System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 812: Chapter 812: Truth of the Origin

[In fact, you have already faced a portion of that power], Crul added.

Ethan stopped dead in his tracks, staring into the dark with disbelief.

”Me?” asked Ethan. ”I’ve never done anything like that.”

[It happened while you were still on your island and were on the verge of death], Crul revealed in a somber tone. [In that moment, the will of the Dao sensed that your body was an abomination: a forbidden fusion between Void energy and the Amethyst inheritance. It immediately classified you as a dangerous hybrid and unleashed its power to eradicate you on the spot.]

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, furrowing his brow as he tried to dig through his earliest memories.

”I don’t remember that happening...”, said Ethan, his face showing a mix of doubt and disbelief.

[Of course you don’t], replied Crul. [You were completely unconscious. Had the ancestor not intervened using a fraction of his power to sever the Dao’s link and break the celestial fixation right at that instant, you wouldn’t have lasted three seconds. You would have been erased down to the last particle.]

Ethan clenched his fists. The thought of having stood on the brink of absolute annihilation at the hands of the universe’s laws, without being aware of it, sent a cold shiver down his spine.

”Is the ancestor really that powerful?” asked Ethan.

[He still falls short of being as strong as the beings from those primeval legends I just told you about], explained Crul. [But make no mistake, Master. His power stood at the peak of the universe before he was ambushed and betrayed by the King of Darkness. Few entities across all planes could meet his gaze without trembling.]

Ethan nodded in silence, digesting the scale of the legacy resting upon his shoulders. He stepped down the final stairs and reached the bottom of the vast subterranean chamber. The polished stone floor reflected the faint violet glow still emanating from his body, revealing a monumental structure at the core of the sanctuary.

In the midst of the gloom stood a colossal pillar ascending directly into the darkness of the ceiling. The structure appeared to be buried deep within the earth, as neither the end of its base nor its peak could be discerned, giving the illusion of being driven straight into the bowels of the plane itself. Its dark metal surface was etched with celestial cloud patterns and worn golden bands that had weathered the passage of eons.

Ethan stepped cautiously until he stood a few feet away from the imposing relic, sensing a mystic heaviness that made the energy within his body tremble.

”What is this?” asked Ethan, reaching his hand out toward the metal without touching it.

[It is called the Monkey King’s Staff...], answered Crul, her tone laced with awe and a rare reverence. [The legendary weapon of one of the most feared and rebellious beings to have ever walked Middle Earth.]

”Sun Wukong?” asked Ethan, surprised. ”Wasn’t he just a character from a novel?”

[Something like that... except he did exist, or at least something very similar], replied Crul. [It is said that the Monkey King forged it from the spine of a supreme demon king and then carved it down into his staff, capable of growing to touch the heavens or shrinking to the size of a needle. A moment ago it emitted a pulse and I was able to detect it... it seems anxious to get out of here.]

At that precise moment, the metal pillar began to vibrate with a deep hum that shook the entire subterranean chamber, kicking up dust clouds from the stone walls.

Crul materialized on Ethan’s shoulder, crossing her arms and eyeing the pillar with a raised eyebrow.

”Don’t get your hopes up, staff,” said Crul in a firm voice. ”My master only likes swords, and you don’t look like one.”

The staff began to vibrate even harder, emitting waves of spiritual shock that echoed through the sanctuary, expressing clear frustration at the rejection.

”Hey, don’t be rude either,” intervened Ethan, looking at the tiny creature. ”Let me see this.”

Ethan reached out and drew the Black Chaos Sword. A dark, ravenous glow coated the blade as the aura of chaos filled the chamber. The moment the sword appeared, the staff’s wild vibration halted dead in its tracks, falling still.

”So now you know how to show respect?” whispered Ethan with a slight smirk.

However, sensing the overwhelming presence of the ancient staff, the Black Chaos Sword began to vibrate in Ethan’s hand, attempting to break free from his grip to clash against the ancient relic.

Crul snapped her head toward the sword, glaring at it with cold eyes.

”Do you forget who your owner is?” said Crul in an authoritative tone. ”You had better ask for permission before moving, you stupid thing.”

Upon hearing Crul’s stern rebuke and sensing the trace of Lord Amethyst’s aura emanating from her, the Black Chaos Sword stopped trembling, returning to a submissive state in the young man’s hand.

Ethan looked at the sword, then at the staff, and finally at the small creature perched on his shoulder, letting out an amused laugh.

”What the hell was all that?” asked Ethan.

”Do you forget your weapon’s main ability?” replied Crul, crossing her arms smugly on his shoulder.

”Absorbing other weapons...”, murmured Ethan, feeling the faint pulse vibrating through the hilt in his palm. ”But... didn’t you say that thing is the legendary staff of the Monkey King?”

”Indeed,” explained Crul, pointing at the colossal metal pillar. ”However, it is wounded. Just like the Black Chaos Sword, the staff was sealed eons ago and can barely manifest any of its true power. In its current state, to your sword it’s nothing more than a banquet served on a silver platter waiting to be devoured.”

The moment Crul uttered those words, the Black Chaos Sword in Ethan’s hand began to emit a soft metallic hum. Far from sounding threatening, the tone resonated almost piteously, like a small child pleading for a piece of candy.

Ethan couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at the sight, glancing back and forth between the sword in his grip and the giant pillar embedded in the earth.