HP: The Arcane Thief

Chapter 230: Akiko's Awakening

Chapter 222

A.N.: I understand that reaction chapters lack progression, causing dissatisfaction to some people. So here's the next chapter, posted early. Stop worrying about not getting enough and enjoy.

Though, can you deny that they're fun?

....

Axel's eyes shot open. Now that they were seeing his eyes in a close for the first time, the anomaly was apparent. Instead of the blue glow that they could see back then, they were now glowing a dull amber. 

"That color—?" Exclaimed Ender, as everyone else noticed it as well. 

"Orange… no, Amber! Isn't that,,,?" Sylthia was shocked too. 

That was the same color as the magic that Aslot attacked him with. 

"The Arhunt Bloodline…" A ray of Hope ignited in Antilla's eyes. 

No matter how much she hated that color, no matter how much she hated that bloodline. Right now, Sylthia couldn't be happier when she saw Axel's eyes. "He's awakening it." 

?!!!

Everyone looked at Antilla in surprise. 

Arhunt Bloodline. 

The bloodline of the Soul Septis. There was no one in the Kingdom who didn't know it. 

In the past, the Kingdom used to have another Septis, called the Arhunt Septis. Their bloodline allowed them to use soul magic, the most dangerous branch of sorcery. 

But the power didn't come for free. Awakening the Arhunt Bloodline was extremely rare. In every generation, at most two individuals will be able to awaken it, sometimes even none. 

Then, around a hundred years ago, the Organisation declared they can awaken the kingdom's Bloodlines including the Arhunt Bloodline. That led to the 6th Atlantian Civil war, which almost destroyed the Kingdom. 

In that war, the awakened members of Arhunt Septis alone slaughtered millions. 

From that point on, every Atlantian firmly remembers the terror of the Arhunt Bloodline. 

And just now, Axel is somehow tapping into the powers of that accursed Septis. 

"But how…?"

What was incomprehensible was, how the hell did Axel do it? Even direct members need the Entity's help in using it. 

"His father was a direct descendent," said Antilla, dropping another jaw dropping fact. 

"So, the rumors were true." Ender muttered in realization. When the crown Princess had suddenly vanished from the Kingdom, it led to various rumors. Now, it seems that there was some truth to them. 

Antilla nodded unabashed. If her sister's trist with Tristan can help Axel actually survive the Soul Extinguisher, she would gladly accept that Bloodline. 

But… the question was…

"Can he… survive?" Asked Kyrin. 

No one can escape [Soul Extinguisher]. The same should be the case for those with Arhunt bloodline as well. They had never heard of a member of Arhunt bloodline to have ever survived the [Soul Extinguisher].

The General was also uncertain now. "Theoretically, there is a possibility. But none of the members of the Arhunt Septis have ever succeeded due to the pain. The pain is so severe that it is impossible to focus." 

That was the case. No matter how much you defend your soul, when the Spell touches your soul, it causes indescribable pain. In the face of that pain, you'd lose control over your body, let alone your soul. 

So, Axel should not be able to survive. 

But still. The reason the General was uncertain was because Axel had somehow already managed to hold on for so long. So, the General has no qualifications to say whether Axel can do it or not. 

Ba-dump... Ba-dump

But at that moment, as if to answer their question, they heard the heartbeat again. 

And, it was getting stronger and faster with each beat.  

As they watched the Amber glow in Axel's eyes intensified as energy fluctuations appeared around him. 

He really was… Awakening the Arhunt Bloodline!

"He's doing it! He's fighting back!" The General exclaimed. 

The water around Axel, which previously seemed to move weakly and unstably, was now gathering around Axel in a much more controlled manner. And then,

Cough—CoughCough

He coughed out water and blood, after which he finally sucked in a deep breath after a long time. 

His expression of pain slowly started easing and the tremors running throughout his body started to dissipate.

"He.. actually did it! Fuck! He survived the [Soul Extinction]!" Kyrin whispered, visibly shaking. 

"Miracle… it's a miracle!" Said Willis. 

"This kid… he's a fighter!" Said Ender, feeling proud for no reason. 

Seeing Axel breathing, Antilla also felt like she could breathe again. 

Everyone rejoiced as they witnessed the miraculous scene. But, they celebrated too soon. 

"Aslot!" Sylthia pointed out urgently, reminding everyone that the fight had yet to end. 

Before Axel even had the time to recover, Aslot had already regained consciousness, causing him to shift his focus back to the fight. A pair of amber eyes fixated on Aslot, their glowing intensifying even more in order to recover faster. 

Soon, Aslot lifted his head while cursing due to pain. Then he casually glanced towards Axel, and froze. 

After a stunned pause of one second, a somewhat high-pitched scream rang out as Aslot jerked back, looking at Axel in horror. 

"How… How are you still alive?!" 

Axel just looked at Aslot which deathly calm eyes. But the corner of his mouth lifted up lightly in triumph. With his throat already damaged, he seemed to be using mental transmission to converse. 

It's not certain what he said, but Aslot completely flipped out at this time. 

"Then let me say this: I will kill you… NO MATTER WHAT!"

He raised the Royal Trident, and a ball of water rose up in the air. 

"What is he doing?" Asked Kyrin. 

A look of consternation appeared on Aslot's face as water became smaller and smaller until it began to emit powerful energy fluctuations.

"So it was this." Antilla whispered in realization, understanding how the explosion came to be. 

Estris also nodded seriously. "The vision of the past is almost over, meaning the explosion we witnessed is about to take place."

Sylthia gasped, understanding the implications. There's no way Axel could survive that. 

"Teleportation! He can teleport!" She blurted, looking at the vision, as if to will Axel to teleport. 

Kyrin sighed. "We're in the Space layer." She said, bursting the final bubble. 

The Space in this layer is extremely dense. Even basic movements take strain. As for Teleportation, it's simply not possible. 

The atmosphere was filled with a sense of despair. The power of the explosion was irresitable, and teleportation is impossible. Everyone was able to put two and two together and know what was going to happen to Axel.

"I don't understand," said the General, shaking his head in frustration. "In that condition, it shouldn't be possible for him to successfully trigger an explosion of that magnitude." 

But of course, they knew for a fact that he succeeded. 

In the vision, Axel also seemed to know what Aslot was trying to do. "Hey… stop!" He yelled, his voice completely hoarse. 

"Are you seriously trying to do this? You think you can do it with how weak you are?" He asked in annoyance, his judgment mirroring the general's. 

But, to that, Aslot simply chuckled. "Who said I was going to use my own power?" 

A storage space manifested in the air, from which Aslot brought out a circular object.

"Do you recognize what this is?"

"We call it the dimensional bomb. It blew up in the middle of the kingdom, ignoring the protective wards."

'It is actually possible!' 

Aslot might just succeed in creating the biggest, most powerful explosion Axel had ever witnessed. 

"You know what the funny thing is? These bombs were made through particles of the key that your parents destroyed." 

!

Watching the vision, several of the Atlantians were startled. That's right. They had completely forgotten the existence of these nature defying orbs. The bomb had strange properties. It's powerful enough to ignore the ancient protective wards, so it should also be powerful enough to successfully trigger the explosion.

Their researchers were at their wits end, trying to figure out how the bomb was able to bypass the wards. As it turns out, they were made from the particles of the key. No wonder the researchers couldn't understand. 

Now, the General's question was answered.

But, there was nothing they could do. The explosion had already happened. All they could do was to helplessly watch Aslot succeed.

"Don't do it, old man. We'll both die!" Said Axel, also realizing the horrible situation he was in.  

But Aslot only laughed. "The Royal Relic will protect me! It might take a few months for me to recover my body, but it would be worth it if I can get rid of you!" 

"This is the final farewell, Axel Regius Arhunt. You, really have been, the greatest one." 

"Stop!" At this moment, Axel took out an armor from his storage space. It was the coral armor, the one they had found at the explosion. Axel forcefully squeezed his broken body into the armor.

At the same time, his water reached out to take control of the bomb. But—

Click

That sound spelt the end. A huge explosion happened, which triggered the around ball energy that Aslot had compressed. 

Before everything went white, they saw Axel's water wrapping around the Trident and pulling it into the center point of the explosion. 

After witnessing so much, everyone unconsciously had hope. That somehow…somehow Axel might escape alive. No miracle happened in the end. 

The Vision stopped, and everyone found themselves at the same place where everything ended, the center of the explosion. But now, this place held a different meaning to them. 

Antilla desperately rushed over to the charred coral armor. But, instead of a body, what she found were… ashes.

It was too much for her to bear. Her vision turned dark as she fainted. 

"Princess!" Sylthia quickly supported her. No one couldn't blame Antilla. She had witnessed her parent's death at the hands of Aslot, powerless to help. And now, she had to do the same for Axel. But still, no matter how harrowing, she watched it to the end while wholeheartedly praying for a miracle.

It's already a miracle she didn't collapse sooner. 

The General took off his Helmet and knelt on one knee. A huge sword appeared in his hand which he stabbed into the ground. "All hail, Axel Regius Arhunt. The Blood Crown, Order Of Mariner-8 Stars."

Without a word, everyone laid down their relics and knelt of one knee towards the Armor which contained Axel's ashes. 

The Blood Crown is the title posthumously given to the Crown Prince or Princess who perishes in battle for the Kingdom. In the last 13 years, this title has been used twice, both times giving the Kingdom a heavy blow. 

And the Order of Mariner is the highest honor in the kingdom, given only to the most valiant and visionary heroes who have made monumental contributions to the Kingdom. The Ranks range from 1 star to the highest of 8 stars. 

Axel was actually already about to get an Order of Mariner 2 stars for single-handedly protecting the Kingdom from the monster tide. But now, the General didn't hesitate to directly increase it to 8 stars, which have been given to anyone else in the Kingdom's history. 

"If anyone deserves it, its him." said Ender, putting three fingers to her heart. The boy showed him what it means to be a true warrior. 

Sylthia wiped her tears. Looking at the ashes, she was at a loss. The person she had considered as an 'incompetent outsider' turned out to be the greatest hero of all time. Even though she was extremely rude to him, he had still saved her life. Just a while ago, she was still bickering him, and now he's gone. 

'I haven't even said a thankyou, let alone apologize...' 

Kyrin felt the most guilty. If she hadn't been careless enough to bring him here, none of this would have happened. Yes, she didn't know he was the crown prince. But, if she had been a little nicer, then maybe he or Aki would have considered telling her. 

'Aki might never forgive me…heck, even I can't forgive myself,'' She thought, casting a glance at the back of Akiko, who also knelt on one knee. 

'No!'

It was only then did she realize. Akiko was overly attached with Axel. Knowing her goddaughter, after this, she'd definitely do anything for revenge!

"Aki…" Kyrin called out. But Akiko did not respond, her body motionless like a statue. 

"Aki," Kyrin put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "I promise. I'll definitely take reve—" 

Kyrin's words got stuck in her throat as she choked upon seeing Akiko's face. "What… have you done…?" She whispered in horror. 

Something had happened to Akiko. Two lines of blood streaked down her cheeks. And her eyes… they were completely different. Her pupils had turned red, with black rings concentric around them. 

!!!

Kyrin was alarmed. Extremely so. But before she could even react, Akiko fell forward, no longer conscious. 

…

A.N.: This is the Image of Akiko's eyes:

Powerstones! For today and tomorrow

As for progression, don't worry. Axel's return and the final war coming. Just need a proper build up.