked open. Was Kator for real? And indeed, a familiar figure soon stepped into the room. Zac was initially relieved, but his heart sank upon realizing the wrongness of it all.

"You— what have you done?!" Zac wheezed, his eyes wide with anger.

His Draugr vision wouldn't lie. Boje Zethaya was indeed unharmed, but there wasn't a speck of Life in his body.

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