Arc of the Souls Chapter 60: Arc 2, Chapter 37 - The Secret War (ACT 7: THE POST-DECLARATION)

Read chapter 60 of Arc of the Souls by Noyr on NovelPedia.

.:. My Soul... that's right... My Soul has always been against me... trying to put me out of commission simply because it doesn't agree with me. .:. Claude was shocked too. He expected her to keel over earlier in the fight but for some reason she was able to maintain her form. She could've passed out from overusing her Soul-Energy long ago. He thought she had a trick up her sleeve that prevented her from fainting but no. She was just resilient to her own Soul's disagreement. "Work.. along... damnit..." Satono coughed everytime she beat her own chest. Those with an unstable Soul can deal with many things. Such as a uncooperative Soul or a Soul with different principles. Those can disrupt the 'symbiosis' between the Soul-Wielder and their Soul. For Satono, it seems like her Soul doesn't agree with her current actions, thus rejecting her body. .:. She'll kill herself if she doesn't listen to her Soul! .:. Satono was still trying to retaliate against her own Soul. It seemed in this instance, that Satono's Soul rejected the possibility of killing Claude Magami, thus tried to prevent its host from doing so. Satono stood up, trying to grip her fading blade. She vomited more blood in the process, almost on the verge of collapsing... forever. Seeing this, Claude dashed at Satono. Satono tried powering up, but was instead met with white lightning around her, zapping her constantly, making her feel immense pain. This is what most Soul-Wielders with defiant Souls deal with. The 'punishment' of defying their own Soul's will. Satono's mind began to crack, the immense pain causing her vision to blur and her thoughts to become a mess. Claude quickly elbowed her in the gut before doing a hand chop on her neck to knock her out. This eliminated the white lightning around her, while dropping her Soul-Energy levels to 0. She was fine, for now... saved by her enemy. He could've ended her right here and there, but he didn't. She was spared. Claude, breathing heavily, looked at the unconscious Satono Eria. "A soul that rejects its master's will... a fascinating paradox," Avu's voice came from above, as calm as ever. He hadn't moved from his branch. "To see one so fractured gives me new ideas to research the Soul and it's many forms. However, I suppose it's also proof that even power must bow to principle." Claude glared up at him. "And what's your principle, Fujimara? Conquering worlds for a tyrant? A tyrant that sits on a throne made of fear?” Avu stepped off the branch, walking towards Claude with his hands in his pockets, then turning around to look at the burning city in the distance, now under Dark Intrinium's control. Claude moved into stance, thinking Avu was going to attack him. But Avu hoisted Satono over his shoulder with ease, as if she weighed nothing more than a sack of grain. "You'll live long enough to see it all crumble, Captain," Avu said, his back still to Claude. "I look forward to our next meeting." "..." Claude relieved all the tension on his body. He looked down at the snow and the blood that was around him, it wasn't his. He didn't kill her. He would not kill her. He wasn't a killer; he was just a man who loved to fight. He fought for peace and order, but he also fought for his joy. Is it wrong to be excited? To have fun? Is it wrong to have a hobby that brings you happiness? Or is that just his own selfish desires? Who is Claude Magami really? A hero? A warrior? Or just a man who's addicted to the thrill of the fight, using the grand ideal of "peace" as a justification? - "AGH!" "Ah good! That worked!" Claude smiled, watching over Nanasu like a paramedic. Claude had found Nanasu and brought her to the rescue shuttle. Mikael was there too; his leg wrapped in bandages and his head bandaged up. He was sitting on a bench, looking at the floor with a blank expression. "Get away from me! Don't touch me... It stings!" Nanasu yelled at Claude, who was trying to apply a medical gel on her deep gash. "Hey! This stuff stinks but it works