Lord Shadow



'We have a deal, Raymond. Do you still agree with that deal?' for a moment there is an oppressing silence in the room

'I promise you before. I am not a man that would break my promise' Azief eyes narrowed. 

'It is hard to simply believe your promise. I know of your reputation'

'Then you know I am telling the truth'

Azief shakes his head

'The stake is too high now. I could not afford any failure.' He paused for a second before saying

'I do not want to delay myself again. If I trust you now, and you betray me, I would have to spend  a lot of time. It would be like raising a tiger to kill myself'

Hirate was about to say something but Raymond stop him with his eyes. He sighed and then said

'I am speaking honestly. But you can't believe me. Then what do you suggest we do right now?'

'Swear it. Swear it under the Heavenly Will'

Raymond eyes narrowed and the atmosphere in the room seems to crackle. The tension only lasted a few second and then he chuckles. 

'It seems you have found a method to use the Heavenly Will' Azief did not even bother to reply.

  The silence did not last long, Raymond sighed and swear to honour the deal

Above the heavens, the entire Heavenly Way shakes. But no one could feel this other than Azief and Raymond. 

Azief hearing the promise acknowledged by the Heavenly Will could feel that the Heavenly Will become even more complete. 

However, it becoming more complete did not mean that it was good for him. 

But unlike before, he did not try to stop it.

'A month. I will give you a month. After that, meet me. I will send you a message. At that time, come' Raymond nodded

He and Hirate had made a deal with Death Monarch. They made the deal knowing fully that he had to pay

So, he simply nodded in agreement. It would be stupid of him to try to back out of this deal at this point of time

Azief waves his hand and space behind him tear itself apart. 

Coming out from the space is a wooden case. A three feet wooden case.

The wooden case floated in the air and Raymond, Hirate and Hikigaya could all see that the wooden case is carved with all kinds of runes and other methods of sealing.

  there is matrixes of sealing carved and the scent of the wooden box seems to emanate a scent that seems to affect the space where the scent flows. 

The wooden box, like anything that Death Monarch possess is magical

The wood case slowly floats toward the table and when it is on top of the table, it slowly floated down and then it landed on the table gently.

Azief look at the wooden case with a  complicated expression. Hikigaya also look interested.

'It's in there?' Azief nodded. 

'Open it' Azief said to Raymond and Raymond did not need to be told twice. 

He opens the wooden case. 

The moment Azief spoke the word open, everyone could tell that the sealing formation of the case was dispelled.

Raymond open the top of the case and inside the case is a three feet long trident.

Even though the trident is just lying there, Raymond could feel its energy radiating out. Like a sea wave that keeps rolling to the shore. 

Raymond look at the trident and for a moment, it was like he was entranced. 

'Take it and try to hold it' Raymond was broken out of his contemplation and his face becomes a bit weird. 

It is because the words that Azief had said that made him feel like there is something wrong

'What happened?' he ask

Azief did not mean to hide anything so he tell the truth

'I try to hold it. What happens was there is a rebounding effect. I could still hold it if I wanted to'

'But I could not mobilize its power and it keeps rejecting me. If not for my realm, the trident would jump out and flew out from my hands'

He paused for a second and then said 

'To guard against any unexpected accident, I sealed the trident inside the wooden case. It did not reject Kaiju. I wanted to see whether it would reject you or will it accept you'

Raymond look at the trident.

And he was thinking about the past. 

He had hold it for a moment when he was clashing with Kaiju in that island filled with winds and storms. 

At that time, the trident did not reject him. Even Sofia had the chance to hold that trident. And the trident also did not reject her.

Raymond look at Death Monarch. Azief notice the stare but he did not seem to mind. In Raymond mind right now, there is a question

Sofia could hold it. He could hold it. Kaiju could also hold it. Why not him?

However, he decided not to think too much about this. It is better that the trident rejected him. 

Whatever the reason was, it is good for him. Raymond hold the trident and for a second he waited if there is any reaction from the trident

But nothing happened and he smiles.  He pulls the trident out from the case and the moment he brought it out, the size and length of the trident changes

Now, it is seven feet tall with Raymond standing around 6'6. Raymond could tell that if he wanted to, he could make it longer and bigger.

But because his control over the trident is non-existent, the changing of size of the trident has some limitations. 

And he could feel two foreign energy coursing through the trident. One of them is divine in nature.

A pure divine energy that pulsate with indescribable power. Just by being in contact with this energy, Raymond felt like his connection with the laws of the world deepens

This divine energy must be the energy of Poseidon. 

The Poseidon of Olympus. 

Raymond had brush up some knowledge about the true origin of this trident when he found out that this trident is the true trident of Poseidon

In his study he had learned extensively about Olympus. Not the one in the Greek myths but the one that is real in this Universe. 

After all, other than Pandemonium, World Government is one of the most active world powers in breaching to other worlds and dimension and of course they know a little bit about the elusive Intergalactic United Alliance 

But Raymond himself had never seen Olympus or any of the major power of the Universe. 

What he knows….is that the myths about Olympians is not all…..make believe and stories. Some of them are very real. 

As for the other foreign energies, it is also divine in nature but it is different. There is a trace of faint weakness. Yes, weakness 

That is the one thing he could describe about the other energy that he felt. That probably belong to Kaiju. Fortunately, Kaiju did not refine the trident full power. If not, probably there is no one in this world that could restrain him. 

After all, the trident in his hand is not some replica, or a copy of some divine weapons but a true trident of Poseidon. 

If the myths is to be believed, Cyclops created the trident. 

And from what he understood, Cyclops in the Universe are a very unique breed of beings that could forge all kinds of magical weapons using all kinds of things, tangible and intangible. 

'How do you feel?' Azief question echoes in this large room

Raymond was startled for a second. He finally remembered he is still in the room. He smiles and nodded

'It did not reject me' Azief hearing this look at the trident. His eyes seems to glow with blue light and then the glow dissipated. 

'Interesting' he paused for a second, a smirk on the corner of his mouth and he added

'Very interesting'

Azief click his finger and the space around him tear itself apart. 

Like a small opening suddenly was torn apart from space itself, creating somewhat a void-like space

And then the lid of the wooden case suddenly jump into the air and nailed itself onto the wooden case

Then the wooden case, just like the way it came, floated up and then enter back into the void of space. 

And then the void space closes itself

Azief look at Hirate 

'I have fulfilled my deal. I expect you to fulfil yours. Now, go'

Hirate scoffed. He is not used to being at the beck and call of someone else. As the President of the World Government, he is the one that summon and dismiss people.

Now, that it is being done to him, the feeling is not good

But he did not go. Death Monarch tell him to go and he goes? That doesn't sound like him. And Hirate has a question he wanted to ask him. 

Does he really not care? Or does he not know? This question swirls in Hirate mind. 

'You ask me here just to become a witness?'

Azief look at Hirate and another silence descended in the room 

'I admit that when I called you I have some questions. But when I think about it, some of the question I wanted to ask you would come to my table in the end'

'Some of the question?' Hirate smiles. 

He could guess what that question would pertain., the question that Death Monarch have, the answer which would lay onto his table must be the kind of question that Sasha could answer

That question is probably the question about the war.

'What about the question that would not come onto the table? You said some of the question. I presume that there are some questions that you did not ask me. A question you knew where the answer would not come on your table'

Azief sighed 

'I summon you here hoping that you know something about what happen with Paulette'

The room become silent. 

Raymond did not say anything because he himself does not know what Death Monarch knows. And he doesn't know what Hirate knows. 

He was busy fighting during the war. 

And Hirate….he is used to the way he shielded secrets for him and from him. 

'Why didn't you ask?'

'I thought you would tell me if you know?'

Another silence in the room

Hirate face turns sour.

Azief look at him lazily 

'Do you have anything to say?'

Another silence. Hikigaya sitting on his chair only watched this matter with a smile. He did not have any intention to stand up for Hirate. 

When has he ever seen Hirate being so flustered or so worked up? 

'What do you know?' Hirate suddenly ask. 

'Maybe….as much as you know'

'You don't want to talk about it?' 

The silence this time is longer. Raymond already got what he wants but he also wanted to know what Hirate and Death Monarch is talking about

Since Death Monarch did not say anything, he stays here. 

Azief close his eyes for a second and then opening it back he ask

'Is Loki there at that time?'

And Hirate chuckles. 

A smile formed on his face

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