[ Training Facility ]
" Haap! " Yukino decides to practice her swordsmanship again, primarily on slashing.
"( You know, Yukino... )" Lord Sal calls her.
"( I believe in these times, you should be open to any chances you can see... )"
" What do you mean, my Lord? "
" I am open to chances, why do you think I decided to train in your ways of power, learning powers aside from the Divine Gifts...? " she asked while using some of the new energies she learned.
The Mana, Aether, Ki, and Demonic Energy (even though she halted the Demonic Energy, she hated it, it disgusted her).
"( Yes, you learn quickly too... )"
"( But the thing is..., what I want to utter is for you to not be picky on learning..., remember, you're still young. )"
"( Seventeen years old was just a start for a person's maturity years, you still had time before your brain learning process becomes outdated as your mortal body slowly expires each incoming age. )"
" Why? What more do I need to learn, my Lord? " Yukino asks.
" You already taught me everything I need, didn't you? "
"( Yes, I did..., but I'm talking about the paintings Dr. Liao Mei had shown you before... )"
"( Remember how it looked? Don't you at least have any curiosity about what that means? )"
" It's just a painting... " Yukino quickly replied.
" If it comes from the Abyss Tower, then the Painters must've painted before he or she were devoured by those monstrosities or by Waterson, even worse, the White Demon. "
" For what it means, I'll let Dr. Liao Mei handle that. "
" Besides, Mother was right... "
" Art is just mere distraction, after all. "
" Art isn't Real. " Yukino says it.
"( Really? )" Sal asks her again.
"( If it isn't real, why people can still know it, touch it, or experience it, HUH? )" Sal asks her.
" My Lord, what are you- "
"( I'm telling you, my dear egotistic friend... )"
"( You shouldn't be picky in your learning years... )"
"( You should learn the meanings of Art too, perhaps, those pictures you saw..., may contain the ways of defeating your enemy... )"
"( Or perhaps, those paintings, were actually a red-painted blueprint on what the White Demon is up too, it could mean anything... )"
" I told you, My Lord, I'll let Dr. Liao Mei handle it, she's a professional... "
" Besides, we only have two days until the Tournament starts, I need to maximize my skills, my current skills. "
" I'll risk forgetting my progress if I'm also distracted on learning new things that will probably take days for me to develop..., I need to focus. " Yukino is already set on her ambition, her plan, she says as she takes some rest, recounting everything she learned in the past.
"( Fine, I'll respect that logic... )"
"( Well, for me that's more of an ego..., actually. )"
" Are you going to lecture me of that, My Lord? " Yukino asks Sal, but Sal responds.
"( No..., it's useless... )"
"( Since I had a hunch, that ego of yours will be hardened even more, frozen to its core before someone had to shatter it out, Lord Sal out! )" Sal ends the conversation, while Yukino wonders what he just meant by now.
...
( Meanwhile. )
[ Olympus, Meeting Hall. ]
" So, Loki... " Zeus asks Loki as the two of them are in the meeting.
" Yes uncle, are we connected to the other gods? " Loki asks as they all do their 'Telepathical Meeting', all the gods on Earth.
" Why are you calling us? " said the gods from the Jade Palace.
" Do you still need our support, even after we lost the 'Demon Queller' (Lord Zhong Kui)...? "
" 'Demon Queller' death is part of my remorse... " Loki tells them.
" If we knew the 'White Demon' even more then things would be quicker than- "
" No more promises! We had enough, Asgardian Allfather! "
" Even before the Tournament, we lost many to the White Demon and his Shadows! "
" The White Demon still won't hold his hands, but we know now! "
" You secretly made him do it, didn't you, Asgardian!? "
" The Korean Murim, the Chinese Jianghu! You're the one who made the leaders provoke him to start making problems! "
" My fellow gods... " Loki replied to them.
" It was all for our good, as the Demon creates more problems..., now the Humans will see how dangerous he is and- "
" You mean now the Humans see how powerless we are in facing him!? " the gods replied.
" Listen Loki... "
" We don't know what kind of games you're playing here, you sniveling Asgardian A*hole... "
" But seeing from the damage and seeing from the way you dealt things, we the Diviners of Earth felt you're no longer trustworthy. "
" If you intend to have this problem solved in the first place, instead of making a 'Hoorah-like Tournament', you should instead unite and deploy all of the Remaining Hunters, Inquisitors, Armies, Priests, even Us in one single swoop! "
" But instead you sent us one by one to our peril, now after the loss of Powerful Humans we could use as our Avatars, we also hear Poseidon has fallen to the Demon's hands! " the gods say this while Zeus is present.
" You fool, Uncle Zeus is- "
" Poseidon means nothing! " Zeus counters them with a loud voice.
" Poseidon's death is his own choice for having too much fun in his 'Neutral-Zone' Atlantis! "
" He should've followed the rest of us, followed our plans! "
" But instead he chose to hide beneath the ocean and now the ocean itself become his very grave! "
" If He and any of you would just follow our directives, follow my advice with Loki..., we could continue controlling the shift of events in this Mortal World. " Zeus tells them.
" You mean like the 'Abyss Tower'? " one of the telepathic gods suddenly asks him about it.
" We know, Loki and Zeus... " that god said to them, it was none other than...
" Guanyin. " Loki recognizes it, for she is Liao Mei's Gifter God.
" Why are you accusing us like that? " Loki asks her.
" We're partners, remember? "
" Partners? " Guanyin replied telepathically.
" Oh yeah, don't forget, My Tier V S-Rank Hunter is on your leash..., Asgardian Allfather. "
" I only helped you back then because you have my greatest Gifted Mortal on your palm, having herself at your mercy was Liao Mei's greatest mistake, she should've known better. "
" But was it Me who made her flee from a disastrous fate? " Loki asks back.
" Remember, if it weren't for me inviting her to Trinia, the White Demon would have his hands on her instead..., even worse... "
" Little Liao Mei might've joined her fallen family like the rest of the Chinese Jianghu... "
" Remember that, Guanyin... " Loki reminds her as Guanyin leaves the Telepathic Meeting.
" Remember you all..., for the reason why you still hold over the Mortals here, is because Me, helping each of you sway them all out! "
" If it weren't for Me..., or Uncle Zeus... "
" None of the Mortals here will join your causes! " Loki says it as his voice suddenly changes, releasing some of his Divine Power, overpowering them through their minds.
[ Havi Force ]
* The gods received headaches from their origin place of telepath, due to Loki's pressure. *
" So, as we continue this meeting. "
" I want all of you to shut your mouth and only listen to what I said! " Loki orders them.
" Or I'll make every one of you remember that you all owe me a big time in every Timeline...! "
" So listen and be quiet. " Loki says it, began to calm himself, not trying to become dominant in Zeus' place.
" As I was saying. " Loki coughs.
" To start this meeting, I shall relay to you what I have been preparing in these hard times. "
" I know, you all want victory..., but in doing so, you'll need preparation and insurance. "
" Thus... " Loki showed some of his mind telepathically.
" First one, I give the Valkyries some upgrades, including my allying Giants... "
" Not to mention, my secret weapon ARS-23 is still in its final stages. "
" Second, spreading the use of Divine Resonance for the humans who will I forced to participate..., with this, the humans will be less of an issue for us as we focus on fighting that enemies' boss himself. "
" Next one...! "
" Next... "
" I didn't want to do this, but... "
" You all know, that First Position of the S-Rank Hunter... "
" Belongs to Andrew K., my favorite. " Loki says it with a big heart.
" All of you knew him, remember him even, since he's the one who does the Indian Ocean Massacre*, killed many Grand Priestesses... (Goddamn Andrew, I already told you not to, but-) "
" Yes, even now I still favor him for his service to me... "
" But..., as time goes. "
" I've decided to change... "
" For Andrew's vacant position will be inherited by those who were at his level, another S-Rank will take over it, and... "
" Yes, it's not Guanyin's Dr. Liao Mei, she's a Healer, no... "
" And, it will never be Tristan Torress too, he's already dead. "
" Which takes us to the last candidate that should be worthy in our eyes to be given this..., responsibility, and that is... "
" The White Blizzard, Daughter of the Fubuki, Fubuki Yukino... " the gods all said it.
" We all know, Loki. "
" Good, finally we're on the same mindset here... "
" I will inform Yukino after this, but there's the last thing I need to say before ending this meeting... "
" For after doing some research in the Abyss Tower, as well as finding out about what the 'White Demon' is... "
" Dr. Liao Mei, my great mortal accomplice..., has given me a thought that I should consider and you all should too, either. "
" And that is... " Loki says it as he tells the gods the thing he discussed with Dr. Liao Mei before.
...
( Meanwhile. )
" Hunter Fubuki Yukino. " said an Inquisitor arriving at Yukino's training place.
" Lord Loki has summon you. "
_____________
Extra:
* Indian Ocean Massacre.
Read Chapter 237: Massacre.