Chapter 322: Convergence of Fate (2/2)

“We know too little to be sure what’s hidden inside the Mystic Realm. But if multiple forces are currently invested in that place it can only mean that our entrance isn’t the only one. Things might get extremely chaotic soon, which might be our only chance. Perhaps we can fish in muddy waters and snatch the benefits for ourselves,” Ogras mused.

“I’ve been thinking about it. The Underworld Incursion is fire-attuned, which might be troublesome for you. It might be better if you stay here and investigate. I could bring Verana instead to test her out down there,” Zac ventured.

Ogras hesitated for a bit before he reluctantly nodded.

“You better not hoard all the goodies down there if I do this for you,” he muttered. “You’re going to the treasure caves and I’m stuck wandering those spooky halls where E-Grade monsters might be lurking around every corner. And don't give those beast maniacs to many benefits, they have just joined and haven't contributed anything.”

“I’ll set aside anything that looks like it might benefit you,” Zac said with a snort before taking out the small golden dagger. “Are you ready?”

Ogras nodded and threw out the mangled corpse of Salvation.

“I still haven’t touched anything in his Cosmos Sack yet. How do you know which item is sharing our position?” Ogras asked.

“No idea,” Zac said a bit sheepishly as he held the cutter. “The Abbot said things would become apparent.”

“He wasn’t messing with you by any chance?” Ogras said as he skeptically looked at the small fruit knife in Zac’s hand.

Zac was about to open the floor to suggestions when the knife suddenly burst into an almost blinding light reminiscent of the golden ribbons that Zac had seen. He had to cover his eyes for a second while Ogras shied away as he shrouded himself in layers of shadows.

“What the-“ the demon shouted, but as soon as the knife burst into light the blinding radiance disappeared.

But a golden luster was still circling the knife as it hummed with power, and Salvations’ Cosmos Sack was actually humming with it. Zac walked over to see what was going on, and when he spread his awareness into the sack he immediately spotted the thing that was causing the connection.

It wasn’t the golden fractal as Zac had expected, but rather a small nondescript token that seemed to be made from stone. There were no fractals on it and no power emanated from it either when he took it out from the pouch. Zac would have thought it was a simple memento if it wasn’t marked by the knife.

“What now?” Zac asked, looking over to Ogras.

“How would I know? Try stabbing it, that usually solves most of my problems,” Ogras shrugged, still keeping a respectful distance.

Zac didn’t have any better idea, so he placed the token on a stone before stabbing down at it with the fruit knife. He didn’t use a lot of his power, but the stab still contained enough force to turn a normal stone to dust. But his swing was stopped short the moment it hit the stone and not a single mark was left on the surface, proving it was no ordinary stone.

The knife suddenly shattered, making Zac's eyes widen in alarm, but the next moment a flood of golden light poured into the token until it cracked with a loud snap. A hurricane of energies erupted from the stone, throwing Zac a dozen meters away and almost pushed him into the zone with spatial tears. Zac grunted as he got to his feet, but he froze when he spotted a familiar figure within the storm of energies that the token unleashed.

It was The Great Redeemer.

Two people floated in space, seemingly unbothered by the fact that there was no oxygen to breathe. They were looking down at a planet with two massive continents separated by a vast singular ocean. But only they knew what they were seeing as their eyes sparkled with enigmatic light.

“Such a grand convergence of fate,” Lord 84th said with some wonder. “But I wonder if it is orchestrated or the will of the heavens?”

The other monks and the mountain had already been stowed away and missed out on the spacewalk. Even the Abbot had been shocked to find that his master housed a whole world in his heart where his disciples resided.

It was where he would live as well for the foreseeable future, hidden away from all pain and suffering of the mortal world to ponder upon the mysteries of the universe. To his aide were senior monks who had walked the path for thousands of years and treasures that most could only dream of. But even though such an opportunity had presented itself he couldn’t help but feel unreconciled.

“Is there nothing this poor monk can do to help? Is severing Karma truly the only path?” Abbot Everlasting Peace sighed from the side as he looked down on the planet.

“You should understand the price of meddling with karma by now,” Lord 84th said as he pointedly looked at the old man’s arm that was limply hanging to the side. ”There is nothing you can do.”

But the Abbot looked resolute even though divulging the path to his young friend had cost him the use of his arm.

“What is the point of enlightenment if one cannot use it for saving others?” he retorted.

Lord 84th shook his head as he looked into the distance.

“You remind me of my senior brother. He walked the path you are speaking of, taking on the world’s sorrows. That path is wrought with suffering, the sea of bitterness has no bounds. And who knows if there is even salvation at the end of the road? Is it truly worth it?” the little master said with sorrow in his eyes.

“But if this useless monk doesn’t step through the gates of hell, who will?”