The Oracle Paths

A chilling silence fell in the wake of the forced closure of the spatial rift, with Cekt gawking at his disciple in a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

It was a formidable True Will Move, of a kind that could snuff out even an average Oracle Overseer if they chose not to defend. Such absolute telekinetic force, with the capacity to collapse space itself, simply could not be countered by mere physical robustness.

The Wendok had never been feared for his physical prowess, so he knew in his soul's marrow that he would not survive such a space-collapsing attack if he did not resist.

Saros wore an even graver countenance, if that were possible, his self-assurance primarily rooted in his tough musculature.

"That is a terrifying technique you've unleashed," Cekt commented casually. "Your high Spirit Body level reflects your mental strength, but I'm genuinely impressed by the quantity of Soul power you've managed to harness in a single move. If crushing objects from afar is not your overwhelming obsession to the point of awakening a Soul Class, I deduce that your Soul Strength must be extraordinary. Given your youth... I assume it's due to your intelligence and the vast amount of information your soul has absorbed over the past year."

The small green alien had glimpsed Jake's status before their botched expedition, so despite his deductive tone, he merely restated established facts.

Jake, of course, had no intention of contradicting him. His Soul Strength had indeed grown considerably over the past year from accumulating all sorts of memories and knowledge, but the fraction of Soul Power he employed in this Grabbing Move was not as insignificant as his master seemed to think.

Understanding the importance of possessing one or two ultimate techniques that could turn the tide when all else failed, Jake had practiced this technique daily since developing it to cultivate the corresponding True Will. He might not have reached the point of obsessively thinking about crushing distant objects, but he would be lying if he said he didn't ponder it at least a few hundred times each day.

This was akin to the kind of impulses a person on a very restrictive diet must resist when their favorite dish is placed before them. The difference was that his mental faculties were currently so heightened compared to an average human that it was far easier for him to detach himself from them despite their amplified intensity.

However, rather than feeling gratified by his master's praise, Jake was preoccupied with something else.

"Is it normal that the Nexus isn't resisting at all?" He asked, genuine bewilderment adorning his features. "As soon as the spatial rift closed, it started playing dead again. I can't even feel its fluctuations."

Cekt ceased to stare at him as if he were a fascinating specimen upon hearing his question, a proud smile spreading across his wrinkled face.

"Hehe, that's quite normal. It might not show, but its mind has been severely injured courtesy of me for having me held captive against my will for several hours..."

Rigel's expression drastically shifted as he recalled the moment when the Dungeon Digestor's consciousness had abruptly retreated. He had thought it was to prepare for their urgent extraction from the Magnetic Resonator, but it seemed that it was actually because its mind had been damaged and forced to beat a hasty retreat.

Jake and Saros were equally stunned by the news, the Oracle Guardian especially being profoundly shaken. Was the gap between a Rank 3 Aetherist and himself truly so wide?

Nevertheless, the astonishment and admiration on Jake's face soon faded, rapidly replaced by a spark of avidity, his covetous gaze locked on the large gem placidly levitating.

Cekt chuckled knowingly at his disciple's thinly veiled desire, preferring honesty to pretense. Amused by his reaction, the gremlin gestured generously and said,

"You can have it. I didn't know how to reward you if you passed my test, and oh well... Despite a few unforeseen events, it seems like you're the only one who has."

Jake's desire-filled eyes lit up at his master's approval, but before he could grab his due, Cekt tempered his enthusiasm with a tease,

"But not now. I fear we'll need its help soon to repair the damage, although, unfortunately, it won't be enough to turn the tide..."

Jake and Saros' eyes narrowed at his last remark, while the two Brain-Eaters barely suppressed their laughter, purely relishing their predicament. Yet, a frosty glance from their master was enough to freeze their smiles into ugly grimaces.

"Is it because of the trap we fell into?" Jake asked gravely to confirm his worries.

Cekt looked at him suddenly with new eyes, as if truly seeing him for the first time.

"So you did understand the kind of trap we fell into," the alien sighed before showing a weary, tired smile. "So, you know the implications it holds for us, don't you? I must say, you're handling the news better than I'd have expected."

Jake's face fell despite his master's mild compliment, having finally received the official confirmation he dreaded.

It appeared that Xi had not been mistaken, but it was far from a comforting revelation.

Both he and she would have rather been completely wrong.

"We'll discuss this later," Cekt declared, cutting off any questions before they had a chance to form. "First, we have more pressing matters at hand, like healing our companions. I'm infected, remember."

Jake swallowed his impending inquiries upon hearing his master but nonetheless asked a question he deemed vital.

"What about the Seraphim Digestor? Should we be expecting him to return soon with reinforcements?"

It was a legitimate concern, but, thankfully, Cekt had no additional bad news to dispense.

"The notion of zero risk is a myth, but it's highly unlikely," Cekt replied after a moment of contemplation. "Seraphim Digestors are a handful to deal with, but they rarely act of their own accord. They strictly follow orders from above, and if I've read their plan correctly and they stick to their usual routine, after his failure, he would have immediately moved on to his next destination."

The Wendok cast a curious glance at his disciple to gauge his reaction, a smirk creeping onto his lined face as he noted the skeptical furrow in Jake's brow.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"I didn't say that," Jake responded, shaking his head. "I just find it hard to comprehend why he would abandon a valuable Dungeon Digestor and an Aether-generating base like this just due to an unexpected setback. It's not like we completely defeated him. I mean no disrespect, Master, but it didn't feel like this Seraphim was any weaker than you... We were just better prepared. If I had the same power as that creature, I would have stealthily returned to another point in the Magnetic Resonator after I had left. Then I would have patiently planned my perfect ambush. That's if acting alone. If he can call for reinforcements, then his chances of success are practically guaranteed."

The smile on Cekt's face didn't fade as he listened to his disciple's argument. On the contrary, it broadened even further into one of wholehearted agreement.

"And you're absolutely right... if it were an Evolver like you or me," his master cryptically added. "I realize you know very little about the Digestors apart from what the Oracle deems fit to share based on your Rank. We'll need to address these gaps in your knowledge when we return. In short, you can sleep easy. Unless we're cursed with insane misfortune and have stumbled upon a vengeful lunatic, he won't return. Digestors don't think in terms of material loss as we do, but in terms of objectives and instincts. It saddens me to say this, but I fear their mission's objective has largely been achieved... Right, Rigel?"

The Gorgonite, who hadn't expected to be directly addressed, stiffly nodded before freezing in terror. Was the hour of his reckoning at hand? The icy stare of the gremlin, contradicting his nonchalant smile, was enough to convince him... The gremlin's subsequent words sounded the death knell.

"Give me a good reason not to annihilate your soul right here, right now," Cekt ordered, his voice chillingly sinister, his murderous intent looming like a tangible cloud.

Feeling his life was more on the line than ever, the Gorgonite fell to his knees without hesitation, pressing his face against the ground as he hastened to swear through his tears,

"I-I'll cooperate! Just...just don't kill me."