GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

Soverick replied then he turned away. He didn't use anything special during the fight. It was all brute strength so it doesn't matter if his enemies see it. The family can use it and it will make things easier for him when he requests their assistance in acquiring test subjects. He disappeared as he flew away leaving behind a massive thunderclap.

Elder Stein and Kroft both shook their head in wonder and admiration. Even they are in awe of the Child of the plane. This fight is something that they will brag about for a long time to come.

Elder Stein spoke in regret. "I wanted to ask him what those 9 orbs are."

"I doubt he would have told you anyway. Let it go."

The two of them began to bicker amongst themselves.

Ghaster sighed in relief after Soverick has gone. Then he asked the two Elders, "So he won't pay for what he did to me?"

Elder Stein laughed and replied, "What do you want us to do? I very much admire your brother believe me. But no matter how much I admire him, I am sure being beaten up by him will be very unpleasant. Just ask your mother about the beating if you think I am lying. She will tell you how painful of an experience it is of she is being honest with you."

Both Mihila and Ghaster were frowning the more Elder Stein spoke. What they are hearing is far from what they hoped to hear. It is not even pleasant to bear at all. His loud voice makes his words especially grating to hear.

Elder Kroft sighed. 'This guy and his loose lips. He is like a loose cannon. Always saying what's on his mind without care.'

He interfered before Elder Stein offends them even more. "What my partner is trying to say is that you started this fight. You attacked him first so you should bear with the consequences."

Elder Stein nodded and agreed. "That too."

Then he continued, "Thanks for starting the fight by the way. We were able to see what the Child of the plane is capable of. You were the appetizer and your mother was the main meal. I have to tell you that I am very satisfied with the meal. It was riveting, it was..."

"We have to go now. Have a nice day. Report any issues you have to our departmental office."

Kroft dragged Stein away before he drops more offensive bombs. He would also like to join in and describe how the fight can be likened to some of his favorite dishes but he is sensitive enough to know that it will be a major problem. He is also a seer and he could tell that Mihila was just about to attack them. Violence is a streak that runs deeply within battle sage monkeys.

Mihila frowned as she watched the two elders leave. She was just about to sock that insensitive elder's face before they suddenly left. It left her itching and unsatisfied.

She sighed and said to Ghaster, "Let's go home."

Ghaster obeyed silently and followed after her. They flew above the bustling city towards their home.

She asked on their way home. "Why did you go and fight him?"

Ghaster replied. "I wanted to beat him."

"Didn't you hear about the Calamity of the Child of the Plane?"

He nodded. "I heard about it."

She asked with exasperation, "Then why did you go and fight him?"

It will be understandable if he fought Soverick before that incident. No one really knows how powerful he is but that incident is more than enough proof that transcendents can be killed with a wave of his hand. The lowest estimate of Soverick's strength at that time is at the level of the king of law. So why did Ghaster who heard of the event go and fight Soverick?

Ghaster became silent.

He couldn't answer the question because any answer he comes up with will sound stupid. It was not ignorance that made him go fight someone who could be a king of law. He knows that what he did was stupid but he thought there will be a better outcome even if he fails. He knew that Soverick is not in his league anymore but he went to fight because he thought his Eldest won't try to kill him. He thought he was safe so he didn't worry too much about the outcome.

He thought he had nothing to lose for trying and now he knows he was wrong. There are more painful things than dying. You never fully understand such a thing until you experience it. It is a pain that leaves you begging for the sweet release that only death can deliver. 

It can be achieved by constantly dying without actually dying but feeling the pain of dying. It is a pseudo-death because your consciousness only fractures partially not completely so you can heal just in time to have it fractured again. The ordeal is certainly more painful than plain dying. He has that knowledge on good authority from personal experience. It was all because he thought his Elder brother wouldn't be too strict with him. It turns out that he was very naive and misguided.

"It was a mistake to fight him. He is too strong now. There's no way to catch up to him. He became a king of law in less than 10,000 years, not the 10 Origin cycles that others take. But I am just a transcendent. How can I possibly match him?"

When he finally spoke, it was an admittance of his weakness. He remembers that time Soverick was made to leave the academy. He had been relieved that Soverick will finally be out of his hair. Then he finished the academy in the top ten and was granted automatic admission to the tertiary institution for mana entities. 

Graduating within the top 10 is a worthy achievement. Ghaster came back home to brag about it but he found that his brother has become the child of the plane. His achievement was overshadowed and his pride was demolished.