Reconfirmation
?“You all are hereby under arrest under the suspicion of killing the Selector!”
?Said the largest out of the hundred men surrounding them. Blade scanned the area before nodding to Severance, as he put Aisha down.
?“What is this Selector you are talking about?”
?Blade asked, wanting more information about the situation.
?“The Selector is a noble, magnificent creature our God created.”
?“You have gods?”
?From what Blade had learned so far, were gods practically ants here, so hearing about a god didn’t make sense.
?“The God as they call it is probably just the overseer. We don't have gods here like in your world.”
Severance clarified for him.
?“I can understand that, at least.”
He whispered back, though was cut off by the guards.
?“Enough talking. Come quietly or face the consequences!”
?“Does this Selector happen to be a tentacle-like monster?”
?It was the only being he had killed that could qualify as a Selector. His guess was proven right, but not the way he imagined, as the guards reacted harshly to his wards, skipping all forms of negotiation.
?“Tentacle creature? Your blasphemy is reaching levels never seen before.”
?“This… feels over the top,”
?Blade commented quietly to Severance, catching an arrow aimed at him before beginning to dodge the various shots. Severance only chuckled a bit before saying as she sliced the arrows aimed at herself and Aisha.
?“I doubt they will hear us out, Master. I suggest we rid the world of them.”
?“... were you always bloodthirsty?”
?“And to what are you talking about?”
?The innocent act did not really fool Blade, but he had nothing else, and he had thought about it himself. With a gentle huff he said.
?“No, just still not used to you being this expressive.”
?“I think I'm mostly the same.”
?Now he was definitely questioning if he could believe her, but at the same time, it felt a bit refreshing seeing her like this. Deciding to let it pass, Blade made her transform back into a sword as the chains wrapped back around his arm.
?“Aisha, I guess I will use this as a lesson to show you more about my ideal.”
?“Okay.”
?She said, nodding. Having been silent so far, she was curious about what she was going to be shown.
?“You see, my ideal is protecting everyone, but that doesn't make me a hero.”
?Blade said, dodging the attacks made at him, as he jumped over another one, before slashing one through the shoulder.
?“I have been beaten enough times to know I am far too weak to ever hope to save everyone.”
?He continued, continuing dodging as he only suffered minor scrapes.
?“A hero would save everyone, no matter what. While I want to save everyone too, it's only because that is what I want.”
?Blade said, transforming Severance into a long blade to fend off more enemies, before turning her into a dagger and throwing her. He used his Authority to control the dagger as it flew, using it to pierce enemies or to strangle them with the chain that always connected them.
?“I will save everyone because that is the only thing I really want, or at least was. Yet we still have a common trait. We both smile.”
?Blade said as a smile appeared on his face. Jumping in the air, he turned Severance into a hammer and slammed into the ground, causing tremors and earthquakes, as earth split and quaked. Aisha stumbled, barely catching herself before creating a familiar, getting on it, and flying into the sky to be unaffected.
?Since Severance was the source of all weapons, she could transform into them, but also use their different abilities. And since she was all, they would then boost each other, and so by adding mora, he could do a lot. Of course, Severance would be at her strongest in her standard form, which would be the sword form she always was in, but transforming her gave Blade diversity.
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?“A hero smiles so the people they save don't need to be afraid…”
?He said as suddenly the weapons of all soldiers pierced their holders, and he landed on the ground.
?“I smile to let the people who care for me know I’m okay. Being the hero or villain isn't important to me. If I can continue to save others, to satisfy myself, I'm happy."
?“So is that your desire, Master?”
?Severance asked as she appeared.
?“Yes, I'm quite sure of it this time.”
?“There's no shame in admitting you're unsure.”
?She said, jumping into the air and catching Aisha who jumped down to them, as she slowly descended.
?“It's a necessary measure. To always know where I'm headed. Haven't you heard? A true master does the same repeatedly until there is no more he can do.”
?“Oh, I know. The saying practically sums up the early years of your life.”
?“What do you mean?”
?Aisha asked as she was let down. Now more curious to learn about her brother.
?“You see, Blade didn't have any talent for any weapon, and he started quite late in training.”
?“Seriously? But how is he so good now?”
?“Well, I will tell you later. For now, let's find a place to stay while we figure out the matter of these constructs.”
?She says, gesturing to the guards who were dispersing into mora.
?“More mora constructs.”
?Blade commented as he walked to inspect the dispersing mora.
?“Correct.”
?Severance spoke, yet it left Blade with more questions.
?“Why would she do that, though? Shouldn't she have plenty of guards? I mean, she even has Raiden.”
?“True, it is weird. It is not like constructs are easy to make either. Unless you have a lot of mora or an authority that makes it easier, it's not normally used at this level.”
?Blade thought it over before turning to Aisha.
?“Aisha, do you know what authority the overseer has?”
?“No, not much is known about her out here. I wouldn’t even know her gender if I hadn't met her.”
?“I see…”
?Blade said, patting her head as he realized he might have struck a bad nerve.
?“Still, it makes little sense to make all these creatures if you have everyone under your control.”
?Severance thought it over before offering her idea.
?“Well, what if she truly doesn't have full control?”
?“What do you mean?”
?“Both Indra and Iris seemed to have quite a lot of freedom. Indra said himself that killing other contestants wasn’t allowed, yet we saw Iris kill. Indra himself also burned down quite a few villages while he was wandering. And though we can speculate that the villagers don't count as contestants, it still seems too mild to let them both go scot-free.”
?She had a point. None of their actions had been judged whatsoever. Even if she were merciful, which Blade doubted, this was too lenient. Especially for someone who boasts to be of divine status.
?“Are you suggesting then that it isn't that she is lenient, but that she genuinely can't judge them?”
?“That is correct. I believe those two must be too strong, even for her.”
?“That would make sense… But then that leaves Raiden. She managed to beat both of them.”
?“Not really. You were the cause of both their demise, not Raiden.”
?“Huh?”
?“Master. You have accepted many truths, and more will come. Sparing you for one could make you weaker to the next. That is why I must tell you now. You were the reason for Indra and Iris’s demise.”
?“How?”
?“Iris was able to keep up with Raiden even when severely weakened by a wound. A wound she only took because you had been unable to sense it beforehand, and unable to finish off Raiden when you first met.”
?Blade goes quiet. It was true. If he had sensed the magic circle earlier and removed it, or had taken care of the clone or Raiden earlier, they could have avoided this. Even the fact she got away was because of him.
?“Indra didn't even lose. She was unable to win in a direct or indirect way. So she had to use borrowed power to even gain a chance of victory. That and exploiting the bond between Iris and Indra.”
?“Bond?”
?“Their twins. Twin Origins aren’t like normal Origins. They are born with a bond to each other. It is what connects them and marks them as twins. By using this bond, Raiden could easily meddle with his mora, and after that, it wasn't much more.”
?“...”
?Blade stayed quiet, not because he wanted to, but because the words were the truth he had looked away from. taking in the information with a calm head. Taking a deep breath, he said.
?“I know. It's the second reason I can't give up. I owe them that much at least.”
?“Then don't throw away your life before then.”
?“I won't. I'll make sure I can continue to see others smile, and smile at myself.”
A small smile shone on his face as he uttered the words. Severance, satisfied with his answer, continued.
?“Though Raiden might not be on their level, she is comparable, so she can't be taken lightly. As for how the overseer is controlling her? Most likely some sort of manipulation.”
?“Manipulation? Would it be plausible to break her free?”
?“To free her from the control? It is plausible, though I have no idea how. Remember, all this so far is speculation.”
?“Yeah, I guess that would be too easy, wouldn't it?”
?“I doubt it is mind control.”
?Aisha suddenly chimed in. She had been quiet throughout the conversation, but suddenly found her cue to speak. It momentarily surprised Blade, yet he was more interested in her suggestion.
?“Why do you doubt it?”
?“Because if she truly was controlled, she wouldn't be so gentle when she took my voice. When you told me about everything that had happened to you, you also said how her authority was going berserk in your last fight. Yet that is quite an uncommon incident.”
?“It is?”
?“Yes, authorities are a part of who we are after they are acquired. The only way for them to go berserk is if the wielder is actively fighting themself or near a breaking point. She obviously had full control of her powers, so I doubt she was reaching her breaking point, at least at first.”
?“But that's without including Indra and Iris.”
?“Either way, even if we account for them, for it to go so out of control would mean Raiden was rejecting herself as well as the authorities she had taken. When you get an authority it becomes an extension of yourself, your body wouldn’t just suddenly turn on you.”
?“What… so you mean?”
?“Just like how the authorities are rejecting her, Raiden is very much rejecting them. Needing even a day to control an authority is weird.”
?Blade could understand that. He himself had known exactly how to use his Authority the moment it was fully imparted to him.
?“Indra and Iris were only the key, the one actively pushing the door is Raiden,”
?Aisha concluded. It gave Blade pause as he thought about it, churning the notion in his head.
?As the discussion came to an end, Severance transformed back, and Blade carried Aisha to a room. It was getting late, and Aisha was getting tired. Since Severance didn’t need sleep and Blade could stay awake for days, he tucked her in. Blade helped her get ready to sleep before she asked.
?“You told me you would tell me about your past.”
?“Well…”
?To be honest, he didn’t remember a lot about himself, let alone enough to tell someone else.
?“Let me.”
?Severance said, reappearing in the window frame.
?“You want to know more about Blade? Well, let me.”
?She says with a smile.
?“It all started with a nameless boy, in a world he was long distant to.”
