Gleam [Karma Cultivator Isekai] - Chapter 125: Live
Bella’s eyes snapped open and her head jerked back. Rilu’s hand shot out, keeping her from colliding with the wall behind her. His eyes shimmered with a faint golden energy that faded to a dull brown and he released Bella’s head, taking a step back.
“It worked.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Bella said, rubbing her eyes. “You killed me.”
“Yes. I told you that I would.”
“Telling someone that you’re going to kill them doesn’t exactly justify doing it.”
Rilu arched an eyebrow. “You wanted me to help you fix your path. I helped.”
“I – yeah. I guess it did. Thank you. I don’t suppose you can tell me what actually happened? You said I was going to see my true self or something like that, but it felt more like I was talking to my Essence.”
For a moment, Rilu looked surprised. That instant passed quickly, and he regained control of his features once more. “Your Essence? What makes you believe that?”
“It basically told me it was. Was that not intended?”
“You should have seen a reflection of yourself. Nothing that spoke with you,” Rilu said, his brow furrowing. “This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this, and it’s not unusual for everyone’s experience to be a little different… could you describe what happened more? Perhaps you simply misunderstood. It is easy to get confused when you are within the reaches of your own soul.”
Bella shrugged. Rilu might have killed her, but he did genuinely seem to want to help. It was a helpful death. At least, that was what she was going to tell herself. There wasn’t any good way for her to get back at the powerful Karma Cultivator if he was malicious, so it was much easier to just assume that he was on their side – for the time being, at least.
She recounted everything that had happened after Rilu had killed her. Throughout her explanation, Rilu’s eyebrows continued to creep up his forehead until they basically vanished into his hair.
“That,” Rilu said once Bella had finished, “is not your soul.”
“Yeah, I gathered as much. What was it, then? You’re the one who sent me there.”
Rilu chewed his lower lip and tapped a finger on his upper thigh. “Odd indeed. It does genuinely sound like you somehow found a way to communicate with something that you believe to be your Essence.”
“The way you’re wording that makes it sound like I’m insane more than anything else.”
“Yes, it does,” Rilu agreed. He didn’t bother correcting Bella, which wasn’t particularly reassuring.
“Is it not possible for Essence to communicate with people? I’d never heard of something like that before today.”
“It’s possible, but for a Rank Three? I’ve never heard of the like. If someone else had interceded on your behalf to allow such a thing, then I could envision it. But… as far as I’m aware, that did not occur.”
“Great,” Bella said. “This is all nice and mysterious, but I did kind of die today, and while I really appreciate your help, I’m honestly more confused than anything else. Is this a good thing? I thought it was a good thing.”
It was a few moments before Rilu replied, and even then he still looked pensive.
“Yes. I believe it is a good thing. Excuse my impoliteness. I am… unused to being surprised. It rarely happens, but you and Chance have managed it multiple times already. Do you feel like your path has affirmed itself?”
Bella had to consider that question for a few moments. Her Essence still swirled in her Gate, waiting for her to call on it. She didn’t feel particularly different at first. But, as she sent her attention deeper, it immediately became clear that something had indeed changed.
The feel of her Essence, which had once been sharp and crisp, was completely different. It was still cool, but now it was like a winter breeze rather than a frozen wasteland. It felt… right.
Bella enjoyed the crisp energy as it swirled through her body, then pulled her attention back and gave Rilu a nod.
“Yes. It’s fixed, at least as far as I can tell. I suppose I won’t know for certain until I get to test it out. But… is this really going to be enough to beat Vex? Actually – scratch that. I know it isn’t. He’s way stronger than anyone we’ve fought before, to the point where I don’t think there’s any way we can use cheap tricks to claim a victory. He won’t go down the same way the Brackern Sect did.”
Rilu let out a heavy sigh. “It will be very difficult. As you say, Vex is an incredibly powerful cultivator. You are indeed completely outmatched, and as before, I still cannot directly interfere.”
“So isn’t the end result of this the same no matter what?” Bella asked, pushing herself out of the chair and grimacing. “No matter how much you help us, we’re still Rank 3s. Vex kills us – or me, I suppose. I’m not sure Yamish would let Chance just get killed like that.”
“It’s hard to say, but you’re likely correct. There is one thing that you have going for you that will give you the slightest sliver of opportunity, though.”
“What is it?”
“The fact that Vex has such intense bad Karma, especially with you. The universe already dislikes his existence, and setting out to kill someone as weak as you intentionally rather than by passing – that will hinder him.”
Bella’s brow furrowed. “You mean if he killed us on accident then it wouldn’t be a problem at all?”
“It would be less of one.” Rilu nodded. “You must understand that – in the grand scheme of things – you are nothing. You have done little in your world to connect you to the universe. In a few hundred years, your ties will be far greater and more important. If Vex were to kill you on accident, then the universe would barely notice the loss. The important thing here is that he is not doing this on accident. His intent is incredibly clear, and that brings his Karma to bear against him.”
“So how do we take advantage of that? You can’t be implying that Chance is going to be able to defeat Vex just with his Karma Cultivation.”
“No, he would stand no more chance against Vex than you in your current state. Come with me.”
The ground behind Rilu rippled. Stone pulled apart brick by brick, forming a stairwell that led beneath the floor. He set down it, and after a moment, Bella followed after him.
“Are you giving us some sort of Artifact?” Bella asked.
“Very astute. Yes, I am. An Artifact is the only way that I can see you having a chance against someone so much more powerful than you.”
“Any artifact that can kill an existence like him feels like it would be too powerful for us to use.”
Rilu let out a charming laugh. They reached the bottom of the stairwell, emerging into a plain room. It was circular and ringed by flickering yellow torches. At its center sat a stone dais and, upon that, a weathered scroll.
“Kill Vex? You cannot. Even if you somehow managed to strike his head from his shoulders, he would still come back. Your Essence simply has no way to overwhelm his. No – you cannot kill Vex, but you can defeat him.”
“Those seem like the same thing.”
Rilu looked over his shoulder at Bella. “You are being intentionally dense.”
“Sorry,” Bella said. “It’s been a long day. I died.”
“So I saw.” Rilu carefully picked the scroll up off the dais and held it out to Bella. She took it from him, barely even wrapping her fingers around the old paper in fear of mistakenly damaging it.
“Is this a way to trap Vex or something?”
“A good guess, but not exactly a trap. You wouldn’t have the power to use such a powerful artifact, and Vex would know what it was. This is the only way I could think of for you to have a fighting chance against Vex. It is a favor given to me by another Karma cultivator that I knew many years ago. He has since died, but the power remains.”
“And what exactly does it do?”
“It will draw on the Karma of whoever opens it, granting them a reward from the universe. I had originally planned to use this myself when I reached my next Rank. It would have given me a powerful item.”
“A reward… I take it that the reward depends on your Karma?” Bella guessed.
Rilu’s grin widened. “Yes. Vex’s reward will be very ill indeed. Even if it doesn’t kill him, it will strike a powerful blow that should give you enough time to escape the free reign that Yamish has given him. It will buy you time.”
Bella swallowed. If Rilu was really telling the truth, then he was giving them an incredible gift. An artifact that would have mattered to someone as powerful as he was – the scroll was priceless.
“You said that Vex has to open this?”
“Of his own volition,” Rilu confirmed. “That will be the difficult part, and it is why your chances of success, even with my help, are middling. Vex is arrogant, though. You may be able to use that to your advantage.”
“Any chance is better than none,” Bella said, inclining her head. She slipped the scroll into her pack. “Thank you. I know I haven’t been the most receptive, but–”
“I don’t mind. The words of our heart are far louder than those of our mouth, and I can feel your Karma.”
Bella wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so she just nodded. Rilu started back up the stairs and she followed after him.
“I’ve got one more question, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Feel free to ask. I do not guarantee that I will answer.”
“Why are you doing so much for us? I know you already said some reasons, but is that really it?”
Rilu didn’t respond until they were both standing back in the dining room, and the pathway into the ground had closed back over as if it had never been open.
“My path has permitted me to see a great many things. I have witnessed more than most men ever will, and more than I had ever wanted to. I do not regret cultivating my Essence, but there are times when the universe seems unbelievably dark and there is so little I can do about it. You, on the other hand, are unbound.”
“So we’re basically a tool that you can use to try to make change?”
“Yes,” Rilu said apologetically. “I am using you. There is a very good chance that you die in the process of this. However, in the process, you have the slightest possibility of striking out against Vex. That is what I seek to capitalize on.”
“It all seems very roundabout, but I don’t know the first thing about Karma cultivation. To be honest, I don’t even care if you use us if it gives us a way to live through all this crap, no matter how miniscule it is. We’ll figure something out.”
“I am heartened that you do not think ill of me. For what it is worth, I truly hope you succeed. Both to hurt Vex, and so that you may both live.”
“I guess we’ll see,” Bella said wryly.
“So we will. Shall we go reunite with Chance? I would speak with both of you before you depart.”
Bella nodded, and a door formed in the wall of the room. It swung open, and the two of them stepped into the darkness beyond it.
