Aaron did not speak as he stared out over the vast open waves that crashed against the rocky cliffs near the Church of True Earth.
Since he was a couple of hundred meters above sea level, he could peacefully watch as serpents of indistinguishable size tore through the orange-sparkled waters.
His head still throbbed from the repeated encounters with the two commanders, their sheer presence detrimental to the boy's health.
After their conversation, he had left to bring Father Braun to comfort the grief-stricken woman, who had continued to cry until her eyes turned perturbingly red and her voice grew hoarse.
Both Solister and Irvin had told Aaron that they would bring him back to the city the next day, granting them enough time to oversee Alicia's treatment.
Pursing his lips slightly, he shook off the memories of the sobbing woman and reached inside his consciousness, Penelope's voice flowing through his mind like a stream.
『You aren't strong enough to face a halfbreed, let alone a devil. Allow those divine fools who wield their Ghostships to do the hard work while you grow stronger in the shadows.』
Her words made sense to the blond boy, who watched as the cloudy sky opened to drop its tears upon the sea.
『Right now, you should be focused on saving that half-dead girl instead of some pointless revenge. You and I both know that there are other forces far beyond even the Sea Kings at work in the background, and you wouldn't stand a chance.』
Penelope's words trailed off, a spike in Aaron's emotions making her quiet down and listen instead.
"This isn't just revenge, Penelope. Do you know what the death toll of Sea Fallen is right now?"
He paused, and the woman hesitated before responding.
『Ninety-five thousand and counting…』
There was a heavy silence for a moment before the blond boy spoke again, his eyes glued to the waves below.
"I read somewhere that the majority of upper sectors were crushed during the destruction of the Great Sea Wall. Somewhere between a quarter and a half of the deaths are from there…"
Sighing hard, he stepped back from the edge, turning his gaze towards the high-topped peaks behind him.
"It's my fault, you know. If I hadn't interfered with Adam in that mausoleum, then the Dream Particles would never have spread. I heard that it resulted in nearly fifty thousand casualties on its own…"
Raising his hand close to his face, he stared at it lifelessly, the memories of that day still fresh in his mind.
Then, in one swift motion, he slapped himself across the face, the force leaving a red mark on his cheek.
Penelope immediately scolded him internally; however, Aaron only scoffed, a small smile making its way across his face.
"If I can kill the 'Sovereign of Chains', then don't you think I would've redeemed myself? I owe this to those who died that day to at least try to avenge them, even if it costs me my life."
He placed his left hand onto his right index finger, tapping the gilded sapphire gently to summon its spirit.
Through a rush of turquoise sparks, a small crab appeared ahead of him, its beady eyes staring at him warily.
"Even if I don't know why I was chosen to wield this Ghostship and to command this power, I have a duty to help the people who have suffered."
Slowly heading back towards the Church of True Earth, he spoke one last time, while Penelope remained silent, listening intently.
"I've wasted enough time acting like a child just because I've lost my memories. There are real consequences to the choices I make now, and I need to acknowledge that. I'm not the freighter boy from Strava anymore who nearly dies at every minor skirmish."
He gazed upward at the once gray-covered skies, noticing a patch of radiant sunlight breaking through the blockage.
"I'm the one who'll kill Azaroth Pane and avenge those who have died by his hand."
…
Gritting his teeth through the throbbing pain surging through his skull, Aaron addressed the two men before him carefully.
"I'm ready to go now."
Nodding in response, Solister removed an object from a small bag at his hip, a cube-shaped rock with a latch attached to the front.
Engraved into the surface, ancient runes glowed vibrant hues of green while pulsating with mana.
Looking over at Irvin and coming to a silent agreement, he placed the object on the floor, a strong gust of wind blowing through the sealed room.
Then, as the runes began to flicker, the box grew and grew until it was the same size as a person, the once tiny latch now the size of a door handle.
"What is this?"
Aaron's words were cautious and strained as he reached out to touch the nob, his mind trying to decode the runes while fighting to suppress the constant intervention of the deity inside his head.
It's the same as 'gateway'… Cam taught me this one when she was asking about that paper…
The brown-haired woman, as a Marshal in the Hunters' Guild, had extensive knowledge of Sea Kings and their transport through the World Between.
It was a dimensional pocket that existed between each and every dimension, acting as a void equivalent to space.
The truth about its formation was lost to history; however, through research into the small section that humanity could reach, they estimated that its birth dated to the very beginning of the universe.
In the present day, as Aaron placed his hand on the handle, twisting lightly to open the hatch, he heard Irvin's words explain it simply.
"When coordinates are marked in the stone, it allows instantaneous transportation between the specified place and the current one."
Pulling a small slip of paper from his pocket, he threw it lightly into the now-open door that glowed with a radiant white hue.
The space inside the door immediately shifted, a reflection of a certain building appearing in a flash of colorful light.
The dockyard?
Furrowing his brow and looking towards Irvin again, he heard Solister speak in his partner's place.
"Basically, it records the last place it's used and allows you to go back there instantly. Irvin over there has a tendency to make things sound more complicated than they have to be."
Then, without waiting for a response, he leaped forward, vanishing into the gateway before Aaron could ever comprehend what he had said.
Feeling a slight relief to his aching skull, the boy pondered the dangers of entering strange portals; however, in the end, his curiosity overtook him.
I'd rather not take that bridge again.
Nodding to Irvin hastily, he stepped forward, allowing the light to consume his form and transport him to the other side of the island.
Yet, as he entered the gateway, a strange feeling encompassed his body, the mental barrier around his brain cracking a little.
Whispers bombarded his ears, driving him to the verge of madness, while images of destroyed cities and corpses lining streets appeared before him.
The screams of dying civilians and the smell of burnt bodies overwhelmed his senses, making him shrink into himself.
A moment later, the mental barrier around his mind was forcefully restored, silence filling his skull as his physical body collided with sand.
His skin burned, and his metallic leg felt as if it were in pieces, echoes of the scenes he had witnessed still making his head spin.
Looking upward in confusion, he noticed Solister's worried gaze, Irvin's own surprise evident on his face as he came through the portal.
"You alright?"
Irvin reached out his hand to help him up, and Aaron took it gladly, ignoring the searing pain that came along with it.
Standing up slowly and wiping the sand off his pants, he steadied himself, looking around with caution.
What the hell was that?
Gathering a basic understanding of where he was in relation to the hotel where he was supposed to meet the other challengers, he sighed deeply and turned to face the two Sea Kings' commanders.
"Thank you for your assistance. I apologize for not being able to take you up on your offer, but it is out of my control."
Pointing towards the illusory string that served as proof of his Soul Pact, he bowed his head towards them regretfully.
Solister simply waved the boy's words off, a friendly smile stretching across his face.
"It's of no consequence. I'm sure we will meet again somewhere, though. Perhaps you should look for a position in the Association, and we'll meet at the yearly ball."
Looking over to Irvin, the blond boy waited for his final remarks that came along with a heavy sigh.
"Yes, yes. I agree with Solister. However, there is something else I must address now that you know of it."
He paused, taking another breath.
"You mustn't speak of the disappearance of Lord Cosmoti to anyone not a part of the Association. Not to your friends, family, or even mentor. Do you understand?"
Observing Aaron's reaction, he listened to the boy's polite response, quickly allowing a burden to be taken off his shoulders.
"Of course. That won't be an issue."
Smiling lightly, he turned away from the men and raised his hand, waving behind him.
"I hope you end the life of that devil. I'll be rooting for you."
His words oozed hopeful undertones of joy and prayer; however, inside his head, only one thought rang out.
Unless I kill him first.