The words fell into Raphael's ears, confusing him a little. As far as he remembered, Taurus never had a spirit to begin with.
"Why the surprise? I created it myself." Taurus continued his words, not bothering to hide it any further.
Taurus was someone who awakened an SS-rank ability and a physique at the same rank, but in the end, he wasn't born with a spirit, making his situation worse.
Due to the limits imposed on his physique, it eventually became useless since his growth was limited.
"I didn't plan for things to end this way," Taurus spoke, remembering the events that inspired back then.
When he first found his first world artifact, the Book of Knowledge, he kept it as a secret to himself before using its knowledge to create a spirit for himself.
His physique enabled him the ability to use the abyssal force, the core of the corruption itself. Thus his newly made spirit granted him the ability to an S-ranked skill, Corrupt as it was built on the abyssal force itself.
Despite having no name, it removed all of the limitations on his physique and granted him access to the inventory system, something that was unique to SSS talents.
His curiosity pushed him forward to test his skill on himself. As a result, the corruption failed to take over him completely and he found himself hanging between life and death.
He eventually became the first figure capable of bonding with both normal and corrupted beasts, giving him an edge over others.
"I was too weak to cause any significant change back then, this time it will be different,"
Taurus spoke with a hint of sadness as the obsidian chains burst through the ground, restricting Raphael and bounding him to the ground like the remaining beasts.
"I won't apologize for my behavior and I suppose the four of you can hold out against the pain perfectly." Taurus continued before moving while grinding the ground with his Space Piercing Dagger, creating the formation he spoke of earlier.
A star took form on the ground with one of the participants on the edge, with a single one remaining for Taurus's spirit weapon.
"I will see you soon, Golden Mane" Taurus patted the axe's handle before thrusting it down the ground, the chains warping around it like the rest.
The four couldn't talk no matter how much they tried and soon gave up, leaving them to watch in silence and allowing him to do what he wanted as the chains sucked their energy, empowering the formation.
Taurus lifted his head for a final time, a jar of wine appearing within before speaking his mind.
"One damned last time!" Taurus raised the jar to his exposed skull before spilling the wine inside as the crimson flames lit his body on fire.
He staggered repeatedly while marching toward the center of the star, his blue eye leaking a blood drop, evaporating the moment it fell off his cheeks.
He arrived at the center of the formation before placing the time pearl at the location he prepared for it.
A small book appeared in his hand left hand, glowing with the two treasures at his disposal.
"BEEEEEEHOLD! FOR THE GLORY!!!" Taurus shouted out of nowhere, forcing the rest to awake from the state they ended up in.
Soon, he began muttering a series of words as the star formation lit brightly until it turned into a massive source of light, spreading it all over the destroyed battlefield.
"OPEN YOUR DOORS, SACRED RIVER OF TIME!" Taurus shouted once again as the book floated above him, his dagger held tightly into his hands before striking the pearl stationed below him.
The obsidian chains burst forward, warping themselves around Taurus' body and connecting him to the rest as the ground burst apart below him.
His dark spirit took the chance, devouring what remained of the dagger and the pearl before returning the book to Taurus' inventory.
[World Artifact devoured, new trait unlocked!]
[World Artifact devoured, new trait unlocked!]
The portal closed on him and he stood up on the shallow water covering most of his legs, with none of the six visible around him despite the chains remaining on his body.
He couldn't believe it, the World Artifacts were timeless artifacts and his spirit devouring their remains on its own was something he couldn't expect in his wildest dreams.
Timeless artifacts meant they were not going to exist ever again in the past since they were devoured.
He hastily attempted bringing up his interface to check on his changed information only to fail as he felt no response from the system whatsoever.
"Never mind," Taurus shook his his before staring at the water below him, knowing what he exactly needed to do.
Since he felt no response from the system, he gave up knowing he could check on it later after achieving his goal.
"Nine thousand," Taurus muttered quietly. Since he wanted to go back in time to thirty years ago, he needed to go against the current for about ten thousand before allowing drinking its water.
He steeled his resolve before nodding his head and turning around. He began stepping forward, and everything seemed easy so far until he was done with the first thousand.
The water current became heavier and faster, pushing against him and threatening to end his journey.
'Are you challenging me? How do you think I've come this far?! Damn you!' Taurus cursed before pushing himself forward while gritting his teeth.
His speed began rising as he accelerated across the water's surface, taking a couple of steps at once as the river fought against him, rejecting his advance and doing its best to stop him.
"Five, just five more!" He muttered as he continued going forward, his resolve never breaking down in the slightest as the water became chaotic the moment he crossed the seven thousand threshold.
Twenty years were good, but not enough to prepare him and enable him enough power so he could save his beloved.
Their faces flashed before his eyes as the tears rolled down his cheeks.
He stood frozen in place for a moment, the water was unable to affect him in the slightest.
He wiped his tears before nodding his head for one last time before bursting forward.
After eight thousand steps, Taurus could be easily considered swimming rather than walking or running against the current as the water reached his neck before lifted him up.
Soon enough, he reached his destination, his power almost dissipating completely as the interface message appeared before his face.
Suddenly, an unknown force struck his back, sending him flying across the river, far past the moment he wanted to reincarnate.
Taurus' eyes widened as a wall appeared before him, killing his speed and forcing him to stop before falling down.
The surprise resulted in the water invading his mouth then the rest of his body as he began drowning in the river of time.
The River devoured him, the light in his pupils dimming as he slowly fell asleep with only nothing but a mechanical voice ringing through his ears.
[You've fucked with time, and time shall fuck you!]