Alaric Steelclash originally employed him as a sparring partner, and Azzy did his best to act as one. Azzy got paid and Alaric managed to make a breakthrough in his sword mastery.
Because of this, he increased the amount, offering as much as 30,000 grace shards per sparring session. Azzy accepted the temptation of money. He earned as much as 14 million grace shards from him alone (first week-3.5 million and second week-10.5).
But, at the sa ti, his face was also exposed in one of the fights with Alaric, who managed to break through his defenses and cut down the mask once.
As a result, Azzy no longer renewed his contract regardless of the increase in pay and returned to Xarx City.
anwhile, Alaric couldn't achieve his dream, State of becoming One with the Sword. However, he felt like he was almost at the doorstep of it.
Using his influence, Alaric tracked down Azzy to his residence as the latter continued with his monster-hunting business.
He was rejected once and this is the second ti Alaric ca to Azzy's residence to talk with him.
Unlike Liam, Azzy never found him annoying. Not to ntion, he decided to leave this plane for good, once this next quest was completed. Hence, he didn't outrightly kick him out and instead sat together with him, informing him about his upcoming quest and the need for him to prepare for it.
Alaric Steelclash has, however, sothing else up his sleeve this ti. "Here." He placed forward a strange object wrapped up in cloth on the table, "twenty sparring sessions of 25 solatis (15 minutes) each, and you can have this."
"Hmm? This is…" Azzy's facial expression instantly changed as soon as the cloth was unwrapped, revealing a circlet but with a live eye, glancing left and right.
"Oh my Lord," Rynre just stepped away in reflex.
Azzy, too, felt that it was creepy to look at. However, upon sensing divinity in it, he intently observed it and consulted the Reaper, "Uhh… Chronos, You know what that thing is?"
The Reaper responded imdiately, "Yeah, That is the lost Eye of Odin."
"The Lost Eye of Odin?" Azzy wondered aloud, taking Alaric by surprise.
"You know this object? Never thought soone would just recognize it so fast. I underestimated you, Mr. Azrael," Alaric's confidence faltered for a mont, his brows furrowed. "But, yes, this is the lost eye of Odin, an outer god. Legend says that long ago when he just beca a god, his race of Aesir went on with a war against another celestial race of Vanir. Aesirs won the war, and in exchange for peace, Vanir's prince, Mimir, ended up as a hostage. However, Mimir had this unique ability to see through the future. Odin sought the ability and went to visit Mimir. It so happens that all he had to drink the waters from the well of Mimir to attain that power. However, through sacrifice.
So, Odin sacrificed his right eye in return for greater knowledge, especially about the future, the nature of life and death, and the deep cosmic mysteries that govern the universe. Enjoy more content from empire
Mimir, however, cultivated the eye through the waters of the well in his later stages of life for thousands of years. The Eye absorbed all the water over ti, and the well eventually beca empty. The earthquakes and sandstorms struck the place, burying the eye for a long ti until one day, a Nephilim found it by accident and brought it to this world while embedding it in this artifact.
Those who wear it manage to see through the future but die as a result of high life force consumption. It needed a powerful soul to use such power. I used it once to fight against a monster of Tier-97 strength. Although it cost my arm and my career as an adventurer, I managed to kill it with this hand of mine." Alaric clenched his fist as he raised it with a look of pride on his face. "As you can see, my soul realm has deteriorated further, and I have also grown old. Of course, not that it would matter, as I have entered a completely different path. But, the reason for my current is the usage of this eye for one last ti. I wanted to see my future and whether I could attain it but I have seen sothing else, Mr. Azrael. The future where this treasure is worn on your head, six pairs of wings fluttering on your back, a scythe in your hand, as you were ending the life of a demon. This is why I'm presenting it to you."
"Take it, Azrael. That contained Odin's divinity. Absorb its eye and cultivating its divinity would fairly give you the powers of Odin himself and also receive the knowledge of the future," The Reaper was quick to follow it.
Azzy argued, "C'mon, how many powers should I consu? Don't I have enough?"
To which the Reaper responded with a statent, "When you enter the God realm, all of your powers would be rged into one anyways. So, you might as well take in powers as you can. Don't lose any opportunity that knock on your door."
"Sigh… I guess I'll have to accept his request."
A few days later, at West Ocean City;
At Steelclash training grounds, Alaric was engaged in a high-speed spar against Azzy, who wasn't idle at all this ti. He was matching his opponent, both his speeds and movents. It was like he was mimicking the swordmaster, following the founder's remnant spirit's advice.
In the eyes of Alaric, he didn't see Azzy, but his own self, and he was doing his best to surpass that. This ti, he was also using his personal sword, owing to Azzy's suggestion. All for the sake of that one last step.
As the battle went on, his loss of stamina caused him to lose his speed but Azzy maintained the sa pace. As a result, Alaric felt like he was losing to his forr self.
He tried pushing his limits and did it more than once, but eventually, the sword beca so heavy that it beca harder for him to lift as every second passed by.
Azzy charged at him pushed away his sword to the side, and then went on trying to stab his neck.
Alaric felt like death was approaching him.
The Fear of Death spiked his heartbeat to the peak. And mories of him holding the sword for the first ti when he was a child appeared in his head.
That joy of holding the sword. The recklessness to try every style, not to achieve sothing but just out of his pure love for swordplay.
He suddenly realized the thing he had been missing all this ti.
It was at that mont his sword suddenly vibrated on its own, responding to his feelings, and for a mont, the world seed like it slowed. Ti seed to be stretched, and for the first ti in his life, the sword felt… weightless.
No longer a weapon to control but a part of his body, a part of his soul.
That instant, he didn't even think. He let his instincts control his body.
A swift duck from Alaric missed Azzy's high-precision strike, and Alaric motioned the sword forward.
Azzy acted in ti and jumped back but Alaric pressed the foot onto the ground and threw himself off to the front, flying toward Azzy and motioning the sword forward once again.
This ti, a beam of concentrated energy enveloped the sword, becoming ten tis its size in an instant, stabbing Azzy's abdon and pushing him away.
As Azzy slid for a second and stopped, Alaric retracted the energy from the sword and brandished it like a whip, "I… win."
Azzy looked at his own abdon. There was a tiny bruise but he ignored it and looked back at his client, letting out a smile, "Congratulations, Mr. Steelclash."
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