"W-what did you say?"
At this point, Kuzon was she'll shocked. What was the man before him saying?
He had spent over three weeks trying to resolve the issue of finding the man Neron told him about.
And now that they had reached this juncture, he was telling him it wasn't as he thought? Something didn't seem right.
"Dont get me wrong, Kuzon. You did well in searching for me. You could say I'm the pathway to finding your prize—the actual person you're meant to impress."
Kuzon calmed himself and decided to listen, not think.
Crazy Neron was someone who saw the end from the beach, right? That meant all he was saying had to have been valid.
"Who am I supposed to impress? Where's the person that's going to approve of me?" He asked, determination seared into his eyes.
'Its already three weeks. I can't delay things any further...'
Despite thinking that, Kuzon had already begun to think about the general relativity of time.
And it hurt his head.
"A Constellation. He wants you to get the approval of a Constellation."
Kuzon's face twisted a little in confusion.
"You don't know what Constellations are?" Crazy Neron asked, his face depicting shock.
"Don't you already have the answer to that?"
For a moment, the old man paused, scratching his beard in the silence. "Oh yeah... haha... good point."
Kuzon nearly sighed in the process. Of course, he knew the Constellations. They were mythical beings that were said to be the greatest above all kinds of Familiars.
However, their true identities remained a mystery, and they were pretty much gods in their own right.
'I can't say I really know a lot about them...' Most of the information he got about the Constellations came from Xenia, and even she didn't know too much.
'Xenia is a step below their level. But even that makes all the difference.'
"Well, Constellations are high-tier entities. The highest living souls that exist in the plane of reality. Do you know what that means?" Crazy Neron asked, one of his brows raised in amusement.
"No... I don't. You know this." Kuzon kept his own eyes from twitching in annoyance.
Why was this guy being so playful about everything, and then beating around the bush. All he cared about was telling him the things he didn't know, and blowing his mind away with all the power and knowledge he had.
'He doesn't even want to help me.' Still, Kuzon kept up his countenance and tried his best to endure.
More information meant he understood what he was dealing with.
"It means they're constant."
"H-hold on. Constant? Like you?" Kuzon instantly snapped.
He never knew that detail before.
"No. It's different. I exist in the past, preset, and future, and I can permeate my existence beyond this plane... but I just choose not to. However, for the Constellations, they are 'constants' in every branch of reality."
That meant that it didn't matter the branch, or whatever difference each world had. Constellations remained the same in every world.
"That's because there are only twelve Constellations. They permeate themselves through the entire branches, so it appears like all twelve exist in each branch."
"I see..." Kuzon muttered. "So, I'm supposed to gain the approval of this Constellation. Which one is it? How do I go about it?"
A part of him feared that Crazy Neron would leave him to solve his questions himself. That would completely suck.
After all, he wouldn't even know where to start from.
"The Constellation is going to remain anonymous, at least until you gain its approval."
"But how will I go about that? Ah, sorry... you don't want to help me, right?"
"Hahahahaha!" Crazy Neron suddenly burst into a throaty laughter, beating his own stomach for some reason.
It always creeped Kuzon how serious the man could be for one second, and then switch to the borders of insanity.
"Don't be so blue, Kuzon. Don't worry. I'll help you this time."
"Really? Why?" Surprise instantly formed on the young Midas' face.
'Why would he go that far for—'
"Neron Kaelid and I had a deal, so it's all good. I'll help you out with the Familiar issue, and then the other matters afterward."
"W-wait... really?"
"Yeah. Also, I don't get why you're in such a rush. It's not like the situation is that dire. Well, maybe for one of them, but it's not too serious." Crazy Neron muttered in his last statement, gently rubbing his long beard.
"Hold on, what did you just say?"
"I mean you should worry about yourself for now. Do your best to gain the approval of the Constellation. Anything else can wait, right?"
Hearing those words caused Kuzon's heart to tighten.
Was he just supposed to forget about the friends and allies he had made in his original world?
What about his lover? And her family? Crazy Neron said the situation wasn't very dire, but that statement could be taken in a relative context.
Just what would qualify as 'dire' for him? Still...
"I understand." Kuzon muttered.
He had no choice but to listen to the old man's words.
"That's epic! I already knew you would say that, though."
"Sure..."
"One last thing, Kuzon. It's something Neron Kaelid should tell you himself, but what the heck. I'll just say it." Crazy Neron's grin grew wider. "Your Neron meant for all of this to happen."
"H-huh?!" Kuzon had his suspicions, but to think that was actually the case.
"You're not the only one who got sent to other worlds. There are a couple of you. Ana is safe, but Jared and the others are busy navigating their way in the new reality they've found themselves in."
"A-ah... I see. But why would he do that?"
"Constellations. Just as he wants you to obtain one's approval, he also wants the others to do the same. It's all necessary. Throughout your journey, you'll see what I mean."
"A-ah! Does that mean I'll succeed?"
"W-what? I never said that! Hmph!" Crazy Neron responded, flustered because of Kuzon's assertion.
"I-in any case, you need to work very hard. You too, Maya." Attention suddenly shifted to the young girl who was busy observing the orbs in the pile beside the desk.
"Eeek! W-what? What about me?" She promptly answered, now stuck under the pressure of both Neron and Kuzon's gaze.
"You're going to learn how to use Magic whole Kuzon is in trying to get the Constellation's attention."
"O-oh! Really?"
"Indeed. You have a Special Grade Mana Core. That means your affinity for Magic is pretty much at the very top. It would be a shame to see it go to waste."
"O-oh? Wow! Really?" Kuzon's body shook a little once he saw the excitement on the girl's face.
Instant guilt coursed through his body.
"Yes. It seems our dear Kuzon was too distracted, so he didn't notice that..."
"Y-yeah. Haha... haha... ha..." N awkward laugh escaped Kuzon's lips, and he prayed nothing was said on the matter any further.
Fortunately, Crazy Neron granted his wish.
"Alright, then. Shall we begin? I hope you three are ready for this." The old man cackled loudly, , lifting his chair far above the two so he could look down on them.
"You'll never leave this place if you don't succeed!"
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[A/N]
I'm going to have to skim through the actual training and all.
I hope you all understand...
