Defiance of the Fall

Zac didn't bother examining the treasure. It'd still be there when he returned, and every second counted. He had a huge advantage between his Luck and Galau's expertise, but at least five thousand Hegemons were scouring the city, with more joining every minute. Zac led them through a couple of blocks, pretending to investigate the sealed doors along the way. Eventually, he stopped before an inconspicuous building.

"This should only be an Array Station," Tusko said, scratching his beard.

Galau made a short work of the door like before. There was no gust of energy greeting them this time. Instead, they found a dusty corridor like those Zac had passed on his way to the tower. Like Tusko said, it was one of the array stations with cramped pathways and the bomb shelter in the middle.

"See?" the general grinned. "Nothing."

"I don't know; I have a good feeling about this place," Zac said as he led the trio inside.

Zac could already sense where the pull of fate came from, but it still took some twists and turns before he found a path to the second floor. Eventually, they stopped before a sheer plate.

"Can you open it?" Zac asked. "Be careful; it might be booby-trapped."

"No problem," Galau nodded. "Step back for a bit."

"Why here?" Tusko said with bafflement.

"Isn't this the point where you're supposed to say something like 'I'll eat my shield if there's a treasure behind that pane?'" Zac smiled.

"You think I'm that stupid?" Tusko guffawed. "You sprinted here like a bloodhound on the scent. I'm not sure what technique you're using, but this isn't random. Damn, I didn't expect a battle maniac like you to be so shifty."

Zac was about to answer, but his eyes steeled when the pane opened with a click, and an ominous sigil formed by a hidden array. Tusko moved his shield to block, but his actions proved superfluous. The whole hallway came alive, and the glowing rune was ripped apart as its energy was consumed by the circuits in the wall.

"I knew it! You little bastards fooled me." Tusko sighed, eyes glued to the glass canister holding a suspended flower waiting inside. "You evil star! Are you really shameless enough to take advantage of me like this?"

"You're not going back on your promise, are you?" Zac countered as he quickly stowed the treasure.

"Little devil, you don't have to goad me," Tusko huffed. "Go ahead. What do I care? These things wouldn't be mine anyway. I look forward to seeing if your guts are as big as your appetite."

"Be careful what you wish for," Zac laughed as he led the trio out of the house. "Even if I hate to admit it, my nickname isn't completely without cause."

Tusko followed with a magnanimous expression, like an elder humoring unruly descendants. However, new cracks appeared in the general's indifferent facade with every magnificent treasure Zac and Galau dragged out of well-hidden nooks and crannies. The famed Iron Wall of the Twenty-Sixth mechanically followed in Zac's wake, eventually looking like he was trapped in a nightmare, not even bothering to guard his companions.

It wasn't that Tusko wished them harm to stop the wanton looting, but that most traps and safeguards had stopped working when the fortress lost its energy source. Galau used his ample experience to effortlessly disperse or redirect what little energy remained. Only two times did he find himself helpless before an arrangement, where they opted to trigger it out of harm's way.

Both attempts destroyed the treasure within, though Zac didn't even feel the pinch. They were making off like bandits, to the point they probably would have been beaten up by the Dravorak soldiers if not for Tusko's presence. Fame and reputation didn't matter to these warriors who saw Zac and Galau mess with their bonus.

Tusko only awakened from his robotic state when Warlin flew by with a group of administrators in tow.

"Young master, you've already done so much," Warlin said as he stopped before the trio. "There's no need for you to bother yourself with simple clean-up."

"I figured I'd help out," Zac said. "Some of these doors are a bit tricky. It would be a shame if someone else got to them first."

"How commendable," Warlin nodded, though there was a suspicious glint in his eyes as he glanced at Tusko. The Iron Wall's mouth twitched, but he actually kept his mouth shut.

"Are you joining the exploration?" Zac quickly asked before his back-room deal could be exposed and reneged on.

"No," Warlin said with a shake of his head. "Repositories were discovered closer to the center. We're hoping to extract valuable intelligence before the base fully runs out of energy. We fear we might be unable to reactivate the arrays after the lingering Faith Energy has dispersed."

"I won't keep you, then."

"Good luck with your hunt," Warlin said as he flew away with his entourage. "This is a rare opportunity. The Alliance is always in dire need of materials, and we've already found many resources never seen before in Zecia."

"I'll do my best," Zac assured before turning to Tusko. "You heard him. There's no time to waste."

The towering man had already withered under Warlin's scrutinizing gaze, and Zac's words were the nail in the coffin. He looked like he'd taken a punch to the gut, his face pale and flustered.

"I—uh," Tusko stammered. "How about we take a break? You just fought a tough battle."

"Don't worry," Zac smiled. "I feel like a million bucks. Galau?"

"It's nice to stretch my legs after being cramped up in the ship for the last hour," the merchant stoically agreed.

"Ah—W-Well—" Tusko stammered, his huge form shrinking even further as he glanced in Warlin's direction.

"I'm just kidding," Zac laughed.

Tuskar looked like he'd received an imperial pardon upon seeing Zac relent. He'd realized he'd been tricked long ago, but he couldn't have imagined the matter growing this thorny. By now, they'd snatched so many treasures Tusko was in more trouble than he. Zac was only following up on a promise given by an esteemed general of the Twenty-Sixth, while Tusko had let a pile of rare treasures slip through his boss's fingers.

To Tusko's credit, he hadn't stopped them, even when his hands began shaking from the stress. Zac would feel bad if he pushed the matter any further. Besides, there was not much point to keep going. The hidden troves were close to being wiped clean already. He had his Luck to show the way, but there was no lack of discerning eyes among the soldiers. They had their methods to search for fortune, and the defenses grew weaker by the minute.

There were still many unopened buildings without fate's pull, but the chance of running into something good there wasn't very high.

"You know, the corridors beneath the surface are harder to navigate, but they remain mostly untouched," Galau offered. "I bet I can find one of the hidden trapdoors to take us down."

Stolen ; please report.

"Let's go back!" Tusko decisively interjected, looking ready to drag them back to the mothership even if he had to stuff them in a sack.

"One moment. There's still something I want from this place," Zac said, lifting his hands in a calming gesture when Tusko's frantic stare bore into him. "Don't worry; it's not a treasure. I want some of that Killing Intent."

"Ah? That ancient intent?" Tusko said with confusion. "Why? To create a weapon?"

"I have my uses for it," Zac said, unwilling to explain further.

He'd seen firsthand the intent could be weaponized as Tusko suggested. Considering the intent's source, its lethality wasn't that impressive. Zac had poured a fortune's worth into Yselio, and the prince only seemed to grow angrier from it. Sure, Yselio was an Eonic Seed from an A-grade faction, but so was everyone else Zac would need to use that kind of ace on.

Zac felt its value lay in its potential as a Body Refinement Material. If Zac could figure out a method to store the intent, he could accelerate his Body Tempering by a significant degree. The ancient Killing Intent had damaged [Void Heart] last time, but that was before he broke through. It shouldn't be a problem now that the node had evolved to D-grade.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"I know a place that has what you need," Galau said before Tusko could answer. "It's a bit dangerous, though."

Zac glanced at Tusko, who shrugged. "It's fine; it can barely be considered a resource."

Galau led the trio toward the scar, the only section still giving off a dangerous air. While there was no energy for the intent to fuse with, it could still pose a threat to one's Heart and Soul.

"I saw it somewhere around here," Galau muttered as he led them toward a district right by the scar.

Zac could already feel some pressure from the ambient Killing Intent. If not for his Void Heart, his mental state would gradually erode like he'd eaten a Berserking Treasure. His companions had their ways of dealing with the environment. Tusko's eyes were clear, like the Killing Intent wasn't even there.

It was a worthwhile reminder. Despite acting casual, bickering and messing around like a common soldier, Tusko was anything but. He was a seasoned veteran at the very peak of Hegemony and strong enough to stand out among his peers. There were just over a hundred Hegemons with his rank in the whole sector. Zac wouldn't stand a chance if they fought seriously. It was possible that not even a monster like Kator was Tusko's match until the Reaver had broken through to Late D-grade.

Zac was more surprised that Galau appeared just as immune. The more Zac saw of his new follower, the more mysterious he felt. Zac could barely see a shadow of the man he traveled with years ago. Then again, the same could be said about him. Would anyone from his old life recognize him if they met today?

The only one reacting to the increasingly hostile environment was Haro. The Plant King stirred upon sensing the dense Killing Intent outside, and a thin vine wound itself around Zac's arm. The tip waved back and forth like a snake tasting the air. Zac momentarily hesitated before letting Haro absorb the diluted energy from their surroundings.

Killing Intent was great nourishment for an aggressive plant like Heavenrender Vines, especially now that he'd woken up prematurely and needed to stabilize his foundations. However, Zac worried Haro's nature would grow even more bestial and chaotic if he continued to absorb Killing Intent, whether from the battlefields or this ancient intent.

Zac realized there was a problem during their fight against the Havarok prince. Haro had just gained sapience, and his mental state was very unstable after losing Vivi. Initially, the Plant King ignored Zac's attempts to direct the vines. He had been overwhelmed by rage, acting solely on instinct. Zac could have forcibly seized control through [Adaptive Symbiosis], but that would have created endless problems down the road.

Adult Heavenrender Vines were impossible to tame, and even newborns were a handful. Zac would never reach the smooth control he enjoyed with Vivi if Haro grew hostile and constantly resisted his input. Zac had been able to control her vines like they were his limbs because she willingly synced and harmonized her soul with his.

If Zac had to overrule Haro's much stronger spirit to use his vines in battle, he would have to occupy a significant part of his mind. He'd be fighting Haro in tandem with his real enemy. Haro's pure desire to understand Zac's techniques had set the foundation for true cooperation, but they weren't there yet.

Haro's vine froze briefly before coiling tighter around Zac's arm. The vine seemed to understand what Zac meant, and its absorption slowed down. By that point, Galau had stopped before a large, derelict warehouse.

The mottled floor was covered in cracks, its structural integrity weak after eons of exposure to the Killing Intent. The damage was so comprehensive they could peek through the scars into the floors below. The underground levels seemed to hold even denser Killing Intent, yet Galau simply jumped inside.

"Hey!" Tusko exclaimed and followed behind with his shield. "We haven't cleared these floors! There might still be cultists hiding."

"Their mental states are pretty weak," Galau said.

"That's right, but that doesn't mean this environment will kill them," Tusko said as he scanned the warehouse basement. "At least not immediately. Before that, they'll become frothing beasts."ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt

Zac also jumped down, his axe out and ready. Thankfully, nothing but a reddish haze was waiting for them, and Haro kept his wits about him. Galau led them through a hidden corridor connecting a series of enormous storage rooms until they found one that wasn't just filled with dust and haze.

"This is it," Galau said, pointing at a pile of crystals radiating an ominous red.

"Interesting," Tusko hummed. "They resemble something I read about in an ancient Body Tempering Manual. Fiend Crystals. However, those things should have disappeared along with the ancient races that appeared in the beginning of time."

"Fiend Crystals?" Zac asked with interest.

"They were supposed to hold the primal power of ancient beasts. The first warriors absorbed it to strengthen their bodies. You know, I bet Body Tempering came before the pursuit of the Dao. Who has time to gaze at the stars when a monster is trying to eat you?" Tusko said before shaking his head. "These things are different. Almost seems like something the heretics would use."

"I think they were Gravity Crystals before. Perhaps they were the only ones durable enough to contain the Killing Intent. All this was other attuned materials before," Galau said, pointing at the thick layer of dust on the ground before turning to Zac. "These things have absorbed Killing Intent for eons. Don't let their appearance fool you. They are chock-full of it and very volatile."

Even if they weren't real Fiend Crystals, they held a fatal attraction to both Zac and Haro. The mound of crystals didn't emit much energy to go with the sinister appearance, but that was because they retained some of their original attunement. Immense forces of gravity had sucked the Killing Intent into its depths and condensed it further.

One crystal with a relatively weak light floated over to Zac, who grabbed it and infused some of his will.

"Don't!" Galau shrieked and jumped out of the way.

Tusko lunged for the crystal with alarm, but he was too far away. The crystal shattered as the ball of Killing Intent went berserk after sensing Zac's soul. It slammed into his mind, dragging some of the ambient intent. Zac had already sensed the danger yet did nothing to stop it. He took a deep breath as he let the killing intent flood his Soul Aperture.

The Killing Intent raged against the newly reforged Soul Cores, yet the nebulous clouds guarding them became quagmires, slowing the intent's advance. The attacking force didn't even get the chance to reach the cores before a deep, primordial thud shook Zac's spiritual world like a drum calling for war. Intractable force pulled the intent out of his soul, each thud preventing its escape.

It just took five bites for [Void Heart] to consume it all, even when the amount of Killing Intent was close to a third of what he'd been subjected to when breaking into the tower. What was a deadly encounter just hours ago had been reduced to an evening snack.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Zac said upon seeing his companions' worried expressions.

"Crazy brat," Tusko muttered. "Are you really okay?"

Zac nodded. "I didn't expect the intent to be so active despite being sealed."

"Good thing you stood some distance from the rest," Galau exhaled. "Otherwise, you would have triggered all of them in a chain reaction. Not recommended."

Zac shuddered as he looked at the large pile. The faux Fiend Crystal he took was on the weaker end, with some seemingly having stored significantly more Killing Intent. Even then, Zac was confident in surviving a dozen now that his bloodline had entered D-grade. However, there were thousands in the pile—holding more than enough to drive him insane a few times over.

"I'll have to figure out a way to stabilize them," Zac said, turning to the general. "These Fiend Crystals are just what I need. You don't mind me taking them, right?"

"Go ahead," Tusko said with a grand wave before looking at Zac suspiciously. "Wait! Give me a few. Can't let you scam me again."

"There are at least a dozen similar repositories spread along the scar," Galau offered. "Probably more."

"Even so."

"Take it," Zac said. "But could you do me a favor in return?"

"You want these things for your cut, right?" Tusko said as a tenth of the converted crystals were suddenly encased by a shimmering barrier. They floated over to Tusko, who stored the pile without any issue. "I'll ask, but I can't promise anything. Everything passes through the Alliance. If their researchers figure out a use for these crystals, they might become a strategic resource."

Zac carefully stowed the rest of the crystals in a spare Spatial Ring. The job took five minutes, at which point he found Galau and Tusko staring at Zac with strange expressions.

"What?"

"Have you forgotten what time it is?" Tusko grinned. "The ladder's updated, may the Heavens help you."