The Oracle Paths

"Y-you're joking, right?" Lira chuckled with a hint of unease.

Before Jake could ponder how the Sylian woman had eavesdropped on their telepathic exchange, Cekt hastily whipped out a device akin to a metal detector from thin air and scoured Jake from head to toe with it. When the gremlin instructed him to gaze into the lens at the device's tip and a familiar spiritual pulse surged through his body, he instantly recognized its purpose.

Though slightly different in appearance from the one employed by Mirror Vanguard, the gadget's purpose remained the same - a Corruption detector.

"Corruption at 56%, Stage 5!" Cekt blurted in horror, his eyes bulging wide in disbelief.

That was one Stage higher than Vexa!

The other disciples, oblivious to the unfolding events, stiffened like cats inadvertently stepped on a tail at the old Aetherist's death sentence.

"What the fuck? We have a Corrupt amongst us?!"

The disciples' reactions were unanimously identical, but in stark contrast, the countenances of Hade and Ulfar were exceptionally grim. Hade remained uninformed about the incidents during the end of the Ordeal, while Ulfar, engrossed in the Divine Academy, hadn't paid much attention either.

Remarkably, Lucia was a beacon of tranquility amidst the upheaval. Like Enya and others who had immediately sensed a shift in Jake's aura and temperament a year earlier, a visceral fear that made them dread him, she also knew that her greatest fears had not materialized.

Jake was still Jake, as shocking as it might seem. his year-long seclusion under the guise of training, Lucia had harbored doubts, possibly prompting her to proclaim her love and push their relationship forward.

But it was undeniable - Jake was still as awkward as ever when it came to relationships, and his typical personality had practically resurfaced. So much so that Hade and Asfrid only noticed his physical transformation upon their return from the Ordeal, overlooking the accompanying intrinsic and psychological changes.

"How do you feel?" Cekt inquired gravely, scrutinizing him with unerring intensity.

"Hmm... Myself?" Jake shrugged nonchalantly, a wry smile gracing his lips.

"Do you feel an urge to massacre us, or a hatred so profound that merely standing here amongst us would evoke it?" Cekt pressed on, his tone stern.

"Not... that I'm aware of? I mean, I do have an urge to devour everyone, particularly Epsilom, Lyra, and Drakon, but it's akin to my craving for an excellent hamburger or a good pizza. As frustrating as it may be to resist this urge when it's right before my eyes, I can certainly do without it."

A heavy silence befell the laboratory. Among those mentioned, Lyra cautiously retreated three steps, while Drakon and Epsilom watched him with curiosity, as if questioning whether they tasted as good as he suggested.

"Jake... Is that the truth?" Hade queried gravely, clenching his He didn't want his friend to become another Nylreg. Losing one son was enough.

Lucia confidently grabbed Jake's hand and declared, "So what? Even if his Corruption reached 100%, I'm certain he would retain control."

Hade, who understood better than anyone the futility of such a claim, opened his mouth to contradict her but sighed deeply instead upon seeing her determination. The other disciples were also skeptical, but surprisingly, it was Cekt who diffused the brewing tension.

"I'm unsure if resisting Corruption at full capacity is plausible," declared the alien, steadied by newfound tranquility, "but what I do know is that Stage 5 is typically the point of no return for a common Evolver. And by common, I mean anything and anyone with fewer than Seven Ordeals under their belt if cultivating the mind isn't their forte. That accounts for 99.9% of Evolvers and Players out there. At this Stage, corrupted Evolvers must exist in isolation. As long as they're solitary, they remain largely themselves, but the moment they make contact with a lifeform from the Mirror Universe, even a plant, a switch flips in their psyche. The murder instinct and hatred that overwhelm them at those moments are unbearable to the point where most opt for suicide or ostracism. Those elect to persist in society, and manage to keep up a semblance of normalcy, are ticking time bombs that eventually detonate without fail.

"Jake," he ventured again, "how do you feel?" BOOM!

An immeasurable spiritual pressure exploded from the Wendok as he posed his question this time, his voice imprinted with an eerie aura echoing in Jake's head like a peal of thunder. Nearby disciples who weren't even the target of this energy reeled back under the impact of the mental shock, a torrent of sweat cascading from pore of their bodies.

Only Epsilom and Drakon managed, albeit with considerable difficulty, to maintain their composure, a mental barrier reflexively enveloping them. Hade also weathered the spiritual shock without issue, but the luckiest of them all was Ulfar, miraculously spared by the torrent of mental power.

As for Lucia, standing extremely close to Jake and holding his hand, she was squarely struck by Cekt's spiritual pressure. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed into her lover's arms as lifeless as a Ragdoll cat.

Jake frowned coldly as the young woman passed out in his arms, and his relaxed face gradually hardened. A spiritual aura of unfathomable hostility then emerged from him like an unstoppable tide, slowly but surely pushing back the psychic assault of the small alien.

Despite being the target of all this spirit power, hadn't moved a muscle. It was as though this terrifying spiritual was harmless, merely a gentle breeze casually blowing over him.

Cekt finally felt something while contemplating his seventh disciple's solid mental defense. Of course, he could release more mental energy to increase the pressure on Jake, but it wouldn't serve any purpose. By releasing his aura thus, he had already accomplished his goal:

To force Jake to reveal his true nature when faced with a life or death situation. The outcome was different from what he had imagined, his disciple's mental strength being unfathomable for a post-Fourth Ordeal Evolver, but the crucial point was the restrained killing intent.

Someone more ignorant and vindictive than Cekt would have immediately passed judgment, but instead, the Wendok felt incredibly relieved. This killing intent was real, but behind it hid just a trace of anger and confusion after Lucia had been attacked for no apparent reason.

The gremlin retracted his aura and, with an apologetic smile, pointed the tip of his cane at Lucia's forehead. Her pallid face instantly its color.

"Cough, apologies for the recent...incident," Cekt cleared his throat with embarrassment as he the fury in his disciple's eyes had not dissipated one bit.

Before Jake could fly off the handle and question him about what had just happened, the gremlin turned to his other disciples, solemnly pronouncing, "He's clean. Don't ask me why, but the situation is completely under control."

The other disciples had their doubts, but following their master's confirmation, avenerable Rank 3 Aetherist, they set aside their skepticism. It was rather Hade and Ulfar who breathed sighs of relief upon receiving the Wendok's assurance that their leader had not yet been supplanted by the mind of a mad Digestor.

When Lucia fluttered open her eyes a few moments later, her expression sleepy, a warm smile bloomed on her face as she found herself nestled against Jake. Suddenly, the memory of her fainting spell rushed back, and she looked nervously about her. Realizing she was the only one who had passed out, a wave of shame washed over her, nearly causing her to swoon again.

Never again! Her Myrmidian pride would not allow it, but it went far beyond that. If Cekt had been an enemy, she would have perished with a single glare.

It was an absolute, indisputable defeat.

Jake, naturally, had a keen understanding of the thoughts currently roiling within the young woman's mind, and took no offense when she anxiously pushed him away as if he were plague- ridden.

In a glance, he noted Lucia's aura had weakened significantly, a direct result of the blow her ego had taken. Yet, he didn't fret for her. With the Spirit Of Revenge skill and her relentless spirit, she would recover from this setback in no time!

"Onward," Cekt finally announced, putting an official end to the incident.

This time, no one protested. The recent mental clash between master and disciple served as a stark reminder, keeping them in line. Even Ulfar, initially reluctant to join, decided to stay.

Jake was left with no choice but to inform Will and the others through the Faction Chat about today's events. The merchant was taken aback upon learning about Lure's death and its ramifications but quickly reined in his emotions.

"Count on me."

Reading his brief response, Jake nodded in agreement, confident his faction was in capable hands. Moments later, Cekt and his entourage reappeared on the surface, much to the astonishment of Saros, who had been searching for the entrance to his laboratory.

A minute later, they vanished in a flash after touching one of Thelma's Yellow Cubes, bound for an unknown destination.