The Sphinx didn't answer imdiately.
After a few seconds, it sighed.
"Why do you want to know about the Sword Saint?"
Neo should've been relieved to find out Kane was alive, but there was sothing about Sphinx's tone that gave him an ominous premonition.
"Where is Kane?"
"I don't know."
"Is he strong enough that his future can't be predicted by Akashic Records?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"The reason his future can't be predicted is because he cut the 'him' that existed in Akashic Records and the Akashic Record can no longer recreate him in any future."
"He did what?" Neo was exasperated.
Kane's outlandish with his sword techniques but this… this was possible to do?
"Don't question about it. I don't understand myself how he did that." The Sphinx's voice said plenty about its irritation.
This was the first ti Sphinx was openly showing so many emotions.
Neo thought it had to do with how Sphinx saw him when he was vulnerable, and decided to treat him like an acquaintance instead of a possible threat like it always did.
"Can I use Artemis' Blessing to locate Kane?"
"Why do you have Artemis' Blessing?"
The Sphinx stared at Neo in confusion.
He stared back at it.
It took him a mont to recall that he hadn't gotten the Blessing 'yet' in this tiline.
But since he regressed, he had it.
"You gave yours and Artemis' Blessing last ti to ."
"The Blessings ca back with you? You are… quite lucky. Blessings only have 20% chances of returning with regression."
Neo shrugged.
He believed his blessings staying with him had to do with him being a Heavenbreaker, which was why he retained his powers, and not luck.
"Anyway," Sphinx said. "No. You can't track Kane with Artemis' Blessing. He has the ability to hide himself from it, and trick it."
"I see. Then, can you tell why Kane left the continent?"
All Neo knew was sothing had happened in Luminera. After everything cald down, he beca an Executioner of Akashic Record.
But suddenly, Kane left, crushed by guilt. He stumbled through the Blood Sea, and fell into Tartarus.
'I never asked him why his negative Karma was high enough to be targeted by Tartarus.'
'Though…'
'I do have an idea of what was the reason.'
"He killed the Gods with Zeus," Sphinx said, confirming Neo's doubts.
"Why did Zeus and Kane kill Gods?"
The Sphinx didn't answer.
Shaking his head, Neo asked sothing else.
"Do you know about the sword Sir Nicolas wielded? I want to know where he got it from, and how he ca across it."
"Oh, you an the Sword of Justice, Hestia?"
"Yes, that."
Neo didn't point out that the sword's true na was Demon of Evil, Karma.
He stayed quiet and waited for Sphinx's explanation.
"Hestia was one of the 7 fragnts of Uranus' sword," Sphinx said, and then realised Neo wouldn't know who Uranus was. "Uranus was the world's first S-rank Awakener. He was… quite famous.
"In fact, until others Awakeners beca strong, he singlehandedly protected humanity," Sphinx explained.
"But he died against his battle with Typhaon," Neo said.
"How do you know… oh, you must've t Typhaon in Underworld. He is a Grim Reaper."
Neo, of course, knew about Uranus since he had lived in Age of Gods.
That guy was a monster among monsters.
The only reason he died was because he was born in an era where people had no knowledge about elentals, energies, or traits.
Not only did he pave the road for future Awakeners by teaching them information about Traits, and mana manipulation, Uranus pushed himself beyond his limit to protect humanity.
His selfless nature broke his body bit by bit until it could no longer support him, and then he fell in his battle against Typhaon.
"Are you sure Hestia was a fragnt of Uranus' sword?" Neo questioned.
From what he knew, the Demon of Evil, Karma was not a fragnt while it was with Sir Nicolas.
Neo could be wrong though since he hadn't questioned Nicolas directly.
He had tried to use Eyes of Echo to move into that future tiline and et Nicolas again, since it was technically his past.
But it didn't work.
This was how Neo understood tiline wasn't turned back.
The events that happened from when he t Sphinx to discuss about Tartarus and anything beyond had been 'erased'.
Those events never happened.
"Unfortunately, no. I'm not sure of it," Sphinx said. "I've never t Uranus, nor been there when his sword split so I can't guarantee anything."
'Are all fragnts of Uranus' sword a different Demon, or the sa one?' Neo thought, then asked. "Where can I find the fragnts of his sword?"
"I don't know."
Neo's eyebrow twitched.
"Do you fucking know anything? Omniscient my ass."
"Get out of my house." Sphinx spat. "It's not even working hours right now."
Neo ignored its words.
His mind churned as he tried to think of a way of locating the sword fragnts.
'Artemis' Blessing wouldn't work since those sword fragnts might be in other dinsions or worlds.'
'Then, how am I supposed to find Demons….'
Neo suddenly recalled sothing.
Karma had a similar presence to Severant – since both were Demons – and Obitus.
Why did Obitus have a similar presence to them?
'Obitus, do you know anything about Demons?'
'No. I'm sorry for not being able to help you.'
'Don't worry about it.'
Neo recalled the presences of the other True Soul Weapons.
He replayed their mories in his head.
'These mories make it clear. All True Soul Weapons have a similar presence to Demons.'
Neo's first thought was to et Henry and ask how he had made those swords.
But he didn't move.
He was reluctant.
He didn't want to et people close to him until he found a way to resist Eternals' erasure. He was afraid of making more precious mories and losing them.
'The spirits of True Soul Weapons were extracted from the corpse that is buried under the continent.'
'I guess I'll et that guy directly.'
Neo stretched his senses, burrowing them deep into the continent's crust.
He quickly found the barely alive presence buried underneath.
Using All-Shadow, he teleported under the continent's crust.
...
Trivia:
Neo can now 'stare'. The energy (Eyes of Echo Firmant) looks like purple pupils when they flow in the Runes on his eyes, which makes it clear when he is staring at soone.
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