Author's Note: Forgot to update yesterday. Too tired beyond words. Hope you'll enjoy the chapter ^_^.
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Xue ran after Veau, holding his spear in one hand as he did so. He scanned his surroundings, frowning as he saw the tribe members fighting against the demons, while the weaker ones escaped.
He could still feel the light magic being emanated from the same direction Veau was headed to, and Xue did not know what Veau would do once he reached there. Whether to kill the angel or to interrogate him, Xue planned to stop him either way.
However, he wasn't doing this to save the angel.
He just didn't want Veau to proceed on with his plans.
Moreover, there was no telling when the angels would come and join in the fight as well. Once they did, this would be a full-on war between angels, demons and mortals.
"Have you all stooped so low? To bring war even to mortals who aren't related in our matters at all?" Xue muttered to himself. "Both angels and demons."
At that moment, he recalled the scene of Raz telling him how a little helpless demon was mercilessly cut down in the battlefield, who was simply mourning for the death of her brother that protected her.
It wasn't his first time hearing about war.
He heard about tales like these, dozens of times.
The times he spent in the archives weren't for nothing, and he came across the chronicles of the previous Supreme Gods. Their thoughts and struggles, their day-to-day events, Xue perused them all.
One saw his hapless parents murdered before their eyes.
One saw his friend charge into the battlefield to honour their lover that was brutally killed, only to return back in pieces.
One saw how a kind demon was ostracised by his own tribe, and killed by the angels.
The archives were only filled with the tragic tales of war and how each Supreme God desperately sought a way to stop it. Whether it was through cruel means or kindness, it all ended in failure.
This was why he was fixated on bringing an end to this entire war in the past.
He simply did not want he or anyone else to witness and suffer what the previous Supreme Gods did.
Alas, it all amounted to nothing.
Xue sighed, shaking his head. "Why am I remembering useless things like that?"
Now that the angels and demons have brought their own affairs to the mortal realm, Xue did not want to care.
He had promised himself ever since that day.
He was a nobody.
Angels and demons, he didn't care anymore.
He would just do as he pleased, since his dreams were already flung out the window and he no longer assumed the responsibility of a leader.
It is supposed to be like that.
No matter what I may see or come across, it wouldn't change.
Xue lifted his eyes, glancing around once more.
...and yet...
Why doesn't it sit well with me?
He didn't plan on returning back.
He didn't plan on reclaiming his position as the Supreme God.
He no longer wanted to be the one to put an end to this war, since it was all for naught.
Never again.
"Ahh, help me!"
"Someone please, help us!"
"..."
Xue could feel something clawing at his chest.
He recognised this feeling.
He kept it buried for so long, and it chose to appear in this moment, right here and now.
"...this is annoying." Xue sighed again, closing his eyes.
He stopped chasing after Veau, spinning around and he summoned out dozens of light spears. Those spears headed in the direction of those two helpless tribal warriors and the demon found himself being tossed around by spears made out of light magic in the air.
"Ugh! Supre–"
Xue's face twitched and he slammed the demon right in the ground with his light magic spears.
The two tribe members hurried over to thank Xue. Their eyes welling up with tears as they were nothing but grateful.
"Don't bother and go." Xue growled, his tone menacing.
Xue had experienced this situation many times, and after what he went through, he knew their words were anything but sincere.
...yet, he was stepping in once again.
Isleif: "You have really grown soft."
Isleif: "The same cycle will repeat once again, Xue."
Kai: "Piss off, you asshole! So what if he is growing soft?!"
Sid kicked Isleif.
Sid: "Don't insult my saviour!"
Kai: "Yeah! Go Sid! Kick him harder!"
Alric: "Yo-you did good, Xue."
Rugi: "You aren't going soft, you are simply opening your heart once again."
Shin: "..."
Rugi: "And there's nothing wrong with that."
Shin: "What if there is?"
Rugi: "Then we fall, stand up and walk on again. You aren't doing this alone, Shin, because everyone else is just like you."
Leonaut: "Even though I still dislike you, Xue, I learnt something on my own short journey. Happiness and suffering go hand in hand, we can't be pickers."
Kai: "To think the day I'll hear Leonaut speak words like these."
Zasiok: "I agree with you, for once."
Leonaut: "...I didn't say those words to get compliments from brats like you."
Jehan: "Or..."
Jehan clenched his fist.
Jehan: "Just crush whatever is making you suffer with your bare hands."
Zasiok: "..."
Zasiok shrugged.
Zasiok: "That works too."
Xue was silent, his expression inscrutable.
However, on the inside, he was somewhat comforted.
He never expected he would be comforted by his own soul fragments.
He felt someone staring at him and he glanced back, seeing Veau hovering in the sky. The devil was giving him a mocking smile, as if he expected Xue to react like that.
