The Sphinx didn’t answer immediately.
After a few seconds, it sighed.
“Why do you want to know about the Sword Saint?”
Neo should’ve been relieved to find out Kane was alive, but there was something about Sphinx’s tone that gave him an ominous premonition.
“Where is Kane?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is he strong enough that his future can’t be predicted by Akashic Records?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“The reason his future can’t be predicted is because he cut the ‘him’ that existed in Akashic Records and the Akashic Record can no longer recreate him in any future.”
“He did what?” Neo was exasperated.
Kane’s outlandish with his sword techniques but this… this was possible to do?
“Don’t question me about it. I don’t understand myself how he did that.” The Sphinx’s voice said plenty about its irritation.
This was the first time Sphinx was openly showing so many emotions.
Neo thought it had to do with how Sphinx saw him when he was vulnerable, and decided to treat him like an acquaintance instead of a possible threat like it always did.
“Can I use Artemis’ Blessing to locate Kane?”
“Why do you have Artemis’ Blessing?”
The Sphinx stared at Neo in confusion.
He stared back at it.
It took him a moment to recall that he hadn’t gotten the Blessing ‘yet’ in this timeline.
But since he regressed, he had it.
“You gave yours and Artemis’ Blessing last time to me.”
“The Blessings came back with you? You are… quite lucky. Blessings only have 20% chances of returning with regression.”
Neo shrugged.
He believed his blessings staying with him had to do with him being a Heavenbreaker, which was why he retained his powers, and not luck.
“Anyway,” Sphinx said. “No. You can’t track Kane with Artemis’ Blessing. He has the ability to hide himself from it, and trick it.”
“I see. Then, can you tell me why Kane left the continent?”
All Neo knew was something had happened in Luminera. After everything calmed down, he became an Executioner of Akashic Record.
But suddenly, Kane left, crushed by guilt. He stumbled through the Blood Sea, and fell into Tartarus.
‘I never asked him why his negative Karma was high enough to be targeted by Tartarus.’
‘Though…’
‘I do have an idea of what was the reason.’
“He killed the Gods with Zeus,” Sphinx said, confirming Neo’s doubts.
“Why did Zeus and Kane kill Gods?”
The Sphinx didn’t answer.
Shaking his head, Neo asked something else.
“Do you know about the sword Sir Nicolas wielded? I want to know where he got it from, and how he came across it.”
“Oh, you mean the Sword of Justice, Hestia?”
“Yes, that.”
Neo didn’t point out that the sword’s true name was Demon of Evil, Karma.
He stayed quiet and waited for Sphinx’s explanation.
“Hestia was one of the 7 fragments of Uranus’ sword,” Sphinx said, and then realised Neo wouldn’t know who Uranus was. “Uranus was the world’s first S-rank Awakener. He was… quite famous.
“In fact, until others Awakeners became strong, he singlehandedly protected humanity,” Sphinx explained.
“But he died against his battle with Typhaon,” Neo said.
“How do you know… oh, you must’ve met Typhaon in Underworld. He is a Grim Reaper.”
Neo, of course, knew about Uranus since he had lived in Age of Gods.
That guy was a monster among monsters.
The only reason he died was because he was born in an era where people had no knowledge about elementals, energies, or traits.
Not only did he pave the road for future Awakeners by teaching them information about Traits, and mana manipulation, Uranus pushed himself beyond his limit to protect humanity.
His selfless nature broke his body bit by bit until it could no longer support him, and then he fell in his battle against Typhaon.
“Are you sure Hestia was a fragment of Uranus’ sword?” Neo questioned.
From what he knew, the Demon of Evil, Karma was not a fragment while it was with Sir Nicolas.
Neo could be wrong though since he hadn’t questioned Nicolas directly.
He had tried to use Eyes of Echo to move into that future timeline and meet Nicolas again, since it was technically his past.
But it didn’t work.
This was how Neo understood timeline wasn’t turned back.
The events that happened from when he met Sphinx to discuss about Tartarus and anything beyond had been ‘erased’.
Those events never happened.
“Unfortunately, no. I’m not sure of it,” Sphinx said. “I’ve never met Uranus, nor been there when his sword split so I can’t guarantee anything.”
‘Are all fragments of Uranus’ sword a different Demon, or the same one?’ Neo thought, then asked. “Where can I find the fragments of his sword?”
“I don’t know.”
Neo’s eyebrow twitched.
“Do you fucking know anything? Omniscient my ass.”
“Get out of my house.” Sphinx spat. “It’s not even working hours right now.”
Neo ignored its words.
His mind churned as he tried to think of a way of locating the sword fragments.
‘Artemis’ Blessing wouldn’t work since those sword fragments might be in other dimensions or worlds.’
‘Then, how am I supposed to find Demons….’
Neo suddenly recalled something.
Karma had a similar presence to Severant – since both were Demons – and Obitus.
Why did Obitus have a similar presence to them?
‘Obitus, do you know anything about Demons?’
‘No. I’m sorry for not being able to help you.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’
Neo recalled the presences of the other True Soul Weapons.
He replayed their memories in his head.
‘These memories make it clear. All True Soul Weapons have a similar presence to Demons.’
Neo’s first thought was to meet Henry and ask how he had made those swords.
But he didn’t move.
He was reluctant.
He didn’t want to meet people close to him until he found a way to resist Eternals’ erasure. He was afraid of making more precious memories and losing them.
‘The spirits of True Soul Weapons were extracted from the corpse that is buried under the continent.’
‘I guess I’ll meet that guy directly.’
Neo stretched his senses, burrowing them deep into the continent’s crust.
He quickly found the barely alive presence buried underneath.
Using All-Shadow, he teleported under the continent’s crust.
…
Trivia:
Neo can now ‘stare’. The energy (Eyes of Echo Firmament) looks like purple pupils when they flow in the Runes on his eyes, which makes it clear when he is staring at someone.