As Levi gazed at the details of the innate ability, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on in the background... whether it was the Nine Senses Tree taking care of him, fate, or some unseen entity.
But soon, he shook the feeling away, understanding that without actual evidence, such speculations would raise nothing but doubts and paranoia in his mind. This would affect his judgment heavily.
He buried the feeling deep in his heart, not getting rid of it fully, then he grinned faintly as he summoned the Soulleech Maw.
"We have some discovery to do."
The Soulleech understood nothing of what he said... it extended its tongue and started licking Levi’s face happily, resembling a newborn puppy.
"Why always the face..."
Levi smiled wryly as he leaned his face away, but there was no running away from the Soulleech Maw’s love... it was attached to his palm, and its tongue could extend to a couple of meters at least, resembling a purplish plant-based whip.
Every time he tried to fight it off from turning his face into a saliva exhibition, it used its long tongue to entangle itself around him... then viciously attacked his face with excited licks.
Today was no different... in less than a second, Levi found himself tied up and lying on the peaceful lake with a helpless expression.
The Soulleech Maw’s joyous giggles resounded in his soul, making it difficult to hate it or scold it... He could tell that the Soulleech Maw saw him as the most important person in its life, and treated him accordingly with love attacks.
"I still can’t believe this is the entity that made the entire universe dread mentioning its name out loud..." The Titan chuckled at the sight.
"It’s still a newborn and understands nothing but eating souls and showing its love like this," Ash’Kral remarked as he watched Levi continue to wrestle for his freedom, "Once it evolves a couple of times, that feeling will return in no time."
In the end, Levi gave in and waited until the Soulleech Maw’s excitement died off... He could have used his powers or force to break free, but he refused to do so.
He had met its mother... although she told him that she would have no relation to his Soulleech Maw, Levi refused to raise it as a tool or a slave. It was part of him now, and he preferred having a kinship relationship with it.
Luckily, he figured out some key words that triggered obedience.
"Behave well, and I will feed you another soul." He promised, his face illuminating with aetheric greenish saliva.
The instant the Soulleech Maw heard the term soul , its tongue snapped sharply... then, it attacked him with a couple more licks in excitement at the incoming feast. Only then did it retract its tongue back to its mouth, freeing him at last.
Levi washed his face with the Ancestral Rooted Plane’s water and stood up. He raised his palm to his face and smiled wryly at the sight of the Soulleech Maw huffing and puffing nonstop, awaiting its promised food.
"All you care about is feeding on souls... You have no clue what kind of demonic work goes into preparing your meals with that tiny brain of yours."
The Soulleech Maw’s response was wiggling its tongue excitedly, having no idea what he was talking about... also, it didn’t care.
Meanwhile, Levi couldn’t get rid of the images he saw during his shopping spree for nightcrawlers’ souls in the Boundless Expanse.
He went on the night of his meeting with Wei-Lan.
One would assume that such a market would be underground, hidden, and private... but reality was far crueler for the weak and helpless.
Levi went to the capital’s market in the Main Hub and found an entire street dedicated solely to the buying and selling of slaves.
Rows upon rows of iron cages and energy restraints lined the street. The merchandise ranged from refugees of devoured planets, prisoners pulled from death rows and auctioned off, severe contract breachers, and rebels of the CRS Platform and the Nocturnal Ring... those who had dared seek the collapse of the systems ruling the universe.
Naturally, these slaves belonged to races of low standing.
Angrath, Fortunari, Dragons, Elves, Dwarves, and other deeply established races of the universe and the Boundless Expanse could not be enslaved openly. They could be killed, hunted, or bound in secret... but never sold in public.
That was a purchased right... and only the strong could afford it.
As Levi walked deeper into the street, his gaze stilled at the sight of... Humans.
Enslaved humans.
Men with hollow eyes and broken backs... women clutching their arms as if trying to keep themselves together. Elderly figures slumped in chains, breathing shallowly... and children, too small for their restraints, wrists bruised where the cuffs were tightened to stop them from slipping out. All of them were wearing tattered clothes or none... the choice was up to the seller, not them.
There were so many... so many that Levi recalled the sick feeling he had in his stomach at the time... a feeling that he couldn’t get rid of, even after days went by.
Yet, what he could never forget was the moment he passed one cage, his face, and body concealed beneath a robe... and despite that, a man pressed himself against the bars and spoke with a hoarse, desperate voice.
"Please... please, are you human?"
Levi halted at the question.
"We don’t want trouble... just take my daughter... I’ll do anything..."
A young woman beside him whispered... half naked, dirt in her nails, and dim blue hair that seemed to have lost its luster, just like her.
Levi said nothing, nor did he look in their direction... and yet, the young woman felt his sympathetic gaze even when he had no eyes.
"Don’t look at us like that... it hurts more than the chains."
Levi let out a long exhale and continued his walk, his steps as heavy as his heart... He didn’t respond; he couldn’t, for he had nothing to say that could have changed their situation.
But he didn’t take more than a few steps before he heard a question from a child with dull eyes, no older than six years old... an age that reminded him of himself during that cursed night.
"Sir... are they really going to eat us?"