Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1977: Stupid

Eliwine, the Scorpion Ancestor, didn't look back. He stood at the helm of the Scorpion, looking ahead without a word. At some unknown point, Keyesen had appeared with them.

Rather than escaping, though, the Scorpion construct moved toward the Thryskai Ship. Their goal was all too obvious.

On the ground, The Sanctum was completely shaken.

In truth, this wasn't the first time they had been backstabbed by the Scorpion Lineage. The last matter was only forgiven after great fanfare and what was ultimately Gralith's expulsion.

It was something the Sanctum had always known. The Scorpion Lineage had always wished to be amongst the four strongest, and many times before, they had made power moves in hopes of claiming such a spot.

The problem was that they never seemed to do it the right way...

**

001 Sanctum. Scorpion Moon.

Gralith stood on a mountain peak, looking out into the distance in silence. There was something about his demeanor that seemed at peace... or maybe like he was observing something from so very far away.

Memories he hadn't thought of in too long surfaced and he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

"Are you alright, master?"

The familiar voice of Gralith's first disciple echoed by him.

"I am." Gralith said slowly.

"Thinking about those matters?" Ekear asked.

Gralith's lip curled just the slightest bit. It was just the barest hint of a smile, but Ekear knew all too well that unlike Sylas who only did this when he was comfortable or amused, Gralith only did this when he was furious about something.

If Gralith was smiling... it could only be said that blood was about to be spilt.

But just as quickly as the slight curve appeared, it vanished.

"It's not yet time for me to consider those matters, but I wonder if I'll have the chance at revenge myself or not. I am still too weak. Though, your junior brother has given me a great chance that I can only be grateful for."

"Master..." Ekear started.

But Gralith shook his head.

"Ekear, you have always been the strongest of my disciples. Until Sylas, certainly the most talented. Maybe you would be on Sylas' level if you weren't so rigid in how you see the world. But you've allowed what you think should be to restrain you from seeing things as they are."

"Master, I don't know what you mean. You believe Sylas is more talented than I am?"

Ekear came across extremely surprised by this possibility as though he hadn't seen the things Sylas had accomplished. It was either he was truly stupid... or he was relying on something that none were familiar with... something only his master himself would know.

"Yes. I have never hidden that from you. You just chose to not listen to my words."

Ekear lowered his head and didn't argue. Unlike Sylas, he had respect for his master that went to the depths of his bones. Even if he didn't agree, he wouldn't argue. This was the man he owed everything to.

"Do you know what happened to me all those years ago, Ekear?" Gralith asked, looking away from his disciple and back into the skies.

"... I only know the snippets you have told me, master."

"The story is complicated. But what is most important is the fact that the Thryskai plotting on The Sanctum isn't a recent matter. Rhykan Purvon..."

Ekear's eyes suddenly lit with a flame.

Gralith's gaze shifted just the slightest bit toward his first disciple and then back again. It seemed that Ekear was far more familiar with Rhykan than should have been possible.

"... Is someone who plans dozens of steps ahead. Maybe even that is not enough of an exaggeration. But it took me many years to piece his plans together.

"Somehow, he was already aware of my existence long ago, he knew of my potential, and he knew of the jealousy of the main Scorpion Branch. Eliwine is a jealous man. He would never allow another line, even a closely related one, to take the mantle away from his own.

"The Earth Escape Lineage of the Scorpion has been in command for many cycles and my Poison Chain Lineage was heavily suppressed as a result.

"However, between my grandfather, my father, and I, it was becoming very difficult for the Earth Escape Lineage to continue to hold onto that power.

"This is what makes Rhykan such a genius. Very few would realize there was no need to target the strongest of the Lineages to get what they want. He saw a crack in the armor of the Scorpion and completely ignored the Whale, Lion, Serpent, and Ape Lineages, correctly assessing that it would be enough for his plans.

"You know how those things ended. My grandfather and father were killed, I was expelled. Thanks to Rhykan Purvon, things were manipulated such that my Spirits were stripped from me, becoming the beacons of the 001, 007, and 073 Sanctums. And in return for this, I was forced to leave a Lineage of my own to a world that had yet to complete its own Summoning.

"What you don't know is what caused the rift and how it was exploited.

"Eliwine is a fool, a man who knows nothing but greed without cost or sacrifice. He wants everything and yet is unwilling to give up anything in return. He is no true Scorpion. He won't spite his face to slay an enemy. He would rather cower and scrape for the smallest chance of survival."

Ekear felt his heart quake, his body almost shutting down under Gralith's oppressive might. Gralith's tone had hardly changed, but it somehow felt like an abyssal hell was suffocating him.

"It didn't even take much to make him betray his own family. All Rhykan Purvon promised him was a chance to elevate his A-grade Scorpion Emperor Armor to 50% Mastery. That's all. That's all it took to crumble an empire."

A bloody, mirth-filled grin spread across Gralith's face.

Sylas was so intelligent. What he couldn't understand was someone so impossibly stupid.

But what he could do was be so intelligent it didn't matter.

The Sanctum. Space.

"Now, where exactly do you think you're going?"

A woman's voice echoed and the Scorpion Construct froze in the depths of space.

Eliwine's pupils constricted into pinholes, his eyes landing right on just one woman...

Fanelei.