Chapter 2762 Death of Vai <TOC> Chapter 2764 Secret of Possession
Translator: SumTLMan
Vai’s sorrowful emotions were not staged, Angel could clearly feel the grief and despair in his heart.
He truly felt that he might be completely ending here.
However, worth mentioning is that although Vai was cursing Daus foully in his final moments, what he had more of in his heart was reluctance, he did not truly blame Daus. The muttered curses at his mouth, for Vai, were just another way of saying farewell.
Perhaps in Vai’s view, this flamboyant farewell…… or rather a parting forever, would look more performative, and seem not so sad.
Vai’s emotions let Angel know that something might really be about to happen next「things」.
And these 「things」, judging from the details, ought to be the secrets of the Noah family.
Since they are secrets, should we avoid them for a bit? Angel hesitated somewhat.
He turned his head wanting to ask Daus’ opinion, but saw Daus silently watching Vai. His expression was very calm, but Angel perceived Daus’ inner bewilderment.
It seemed that Daus had not yet reacted to what exactly had happened.
This bewilderment did not last long, when he realized what was about to happen, that tranquil heart-lake began to ripple.
One ring, and another ring.
Each ring of ripples seemed to carry different emotions. Astonishment, confusion, sorrow, disbelief…… as these emotions spread with the ripples, they kept stacking.
The saddest emotions are not those that surge like a torrent, but this kind of accumulation and superposition little by little, making you clearly feel that sorrow is also an existence one can touch.
That kind of emotion erupting like a volcano is often just catharsis.
Watching Daus’ gradually changing gaze, Angel ultimately did not speak.
Since the Black Count neither had them avoid nor created a fog to block their sight, that could be regarded as tacitly permitting their watching?
Angel silently took a step back, and although he still did not know what exactly the Black Count was going to do, as a spectator, keeping a low profile and staying quiet was the only thing he could do now.
As for Vai’s earlier set of 「last words」, Angel actually reserved judgment.
Vai felt that he was doomed to die, but Angel instead felt that the Black Count would not be so heartless as to watch and not save.
The reason Angel thought this was not because he recognized the Black Count’s 「mercy」, but rather because he made a reasonable judgment combining the external environment and certain details.
Before this, Angel and Daus had actually expressed many times the desire to help Vai win, but the Black Count refused. Even when Vai was in the most critical moment, the Black Count went to stop Daus, saying with his mouth 「only by facing death directly can one break the cocoon and be reborn」, this was in fact already somewhat 「excessive」.
The Black Count perhaps had certain expectations of Vai, but any expectation must be built upon one’s own strength. Facing Mammoth’s masterless organ, this had already exceeded the upper limit of what Vai could handle. Yet even so, the Black Count still was unwilling to take action, and even blocked their assistance, this was even more 「excessive」.
The Black Count might not care about Daus’ thoughts, but he should care about Angel’s thoughts.
This is not Angel being arrogant, but from the emotions he sensed, Angel had long discovered that the Black Count actually cared more about his own thoughts.
This might be because he holds the key to the ruin site, or perhaps because of his personal value.
But in any case, the Black Count values Angel, that is certain.
In such a situation, would he do something leading to Vai’s death before Angel? Even that it was he who hindered Angel and Daus, resulting in Vai’s death?
If Vai truly died because of this, Angel’s view of the Black Count would inevitably drop greatly.
Even if Angel were overconfident and the Black Count did not care that much about his thoughts, would he care about the thoughts of the Sovereign of Wisdom? Or care about that hidden one?
Tripping his own descendant in front of these big figures, does he truly have the qualification to enter the ruin site?
The above is Angel’s own speculation; as to whether it is correct, he cannot guarantee. But at least from beginning to end, Angel never sensed malice from the Black Count toward Vai.
The Black Count felt more that he was angry at his not striving, indignant at his degradation, pitying his hindrance, sighing that he could not see through. This is the typical attitude of an elder toward a junior; even now, the Black Count’s attitude has not changed.
With such an attitude, Angel did not believe the Black Count would watch with eyes wide open as Vai went to his death.
As Angel was thinking this, the Black Count began slowly separating from what was binding himself…… the stone slab.
With a clang, the stone slab fell to the ground, issuing a crisp sound.
The Black Count’s true body, that handsome prominent nose, hovered in midair, and then slowly flew toward Vai.
There was fear and resistance in Vai’s eyes, but no matter how he resisted, the Black Count’s true body still fell onto Vai…… to be precise, fell upon Vai’s face.
Vai’s face had almost been blasted to pieces by the Death Light released by the Eye of Arcana, not a single part of skin was intact, and his features were a ruin where ruined, shifted where shifted.
Among them, Vai’s nose was the most severely damaged, almost gone from the root, leaving only a black hollow, within which one could faintly see red and white.
And the Black Count happened to fall upon precisely the position of Vai’s original nose, not too big and not too small, just right, directly filling the vacancy of Vai’s original nose.
With the Black Count’s successful 「landing」, strange changes began to appear in Vai’s body.
The injuries on Vai’s flesh were even more severe than the injuries on his face; previously Daus wanted to heal him and there was no effect at all; but now, the injuries on Vai’s body miraculously began to recover.
Severed blood vessels were reconnected, shattered bones were being mended, muscles were reforged, and the damaged organs were even renewing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The most directly visible among them was the recovery of the skin.
In just a minute, Vai’s nearly ulcerated skin returned to normal.
Moreover, it was even fairer and smoother than before.
It can be said that now Vai was simply as if time had reversed, completely restored to the past.
Only, whether Angel or Daus, and even Kael, could detect a slight difference on Vai. It was a change in temperament.
Even though Vai had not yet opened his eyes, the aura on his body had already taken the lead to overpower.
「This kind of aura does not belong to him. 」Daus whispered softly.
Angel could also see that this kind of aura had never appeared on Vai. Vai’s past aura……could almost be said to be none. But now, Vai’s aura carried a distinct keen-edged sharpness, like a broken blunt sword that in the blink of an eye became a shining sharp blade.
Daus raised his head and looked blankly toward Angel：「Has he…… truly vanished? 」
Angel understood what Daus meant.
So-called vanishing did not refer to the disappearance of the body, but the disappearance of soul and consciousness.
Combining Vai’s earlier words, and then looking at Vai’s obviously altered aura now, Daus clearly believed that Vai was no longer Vai, but…… the Black Count.
The Black Count’s nose had found its 「belonging」, and likewise, his consciousness had occupied the high ground of Vai.
In Daus’ view, what they were facing now was the Black Count, not his closest friend.
At the very moment Daus’ words fell, Vai, who was lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
In the past, Vai’s gaze had no killing power, but at this moment, Vai’s eyes were bristling with sharp edges, and even Kael could sense that cutting fierceness.
「The gaze is different as well. 」Daus：「Truly…… gone. 」
Daus looked around in a daze, his heart at this time very perplexed. A moment earlier, his dearest friend was still at his side, and in the next moment, he had completely vanished.
And he had not yet had time to say goodbye, not yet had time to grieve, and already he was separated from his closest friend by life and death.
He even did not know what he should do now; even to avenge his dearest friend, he did not know whom to look for.
Look for Mammoth? Mammoth was undoubtedly one of the enemies who killed Vai, but if there were a proportion of hatred, Mammoth should be the smallest among them.
Above Mammoth is Shrew. Because that Eye of Arcana was what Shrew gave to Mammoth.
And above Shrew, Daus felt it was himself; he clearly could have stopped it, but he did nothing……
As for above him, the one who truly pushed Vai to the abyss of death and even occupied Vai’s body, that was the Black Count.
Looking at it overall, the target Daus could avenge himself upon seemed to be only Mammoth. Because at the side of Shrew there was the Gray Merchant, and the Black Count was not someone he could deal with; so calculated thus, Mammoth was the easiest to bully.
Yet the portion of Mammoth’s share in hatred was the lowest, and all his actions in the duel did not violate the rules. If one were to say that out-of-bounds methods were excessive, didn’t Kael also use them on our side?
Therefore, Daus was very confused now; what should he do now? Avenge? Or hold his head and have a big cry?
Or else, act as if nothing had happened and laugh this matter off?
While Daus was at a loss, 「Vai」had already stood up, moved his body a bit, shook his limbs, tilted his neck, as if adapting to this new body.
Daus also saw this scene; for some reason, he seemed to see from these movements the Vai of the past.
But when he looked at Vai’s eyes, he shook his head again…… this gaze did not belong to Vai.
「Are you…… Vai? 」Although he had no expectations, Daus still asked out loud.
Vai stopped moving, turned his head and looked at Daus. His eyes were deep like a dark abyss, the corner of his mouth sipping a trace of a mocking smile, and he said faintly：「What do you think? 」
This unfamiliar tone once again made Daus feel bewildered.
Only after a long while did Daus lower his head and say in a voice almost inaudible：「Lord…… Black Count. 」
「Hm? Something the matter? 」
Daus lowered his head, closed his eyes and said：「Nothing. 」
After the words, Daus did not open his eyes; instead he continued to keep them closed, regulating his breathing and calming his complicated feelings.
After a moment, Daus suddenly felt that the atmosphere around him was a bit off, seeming too quiet.
Daus opened his eyes in doubt, raised his head and looked, only to see the 「Black Count」turning his back, gazing at the void, as if pondering something.
Angel at the side was frowning in thought, and Kael beside him wore a look of shock on his face, as if he had seen some scene that astonished him.
As Daus was wondering, the Black Count’s voice sounded：「How much longer are you going to play? 」
Daus：「? ? ? 」
A few seconds later, a familiar voice reached Daus’ ear：「It’s just rare for me to see him like this……」
When Daus heard this voice, he suddenly widened his eyes and looked at the figure before him with his back turned.
Perhaps feeling Daus’ gaze, he turned around; only to see the 「Black Count」with an expression of dislike：「We’ve at least known each other for decades, and you actually can’t recognize me. Even Lord Super Dimensional told us apart!」
That familiar expression, familiar tone, and even those little facial movements, Daus knew them too well.
This was simply
「Vai?!」
……
Angel had actually suspected from the very beginning that the Black Count would not be truly so cruel to Vai, but there was no definite evidence.
Not until after Vai’s body recovered did Angel gradually confirm his own idea.
This was still Vai…… or rather, Vai had not had his consciousness obliterated as imagined. Vai’s consciousness still existed within this body, whereas regarding the Black Count’s consciousness, there was at that time not yet a sure answer.
As for how Angel confirmed it? Actually very simple, Vai’s aura was off.
Indeed, in the past Vai basically had no aura; but likewise, the Black Count would not deliberately emanate aura.
Even if the Black Count actively released aura, it would be the strong aura of thunder with lightning and majesty with suppression. Such a strong aura is consummately perfect in all respects when achieving the objective is the foremost task.
But previously, when Vai recovered, the aura he actively released had nothing but sharpness.
Would the Black Count actively release an aura full of sharpness?
Does the Black Count still need to rely on sharpness to prove himself?
The Black Count long ago passed the stage of expressing spirit with mere edge.
Excluding that it was done by the Black Count, only one answer remained, that it was done by Vai himself.
Then had the Black Count’s consciousness fused with Vai’s?
This question was answered after Vai awoke.
When Daus asked 「Are you Vai?」the answer Vai gave was 「What do you think」. This sentence was actually spoken by Vai himself; that deliberate mocking tone could not be more obvious.
That Daus did not notice was purely being blinded by a single leaf.
And thereafter, when Daus thought 「Vai is no longer Vai」and addressed the other as 「Lord Black Count」, it was the Black Count who answered him then.
Only, at that time Daus had his head lowered adjusting his mindset and did not notice at all that Vai himself had not even opened his mouth; the source of the voice came from Vai’s nose.
Kael’s shocked expression was also because he had fully seen this scene.
Angel therefore judged that Vai’s consciousness and the Black Count’s consciousness were in fact still separate.
The reason Angel was still frowning then was because some doubts had not yet been unravelled.
Why did Vai at the beginning feel that he would surely die?
And why did the Black Count want to combine his avatar with Vai?
If the Black Count did this to his own benefit, then he must have had many opportunities to do it before. Why did he choose to combine only now?
Chapter 2762 Death of Vai <TOC> Chapter 2764 Secret of Possession