Way of the Knights

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Chapter 865: Going Back

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"The Divinity of…Chaos?" Geezer whispered as he looked at his young heir. His eyes searched lies from Raven's face but didn't find any. Yet even then, he still couldn't believe it.

"A-are you serious?" 

Raven smiled and summoned a wisp of chaos out of nowhere, letting it fly towards the dumbfounded Geezer. 

"Very."

With shaking hands, Geezer cupped the wisp of Chaos and inspected it closely. Treating it like a precious yet fragile treasure that will shatter at the gentlest touch.

Having touched the thing, Geezer knows he could no longer deny it. He could feel the aspect of Chaos from this wisp. It's the very thing that he had long since yearned for and desired. Geezer couldn't help but be emotional at this. 

God knows how long Geezer spent trying to find a way to re-create this thing. He poured blood sweat and tears in his craft yet he wasn't able to do it so he passed the task to his heir. Even then, the hopes of them achieving this feat wasn't big so Geezer didn't expect much from them, even Raven himself. 

Yet to his absolute surprise, above all of his expectations, Raven came through. 

He achieved what was deemed impossible by many. He's half-step away from realizing Geezer's dream. 

To this, all Geezer could ask was;

"How?"

"With difficulty." Raven replied shrugging. "It's the constant accumulation, unyielding foundation and fate I would say. Then again, I don't think that's all there is to it."

"The Last Fragment of Chaos called out to me. It tested me and I even nearly died at the process, in the end though, I managed to earn the right to become its host. When I broke through the Divine Knight Stage, I became its representative and I earn the Divinity."

'Incredible…yet depressing at the same time." Geezer sighed as he returned the wisp of Chaos to Raven. 

Geezer was truly awed by the fact that his heir became the Divine Knight of Chaos, he was genuinely happy for him yet he would be lying if he said that he didn't feel bitter about it. 

Of course he does. 

At the end of the day, Raven's not Geezer. They're two separate beings. It was Geezer's dream to reach the Realm beyond Divinity. He sacrificed way too many things in pursuit of this path yet he ended-up with nothing, he still failed in the end. 

The again, it wasn't so bad. At the end of the day, if it wasn't for his inheritance, Raven wouldn't have been able to go this far. Which means that he had a hand on getting him to this stage. That alone makes him satisfied. 

With another sigh, Geezer accepted what happened. He already failed a long time ago and it's about time for him to move-on from his obsession. 

"Indeed…you have the capital to be confident about your chances." Geezer stated, "Yet we still need more time. The enemy is bigger and stronger than you think." 

Raven's expression turned serious as he asked: "I fought them in my previous life, but I didn't get to gauge just how many there are. I've got some intel from Abyssals that caught you but what I extracted doesn't really give me much information? Do you have anything that I should know about them?" 

"Well, I did some investigations myself but tell me what you know first so that we can confirm." 

Raven had no problems telling him that. He then began telling Geezer everything he knew about the Abyssals. After that, Geezer nodded his head and said:

"Most of those were the same things I know. But I do have other information that we can use." Geezer stated. 

"First and foremost, the so-called Sworn Brother of the Abyssal Emperor."

Raven could've sworn that he saw Geezer's face hardening at the mention of that moniker but he didn't say anything. 

"Be careful with that guy. They call him Sworn Brother but in truth, he isn't. He's a perfected clone of the Abyssal Emperor No'Wel. His name is Ric'Ard. A clone that developed an ego thanks to the ministrations of the original one."

Raven frowned and couldn't help but ask: "How did you know of this?"

"Because I personally met the guy." Geezer sternly looked at his heir with a hardened expression. "He was the one who ordered my capture. The reason why I have to roam the Outer Worlds for the past millennia. He wanted to turn me into his 'friend' but what he truly meant was toy because apparently, I entertain him."

"Even though I used everything I have against him, I was no match for him. He easily defeated me with one arm on his back. He was just toying with me the whole time we were fighting."

Raven's frown deepened upon hearing that. 

He couldn't believe the injustices that Geezer had to endure while he's out here. He also understood the reason why he suppressed their Karmic Connection. Geezer didn't want Raven to be targeted as well, especially when he was at the Divine Realm at that time and still awfully weak. 

"He's still hunting you down isn't he?" 

"Most likely yes." Geezer sighed, "Actually, he was waiting for the Expedition Team's return since he knew that they managed to capture me. The whole reason why they were trying to wear me down is because they want me to become pliant for whatever that abomination wanted to do to me.

  "…"

"One more thing." Geezer added, "There is actually wind-up before their main ship could warp. It'll take them anywhere from 10-15 years upon receiving the order before they could actually warp. So long as we're careful enough, we can but more time for our home to prepare for them." 

Raven's eyes lit up when he heard that. 

"That being said, once they arrive close to our home, there is no way that we can avoid them. There's way too many of them. They are billions in number and they will bombard us with all kinds of attacks before they start devouring everything we have. I've seen it happen way too many times back in my captivity so we have to do something about that."

"Finally. Don't think that they will retreat just because you killed their Emperor." Geezer shook his head. "They only call him Emperor because he was the strongest out of them. But even if he dies, the Abyssals will continue doing what they want."

"That means we have to eradicate them completely." 

"That's right." Geezer nodded, "I know it's a tall order but if we want us and our home to survive, that's the only way."

"…okay, I'll think of a plan." Raven replied. "But for now, let's return home. We've spent long enough here in the Outer World, I'm tired of it already." 

"Now that you've mentioned it…" Geezer looked around and hummed, "Is this your Inner Cosmos?"

"Yes, it is. You like it?" 

"Impressive." Geezer nodded with a smile on his face, "There's a lot of spectacles here as well as Heavenly Bodies. What tree is that by the way?" 

"Oh, that's the World Tree. It on fire since it fused with my Cleansing Flames." 

"You even managed to nurture a World Tree in your Inner Cosmos? Boy, I pity those who tries to play with Spacetime around you." 

"Me too." Raven chuckled. "Anyways, let's get out of here. I've prepared a feast for you. I know how much you missed food from our home." 

Raven chuckled again once he saw Geezer's eyes shining upon the mention of food.

Once they got out of his Inner Cosmos, they appeared on Raven's shuttle, precisely at the Dining Hall where the feast Raven mentioned was arranged. 

Geezer was no time and immediately reached out for the alcohol. He didn't even bother with the mug, he went straight for the barrel and poured it down his throat. 

Raven was amused by this but he can't say he blamed the old man for acting this way. If he was on the same position as him, he'd most likely do the same. 

*Bam!*

"God damn! Whew! That…I missed that lot."

Geezer smacked the barrel onto the ground and immediately reached out for the chunks of meat presented on top of the table. 

The old man never felt this happy and satisfied for a long time. He drowned all the sorrows with wine and stuffed all the agony he suffered with food. 

Raven just watched as the old man gorged himself with food and silently withdrew from the room. He bets that the old man didn't even notice his disappearance. Raven didn't bother joining the old man since he knew that the feast he prepared would just be enough for the old man. 

He retreated to his personal quarters and sat at the edge of the bed. The shuttle's course is already set back home. At the speed at which they travel, it wouldn't be long until they returned back home. 

Raven took this time to sink his perception to the Ancestral Divine Galaxy – the true inheritance that Geezer prepared him. There he saw some items as well as the sealed ship of the Abyssals but that's not why he's here. 

"Everyone…I found the Old Man.. We're coming home."