”That’s impossible…right?!”
Michael paced from one side of the room to the other nervously. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled and it was hard to determine whether Michael was still sane or if he had lost it.
His mind kept replaying the dream in vivid clarity, recalling every single moment of the dream he had. The visuals of both Cleave Fenrir and the first ancestor of the Fang family never left his mind. They looked exactly the same.
‘No matter how hard I try to find differences…they’re definitely the same person…’
Michael felt like he was going insane. Wasn’t the Origin Expanse going overboard by giving him a Heroic Summon that turns out to be a piece of shit?
Nobody knew the Fang family’s first ancestor better than Michael. He could recite every single line written in the old, tattered book word by word as he had read it more than ten times.
Michael liked realistic stories better than the fairytales most parents told their children about the Origin Expanse. From a young age, Michael knew that the Origin Expanse was both a treasure trove and a graveyard. It was possible to become rich overnight but it was also possible to die from one moment to another.
The realistic tale written in the Legend of the Calamity showed his first ancestor’s life. It was clearly a tragic life led by his ancestor that was filled with betrayals, witnessing the deaths of loved ones, and being the center of attention while being surrounded by kingdoms and empires.
Unfortunately, the first ancestor never attempted to stay on the right track. He fell into depravity and was corrupted by the power he gained inside the Origin Expanse.
The first ancestor died in the Origin Expanse at last. This was exactly what led to the current situation.
Michael figured that his family’s miserable luck was at fault. Their miserable luck led to the summoning of a Heroic Summon; their family’s first ancestor – a real piece of work, and someone who was known for slaughtering his own people and trusted allies.
After living through various ordeals, the first ancestor was given the name ‘the Calamity’ because he caused chaos and terror wherever he went.
‘Does he remember everything about his past, or are his memories sealed?’ Michael wondered, and he stopped in his tracks.
Fenrir didn’t act high and mighty like the first ancestor. That could either mean Fenrir’s acting skills were extraordinary, or that Fenrir didn’t remember anything about his past life.
‘What was it again?… Most summoned subjects recall their lives, but not everything. The quantity, and quality of memories, combined with the achievement of their past life and the innate potential of a Summon can be deduced from their star rating…does that mean he knows everything?’
Michael clearly recalled the achievements of the Calamity. He also knew that the Calamity had awoken an 8-Star Soultrait. Combining those two factors meant that it shouldn’t be possible for Fenrir to be a Heroic Summon.
‘He should be an 8-Star Summon given his achievements and innate talent…’ Michael thought.
The more he thought about it, the more confused he grew. A bad headache crept up his brain, and he felt like pulling his hair.
As long as Fenrir didn’t recall his past life as the Calamity, everything would be fine. However, if he recalled his bad deeds or some of the emotions of his past life, the Origin Expanse would have to face the second coming of the calamity.
‘How can I find out whether he has retained his past life’s memories, or emotions without attracting any suspicion? Provoking him would work, but I would die, that’s for sure…’ Michael ruffled through his hair, pulling out some strands in the process.
‘Isn’t there an easier way?!?’
He heard footsteps below him, too many for a single person to make at a time. That only meant both Tiara and Fenrir must have woken up.
Hearing their footsteps caused Michael’s heart to beat wildly.
‘I cannot leave Tiara alone with that guy,’ He thought worriedly. A moment later, he walked out of the bedroom.
‘Think, Michael…there has to be an easier way to secretly find out if Fenrir is this piece of shit, or if he is still the innocent kid from the start of the story…THINK!!!’
Michael walked through the hallway on the second floor. He made his way to the staircase to meet up with the others, while his mind seemed to be on fire trying to come up with a solution.
Michael didn’t even question anymore whether Fenrir was his family’s first ancestor. It was not logical, but the Origin Expanse seemed to love bullying his family. But that did not change the fact that Fenrir looked like the first ancestor, wielded a spear and he was a Heroic Summon.
Michael also recalled the time a faint gust of wind brushed past Fenrir’s face when Fenrir left the clearing to hunt the first monster. The gust had revealed a mole behind his ear. It was shaped weirdly as if it was a mark. Now that he thought about it, Michael recalled that his brother had teased him about the same mark in the past.
“His Spe–…” Michael exclaimed, just to shut his mouth and cover it with both hands. ‘His Spear Art!!’
The Calamity’s Spear Art was not mentioned often in the tattered book nor was it detailed, but it was usually described as a vile or wicked Spear Art. Only once was it further described as a vile technique that uses the wielder’s true feelings and intrusive thoughts as its foundation. The higher the mastery of the Spear Art the more challenging it was to ignore their intrusive thoughts and hide how they truly felt.
Recalling what was written in the tattered book, a vibrant smile formed on his lips.
Michael found out what he had been looking for!
If Fenrir could use the wicked Spear Arts that means he recalled his life as Calamity, and that he was merely playing dumb in front of both him and Tiara to gather strength and wait for the best opportunity to strike! Even if he wouldn’t remember his life as Calamity, practicing the wicked Spear Arts meant that Fenrir would turn evil sooner or later.
Fenrir was still weak and required the territory’s protection barrier to hunt Tier-1 Monsters easily. With the Lord’s death, the protection barrier would disappear as well. Fenrir should have figured that Tiara was a Tier-1 maid as well. Attacking Michael while Tiara stayed by his side was not feasible for him…yet.
‘I hope you’re not using the vile Spear Arts, otherwise…’ Michael thought with determination, ‘…blood will be shed inside the protection barrier!’
He reached the final step of the staircase and emerged on the ground floor. It was only his second day in the Origin Expanse, but Michael could tell that blood and chaos would be served today.
“Master, how was your first night in the Origin expanse? Did you sleep well?”