2193 - The Reason?
After reading the available records about the Necrofortress Galaxy, Caesar understood that it was a dead end.
There were no techniques, experiments, or experiences—absolutely nothing that could help him. And according to the history of the Necrofortress, it was only natural that there wouldn't be.
A dead galaxy with no ruler, not a single sane living person—who would come out to write something or be interrogated to speak about anything?
For the undead, time is frozen. Even if millions of years pass, they feel nothing. Everything that might make a person feel the passage of time is no longer available to them—even the sensation itself is absent!
And a person who doesn't feel the passage of time and doesn't die will never feel the need to pass on their experience to anyone.
What else remains? Fear, ambition, planning for the future? All of that is nonexistent.
For the undead there, they only want to sit peacefully in their places. Anyone who disturbs that tranquility becomes an enemy. It doesn't matter if it's a human or a beast—as long as it's alive and breathing, as long as its life artery is full and its spiritual energy is preserved… it is a target.
So Caesar returned to the original path, trying to understand the Path of Death through the tablet his father had left him… but he faced the same obstacle as always.
The tablet was covered in the engravings his father had seen, along with simple lines explaining the most difficult places, but that was all.
It was clear that his father had struggled greatly in writing every single letter, for he did not elaborate in his explanations nor did he artfully lay out techniques as he had done with the other laws, even the merged ones… But he understood, for even he, who now possessed an unnatural familiarity with the Path of Death, still did not feel at ease with it.
Rather, it would be more accurate to say that he was still trying to avoid it.
But it was his only path to the power he desired; avoiding it was impossible… If he was to understand what he possessed, he had to rely on himself, he had to experiment.
And what better way than the battlefield?
At that point, Caesar decided to return to the arena. He wanted to practically test what he had learned from the tablet, perhaps inventing one or two techniques to enhance his Death Fire.
But then what happened, happened… He killed his comrades, and Raiden was forced to electrocute him…
Thinking about it, Caesar sighed, "Hiyah~"
If the point of zero had a voice, it would have cursed him by now.
Then he smiled as he walked… His attempts were not entirely useless; he had significantly raised the proportion of the primary Death Law in his techniques, so much so that he feared using it in battle, lest it draw attention or inadvertently harm himself and those around him.
But after what happened today... it's clear that it's time to stop.
"Hey..." Serafina extended her hand and began waving it in front of Caesar's eyes, "Would you stop daydreaming?!"
"...?" Caesar paused for a moment and turned to Serafina with anger, "Remove your hand from in front of my face if you still want to keep it."
"...!" Serafina furrowed her brows and pouted her lip, feeling insulted, but she did not reply.
Caesar was undoubtedly weak, but his status placed him above the emperors of the Alfeyn... with a single command from him, several royal Spirit Masters would tear her apart, and even the child Ziegler, whom she had left behind now, would be a formidable opponent!
No, he didn't even have to give the order—if she tried to slap him, the arrays in the place would immediately restrain her, and she would suffer a gruesome fate.
...This had actually happened to one of the current wings of the Cradle Empire before. An emperor of a double empire encompassing 90 planets tried to kill Caesar, but was restrained and later publicly crucified, only for his nephew to step forward, take over the empire, and join as a wing... This was a well-known story.
"..." When signs of displeasure appeared on Serafina's face, Caesar sighed and forced a smile. "Things aren't going well on the battlefield, and we need all the help we can get. Even I was there. Go kill a few World Calamities and come back, alright?"
Then, before she could reply, he continued walking.
Serafina is one of the Empire's greatest contributors. In fact, it could be said she ranks second only to Renara in kill count, and she's even close to surpassing her after Renara entered consecutive seclusions for a long period!
Yet she still isn't officially affiliated with the Empire, and no one knows her allegiance. She's merely a mercenary, so to speak.
Thus, interactions with her are always awkward.
"What's your problem?!" Serafina followed him again. "I've been waiting month after month just to talk to him for a little while. If I'm such a nuisance to you, why don't you just sell him to me?"
"Fine, I'll sell him." Caesar nodded seriously as he took a final turn toward his destination. "But on one condition: you tell me why you're so interested in him."
"...?" Serafina paused for a moment before continuing to walk behind him at a slower pace. "Can't... you see? He's... handsome."
"No one's lying, Serafina." Caesar offered a small smile.
Then he stopped, for he had already arrived before a massive door.
With a simple wave, he gestured for his assistant to open the door, then turned around. "You suddenly care about handsomeness and men, Serafina? To the point of attacking other empires and reaping dozens of heads just to gather points for styling his hair?" He then lifted his head, "Tsk~ Tell a believable lie."
He repeated.
The massive door behind him began to open.
"It's the truth!" Serafina raised her voice slightly, her face flushing red. "My Mistress used to forbid me from mingling with the opposite sex, and now I finally have my chance!!"
"..." Caesar raised an eyebrow. "That was good; for a moment, I almost believed you."
"B-But I'm telling the truth, I really have fallen in love with the Silent Emperor and—" As Serafina spoke rapidly,
She suddenly fell silent, and her eyes began to widen.
Of course, they were not focused on Caesar standing before her, but on what lay behind him...
Then she took two steps back, muttering in a fearful, hesitant voice, "...My Mistress?!"