Chapter 906: A Strange Voice II
Cassian pulled out the chair across from Kyle and quietly sat down. At that moment, the old dwarf snapped out of his daze and ran off to fetch the drink Kyle had ordered.
Still, the dwarf wasn’t sure if the drink would have any effect on such a strong Celestial. It was indeed made with potent ingredients, but it only worked on those with unstable minds or consciousness.
Cassian tapped the table to get Kyle’s attention, his eyes scanning him closely.
Though the man appeared pristine and completely composed as before, the air surrounding him felt worn and strained.
Also, was it just Cassian, or had Kyle’s presence really lost the overwhelming, commanding intensity it once carried?
How strange.
"What’s wrong with you? It’s only been like two years since we last saw each other—I expected some change, but not like this."
He paused for a small second, a sudden realization flashing in his crimson eyes.
"Ah, how greedy. Just how many natural laws did you comprehend—and steal—to end up this drained? I can practically feel the exhaustion pouring off you."
Kyle didn’t respond for a while.
Then, he let out a heavy sigh.
Maybe he needed to talk to someone to work through what he was dealing with?
Still, he really didn’t want to share it with Cassian... what if this jerk laughed at him?
He leaned forward, running a hand through his hair, then rested his elbows on the table and placed his hands over his nose, fixing Cassian with a solemn and serious gaze.
"I think there’s something wrong with me."
Cassian raised a brow.
"Hmm? But you look perfectly fine—aside from the exhaustion radiating off you."
Kyle shook his head.
"No, you don’t understand. My mind just won’t let me focus. It’s been two years. At first, I thought it was just an aftereffect—since I spent a month in a place saturated with illusion-related laws after leaving the clan. But when it didn’t stop, I became sure something was wrong with my mind."
He leaned in even closer.
Dread etched across his face.
"I keep hearing this strange crying sound that doesn’t even exist. Every time, I check my surroundings, but there’s never anything there. That’s why my concentration breaks whenever I try to learn something new! And do you know what happens when my focus slips? I hear a soft, mischievous giggle!"
Cassian was dumbfounded by what he heard. A flicker of confusion mixed with surprise flashed across his face. Yet, he brushed aside most of what the man had said—except for the most important part.
"If your concentration breaks every time... does that mean you haven’t learned any new natural laws in the past two years?"
He asked with hopeful eyes.
If Kyle said yes, he was going to challenge him and finally beat him—after all, Cassian had grown much stronger since then. And no, he hadn’t forgotten the bloody beating Kyle had given him. He wanted revenge.
However, his hope immediately crumbled into speechlessness when Kyle sneered.
"My concentration does break because of the voice, but it only shows up occasionally. So, I just store the traces of the laws I can’t grasp at the time and learn them later. You think I’d still be stuck at the same level just because of a voice? I’m not that foolish."
Cassian’s eyebrow twitched.
"Then what the hell is the problem? Just ignore the voice—block it out of your mind and senses. It’s probably a Celestial spirit drawn to your aura. You’re at the 5th stage, so I’m sure the Celestial spirit is at least at the peak of the 6th stage... or maybe even stronger. That’s why you can’t detect it."
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. This body of his was indeed at the fifth stage, but Cassian likely couldn’t sense his exact power. So, was he just guessing that Kyle was a stage higher than him? He chuckled softly inwardly but slammed his fist on the table outwardly.
"That’s not the problem! I actually grew somewhat used to the voice—it had a hint of familiarity to it. But recently, it’s stopped ringing in my head. The thing is... I want to hear it again. However, no matter how hard I try to concentrate, it won’t return! So, I’m saying something’s wrong with me!"
Cassian was left even more speechless. Seeing the frustration and seriousness on Kyle’s face, he couldn’t help but sneer.
"Something really is wrong with you. First, you were annoyed because of the strange voice—now you’re upset because it’s gone. Is that why you look so exhausted? Have you been trying to track down that voice?"
Kyle nodded at him, and that was the last straw for Cassian. He never imagined he’d live to see the day Kyle lost his mind—but clearly, the man had gone insane. Maybe the strange crying voice really was just an illusion his mind created, a side effect of grasping too many illusion-related laws.
Cassian had been thinking about inviting Kyle to join his team, but seeing his current state, he abandoned the idea. What if, in the middle of a battle, Kyle suddenly heard that voice and stopped everything to chase it?
That would get not just him, but his entire team, killed. And he couldn’t afford that—not when he was heading to a battlefield.
So, he stood up with a polite look, deciding to just leave the man alone. There was no benefit in bringing Kyle along—only trouble.
"Alright, good luck... I have somewhere to be now. Let’s talk if we ever meet again."
With that, he turned and walked toward his three companions, who had already caught the signal in his eyes and were prepared to vanish with him. But of course, Kyle noticed right away that he was trying to slip away.
Cassian froze as a cold hand gripped his shoulder tightly. Immediately, Kyle’s calm yet curious voice sounded from behind.
"I wonder where you guys are heading?"
Cassian wanted to slap his hand away but hissed as he felt the overwhelming power gripping his shoulder. Still, he gritted out.
"None of your business!"
Kyle gasped dramatically.
"I know... but I still want to know!"
The three figures standing before them—two men in casual clothes and a woman in robes—who had been silently observing the exchange between their leader and Kyle all this while, finally intervened. The woman stepped forward, fixing Kyle with a glare.
"This is bullying! You think we can’t fight back just because we’re weaker? You are just one, and we’re four. Cassian, just say the word—we will take him down!"
Cassian’s heart sank. This idiot!
Doesn’t she have any brain cells?
If they fought Kyle, he’d bet everything that bastard would walk away without a scratch, while they’d all be left bloodied and broken!