The silence between the system and Kurt made it seem to him as if the system was, in a way, laughing at him.
But when the system’s next words appeared in the holographic window in front of Kurt, accompanied by the already extrely familiar, sowhat robotic voice, Kurt was even surprised by the apparent empathy that the no longer ga-like system seed to possess.
[I CANNOT HELP YOU MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE ALREADY HELPED YOU, OR THEY MAY END UP DETECTING HERE]
[BUT I WILL WARN YOU IF YOU ARE REACHING THE MAXIMUM USAGE TI OF THE SKILL]
Kurt furrowed an eyebrow, perplexed.
’How do you know I’m going to use the skill, regardless of what you’re telling ?’
At that mont, the system actually laughed at Kurt.
A sowhat computerized, almost chanical, emotionless sound.
But Kurt felt like there was so emotion there.
As if the system REALLY found what he had just said funny.
[I AM IN YOU, AND WE’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER]
[OF COURSE I KNOW YOU WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE KIND OF IRRESPONSIBLE TO USE THIS NEW SKILL FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUR FRIENDS]
[THAT’S HOW YOU ARE, KURT BLAKE...]
The surprise in Kurt’s eyes was evident.
So much so, that Keisuke asked.
"Are you okay? Are you hallucinating? Hearing voices?"
The healer pressed the damp cloth a little harder to Kurt’s forehead.
’Right... But... You said THEY can detect you... Are you talking about the Conquerors?’
[...]
’You knew...’
The silence that followed was more of an answer to Kurt’s question than anything else.
"Okay... I guess there’s sothing I can do, after all..." Kurt said, so that Keisuke could hear, but not exactly so that Keisuke would be aware of his actions.
"What?" The healer asked.
Kurt sighed tiredly.
"How long do you think you can keep alive, with your skills?"
Keisuke’s eyes widened.
"What do you an by that?"
"I’m going to use an ability of mine whether you allow it or not. And I need you to extend my lifespan for as long as possible, otherwise I’ll die under your care, and my friends won’t be able to accomplish their goal. So." .. I really hope you are an expert in healing."
Keisuke prepared to retort, but Kurt’s eyes imdiately went blank, and Keisuke felt an imnse wave of energy emanating from him.
"What the hell are you doing, man...?" Keisuke asked, shaking his head and sighing heavily. "Okay, whatever you’re doing, it better be worth it. I don’t make enough for it...."
***
Kurt felt as if his eyes were closed, his entire body enveloped in darkness.
’[SHADOW PUPPET]’ He announced in his mind.
For a mont, everything seed to fade away around Kurt, but in the next mont, he felt as if all of his vitality was being transferred sowhere else.
As if...
As if Kurt’s consciousness was being transferred into an avatar.
And the first thing Kurt saw, when he opened his eyes to that new world of sensations, was the Wielders Association building.
Kurt was standing before him, the creature of tal, glass, and concrete, looming like a monster over him.
And at the top of the skyscraper, none other than Octavius Blake, the president of the association, Kurt’s father, and, at that mont, his mortal enemy.
In the distance, Kurt could hear the sound of a jet approaching.
And only then, was he able to truly look around, to understand his surroundings.
Several mage-class wielders were working bravely to put that jet on the ground, and as they all seed to be under Octavius’ command, Kurt imagined that that aircraft could be the ans of transport used by his friends to get there.
’Whew... Lucky I got here while they’re still under that kind of heavy fire.’ Kurt thought, taking in his surroundings.
From the top of the Association building, however, Octavius imdiately stopped his barrage of deadly blows towards the aircraft, feeling that presence he had searched for so much in these last few weeks.
"You’re back... Son..."
With a leap, Octavius Took the distance between them, and landed gallantly in front of the building’s entrance, facing Kurt.
"Long ti, my son. Have you finally decided to return ho?"
Kurt didn’t have the strength to speak, so he just focused on rushing impetuously towards his father, who wasn’t wearing any combat gear.
Whether it was pride, or just arrogance, Octavius was wearing a simple black suit, without a tie, but still, in the sa way that when Kurt had been able to rescue his friends from the basent of that building, he realized that his father was still lethal, even without looking like it. carry any weapon whatsoever.
Upon getting close enough to his father, Kurt’s [SHADOW PUPPET] drew his [MOON SHADOW], and launched several unrestrained slashes at the association president.
The president, however, seed to sense exactly where and when Kurt was going to launch the next blow, and dodged it gracefully.
"What’s going on, my son?" Octavius asked, frowning. "You don’t look the sa as before... What happened to you? Where is that ingenuity that allowed you to rescue Evellyn and Nikolai?"
Kurt hated to admit it, but Octavius was right.
Even more than the surprise he felt that the president of the association had already managed to make the association between him and the masked figure, Kurt felt the shock in his own pride, without being able to say a single word.
He could only hit and hit, while the system scread in his mind, like an incessant alarm.
[IF YOU FORCE THE USE OF THE SKILL TOO MUCH MORE, YOU WILL DIE]
[YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES LEFT FOR FORCEFUL DEACTIVATION OF THE SKILL]
Kurt then stopped his barrage of blows, feeling ti slowly slipping away.
At that mont, between Octavius’s perplexed look, and Kurt’s adamant resolve, he made a decision.
’I know they ca here thinking about my life, about the cure for this disease I have, whatever it may be... But if I manage to kill this guy... It will be one less obstacle in their path...’
Kurt exhaled slowly, letting any doubts about his goal be sent away with that breath.
Octavius chuckled, but imdiately returned to his sober, unfazed countenance.
"Now, yes..." The paladin said. "Now, I feel like I’m going to see what you’re really capable of..."
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