The Seeker | Volume 2

"I want to visit Izuku beneath this castle." Shinso explained, his gaze locked on the blonde haired Katsuki.

Katsuki's fiery eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing Shinso's request. He crossed his arms, his index finger drumming against his forearm plates.

"Bold of you to assume I'll let you waltz in there like nothing." His tone was stern yet collected, an inscrutable indication of security.

"It's for a good reason: safety and to conform to something." Shinso continued. 

The indigo haired boy rapped his right foot on the stone floor beneath him, waiting for the emperor to either accept or deny his request.

"More details." Katsuki quipped.

"I believe you're well aware of the malevolent existence dwelling within your friend, correct?" Shinso asked, raising his eyebrow a little.

Katsuki nodded with some uncertainty. "I know it's something, but I don't know what exactly. Are you gonna poke him with a sword and expect it to wave or something?" Katsuki scoffed.

"No, I need to interrogate the deity." Shinso replied solemnly.

"Izuku's been like this for months, who knows if it's gonna talk." 

Just then, Aizawa's variant, who'd been silent until now, spoke up. "Trust me, your majesty." 

Katsuki turned to look at him, his brows furrowing slightly as a little steam left his nose. 

"If you hurt him, I'll kill you." Katsuki growled deeply as he took a few steps back towards the large door before opening again.

"The Reversal Formula that Aizawa concocted is still in effect, but whether it wants to talk with you idiots is unclear."

Katsuki led the trio down the countless chambers of the castle before approaching the one door that descended into the darkness.

He grabbed a nearby torch and lit it with his abilities as he slowly walked down the stone stairs that led into the darkness. 

Katsuki spotted Hazel outside of the door, peering in through the small viewpoint from which Izuku could be seen in his mangled and disturbing form. 

"He's in there," Katsuki said softly, turning back to look at the others.

He reached his hand forward and slowly pushed open the door. 

Izuku cringed at the amount of light spilling in from the torch, he closed his eyes tightly and let out a low, almost animalistic growl.

"He looks…awful," Shinso took in the sight of Izuku's body. The bone wings that had emerged from his back, his long green hair and his sunken eyes.

"I think it's the corruption." Katsuki said, standing in the corner of the room, observing the scene like a hawk.

Shinso took a few steps towards Izuku, before clearing his throat.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

Izuku's blood-shot eyes opened quickly, peering up to look at Shinso.

"No, I don't. You're mortal flesh, a meaningless amalgamation." Izuku replied harshly.

Within the latters voice Shinso felt an intangible frequency, like the words shattered the air around him and drew out fear.

"Who am I talking to?" He continued.

"The Vulgar Mother…" Izuku replied, the ends of his lips twitching slightly to form an inhumane smile.

"I knew it was you inside of him. Back where I come from it would take something astronomical to break someone like him." Shinso raised an eyebrow as he raised his head.

"Why ask me questions, meaningless?" Izuku asked.

"Someone tapped into and arranged my memories, I want to know who." 

Izuku cocked his head slightly and smiled further. "Well, why would I focus my attention on someone like you?" 

"Someone like you wouldn't spill the truth immediately. You're a deity of incomprehensible power, able to manipulate and rearrange the fabric of the universe at your will."

"What does that have to do with the correct subject?" 

Shinso's lips curled into a smile as he replied. "It was most likely you. You probably have the power to conceal anything you want, intentions, secrets, dreams, people…"

"I don't. Without the Nest of Vulgarity my strength is greatly diminished. The World-view barrier is slowly breaking down day by day, allowing me to influence who and whatever I want in small intervals."

"Then you're just confirming my suspicions." Shinso replied, crossing his arms.

"But you're not worth my attention." Izuku said coldly.

The green haired boy continued. "You know an ability such as Concealment would allow me to hide anything, including the fact that I messed with your mind to begin with."

"But I wouldn't do such a thing because you're not worth my attention, Hitoshi." Izuku's lips drew in, revealing rows of sharp teeth collected together to form a maniacal grin.

"Then, maybe your friend did?" Shinso continued.

"The Primordial Demon King is too weak at the moment, but "He's" here in this place."

"Every atom here in this room has some of "His" influence, down to the most inscrutable aspects."

Shinso took note of this fact, and he turned his head to look around the large circular space. Upon looking up at the ceiling, Shinso caught sight of the image etched into it.

It showed the scene of a large being with large bone-like wings, adorned with two large black horns and fiery eyes. In his left hand, he carried a large spear.

"I assume that's "His" doing?" 

Izuku nodded. "Within this space he has some control. After all, this is "His" mausoleum." 

"That's why I'm here to begin with: to destroy it

—In hopes of destroying you." 

"Good luck with that. But it's quite bold of you to assume that the Primordial Demon King would only have one means of resurrecting himself?"

"More than one?"

Izuku nodded, still smiling.

"He" built many mausoleums in the previous epoch, 3 to be exact." 

"So only destroying one would only fracture the chance a little?" Shinso asked.

"No. "He'd" still have the other two with no complications. After "He" brings himself back through this young body, he'll merge with my own spirituality."

He continued.

"Then, the characteristics and authorities of the three Routeways I partially control would absorb into this body, allowing my symbolism to fully engulf him. I can then break the barrier and let myself come through."

"Sounds complicated, like a process that would take a long time." Shinso smirked.

"It would. Additionally merging with the Nest of Vulgarity would take eons in advance. The Ebon Veil Syndicate attempted to channel its power, but they were stopped by a familiar face."

"A familiar face?" Shinso was taken aback by "Her" recollection.

"What do you mean?" Shinso demanded.

Just then, the inscrutable sense of malice and fury left Izuku's eyes, as he fell forward and slumped. He was now asleep. 

"What happened?" Bakugo asked in an uncollected voice as he darted over and held Izuku's body. Hazel, who had been frozen in fear from Izuku's sudden "possession" ran over to her father. 

"After "She" stated that fact he fell asleep. "She's" hiding something from us."

"I hope you got your damn answer." Katsuki grumbled, looking at the three of them standing in the room.

"Partially. It was most likely the Primordial Demon King's doing. I could confirm if you let me-"

"No!" Katsuki shouted.

Shinso took a step back, taking a deep breath after.

"Fine, I'll accept that…"

…

"It looks like a feasible gift for the daughter." Arden said with a smirk, crossing his arms as he observed the black box wrapped inside golden paper adorned with a red bow on top. 

Cosette sighed softly as she turned back to look at her brother. "This plan seems almost fool-proof, but I wouldn't curse it."

Just then, she sat down in a chair in the living room, staring into the fire.

"Why would Dwane request something like this from us?" She asked.

"Business is a very influential thing, Cosette. Even if I find this mission very difficult to do, sometimes you have to do something that needs to be done."

Cosette turned from the fire and looked back at Arden, her expression gradually softening.

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing? This is a birthday gathering, not a private one. What if there's kids there?"

"He'll probably be elsewhere until he's needed. This party is being held in the largest manor in Seraphis Kingdom. If he screams, it'll probably not be heard."

Cosette looked ahead slightly, noticing what was happening outside.

"Look…" she said, her voice reminiscent of a whisper. 

Arden looked back from his sister and out the window. His eyes then widened with amazement and warmth, a small smile forming on his face. 

"It's early November, how is it snowing?" 

Cosette didn't answer his question. Instead, she appeared entranced by the weather, letting out a light sigh as the freezing flakes descended from the cloudy, gray sky.