The Oracle Paths

Having received the answers to his questions, the Jakam named Bhomuro headed off quietly toward the Divine Academy, joining his leader and his other comrade who had preceded them. The rest of Demiurges passed through the front gate shortly thereafter.

When things settled down, Will turned to Jake and joked, "What was that technique? That guy looked so strong and he could only die helplessly without you moving a finger."

Given the inquisitive looks of the other Myrtharian Nerds, Wyatt, Carmin and Ashun, he wasn't the only one dying to know the answer. Alas, Jake was bound to disappoint them.

Because he didn't know either. He was beginning to realize how crippled and blind one felt when one no longer had an Oracle Device to assess and track one's own progress and changes.

'Xi, we need to fix this problem asap.' Jake telepathically reminded his Oracle AI.

'Don't worry.' She reassured him gently. 'Earlier, when you spread your mental sense, the psychic wave that was released performed like an Oracle Scan. You digested your bracelet and all the alloy liquid inside, but its functions did not just vanish. What I'm about to tell you may sound like nonsense, but I think you have become your own Oracle Device. Or at least you have the knowledge of this technology somewhere inside you.'

Jake immediately thought of the genetic and Aetheric database in his mind. Focusing his mental sense on his fingertip, he tried to exert influence on his former Gold Stone Skin Skill and managed after several lonely seconds of effort to produce a droplet of liquid alloy.

He felt slightly nauseous after this accomplishment, but his cells quickly resonated, drawing in an astronomical amount of Aether from an undefined source. His nausea subsided within seconds, but the drop of liquid alloy was still there.

"Ooohh... You're getting more and more fascinating." Ashun clapped as she covetously eyed the droplet of metal. Despite her exuberance, the glint in her pretty ocean-blue eyes hid unspeakable wonder.

"Is that what I think it is?" Wyatt asked more circumspectly.

"It is." Jake confirmed calmly, his gaze still fixated on the drop he had just oozed from his fingertip. Not offering any explanation, he reabsorbed it back into his body.

'Here's another source of income for me and my faction,' he thought inwardly.

For Jake, this ability was unexpected but it was in the end a mere extension of his Gold Stone Skin whose possibilities had only grown richer during the Ordeal. He was not overly impressed. But for Ashun and Deimos, who had secretly witnessed the scene, it was even more shocking than finding a Digestor willing to help people.

In fact, Deimos even considered ending his Ordeal prematurely to inform Ael and Felphi. This Jake had become so ridiculously powerful in such a short time that he was hardly recognizable. Liquid alloy...

To normal Players and Evolvers it was a precious metal like any other, but those who knew how it was made knew that there were many secrets involved in its development. If it were so easy to replicate, all the superfactions would have long since found a way to mass produce it.

It was only after repeating to himself that time passed much more slowly on the outside that he convinced himself that staying here for a few more months would make no difference. Jake wouldn't just vanish into thin air either.

The other person who stood still and silent with all sorts of complicated thoughts running through her mind was Ryne, the woman with the outrageous adaptive powers who had fought with them. Having been one of her Second Ordeal victors herself, she at least knew the crucial ingredient that went into the formulation of the liquid alloy: the crystallized Spirit Body of powerful deceased Evolvers.

And that was only one of the key ingredients. She knew for a fact that there were at least two more.

'Should I ask to join his faction?' She had vowed never to join another faction, but she was beginning to doubt her past resolutions.

Ultimately, she shook her head to quash the temptation and sullenly frowned. 'No. I don't want to be tied down anymore. However, I must remain on good terms with them in case I am required to collaborate with them in a future Ordeal.'

Having made her decision, she returned to her normal demeanor after that and socialized in a relaxed manner with the Myrtharian Nerds engaging in conversation with her.

Now that Demiurges were gone, Jake scanned the Celestial City with his mental sense and frowned when he found no trace of Psykow and the other Anti-Life Players. It wasn't until he explored his immediate surroundings that he discovered Neri hadn't left.

"Psykow has left the Ordeal? Why are you still here?" Prysm questioned in a voice so chilling that one could almost smell how much she wanted to gut her.

Neri rolled her eyes and looked away without hiding any of her deep contempt for the flower woman. "I don't talk with losers."

"Answer the question." Jake ordered without raising his voice, but to those present it was as if an immortal emperor had just given an order straight to one of his subjects. His overbearing aura was so suffocating that they could only obey.

The black hole woman was evidently not fond of this humiliating impulse awakening in her a devious feeling of insecurity and inferiority that she was not familiar with. Subconsciously, she crushed the antimatter bug she had been rolling around between her two fingers in a mechanical way.

B-----

No explosion ensued. Like a damp squib, the tremendous energy that should have been released by the explosion was sucked into Jake's mouth with a single inhale, as if it were a high-powered vacuum cleaner. More disturbing, even the shockwave had been neutralized.

The sheer amount of radiation and heat temporarily illuminated his insides, then nothing. Neri was tempted to call up another insect and try again, but one listless look from Jake dissuaded her.

"All right, you're scary. I'll give you that." She spread her arms in defeat. Changing the subject, she uttered, "I'll also be staying at the Divine Academy for a year. Although I am part of Anti-Life, I have my own goals. Don't lump me in with Psykow and the others. See you later."

As she walked away, she waved her hand at them without looking back and blurted out to Prysm, " Of course, if you want to get revenge or blow off steam you are free to visit me. I'll crush you anytime."

The flower woman clenched her fists in rage but in the end swallowed back her lust for revenge. This black hole woman was indeed unfathomable. At no time during their confrontation had Mirror Vanguard succeeded in putting her in real difficulty. Even Vexa had to admit that in a fair duel he couldn't necessarily guarantee victory.

With Neri, Ashun and Prysm gone, the Myrtharian Nerds gathered excitedly around Jake.

"Boss, you were so badass just now." Aurum enthused with stars in his eyes. "I'm getting more and more confident in your ability to pay me back."

Jake's lips twitched.

"Yeah, and I can tell your head is still screwed on straight, as well." He tsked equivocally.

" Always."

"Did something happen after we entered our buildings?" Will asked more seriously. Jake's power-up was a good thing for them, but wasn't the change a little too radical?

"Something did happen." Jake admitted honestly. "However, I don't know yet if it's a good or bad thing. Time will tell."

"Very well. I trust you no matter what." The merchant coolly exclaimed.

"Me too." Lucia smiled. "Whatever happens, Gerulf and I will always be on your side. Right, Gerulf?"

Being called out, the Kintharian scratched his head uneasily and grumbled, "Gerulf always on your side. But I'm sad. I'm too weak to be your mentor. The days when I was the champion of Heliodas and you were a probationary gladiator in Cassius' ludus seem long gone."

"Sorry, not sorry." Jake smirked. "I don't regret those days. Back then, I was just an insignificant human who survived thanks to all sorts of miracles, including your and Lucia's protection."

Hephais, Enya and the others were stunned by this anecdote. They knew that Lucia, Gerulf and him had met during his first Ordeal but they didn't know all the details although the topic had been discussed several times in the past.

"True..." Lucia sighed, her face clouding with sadness. "If you were as powerful then as you are now, my sister and Cassius would probably still be alive."

"Nothing is less certain." Will firmly disagreed with her. "Don't forget who's pulling the strings. Myrmid was clearly an amazing Evolver, but he was reduced to food supplies for a bunch of Digestor Brain-Eaters. If today's Jake had stepped in, maybe he would have been targeted too."

There was a sudden silence.

"Speaking of Digestors, I still have to check on the status of one of them." Jake announced grimly.

It was time to check on Ruby's other half.