My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 786: The world of Irth (part-52)

"Dammit. It is the Anti-Divine source. How is that so many sources exist in this boy?" Raphael, grimacing, was forced to take a different path.

He proceeded to craft a second core inside Azzy—a separate vessel to contain the volatile Protos essence. One that did not interfere with the Divine Core.

Azzy now stood unique in the cosmos, a mortal with:

A Divine Core, like the gods.

A Protos Core, like the Protos beings.

And yet, even now, the fusion wasn't complete.

The Sword of Light refused integration. Well, at first, its will was too strong—bound by a pact that even Raphael dared not violate. But Raphael manipulated the Protos core in Azzy's body to corrupt it completely, binding it to Azzy's body.

Then there was the final fragment—the Jewel of Light, containing the Supreme Angel's soul.

Raphael, however, became hesitant in integrating that power. "No... not yet."

He separated the Jewel of Light from the Life Fragment, carefully isolating their effects. "If I go with this, it is quite possible that you might lose control over your powers and even your own will. I guess you will have to wait until you reach God's realm."

He stepped back, gazing at the boy, glowing with pressure-concentrated power, sitting in silent meditation as if holding together galaxies inside him.

Raphael smiled faintly.

"Live well, little brother… I hope, in this world, you will choose peace over struggle, although I don't think struggle will leave you. Either way, my job here is done. It is time for me to leave."

Then, like a breath in the void, he disappeared.

Hours turn into days, Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into years.

Finally, as the balance of his million soul systems began to stabilize, Azzy snapped his eyes open.

He looked at his hands, clenching them and opening them, again and again.

"This power…" he could feel the power inside his body, like he had gotten a hundred, no, like a thousand times stronger than before. Suddenly, he gained the confidence to even face those Archangels now.

After inspecting his soul orb, brimming with a million soul systems, he diverted his attention to his mindscape.

When he entered his mindscape, he found it was the same barren land beneath the cliff he was standing. However, there was no Reaper standing around.

Zzzz zzzz zzzz

A floating orb of black lightning greeted him instead. "Vajra?" He voiced aloud. The floating orb revolved around him, releasing sparks of electricity in response. He couldn't help but reach out to the orb with a smile, caressing its smooth surface as if he were patting its head. "It's a pity that you couldn't break into divine grade, but nevertheless, I'm happy to see you on my side. I thought you might leave with the Reaper as you were connected to him."

In response, the black lightning orb sent out sparks of lightning to him, Azzy immediately understanding what it was replying. "Chronos freed me from the bind."

Azzy then shifted his gaze toward the floating islands above in the sky. "Jinn, Ruby?" He called them out.

In response, the black lotus descended from the sky, However, this looked quite different. While it looked like the lotus. There was a miniature, tiny black figure on its bottom, making it seem like the lotus grew on its head like hair. This miniature figure was different from the one Ruby's other form used to have. This one doesn't have legs, just like the Jinn.

At the same time, Azzy could sense that it was in the same grade as Vajra, a mutated celestial grade.

Reaching Azzy, it then spoke in a distorted tone. "I'm not Ruby or Jinn, Master. I'm Rujin. Do you have any wishes that need to be fulfilled?"

"Hmm? If you are one, then why are there two floating islands?" Azzy frowned deeply. He gazed at the other floating island and spoke aloud. "Lux, is that you?"

In response, a twelve-winged Angelic being slowly descended from the island. However, instead of being enveloped by the golden divine energy, it was enveloped by a black aura of Protos.

Landing before him smoothly, she spoke, gracefully bending to one of its knees. "Lux Aeternus is here, Lord Azrael." Her voice was cold instead of warm, so chilling that it could send shivers down one's spine.

Azzy looked down at her and said. "I'm sorry. I didn't have any intentions to turn you into my Arcana spirit. We had a temporary contract. But, once I enter the god realm, I promise you that I will free you."

Lux didn't raise her head and simply shook her head. "No, Master. I'm happy here. Let me stand beside you and help you in clearing whatever hurdles you face."

Azzy blinked, staring at her for a few seconds. Her entire demeanor changed to the point that he wondered whether it was a new arcana spirit for a moment. In the end, he realized the personality change was because of the Protos corruption, and he couldn't help but glance at the floating lightning orb, wondering what personality Vajra had before the corruption.

"Master, do you have any wishes that need to be fulfilled?" Rujin once again voiced out, earning his attention.

"Wishes?" Azzy was taken aback at first, but then doubtfully asked as if he attempted to shoot an arrow in the dark. "Can you bring back Claire?"

The black lotus Jinn, Rujin, replied. "No."

Azzy sighed. "I knew it. You couldn't have the power to go against a cosmic jewel."

Rujin, however, then clarified. "Master, I mean Claire cannot be brought back, because she was already alive."

"Uhh… What?" Azzy shouted aloud. "Claire was alive?"

He said it out loud before he could even stop himself, his heart racing in surprise.

The voice that answered was soft, familiar, yet there was an unmistakable distance to it.

"Yes," the voice replied, and for a moment, Azzy's world stopped.

His eyes widened, and he scanned his mindscape, looking for the source of the voice. But there was nothing. No physical form, no presence. Only the voice.

His thoughts rushed through his mind as his confusion deepened. Then Lux pointed her hand at him, raising it to her foot. "Umm… Master?"

Azzy turned out and saw a spirit form, floating in the air, just above his eye level.

It was Claire. But she wasn't the Claire he once knew. Even her spirit form was transparent like a ghost, unlike his Arcana spirits, which seemed solid.

Azzy's heart caught in his throat as he stretched his hand. In response, the blonde-haired spirit stretched her hand too, but just as their hands were about to touch, his hand passed through her instead.

"Claire? Is that really you?" Azzy whispered, his voice cracking.

Claire's spirit looked at him with a gentle, bittersweet smile. "It is me, Azzy," she said softly.

Azzy fell to his knees, overwhelmed by a mixture of grief, guilt, and confusion.

"I didn't kill you, Claire. It wasn't me. It was Chronos. He took over my body and I…" Azzy hurriedly spoke, his voice thick with emotion. freeweɓnovel.cøm

Claire's ethereal form flickered slightly, and she shook her head, interrupting him. "It's alright, Azzy. It's not your fault. I know that." She looked down at him, her eyes filled with understanding and forgiveness. "I had it coming… I've made peace with it. And… I'm free now."

Azzy's breath caught in his throat, and his chest tightened as the weight of her words sank in.