{Replace} was my fourth {Fate} that allowed to beco a Phantom.
Contrary to what I thought, my ascension to Phantom had no flair or sudden burst of power. However, {Replace} was definitely a league above my other {Fates}.
In response to my request to allow {Rewind} to be used offensively, my {Fate} created {Replace}.
{Replace} had only one purpose, it would allow to move {Save} anywhere I could see. As a bonus, it invoked {Rewind} the mont I changed my position.
Most people would see this as a useless ability. But for soone like , it gave a way to fight in close quarters.
Being able to use {Rewind} with a separate cooldown was already overpowered. The best part was that {Rewind} used a stock instead of a regular cool down.
This ant that unlike regular {Fates}, which would be unavailable after use, {Replace} only used the charges it had in stock. Such a feature removed my dependence on waiting for my cool downs.
{Replace} had a maximum stock of 7 charges, which could be purchased every three days at 500 souls per charge.
For so reason, it also granted the extra perk of being able to buy more charges before the three days were up in exchange for more souls.
The rate was 500 souls extra for every charge I had in stock. In other words, if I had 0 charges, it would only cost 500 souls to buy one before the three days were up.
On the other hand, if I already had six charges and wanted to buy a seventh, the cost would be a whopping 3500 souls!
Still, for soone like , it was a no-brainer to have a supply of rewinds. I had over a hundred thousand souls at the mont, so I quickly bought everything.
Just like that, 14,000 souls disappeared from my account. That would have been the equivalent of fourteen blessed rounds, or $280,000. But for a stock of seven lives, it was well worth the price.
Luckily, I could make that much and still not be in the red. If anyone else heard how expensive {Rewind}'s abilities were, they would faint. Of course, {Replace} had no effect on my offensive ability. It just allowed to rewind more easily.
'Even {Withstand} has a {Counter}. Was {Rewind} really a support class of {Fate}? If I didn't have any guns, I would only be useful as a scout.'
But that wasn't what was important at the mont, I helped up the ninja kneeling in front of and asked the question that bothered the most.
"Aki, tell why you ca for my life even though you didn't want to."
"Master, it was because they have my little brother. His na was Haru, and I thought he was already dead. I received a picture from Trinity saying that they have him and would let him live in exchange for your life."
"I see, but you were willing to die with , weren't you, didn't you want to save him?"
The beautiful woman turned away from and crossed her arms.
"Master, I have already died once. My family, the Miroku, used Haru as a leash to make follow their orders. I killed so many people that I would have drowned in their blood many tis over."
"You are not to bla for that..."
"I was feared in Hellsgate even as a human. You saw how I fought. I was infamous for slaughtering the reapers' loved ones. Won, children, sons, daughters, even pets. The old, the sick and even the innocent. I did not spare a single one for my mission."
"..."
"Master, it was my fault. I made a decision to keep Haru alive, I massacred everyone Miroku told to. But then one day, on a mission, they told that Haru had died. In grief, I lost my mind and turned against my clan.
From what I heard, I couldn't even say anything.
The situation was exactly as Lilly had described it. Trinity would find a Reaper's weakness and make them betray everyone in exchange for those they held dear.
'What would I do if I were in their position? If Earl, Noelle, Alana or Bless were threatened? I would probably do the sa as Aki.'
War had a way of changing people, but it wasn't the fighting itself that made people grieve.
It was the death that followed, civilians and soldiers slaughtered or sacrificed for a cause unknown to those who had to die.
How much did Aki kill her own soul and conscience in order to live on? How could she even live with herself when such acts probably tornted her in her sleep? Overco with compassion, I pulled Aki into my embrace.
"It will be alright now Aki. We will find your brother and save him. I will bear your sins with you. You will never have to do such things ever again. I am here."
After hearing my words, the woman in my arms trembled and began to sob miserably. Aki said nothing, but she returned my hug and cried pitifully.
Like an overflowing dam, the Japanese ninja continued to cry for over an hour before she finally cald down.
Aki was probably broken as a human. But she killed her weakness for her brother. Her love for him overca the guilt she tortured herself with. And the mont he died, there was nothing left for her.
Afraid of the sa thing happening again, she ca to only to either be killed or to free Haru. But from what I saw, Aki never intended to live beyond today. If I wanted to save her brother, I needed help. I should ask Bella and Lilly.
'Oh, right, Bella had a ssage for her, right?'
When she got her emotions under control, Aki abruptly pulled away from and quickly wiped her face. The stark contrast to her earlier bloodthirsty deanor was beyond adorable.
"Aki, Bella and the girls have a ssage for you. Do the words 'We have already reclaid spring' an anything to you?"
"What? Reclaid spring?"
Aki grabbed both my shoulders and shook . The strength of her hands would have broken the bones of a normal person. Apparently, the ssage was quite important.
"Master! Did she really say that?! When?! Where?!" Aki asked desperately.
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