Aurora Scroll

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have reached our final destination. Mind your belongings as you disembark. Thank you for choosing Tanael’s Nirvana Transportation Service. Have a good day.”

At a safe place, Tanael began the release of his human cargo from the most recent jailbreak business venture.

Seventeen people manifested around him like an item coming out from a spatial ring. Tanael’s magic lantern that had made this possible crumbled to dust. It couldn't be used ever again.

Six of them who swore fealty to Tanael and entered his service for one hundred years still had their cultivation. The other eleven, Tanael had taken their cultivation and so they had returned to being ordinary mortals.

“Here’s some food, money, and change of clothes. This is the map of the region. We’re around here. Monsters and criminality are on the low side. The closest town is that way. With this, our agreement has been concluded. Both parties have fulfilled their end of the bargain. Ye damned who wants a fresh start, the world is once again open to you. Make use of this opportunity as you will. Godspeed.”

Against Tanael’s business-like talk, the eleven’s response was complicated. These were former Level 5s. Famous, evil, Level 5s. They were no longer that. And the mysterious youngster with roots from who-knows-where swept them along with forceful brutality.

“You’ve got guts, kid. I’ll give you that.”

The first guy came forth, took the journey supplies and waved goodbye. He did not look back. His steps as a free man were light.

“You’re almost as dashing as me when I was young. Almost.”

“Wahahaha! Good job trashing that dump of a prison. It was satisfying to look at.”

“I’m still bitter you severed my Path of Power... but it’s less so now. No offense, but may we never meet again.”

One by one, the prisoners from the hidden prison floor went on their way, each harboring their own feelings in their hearts. It was like seeing animals returning to the wilds after he cared for them in a conservatory, sort of. It was oddly satisfying.

“Good luck, all of you. Keep your nose clean this time.”

Tanael truly wished them well. He had no enmity against them. The people wanted to turn a new leaf and Tanael gave them the chance. The rest was up to them. He had taken payment but it was a fair trade in his mind: their past life for a new life; whether it would better or worse, it was up to them.

The six behind Tanael he would bring to his future. A future that he would shape according to his will.

“That’s that then. I was worried what’s going to happen but we’re finally out in one piece. That’s the important thing. Where are we going now, My Lord?” Beria Teslin asked.

“We should probably lie low for a while,” the half-demon young man, Raha'ak looked the most worried of the six. “The Tower of Remorse’s destruction and... after that, made too big of a wave.”

“First, I could eat. A horse or a house.”

“You’d eat a house?” Yunis the dark elf asked the orc.

“Its occupants, of course,” Guador said with a hungry grin.

“Ahhh... Ooh... So beautiful. How pretty. How sublime. I’ve got to paint it, I’ve got to paint!” Sorrow Painter Gosden looked like an artist that had found his muse. The encounter with something like the Aurora Scroll was a super big deal for him, apparently.

“All right, gang. Follow me,” Tanael walked to the forest, where there was a teleportation point to Dia’s Biome nearby. “We’re going to your new home.”

Fallen Knight Jordan approached him from behind.

“What’s up?” Tanael asked without turning his head.

“I believe you let go of the artifact too easily, Lord Tanael. Very regrettable. I also don't understand why you didn't finish off the Silver legion woman at the end. Your last strike would have killed her, but you struck the scroll instead.”

“Is that what the rest of you think too, my Yotei Six?” Tanael asked. “...No, that’s a bad name. I could do better,” he murmured with a softer voice.

The silence of the ex-convicts was confirmation enough. These big bad villains were all experienced fighters. They all saw Tanael’s fight with Freya and in their mind, Tanael had made... questionable decisions.

Tanael stopped and turned, looking Jordan in the eye.

“You know nothing, Jordan Snow.”

Tanael continued walking, all-mysterious-like. His confident demeanor and body language were so much so that the six, people with so much more life experience than Tanael, felt a sense of mystique.

Just as Tanael wanted.

They reached the hidden Gate Plant shortly. Tanael used the correct password and magical key to open the barrier and connect to the Biome. He felt Dia’s attention and after confirming, the Biome’s master allowed the connection to go through.

“Other Kin! Welcome back,” Dia, who looked like a girl with less than ten summers with leaves as hair, welcome-hugged Tanael.

“Good to be back. Gang, your room and food have been prepared. Go get some rest. We’ll talk later. But remember, this is someone else’s Biome and you’re guests. Be polite.”

He let the Pukupukus, nature spirits that he manufactured as free labor, guide them to their quarters and walked with Dia holding his hand.

“Other Kin, you’re injured again. Kin just got back super-duper injured too. Dia is sad.”

“Hahaha, but we’re alive. We’re getting stronger, so the time we get injured will be less and less.”

“Dia can protect Kin, but you said stay here,” the dryad pouted.

“It’s because you protect our home so well that I can go outside feeling at ease.”

Tanael decided to keep Faiya’s injury a secret from Dia for now. The fire elemental wasn't dead, and he would help him recover. But first, Viers. Tanael couldn't hold himself together for much longer. He put up a strong front, but it was only a show.

He distracted Dia with gifts and loot and sent her away. In his home tree, he did this and that before finally meeting his other self in the secret room.

“So, how is it on your end?” Viers said.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelFire; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Arsène S. Tanael saw his other self, Viers Isuel, in a DBZ-inspired healing pod. He was in a worse state than him. It looked like a bomb had gone off inside his chest. Even Tanael wondered how he was still alive.

What the hell happened at Grandia Castle?

“Well, you look like a wreck,” Tanael scoffed. “Let me guess. You were having too much fun and things backfired again?”

“How’s the Tower of Remorse? Success?” Viers tried to change the subject and since Tanael was gracious, he let him.

Was it a success? Tanael wondered about it too. Most of his objectives were met and he got plenty of loot. However...

“Well... Houston, we have a problem,” Tanael said.

***

With the return of his other self to his being, Viers received his memories.

Floating in a healing vat, like Norman Reedus’ Amazing Fetus, Viers was in deep introspection. Not that there was much else to do.

Firstly, Viers was delighted that Tanael, God-bless his clone, was making judgment calls exactly like he would. He found no fault in Tanael’s thought process and subsequent actions. Verifying this was important when dealing with clones and such.

The Tower of Remorse raid itself, he considered the mission accomplished. At the end, there were two giant unforeseen variables: Freya Marianus and the Aurora Scroll.

Tanael did extremely well. He did not chicken out at the start of Aurora Race trial, he persisted and splendidly stole the scroll from Freya’s clutch like a dastardly villain he was.

Only, that wasn't enough against a child of fate like Freya. Now, Viers was certain Freya was THE MC of this world, shouldering the burden of what that title entailed.

It made her powerful.

Tanael fought with Freya. Viers tried to steer away from Freya since the day he lost to her, but he knew it wouldn't last forever. They would definitely clash in the end, because the peak of Dao was limited or some such. It simply happened at the Tower of Remorse raid.

Tanael copied the memories of Freya’s otherworlder friend but it wasn't much use in the fight. There was simply no opportunity to make a counter from that, since Tanael didn't have the time to analyze those memories. Perhaps the timing could be different but the Aurora Scroll forced their hand. Fate was on Freya’s side; it just couldn't be helped.

During the fight, Tanael fought Freya with the intent to win, not to kill.

He wasn't pulling his punches or anything. Tanael did his best, but he wasn't trying to kill Freya.

Because killing Freya was never going to work.

That role was not his. He was Viers’ clone and a mere clone couldn't beat the child of destiny.

If it was Viers’ true self back down there, then yes, he might have a chance. Destiny could be overturned. Viers had killed other MCs or Heaven’s Chosen or whatever before.

But a clone, no matter how skilled, was simply lacking in substance to be able to kill a strong, fated MC. Especially a strong-in-the-Force MC like Freya.

Not to mention the possibility of resurrections, time travel, or some other bullshit even though the villain won.

Simply put, Tanael knew he didn't have what it takes to kill the already tired and wounded Freya.

This was a very high-end, really-bending esoteric META knowledge based on his Fables. Viers didn't care if no one understood. This was his path, his conviction, his way of life, his Dao.

During the battle, Freya pulled one trick after another even though her starting condition was far from optimal. That was per the course. Tanael expected it and matched it.

He knew from the beginning that their battle would strengthen Freya, awaken a new power, temper her Dao heart or whatever, but it simply couldn't be helped. It was a cost that he had to pay for trying to obtain something against Heaven’s Will. If he didn't have the guts to even try, to struggle against the current, what the hell he was cultivating for?

His path so far wasn't in vain. Five years ago, he was unable to do anything against Freya, just running around like a beaten dog. This time, he was able to push her to the brink. He didn't care if Freya was perhaps down to a tenth of her full strength when they fought. It still happened. She was no longer the moon and stars that his sword couldn't reach!

As a clone, Tanael didn't have Viers’ Horizon Aspect boost, which was already above 1000% multiplier at this time. If he won this, the next time he faced Freya... The real Viers would be more willing to pit their Fate against each other for supremacy. But first, win. Here and now.

His Dao of Freedom and Freya’s Dao of Order. They clashed with their beliefs in their Artes.

At the very end, there was an opportunity.

After the Yield My Flesh To Claim Their Bones, Glory to Limbus Company, I... Tanael, felt the moment to overturn Fate. My other self tried to kill Freya for real. However, Freya and the Aurora Scroll were resonating. Fucking heroes and their plot armor Deus Ex Machina!

Would the resonance have happened if Tanael didn't try to take Freya and plunge her into a true crisis? Viers didn't know. Things got heated in battle, not even he was perfect.

At any rate, Tanael changed the target from Freya to the Aurora Scroll instead. If he didn't and still target Freya, she would have an epiphany and perfected her half-complete Super Saiyan Silver, or became Level 6 in one go, or some other bullshit before the strike, then obliterate him from existence. That was the story the world prepared for the clone of an uppity mad villain like himself.

But Tanael’s wisdom transcended time and dimensions. He targeted the scroll!

It was Viers’ mentally: If it is something good, then it is mine. If it can't be mine, then no one can have it either. Better for it to be destroyed.

Tanael was trying to destroy the Aurora Scroll rather than letting Freya obtain it.

Viers was fond of the creed. He loved to use it against others, but absolutely loathed others using it against him. The sheer hypocrisy of it... It was bad and evil but so what? He was a villain, was he not? Proudly so.

Freya’s Super Saiyan Silver when she defeated the three Devil God avatars was but one example of what benefits Freya could obtain from the scroll of fate. Freya having the MacGuffin that gave unlimited power was bad news for him. A vile, petty, villain like him.

But Tanael knew he didn't have the power to destroy the scroll that recorded fate itself.

What could he do then?

Tanael went back to his roots, to his collection of wisdom and source of triumph: the Fables.

One story came to his mind: Sun Wukong.

In the story, the Monkey King once erased his name from the Book of Life and Death.

Wasn't it quite similar to the Aurora Scroll?

Tanael certainly thought so.

Even if the scroll’s contents were in Freya, temporarily or otherwise, Tanael still thought the empty scroll was like a window to Fate’s workings.

With all his will and power focused into a single attack, he struck the scroll with the intention of erasing his name, Viers Isuel’s name, from Fate!

Did it work?

No idea.

But it seemed to do something, otherwise, there shouldn't be strange phenomenons following the slash, right?

Tanael was spent and the opportunity had passed. He had done all he could so he used the Team Rocket protocol. He couldn’t kill Freya and couldn't steal the scroll, therefore, he conceded victory to his opponent.

It was fine. Returning to his true body and giving the enormous loot and experience in his pocket was more important. Pride or reputation that he lost? Cheap steaks compared to what was truly important.

The world would know Tanael lost against Freya.

But Tanael himself knew he had also won against Freya.

My victory lies in my defeat... You did a banger job, Tanael. As expected of me.

For villains, the hero was sometimes insurmountable. The deck was stacked against one side.

If they couldn't win, they should turn their defeat into a sort of victory.

Viers generated that pearl of wisdom on his own. It was different from giving up or defeatism.

Floating in the healing vat, the horribly injured villain smiled.

That's The Way It Is.

He had a lot to do after he was out of the pod. So exciting!

While humming the song in a good mood, Viers’ Dao thrummed. It felt like it was growing and singing happily. His way of living wasn't about constant victory or absolute glory; it was freedom.

Tanael chose, of his own free will, to lose.

Freya had cast down countless villains, Devil God avatars and Tanael. The Aurora Scroll was in her hand. She would soar to the sun-lit sky.

That was what the masses would think, and they weren't incorrect.

Little did they know, a villain was also soaring in the night sky, almost unperceivable to all.

With or without Aurora Scroll, the villain would soar.

The opportunity to prevent his rise was already buried in the past.