"Hm… a bit annoying, but still manageable."
The highway wasn't as clogged with vehicles that could be used anymore. Probably realizing the sort of liability that might be, the powers had worked in parallel to render most cars and automobiles on the road useless.
The ones that were more useful, like motorcycles and things of the like, had been snatched away and were under their control.
All things considered, Zarek should have probably just gotten one from GFI. But he had chosen to slip away without a word for a reason.
As for his howling, he had been so brazen because he knew Belladoll and the others were still stuck in the Godsfall Tear for now. There would be no one to care about that.
This journey, though—he was going to have to take it on his own. Priya was more than prepared to protect herself. All he needed was his Godsfall and these tattoos.
Zarek looked down at the paw prints on the back of his hand with a grin he could hardly hide.
Honestly speaking, even if the rest of his plans failed, this was enough. This path was perfect for him. He had enough other knowledge now that this was all he would need—that he was confident in.
Don't let me succeed in fusing this, or else it'll really be over for all of you.
SHIIING!
Illusory claws extended from Zarek's knuckles and he almost laughed like a madman again.
The mink's claws were the straw that broke the camel's back for him. He never expected that he could draw up blueprints for them too.
There was probably a very specific niche of Turned abilities that he could target like this—ones that physically manifested in runic forms.
These blades came from the mink's claws, and they grew out on the backs of Matrices very similar to what one would find on a Treasure. Due to this, they were very compatible with Zarek's new abilities, carrying the Matrices necessary to both expand and contract when the timing called for it—and to sharpen and manifest, too.
On top of that, they were C Class as well.
But what truly made these so shocking was that the claws had fused into Zarek's body when he used Infuse this time, becoming a third ability he hadn't realized was possible.
When compatible, he could actually snatch abilities from Turned so long as he was capable of drawing a blueprint of them… something Harmonic Recall made all too easy.
If he couldn't clear the C Class Godsfall Tear like this, he really didn't deserve the fear those guys carried around for him every day.
The days passed swiftly.
The morning after he left, Zarek awoke to a series of curses by Priya. Of course, he had left her something with Atom Link on it, so communication between the two wasn't hindered by distance at all. If he allowed it, anything he spoke into the bracelet on his own wrist would reach her as though she was standing right next to him.
~
"You couldn't take me with you? You just up and left without saying anything!"
"Your man is going off to kill some very important people, babe."
"Is this your way of saying it's too dangerous? That is not help!"
Zarek chuckled. "Alright, I left you behind because I'm leaving the city to you."
Priya paused for a long while.
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're the head of the serpent now, babe. By the time I come back, GFI has to be the sole power left."
"What are you saying, Zarek? Didn't you say that those two are too dangerous?"
"Those two were too dangerous. But now there's only one of them. And right about now, she's probably losing her mind."
Priya took a deep breath. She didn't think that Zarek would lead her astray, which meant what he was saying was definitely true.
"Tell me the truth, Zarek. What history do you have with this Belladoll?"
This time, it was Zarek's turn to fall silent. He hadn't mentioned Belladoll more than twice, and in this timeline of events—with things in the Godsfall Tear having gone awry—Belladoll and Priya had never interacted.
There was still a seething anger in Zarek surrounding those events, but he felt that this was Priya's grudge to resolve.
But if there was a second tier of beings in terms of sensitivity to time beneath Rebirthers… those like Priya were most definitely in the mix.
In the future, she wouldn't need the Time Fractal—she would be able to recall other timelines all on her own, so long as she had the intention to.
This time, Zarek's mention of Belladoll had clearly triggered something.
"There are matters related to previous lifetimes that had me mixed up with her once before," Zarek said.
"Mixed up?"
"I slept with her."
There was a silence on the other line for a long while before Priya spoke again.
"Were we together?"
"We were never together in that iteration."
"Oh. In that case, it's fine." Priya's voice seemed to flicker for a moment. It sounded like she was saying the words because they were logical. But emotion wasn't always logical.
"It's not," Zarek said.
Priya's breathing hitched, but she didn't seem to know what to say to this.
"Do you want me to kill her instead?" Zarek asked.
He didn't want Priya to think he was leaving the task to her because he couldn't bear to. In fact, he would rip her head off with his bare hands right now if she was in front of him.
What she had done was unforgivable.
Priya didn't respond for a long while once again, but once she did, her voice had regained its steadiness.
"I will do it myself."
After saying this, Zarek felt Priya's intention to continue the conversation wane. He watched her for a moment as she sank into meditation, circulating the two techniques he had given her.
This was enough for Zarek to smile. Knowing Priya, if she had reached a point of no return, she wouldn't want anything he had given her.
This was a good sign. He'd just give her some space.
~
It had been a couple days since then, and Zarek had already raced back to a familiar desert. He actually wasn't 100% sure if the Godsfall Tear would even still be here since it was temporary—another reason he hadn't brought anyone.
But when he did close in, his eyes couldn't help but narrow.
This region had changed.
'Is it her…?'