"There's more to you than meets the eye purple coat, most people are incapable of creating even one Permaclone of this caliber, let alone several of them. Yet you claim to have over a dozen at the very least. If i didn't believe you before i sure believe you now. If you intended to harm us you already have the means to do so. One opponent per individual with personel to spare at that." Tamashi finished. Then gazed off into the distance as if lost in thought.
And he was indeed lost in thought. Tamashi could only imagine what would happen if Purple Coat was the one trying to bend Xaymaca to his will. What was he even thinking? There would have been no trying, the fate of the kingdoms people would have been signed and sealed the moment the thought crossed the young man's mind. Luckily for them it hadn't crossed his mind... yet.
For a very brief moment he felt pity for the demon race who had invoked his wrath upon themselves. Then another thought crossed his mind. 'Where exactly are we?' Tamashi had no idea so in the next moment he voiced his question aloud. "Purple Coat, where exactly are we?"
The young mage spread his hands making a wide arc, then said. "We are in outer space sir Tamashi. Oh and i almost forgot, there is no way i can leave a mat at the entrance to my door so you would have no way of knowing. However this is technically my home, Tamashi Tokushuno... welcome to my abode."
Tamashi stared at him completely flabbergasted. 'Outer space, we're in outer space... and he lives here.' He was understandably surprised. Purple Coat could open a portal directly to outer space. If he wanted to kill someone, anyone really, all he had to do was open a portal and drop them into the endless expanse and that would be it.
Sure most mages could create mana barriers with varying degrees of durability which could temporarily spare them from the lack of oxygen. However that tactic would only last that person so long, seeing as no matter how vast their mana reserves were they would eventually run out. Even if he were to put that fact aside, their temporary place of safety would eventually run out of oxygen long before the person ran out if mana.
Just like that they would be dead, while their body simply drifted off into the distance forever. Most people would have no way of returning to their previous location, even in the rare cases where they did they would most likely be unable to. Since the young man's Permaclones would probably be waiting for them on either side. All they would have to do is stall the person until they eventually ran out of mana. No matter the means they would almost certainly die.
How big of a portal could Purple Coat open? How many could the young mage open at once? Could he create a portal with a range equivalent to or greater than his own when he let his wind manipulation cover a vast range if he so desired? Tamashi had to suppress an involuntary shudder from spreading across his body. No wonder Purple Coat had told his daughter that his innate ability was strictly for demons. He was right, if this young man became evil who would be able to stop him indeed.
Tamashi quickly disengaged himself from his inner thoughts, then replied: "Young man, i need you to promise me something... promise me you will never let Hive get her hands on your abilities. I don't quite know the extent of everything you are capable of but with what little i have learned so far, if she were to ever take over your body... it would be the end of us all."
The young mage simply laughed in reply, obviously not deeming it necessary to offer a proper response to his request. Soon Purple Coat glided off into the vast expanse and beckoned for him to follow. To his surprise it wasn't difficult to do so for some reason. Tamashi had thought that he would meet much more resistance when trying to manoeuvre his way through the current environment. Everyone with any knowledge of space knew that there was no gravity there, neither was there any sense of up or down for that matter.
After a short while he realized that he was being propelled along by the vast darkness or something similar to it but somewhat different. 'Am i being transported via shadows?' He thought to himself astonished. "Wait a minute, you can manipulate shadows? I thought you were simply able to manipulate darkness or create portals... or even an combination of both. Aren't shadows a completely different concept seperate and apart from darkness?" He blurted out loud in rapid succession.
Purple Coat offered him a reply without turning around. "Yes, i can manipulate shadows and also create portals and manipulate darkness. Yes, darkness and shadows are of a different concept from darkness itself. Shadows cannot exist without light, while darkness can. I have two innate abilities sir."
Tamashi would have stopped in his tracks if not for the fact that he was currently moving with the assistance of the shadows. 'That must mean that he's a...' Tamashi started thinking, however before he could finish his train of thought the young mage finished it for him. "I am a hybrid."
Now he had a better understanding of the reason why Purple Coat was so powerful. Hybrids were a different existence where it came onto power. Even the demon race found it difficult to outdo them in terms of raw power and unique abilities. Even though meeting an hybrid was a rather rare occurrence, that did not prevent stories from spreading about their existence and their mere existence was the stuff of legends.
All hybrids were rumored to have two innate abilities and were also said to be able to bond with several beasts. Tamashi was genuinely curious because Purple Coat had displayed at least two beast bond abilities during the Elite Force tournament. So that led him to wonder, how many more did the young prodigy have?
"Since the rumors about hybrids having two innate abilities is true, then can i assume that the one about you guys being able to bond with multiple beasts is also true?"
Purple Coat's reply came without delay. "Yes, that is also true... and before you ask i will answer that question in advance. I have 15 but i mainly utilise fourteen of them. As for the fifteenth i don't even like to think about it too much, i won't mention it's name or what it is used for. Though you might learn that sometime in the near future, i also will not divulge any information about the rest of my beast bonds. You already have some idea of the nature and or capabilities of two, it isn't a wise move to show all your cards to anyone. Whether they be your ally or not."
The young man's statement had an air of finality to it.
Tamashi decided to do his best to trust him and did not try to force the matter.
After he had shared that bit of eye opening information, Purple Coat did not speak again. But he didn't need to, Tamashi was stewing in his thoughts. Fifteen beast bonds huh and two innate abilities on top of that. Plus several Permaclones reaching a sum which surpassed even the members of a full guild. The Gold Badgers Guild which Purple Coat and his apprentice only just recently joined, was just now reaching a member count of fourteen. However, since Purple Coat alone had at least over fourteen Permaclones which were equal to him in power, didn't that make the Gold Badgers the most powerful Guild in Xaymaca? Tamashi sure knew how to pick them. It seemed his instincts were never wrong indeed. 'I wonder how strong Float actually is?' Tamashi almost thought out loud before catching himself.
Just then he noticed something completely unusual, afterall who on earth would expect to come across anything even remotely resembling a house in space. Not even on one of the planets occupying it but in the wide open.... well, space. For lack of a better word.
It was well crafted at that and hovered in the air not unlike Float, Purple Coat's apprentice. However there was one major difference with this structure when compared to others. It's white feature was less like that of white paint, in fact it was more akin to spider silk. Being greyish in nature, however that did not diminish it's beauty. This house was obviously constructed by Purple Coat or possibly one of his numerous Permaclones from a copious amount of spider silk.
Soon they reached the entrance and the door opened as if on cue. Inside was a table set with all manner of food. From various types of meat to an assortment of vegetables and fruits as well as several beverages. He glanced sideways to where Purple Coat was indicating for him to take a seat. "So i assume this was planned, most likely well in advance?" He asked, even though he was almost certain of that fact.
"Yes, it was... but i had to deal with a few other urgent matters beforehand. Like those prisoners who are now in your custody." He finished as Tamashi took his seat. When he was finally seated he sensed as the door opened once again and another humanoid figure entered. Before it had been difficult to sense anything via the wind he was passively circulating around himself, however now that they were in the confines of the silk structure he was better able to ascertain what was taking place around him in a wider range.
Turning swiftly Tamashi recognized the face of his long time friend and fellow mage. It was none other than Bukiko.