Zeke's gaze remained fixed on the spot where Khai'Zar had vanished, his mind churning.
After a moment, he turned to Akasha, who had remained silent the entire time.
"Thoughts?"
Akasha glanced at the place where Khai'Zar had stood. "His arguments were sound, but not sufficient to draw a definitive conclusion. However, it is indeed noteworthy that no new Monarchs have emerged since humanity adopted its current system."
Zeke nodded slowly. He had been thinking the same. "Still, correlation does not automatically mean causation. There could be any number of factors that led to the current state of things."
Akasha nodded. "Agreed. But we should also consider the existence of the World Anchor."
"...What about it?"
"It is the only artifact left behind by a Monarch that we know of," she explained. "And it is a fact that it places heavy emphasis on practice without reliance on spellforms."
That was a valid point. Ever since he had begun training within the World Anchor, his understanding of space had improved significantly. It had even allowed him to incorporate formless casting into his other spells and escape the array of the Magic Association back then.
Even so, Zeke did not see it as definitive proof.
"Naturally, it would emphasize unstructured Magic. That was all they had in those days. It does not mean that the Monarch of Space approved or disapproved of structured casting."
Akasha regarded him with a faint glint in her eyes. "Does the Host have another theory?"
Zeke shook his head. "It is not enough to call it a theory. But ever since Khai'Zar mentioned those ancient geniuses, I have had a strange feeling."
Akasha waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts.
"...Do you remember what he called them?"
"Torchbearers," Akasha answered instantly.
"That is right," Zeke said. "Torchbearers. Not kings, emperors, sovereigns, or masters, but torchbearers. What do you think a torchbearer does, Akasha?"
The Spirit looked at him with an emotionless gaze. "They bear torches."
Zeke smiled. "You are not wrong, but that is only the literal meaning. The role of a torchbearer is indeed to carry a torch, but why? Why do they hold it? What makes them the most suitable for that role?"
This time, Akasha remained silent. Zeke was not sure whether she did not understand his point or simply wanted him to elaborate, so he continued.
"It is because they lead the way. They walk at the very front, finding the safest path so that others can follow in their wake."
Zeke had listened carefully to every word Khai'Zar had spoken. The descriptions of what humans once were, the Dragon's thoughts on the current system, and his warning not to fall into the same trap. Not a single word had been ignored.
Yet, after hearing it all, Zeke had arrived at a very different conclusion.
"I believe Khai'Zar is right about some things, but wrong about others," he said. "What he said about my use of unstructured Magic is correct. It is not that others do not want to use it, but that they cannot. They lack the affinity and the understanding that I do. To me, it is as natural as breathing, and given enough time, I am certain I could discover entirely new ways to use Magic, methods that have never existed before."
Zeke took a deep breath, his thoughts connecting even as he spoke. "Not only that, the advances we have made in airship technology, the Mana Purifying Device, our meditation technique, the Bloodguard ritual, our research into the soul, and our discoveries about advancement..."
He paused, looking directly into Akasha's eyes. "Tell me, Akasha, what are the chances that I alone could uncover so many things that are generally believed to be impossible?"
Akasha's eyes flickered as she ran the calculation. "Approximately zero percent."
Zeke nodded. His intuition told him the same. He knew, for example, that Augustus and even Sheol understood far more about the soul than he did.
Zeke tilted his head back, staring into the featureless void, a faint melancholy settling in his chest. "If my interpretation is correct, then it is the role of the most gifted individuals of each generation, the so-called torchbearers, to pioneer the path."
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His gaze remained fixed on the emptiness as he continued. "But they have not. None of them have."
He slowly shook his head. "This is where Khai'Zar went wrong. It is not that humanity has failed to produce exceptional geniuses over the ages. It is that they have failed in their role. They have failed to clear the path for those who came after."
Zeke did not look down, but he heard Akasha's voice from somewhere in front of him.
"Why?"
Zeke's smile turned bitter. Like Khai'Zar, he too believed the cause lay in humanity's greatest weakness. But he did not think it was empathy.
"We ran out of enemies..."
A moment of silence passed before he continued, voicing what he believed to be the true reason for humanity's decline.
"...And without an external threat, humanity is incapable of remaining united."
He slowly lowered his gaze, meeting Akasha's eyes once more. "Is that not the very reason I have not shared any of my inventions with the rest of humankind? The fear that they would fall into the wrong hands, the fear that they would be used against me?"
Akasha remained silent, but Zeke continued.
"And so, if I were to die tomorrow, everything I have built, everything I have discovered, everything I have researched would likely die with me. Just like all those before me. I would have lived my life without contributing anything to the progress of humankind, despite having the ability to do so."
Zeke's eyes grew slightly moist as he thought of his mentor, who had, above all else, wanted to push humanity forward. Despite his best efforts, Maximilian had not possessed the same spark, the same capacity to advance humankind. In the end, he had achieved little in that regard and still paid with his life.
That was the current state of humanity. Its greatest plight.
For a race that thrived on unity, humanity seemed destined to stand in its own way until the very end.
Finally, Akasha spoke. Her voice was as cold and methodical as ever, grounding Zeke's thoughts. "We cannot change human nature, Host. We can only plan around it."
Zeke nodded. That was exactly why he valued working with Akasha. She never became sentimental or lost in what-ifs. She accepted reality as it was and adjusted accordingly.
"I think..." he said at last. "It might be time to take my role more seriously. If I am to be one of humanity's torchbearers, I will have to try a bit harder than I am now."
"Is the Host planning to release his discoveries to the general public?"
Zeke shook his head. "As you said, we cannot ignore human nature. We will have to work around it."
He paused, gathering his thoughts. "It was not a mistake to hoard our knowledge. With our current strength, there is no way we could protect ourselves if even a fraction of it were revealed. But that does not mean we should remain passive..."
A faint smile appeared on Zeke's face as the path became clear before him. "In ancient times, a few individuals were able to light the way for all humankind. Compared to them, I am less ambitious. I still intend to light the way as best I can, but not for all of humanity..."
Akasha understood instantly. "You intend to create a faction within humanity," she stated rather than asked. "Separated by the Bloodguard ritual?"
Zeke nodded solemnly. "I can only increase my own strength so quickly, no matter how much time and energy I invest. A faction has no such limit. I can triple its strength or increase it a hundredfold in a single day."
Akasha remained silent for a moment before speaking. "That is an ambitious undertaking, Host. If discovered, it would be no less catastrophic than the exposure of your greatest secrets..."
Zeke nodded. "I will make sure it is not."
Akasha's eyes flickered with understanding. "The World Anchor?"
Zeke smiled. "Perfect, is it not? A completely separate, undetectable space that can take any form I desire. Tell me, could there be a more suitable place for a secret faction?"
Akasha's expression remained placid, but he sensed a trace of worry. "Host, I... I will not be of much help in that regard."
Zeke tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Akasha hesitated before answering. "Despite what the Host may think, I am not a Torchbearer, nor could I ever become one. I cannot lead the path. Everything I have achieved so far has been done by giving form to the Host's thoughts. I possess no creativity of my own."
Despite her somber tone, Zeke smiled. "That is fine."
Akasha looked at him, her eyes widening slightly. "...Fine?"
Zeke nodded. "Do you want to know a secret?" He did not wait for an answer. "Most humans do not have much creativity either. The number of people who contribute anything meaningful to humankind is likely less than one in a thousand. And that is fine. More than fine, it is as it should be. If everyone were an inventor, humanity would starve."
Zeke looked at Akasha with a warm expression. "You are exceptional at what you do. Better than me, better than anyone. That is enough." His smile turned mischievous. "Leave some of the work to me as well, all right?"
Akasha studied him for a long moment before nodding.
Zeke's smile widened. "Besides, there is something far more important for you to do than assist with my research. Now that we have learned to function separately, I can disappear for as long as I want without anyone noticing. Is that not exactly what will allow me to make this work in the first place?"
"Please instruct me, Host."
Zeke nodded solemnly. "Our mission here in Rukia remains unchanged. We will continue to infiltrate the inner regions, coordinate with the other captains, and cause as much damage to the Legion as possible." He looked at Akasha with a heavy gaze. "That will mostly be your responsibility from now on."
"Understood."
Zeke nodded, pleased with her response. "Our second, hidden mission is to begin building our faction. This consists of two parts: research and recruitment. We already have a strong foundation with the Meditation technique, the Bloodguard Ritual, and the Mana Purifying Device. These will allow us to streamline the creation of Mages. However, there are still many gaps to fill. That will be my responsibility."
Akasha nodded again, readily accepting the division of roles.
"But do not hesitate to call me for any battles, no matter how small," Zeke added, noticing that she was already slipping into planning mode. "Any opportunity to experience real combat will be invaluable to me right now."
Akasha paused briefly before acknowledging his instruction. "Understood. I will create a perfect cover so the Host can dedicate as much time as possible to research and will only call upon the Host for combat engagements. But what about the second part of the secret mission, recruitment? How are we to approach it?"
Zeke considered for a moment, his mind racing. Dozens of ideas surfaced, but in the end, he chose a more measured approach. "We will proceed one by one," he said. "Among the people here, there are several we need to convince to join this new faction."
"And, at the top of that list is..."