As he continued speaking each word, Zero's voice shivered, tears welling in his eyes, as for the first time the reality of what he had experienced over the past hundred years set in.
When he had first been born in that world his memory of this life was perfect, however as the days passed his once-loved memories faded like a dream leaving him isolated without his ever realizing it.
Oblivious to this change, Zero lived trapped and controlled without ever noticing anything was wrong.
Having been so immersed in that life, each moment and memory had been ingrained into his soul, every ounce of sadness, anger, hatred, regret, everything.
All the while his eighty-plus years of happiness felt unreachable, now only serving to highlight how terrible his mental state and body were now
He had once been the proud Master of the Caravan Soul Sect, The Immortal Symphony Zero… and now he was the weakest, most self-loathing, being within a mentally unstable human.
At some point, the original Zero, who was born as a manifestation of protection and pride, became little more than a joke compared to his past life or even his purpose within Adrian's mind.
This realization hurt him so badly, because by the end of that life, Zero had found his peace and happiness, yet having a second chance only forced regrets once buried, latched onto his mind like parasites.
His goals and who he was had been washed away and eroded to the point he was unrecognizable.
Each one eats away at him from a different angle consuming his mind expediting every negative thought into a malignant tumor.
With every passing moment, this downward spiral within Zero's mind became worse.
Yet, it only took a single voice to remind him of his truth, helping him escape before a match replaced his happiness, his Sunlight.
The voice was familiar to him as it was his own, not his healed voice, but his old deep raspy voice that called out, "What does any of that have to do with who I really am?"
A single question, broke layers of darkness as his mind raced to come up with an answer.
And once it did, other voices started to leak through.
Loudest and most frantic of all was Adrian's voice as he slapped Zero repeatedly, "-EY! LISTEN TO ME! No one, especially you, would ever think of you differently after everything you've done for us!"
Noticing that Zero's clouded eyes cleared, Adrian snapped as a dense teal light enveloped the temple.
Quickly the previous loud and frantic voices stopped as the world around them slowed to a crawl, as Adrian continued to barrage Zero with slaps until he answered.
Stiff and confused, Zero's voice cracked as he yelled, "Stop! Stop hitting me! I-I… Who am I? Huh! Better yet, who are you to say anything about that?!"
Hearing Zero's question, Adrian looked him dead in the eyes before punching him in the face fuming, "What did you just ask! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST ASK ME! WHO AM I! WHO ARE YOU! I-I-"
Adrian's punch left Zero's jaw shattered, sending him back five feet before abruptly slamming against solid air knocking the wind from his lungs.
Anger built on Adrian's face as he watched Zero's shattered jaw mend as it snapped back into place, after a few seconds Adrian took a deep breath in before walking over to Zero.
Getting in Zero's face, Adrian paused before slowly making his point across, "Let's start with who I am. I am your family. I-I am the person who lived with you for seventy-years. Yes, I didn't understand you for most of it, but now that you showed me… How could I let you go back!"
Pushing down tears, Adrian continued, "As for who you are. I can tell you, you're not some grand immortal, nor some 'weakest link.' You are and have always been Zero! No matter what form or personality you are an irrefutable part of us. OF OUR FAMILY!"
Frustrated, Adrian pointed behind himself slowly enunciating, "If you don't believe me… Take a look for yourself. Each and everyone of them loves and cares for you!"
Following his finger, Zero's eyes widened realizing that every face, be it Dee, Bemo, or Sakura, showed genuine concern for him.
Not only that, but the six strings attached to the other's thrones vibrated as emotion leaked through, as even when their connection was severed, and they had no idea what was happening to him, they were still there for him.
Stunned, Zero couldn't speak, tears welled in his eyes as his cloak fell and his worldview returned to normal.
Smiling, Adrian whipped blood from his mouth pretending to cough as he warned, "You have thirty seconds before I drop that and everyone rushes in here."
In an instant, Zero whipped his tears as his cloak wrapped around him once more.
Clicking his tongue, Adrian kicked Zero while smiling, "Dumbass! Don't question facts, it just makes you look stupid. I can't understand what you've been through with that, but I have a vague idea."
Once the final word left Adrian's mouth the time field shattered as everyone outside tackled Zero checking over him to make sure he was ok.
Clawing his way out of Dee's death grab, Zero stuttered out in a broken voice from crying, "H-how could yu-you ever u-u-understand, Jackass."
Smirking, Adrian picked up Sakura by the back of her sundress, "How long do you think I was stuck with this thing for? And let me tell you she was nothing like she is now. I would go as far as to say she was the worse version of herself then."
Hearing Adrian's cheeky words, Sakura kicked him in the crotch knocking him to the ground, while reprimanding him, "HEY! RAIN! Am I worse now!? Bla!"
Watching this scene juxtaposed with their previous conversation, Zero couldn't help but laugh while complaining, "At most five or something? Whatever, at least she wouldn't try to murder, berate, or scam you!"
Feeling happy, with his answer Zero sported a smug smile as if his trauma was an achievement.
Adrian silently cursed Endurance, for not stopping pain, as he quietly stood up before exchanging glances with Sakura and grimacing.
Coughing, Adrian laughed, recounting, "It's been about 30 years I think. She used to act like a heartless robot, while scamming me left and right. She enabled and even incited multiple instances where I had mental breakdowns and tried to slip and slide."
Glancing over to Sakura whose face was beat red, ashamed of her past actions, Adrian continued, "Oh, right! There was also a period of about twenty-seven or so years, before she finally dropped the passive-aggressive act and the will to harm, mane, and dismember me."
Hearing his final sentence, Sakura scoffed, running over to Adrian, kicking him in the shin, but he reacted to quickly sweeping her feet out from under her, knocking her to the ground, while skillfully making sure her dress didn't fly up.
Indignant, Sakura blurted out, "That's not fair! At least the last past…" while rubbing her butt as she got up from the ground.
Her eyes suddenly widened, as she smirked saying, "How's that ten percent treating you these days?
Adrian couldn't help himself pinching Sakura's cheeks as he remembered the first time he was scammed by her.
Watching their interaction, Zero dramatically gasped, "Wait, what! I-I- well… you might know a little bit."
Without Zero realizing it, Adrian had successfully completed what he wanted to do, easing the tension and allowing Zero to relax.
In the next moment without hesitation, Bemo and Dee both tackled Zero, Adrian, and somehow Sakura to the ground.
Without thinking Adrian let out a shield of blood mist slowing their fall not hoping for anyone to get hurt.
However, he used too much energy once again.
Without warning Adrian's skin dried, turning a dusty gray color, as lethargy assaulted him all at once as soon as his knees made contact with the stone ground.
Not helping the matter, Sakura fell on top of him when the kids pushed them over, knocking him through the blood mist barrier.
Adrian's face planted into the stone, the sound of vertebrae shattering thundered across the temple's peak. The kids, Sakura, and Zero were all shocked as they thought Adrian had once again fallen comatose.
Luckily, his bloodline kicked into overdrive sucking in the energy and blood mist around him causing dust to fall from the ceiling.
Almost instantly as his skin rehydrated and it regained its color allowing his pores to be used in God's Breath expediting the process.
And within minutes of breaking his neck, his neck snapped back, nerves repaired, blood jettisoned back inside his body, and energy reserve was rejuvenated, leaving him with the worst case of stiff neck ever, but all together fine.
Watching Adrian's grotesque recovery the kids jumped back dragging Sakura with them.
Without paying attention to the kid's antics, he placed one hand on the right side of his head and the other on his chin, Adrian yanked left as a satisfying pop sound rang out before he yanked it back the other way.
Stretching out on the ground, Adrian yawned, "Family helps family! So nap with me."
Before jumping toward Sakura, Dee, Bemo, and Zero, pulling them all into an impromptu ground hug as they all fell back to the ground.
Laughing together, the pile on the floor took their time getting up after noticing that night was fast approaching.
With all of them being tired, and some concussed, from the long day behind them, they decided to pick their beds heading to sleep.