NOVEL WEB Chapter 104: Devourer
Kael was a little confused by Rias's explanation but decided to ask her later on. For now, he wanted to focus on her problem.
"I saw that manifestation when I checked your soul," Kael said thoughtfully. "And for that, I needed to pass through a barrier, which I'm guessing is the reason for your memory loss."
"I was right then. Your Essence is necessary to remove that barrier since you were able to cross it. Even I can't do that," Rias said, a little excited that she was finally getting some clues about her problems.
It had been centuries and so many lives she had lived and couldn't even remember—all because of just one problem which she had been trying to find the solution to, but failed every time.
"Yeah, I wonder why," Kael muttered. "I still can't understand why I can solve this problem of yours. We never even met before."
"Maybe we met in one of your previous lives?" Rias said.
"It's not possible. Otherwise, you would have found me earlier," Kael shook his head, denying her guess. "It definitely happened after I Evolved and got here. Maybe it has something to do with my Ultimate Skill?"
After a while, he shook his head again, saying, "Whatever. That's not the point for now. What I saw in your soul was a Silver Hole that was devouring everything in its path. And I was affected by it too, momentarily forgetting my sense of self-awareness."
He paused, recalling that terrifying feeling, "If I had stayed there for some more time, I would have probably turned into nothing but a hollow husk with nothing left of my soul."
He raised his head and was going to continue but stopped when he saw her blank eyes. He frowned and asked, "What happened?"
Rias didn't speak for a while, which made Kael concerned, but there was nothing he could do. He just sat silently and patiently waited.
Fortunately, she seemed to have recovered herself after a few moments as she blinked and said in a low voice, "I think it's best if you keep your guesses and what you saw to yourself. It seems to be affecting me."
She furrowed her brows and continued, "Your Essence within me just stirred hearing that, so I think if I learn more of it, the seal will get strengthened and I might even forget this life. I don't want that. I'm finally progressing in something. I don't want to lose that..."
At the end of her words, Kael could sense her worries, pain, and desperation in her voice. She wanted to know more about herself, about the problem that had made her suffer for so many centuries.
Yet if she tried to learn about it, she would suffer even more. It was a cruel choice that she didn't want to make—not after she had finally managed to see some hope in her dark, forgetful world.
Kael clenched his fists in frustration, as he couldn't find any way to help her. He could only watch helplessly as she suffered.
He took a deep breath to calm himself. 'It's alright. I'll find a way out. It is related to me somehow, so I am sure it'll come back to bite me in the ass.'
"Don't overthink. I've been like this for a long time," Rias spoke calmly, seeing his expression. "I'm actually quite happy here, so it isn't really a bad thing. I can enjoy my time."
Kael knew she was just trying to find something positive in her hopeless situation, and to be honest, it was working.
She was happy here, and there were also chances of her getting memories back completely with the usage of his Essence. It wasn't as hopeless as he thought.
A small smile appeared on his lips as he said, "You're right. It's just that the things I saw in there scared me a lot. They made me feel hopeless, as if... wait, this will make me explain about it, so I won't talk about it."
"That's for the best," Rias said as she raised her head to look at the moon. "Just tell me one thing, is it related to the moon?"
Kael thought back to the things he had seen in her soul and shook his head, "No, I don't think so. But if the moon symbolizes some other Authority I don't know of, then perhaps it is related."
Rias hummed in response, still staring at the moon. ThistextwasacquiredfromM|V|L0EMPYR.
"Tell me, Rias, what if the barrier is actually protecting you instead of harming you?" Kael asked.
"You think so?" Rias was surprised.
"I just think that whatever the barrier is keeping sealed isn't your memories but something much more horrifying," Kael said, his tone taking a strange turn. "I think the barrier is actually trying to keep it hidden from the world."
Rias frowned, her thoughts unknown as her face was still unreadable as always. After a while, she spoke, "Even if that is really the case, I still want to remove that barrier. I will face whatever it is instead of keeping everyone in danger."
Her eyes took a hue of silver as she added in a calm, yet bone-chilling voice, "It may not seem like it, but I also want to take revenge on that thing. I will make sure it gets erased from the world even if it costs me my life."
"Erased, huh... is it really worth it?" Kael asked.
"Yes. If it is really as dangerous as you say, then it is a time bomb that can implicate everyone close to me," Rias smiled lightly. "And I've come to enjoy your company, so I don't want that."
Kael held her hand and smiled, "Then, I will help you in destroying that thing. And before you reject, remember that I have some connections with it."
"Then, I shall take up on your offer," Rias said, as she gave a light squeeze to his hand and then stood up. "You can continue your practice. I have some things to do of my own."
"Are you leaving?" Kael asked in surprise.
"No."
Saying that, she jumped off the branch and headed toward a different side of the Great Storm Tree.
Kael stared at her disappearing back with mixed emotions. When she was completely out of sight, he sighed, "The world is cruel to even beings of her level."
[It is, Master. Also, I have been analyzing the things we witnessed, and the results don't look so good.]
'I know. But do tell me what you found?' Kael closed his eyes and focused his mind to calm his churning emotions.
[She likely follows the Concept of Devouring, which leads to everything related to her soul getting devoured. This is why she doesn't have any skills—because they also got devoured by that Silver Hole. Perhaps, the same can be said for her memories.]
'But the Silver Hole is still technically hers, so the memories aren't really lost,' Kael thought, finding the theory incomplete. 'Something is still missing. What is that barrier for?'
[Perhaps, she couldn't control her own soul manifesting into that Silver Hole, which also means she has no control over that Silver Hole. It will lead to her whole being being devoured by the very Concept she follows. She would become a hollow husk with one of the most dangerous powers in the world.]
The scene of the Silver Hole devouring whole worlds flashed in Kael's mind as he had to agree that such power left unchecked could lead to dire consequences.
That barrier was perhaps not only shielding her from her own soul but also shielding the world from her.
'But why wasn't she just eliminated then? If she is so dangerous, I doubt the Gods will allow her to exist and wander around.'
[Perhaps they failed in killing her, so they put that barrier?]
'You know how dumb that sounds?' Kael rolled his eyes. 'They are Gods, and I can't think of any situation where they fail to kill a Demi-God, no matter how much of an anomaly they are facing.'
He knew little about Gods, but he simply couldn't see a situation where those mighty beings couldn't kill someone who had barely touched Godhood.
Even if they were called Demi-Gods, there had to be a very big difference in their powers and presence. Gods were beings who controlled Authorities governing the very being of this world, after all.
[I'm sorry. You're right, but what if there was someone protecting her from the Gods? Perhaps another God?]
Kael fell silent, as this theory made sense. Perhaps, the God who was protecting Rias was the one in control over the Authority of Devouring.
'That katana... is it perhaps the relic of that God which helps her maintain that barrier in check?' Kael wondered. 'Considering old man's reaction, it is highly possible that it truly is a part of that one particular God. But what has all of this to do with me? Why can I affect the mechanism of that God?'