Chapter 143 - An Exhausted Hyperion
Mezal was shocked as he continued to listen to words that Branze began to explain.
"Our true power has been limited."
That was the first explanation that Branze told Mezal.
"We believed that the Blessings that we have all tried to acquire from those Idols and Totems granted us new power. But Aron has proven that it wasn't that these blessings added or gave us newer powers, but it unsealed whatever powers we could have achieved! The Path of Combat is something that helps us release these seals and gain the powers that have been hidden from us! In short, Fate Challenger is the key to cultivating godhood! This entire Planes World might have been in some form of a seal. I have long noticed and pondered why each Blessing allowed one to use and move their Force energy in a way that is not possible before. But now I get it! The reality is, with Fate Challenger, we can achieve any job without getting those blessings! But father, this is only very specific to our family! The others can't do this! I have confirmed it!"
Mezal was amazed at the deduction. Was he, a Fate Challenger, unsealed from his true limits? The truth was, he had heard of this concept of mortals being sealed from his shaman father-in-law. He knew that the powerful gods and fallen had set this seal because there were simply too many mortals ascending. And since the mortals had no allegiance, whether, for Gods or Fallen, they slowly became a growing faction which formed a third party. And this drew the ire of the gods and fallen from long ago and attacked and killed all gods.
"But why are we unsealed?" Mezal pondered.
"Father-in-law said that the gods have set that so that those who rise and become gods or fallen will be aligned to one party and the other. The entire universe is shaped by the combined efforts of all the gods and fallen to limit all of the mortals. But why did my son conclude that this doe not apply to my family." Mezal was so confused that he had paused the message of Branze. And so, Mezal began to replay the message.
"The proof of this is to try to move your Force Energy in a way that is not that of a Paladin. Father, you are more experienced than Aron and me. Our combined experiences pale in comparison to yours. You have seen how mages, warriors, and hybrid cultivators fight. Attempt to follow it. You can do it!"
Mezal was amazed. He stopped and closed his eyes, and tried to harness the force energy. His many fights against the various captains and even the champions came to his recollection. There were even Champions within Airom Logat that he had fought with through another identity in his years of running away.
"I will definitely fight them again. I need to be stronger." So Mezal thought and kept harnessing the power.
The Force energy kept moving, and Mezal began to assume the form of various jobs within the Knight and the Swordsman classes.
Ravager. Quick Blade. Blitzer. Defender Knight. Fighter Knight.
"So it is possible! It's very uncomfortable. I thought that this was inefficient and that these Force movements are the limitations that were set. So it seems that I just needed to train in it!"
Mezal had believed the words of his father-in-law and didn't bother to train in the Force to imitate other job classes. And the world around him also did this. But the realization that he can do anything made him realize that it was uncomfortable because he hadn't trained in this. It also dawned on him that he has never seen another knight attempt to harness the force energy like an archer, lancer, or other jobs. But Mezal could do this!
The Force energy began to move and reinforce Mezal in a way that it and followed other classes.
The jobs of the archers appeared.
True Aim. Quick Bow. Master Archer. Ninja.
"It's true! I can do it! I can move the Force energy like theirs. Although it's weak and very messy, I just need to train in it! But why? Why are we different?" Mezal pondered. Whenever he would study the findings of his son, he goes through this process of testing it to see if it is true.
Mezal had confirmed Branze's deduction and continued to listen to the message.
"We have our own Blessing. I don't understand it. But our family's previous madness and arrogance were with reason. In fact, our family may not be as mad as we thought! We had something that others don't. This could be why our families were targeted. Our family may not have been so evil as we were led to believe. Father, you know the answer to our family's atrocities. But I believe while we did commit many things, it was not worth the massacres we faced. The strange desire for the remaining families and kingdoms that want our head may not be because of our sins, but because they feared us!" Branze explained.
Mezal trembled.
It was true. Branze had dared to say the one thing that Mezal never explained. Yes, his family was cruel. But some of their alleged crimes didn't make sense! Mezal believed that they were framed for many of it. And Mezal's heart became lighter.
"Vindication." Mezal sighed as if the great burdens of guilt and pity were lifted up.
Mezal wept but continued to play the message.
"Father. Listen carefully. Try to imagine our force energy and wield it like a sword. Imagine sharpness. Imagine division. Imagine cutting things that cannot be cut. Our sword can do that! The Sword of the Steele can cut anything! Aron has awakened it. I have understood it. You can too, Father! I will now explain the Force Energy that Aron wielded." Branze began to explain what he saw.
Mezal closed his eyes and followed the steps.
Mezal was immersed in a strange world.
A strange figure stood before a gigantic object. The object hovered alone in space, and this figure was even smaller than the tiniest speck when compared to this gigantic object. Mezal realized that the large object was actually everything in creation! It was all piled up as one.
Suddenly, the strange figure bolted towards where Mezal was and grew a million times smaller until it took the form as big as Mezal.
"FRAGMENT! YOU MOTHER FRAGMENT! I TOLD YOU TO TAKE YOUR TIME!" The figure cursed.
Mezal was stunned at the strange figure that appeared before him. The figure grabbed Mezal by the neck and began to shake Mezal.
"Do you not know that entering this place takes a huge toll on my soul? I'm already dead, and you three idiots are killing me! What's your problem with me?!"
"I... I don't even know who you are..." Mezal wept.
Why was this powerful sovereign cursing at him and shaking him like a magic 8 ball?
"You don't know? I am your ancestor! And you, unfilial trio, are really hurting me! My liver hurts! And I don't even have a liver!" Hyperion raged.
"Wha-what happened?!"
"What happened?! You came here not knowing what those two idiots saw?!" Hyperion cursed.
"N-no. My sons didn't tell me."
"Oh, your son didn't tell you?! Well, my great great great greatest grandsons are killing me! FRAGMENT!" Hyperion cursed in his frustration.
"Calm down. What's going on." Mezal tried to appease this creature claiming to be his ancestor.
"I am Ancient Sword God Hyperion Steel. And you three unfilial imbeciles are my three descendants! Through Fate and the other Ancient Gods, we have set this time to happen so as to aid Beginning's champion. And you three were fated to awaken my powers. But you fragmenting idiots didn't even give me time to recover! I was hoping for months or years of gaps until another one will awaken my Divinity! But no! You idiots took minutes! MOTHER FRAGMENTING MINUTES!"
"What do you mean recover?" Mezal asked.
"Your souls will trigger awakening and cause my departed soul to react and allow you to see this vision. But a single vision causes me to expend great soul energy. And again, I cannot emphasize this enough. I am already dead! Despite me being dead, I have to suffer you three!"
"Ca-can't you expend a little less energy now? My-my sons have seen this vision, right? They can tell me?"
"CaN't YoU eXpEnd A lItTle LeSs EnErGy? Are you an idiot? This isn't something that can be taught!" Hyperion howled.
"This is my Code! You need to experience it! And look! See that object! That is all of creation! With Sword Force, I managed to create the concept and truth of cutting. That is why I am called the First One Severed! Do you know how much energy it takes to cut all of creation and divide it?!" Hyperion shouted.
"... Can't you just like... get a small rock and cut it? Does it have to be all of creation?" Mezal asked.
"YOU STUPID...!" Hyperion shouted.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Son of a Fallen! That could actually work!" Hyperion Steel realized it.
"I mean... as you said, your sons saw it. You need to experience it. I designed this grand vision so you could fully understand it. But since your freaky sons and you yourself took minutes to grasps this concept, it should work. You do have my bloodline. So you don't need to experience the full power of this." Hyperion realized it and waved his hand.
The entire vision of Mezal changed.
The two were standing in the vast empty region of space, and Hyperion brought out three strange boulders that oddly looked like Mezal, Aron, and Branze.
Scribbled all over these stones were various curses and phrases like 'DIE! DIE! DIE!'
"Umm... Ancient God... Wha-why-"
"Is there a problem?" Hyperion glared.
"N-no, sir. God, sir. Magnificent one, sir." Mezal bowed.
"Let's get this over with. Let the concept of Cut be created. Yada yada yada." Hyperion quickly swung his sword.
The three statues exploded.
"I am Hyperion Steel. The First One Severed. Arise, my descendant. Arise and fight! For the Battle against End draws near! Now get out of here, you idiot. Good riddance!"
The vision ended.