Limitless The Strongest Revenant-Chapter 853 : We are not friends [2/2]

"My lord, Roach told me that the two Reapers he cleansed were about enough to fill him up at 50%. Zachary has a frightening amount of malice. Something that I cannot consume on my own. I would be able to evolve at least five of my sisters with this."

"Is that so? Good. Take it Juno. It's yours to keep. I will handle everything else."

The Vithriss stopped for a moment before looking back to Zach. Surprisingly the Awakened looked torn. As if she wanted to say something but couldn't. I looked at Zach and he had a complicated expression.

'Just what the hell happened between these two.'

[My lord, Juno has a question.]

'Oh? What is it? Is it something you cannot answer?'

[Yes. Juno wishes to ask if it would be alright to comfort Zach about his failure.]

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

'I'm sorry. What? His failure? How does Juno even know about that?'

[She has yet to say. But I she seemed distraught over this matter.]

'Well. I don't really care either way. I give her permission to do so. I will handle the aftermath.'

Receiving my words, Juno walked forward to Zach and took his hands into hers. Somehow the Specter no longer feared the Awakened but just stared at her in silence. I didn't sure how, but I saw only one emotion radiating from the Vithriss. Compassion.

"I know you might not understand me Zach. But you are not at fault. You are both Noble and kind. Emily wished to give her life for yours. You did all you could. It is time to forgive yourself."

"…"

Zach said nothing. However, tears began falling from his eyes. The Specter seemed surprised and tried to wipe it away. Juno then did the unthinkable, she moved forward and embraced Zach into her bosom.

Half scared that Zach would cleave Juno in half I was about to move. But rather than resist, Zach meekly accepted Juno's affectionate hug. I then remembered Juno's {Entropy} it was called {Compassion}.

After about half a minute, Juno separated from Zach and once again took control of the floating bowling ball in the room. The Specter again wore his shades and bowed his head to Juno.

"Thank you," he said curtly.

Juno nodded with a smile and then faced me, "My lord. I wish to return to Hell's Eden. The malice I have in my possession can be used to evolve, Roach, me and a bout 4 of my sisters. Will it be alright to use it?"

"This is payment for your services Juno, expect more to come in the coming days. Hell's Eden will supply the Awakened with as much malice as they could ever need. So use it as lavishly as you desire."

"The Awakened and I thank you, my lord," Juno expressed in gratitude.

"{Portal}."

I opened a subspace doorway for Juno. She glanced and waved goodbye to Juno before she entered. Once she left the oppressive feeling disappeared. Feeling it like this, I could safely link the Death resonance of a person to the malice they contain.

If so, then I should get myself and my girls cleansed. But wouldn't our Death Resonance grow weaker if that was the case? Malice drove us insane, but it was also something we used in our day to day.

"Bastard. I give up."

"Huh?"

"I give up trying to make sense of your shit. As if being able to reuse Sacreds is not enough, now you got the Awakened. I didn't even think it was possible. We finally can even the playing field with the chinks."

"The chinks? What does the Chinese have to do with this?"

"Look bastard. You are not the first one to find out that the Reborn in Hellsgate can absorb malice. There were people who figure that out way earlier. I didn't know the specifics, but they found a way to coexist with those monsters much like you do.

"But not everyone can do that. The first one to do so where the Asians. And for the longest time, I thought it was impossible for anyone else. And now you suddenly pull all this out of your ass. Li Wu Di is going to blow a gasket."

Zach began saying stuff, I couldn't follow. I held up my hand and asked him to slow down. Somehow, I believed this was information that was important.

"Wait, back up. Say that again."

"The four symbols. The Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Warrior and the White Tiger."

I understood what Zach was saying but I belatedly notice that he wasn't speaking English. But the names he listed were somehow familiar. Those four were names you often see in anime and manga.

'Exa, was Zach…'

[He was speaking Chinese. The Sì xiàng, or the Four Symbols. They are mythological creatures appearing among the Chinese constellations along the ecliptic and viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions.]

[They are quite well known in Asian literature. The four symbols have versions in China, Korean, Japan and Vietnam. While there are difference the root legend is the same. These four beasts guard a direction at the behest of the Yellow Emperor.]

'Well shit. Their names in Japanese are Suzaku, Genbu, Byakko and Seiryu aren't they?

[Yes, my lord. That is the case.]

"Fuck. You mean to tell me those four are Awakened?"

"Not just them. Every religion, every tale and every myth. There are always beasts in with the gods. Odin and his ravens, Huginn and Muninn. Ra and his falcon Horus. Shiva and his bull Nandi. Even Zeus had an eagle named Aetos," Zack elaborated.

"…"

Well fuck. Just when I thought I was special. Turns out I was just learning something everyone else already knew.

"Still. While they exist all over the only ones who ever managed to have working relationship with them are Asia. They wouldn't share how they did so. Many tried to copy them, but they were fakes. It was either Shifters, Champions of a Summoner or Astrals."

Funnily enough, Zach began using terms about the classes just after I learned of them. If I didn't have that impromptu lesson with Carlos, I would be scratching my head once again.

"Anyway. This is a huge deal boy. If you got Reborn to work with us. We can get our Assault teams cleansed, and we can even get David…"

"I would have to stop your there Zach."

Puzzled as I cut him off mid-sentence, the Specter had a what the fuck face as he sneered.

"What? What's the issue?"

"Get it through your head Zach, there is no we. There is you. And there is me."

"What? But you…"

"Shut it. Do not forget it was you bastard who abruptly cut ties. You abandoned me to both the undead and the South Americans. Do not suddenly think we are buddies just because my forces and I didn't die."

"But didn't you say that you will ally yourself with North America? I was there, you definitely…"

"Again. Shut the fuck up Zach. I said I would help North America defend against the undead. That was it. Everything else is up to me. Those were the terms David, and I discussed and signed on."

Zach made an exaggerated sigh before messing up his hair.

"This selfish fuck…you do know I can just go directly to Juno, right?"

"Sure you can. But whether she helps you or not is not up to you, is it?"

"Are you really doing this you bastard? You are putting the lives on millions all for your petty whims?" he said in anger.

However far from cowering I got in his face as I growled in a ferocious voice.

"We are not friends, Lynch. You threw an army of rogues at me. Abandoned me to the Saviors. And even used me to take down an Archdemon. Everything I owed North America, I already paid!"

Zach eventually took a step back and murmured as he pulled out as cigarette.

"Arrogant fuck! You get worse each time I see you," the Specter took a few huffs to calm down. After about a minute he asked in defeat.

"So, what the fuck do you want?"

At his question, I made a huge smile. A lesson I learned from Bella, was to make sure you held the upper hand in the negotiations. Zach needed the Awakened. And I needed the might of the USA economy and military.

If I came for him first and offered the Awakened, it would be him with the upper hand not the other way around.

"Now, we are talking," I commented brightly.