Phainon stared at the pair of black "guns" he received from Aglaea. It came from a wooden box. He brought it along with him, slinging them on the holsters in his waist.
He was the one assigned by Aglaea to investigate what happened on the Grove of Epiphany. Tribbie personally sent him to the Grove using her Century Gate.
"Teacher Tribbie looked eager at its appearance. It should be special…"
Phainon grasped the longsword in his hand. He still trusted this handy weapon compared to the "guns" bestowed upon him. His neglect stemmed from his lack of knowledge.
Two years ago, he arrived in Okhema. It took a month before Aglaea noticed him. She then sent him to study at the Grove for a year. He learned a "lot" of things… relatively.
One of the things that flew above his head was the knowledge of "guns".
Amphoreus has its own version of guns. Only, they weren't widespread.
Phainon's professor, Anaxagoras, has his own alchemical version of it. Phainon ended up dozing off at that class—the ones teaching alchemy—hence his lack of knowledge.
He cautiously scanned at his surroundings. No traces of Black Tide creatures were found… which he found strange.
Everything remained silent until he reached Anaxa's private workshop. It was one of his key targets. Anaxa stayed at his workshop outside classes. Phainon thought he might find him here.
Unfortunately, he did not. All he found are burnt and incomplete souls. He tried reading their contents and found nothing useful.
"God, usurp, merge, cycle. Professor Anaxa's study is too complex…"
Phainon placed the scrolls uniformly at the corner of the room. He continued his search for Anaxa, searching the familiar classrooms one by one. He did not bother looking at others' alchemical workshops, save for the one that used to belong to Anaxa's mentor, Empedocles. He found nothing there, too.
It took two hours to reach the Luminary Throne, the most respected area used by the seven heads of schools. It was said to be the place graced by the Reason Titan, Cerces', presence. She watches over everything that transpires in this place, basking at the intelligence and wit of others.
It was the highest point of the Grove's tree. It is located at its crown, with thick branches serving as its pathways. Thick lushes of green leaves covered the sky, shielding them from sun and rain completely.
Phainon stared at Anaxagoras. He slept on the Luminary Throne with both his arms on the armrest.
"Professor Anaxa…"
"It's Anaxagoras."
The familiar strict tone resounded within the silent treehouse.
Anaxagoras opened one of his eyes; the other covered by an eyepatch.
"You're alive!"
"Does it look like I am not?"
Facing his objectively "worst" student, Anaxa shook his head helplessly. The bloodline of Kaslanas never allowed for good grades. That goes even to other worlds.
"What happened? I heard from others that you…"
"Fought someone? I certainly did." He paused before spitting out a name, "That woman… She sent you here?"
"Ah? How did you know?"
The mention of Aglaea made Anaxa feel complicated.
For once, he hates the baseless faith towards the Titans and all the actions related to it. He believed only the truth present in his eyes. Placing their bets on the illusory and idealistic Flame-Chase Journey is bound to lead to a dead-end.
That was until that day came.
Right after Phainon's graduation, she sent him a package. It contained several formal suits befitting of professors. Beneath it all are a calling card and a book.
To the holder of Erudition's wisdom;
Seek the truth of this world.
'That card was certainly strange, but the book's contents…'
Anaxa vividly recalled the first time he had seen it.
The title was simple:
[On The Study of Souls]
He was surprised someone else dared to study the forbidden field of souls before him. The author's name, "Merlin", did not fit any of the known historical figures. Yet when he read the book's contents, it was far beyond what he could achieve in his lifetime.
Shi Tian's mastery over the soul has reached a terrifying level. His Divine Transformation Realm allowed for more practical experience, while the daily library chance from the golden orb enriched his theoretical knowledge. His title as the Dao Ancestor is fitting.
Writing a compressed and simplified theory about souls is as easy as writing a highschool-level textbook.
The said highschooler was none other than the Grove's most controversial scholar, Anaxagoras.
'Merlin, Merlin. That woman might know something…'
He kept this in his mind.
"Ready yourself. He's coming."
"Who?"
Anaxa did not answer Phainon's question. Their enemy had already arrived. The chilling atmosphere brought by the Flame Reaver is extremely familiar to Phainon.
"It's you!"
He gripped his sword handle tightly. The image of Aedes Elysiae being burned to the ground remains present in his mind. If it wasn't for Hysilens holding him back, perhaps only he and Cyrene would have lived.
He unsheathed his sword and rushed straight to the Flame Reaver.
Clang-!
One clash sent Phainon flying. The greatsword he held chipped visibly.
'How strong..!'
The Flame Reaver did not pursue him. He turned around and looked at Anaxa. The latter met his gaze, remaining seated on the Luminary Throne.
"...That's how it is."
His loud monologue reached their ears.
"Give it to me."
A husky, altered voice came from beneath the Flame Reaver's mask. Anaxa, however, ignored his pleas, focused on his recent discovery.
"Titans are former Demigods. I reckoned it was the answer I was looking for, that the world lived inside one giant loop."
Unlike the original, Anaxa's alchemical experiment succeeded with flying colors. He merged himself with the Reason Titan, Cerces, gaining both her Coreflame and memories. He has her tacit approval and Shi Tian's book, which was how he easily discovered the secret about Amphoreus' "loops".
A cycle occurs at the arrival of Era Nova. The Demigods of that cycle become the Titans of the next. Anaxa thought it was the biggest secret Amphoreus has to offer.
He is dead wrong.
The two shockingly identical souls in front of him—Phainon and Flame Reaver—overturned all of his prior conjectures.
"Executioner… how did you do it?"
"The truth does not matter."
Just as the Flame Reaver raised his blade up high, Phainon arrived in front of Anaxa.
Clang-!
Blade fragments flew in Phainon's face. The greatsword he used was totalled in two hits. The impact behind the blow sent him flying right beneath the throne.
'The Kaslanas must be genetically idiots…'
A soft sigh resounded in his ears. Phainon jolted as he looked around.
'Take the guns. Press the two of them against each other. You will have a new blade to use.'
Only then did he remember the two "artifacts" he brought over. The Flame Reaver paused as he saw the black and red pistols.
"Like this..?"
Under everyone's shocked eyes, the twin pistols turned into a large flaming greatsword:
Judgement of Shamash — Might of An-Utu.
The Flame Reaver's reaction was different from the two.
In his eyes…
'Has it come true?'
…it is the sword of a civilization's Deliverer.