Genetic Ascension

Chapter 2410: Offer

Januar watched Ekear in silence for several seconds after asking his question, seeming to enjoy the way the older disciple’s expression had gone still. Ekear had managed to keep most of his reaction buried, but the slight tightening through his shoulders was enough to make Januar’s smile widen.

"You don’t need to look at me like that," Januar said, leaning back as though they were discussing something far less dangerous. "If I wanted to expose you, I wouldn’t have bothered coming here first."

Ekear’s gaze sharpened. "Then what do you want?"

Januar chuckled and tapped a finger against the side of his typewriter. "You Nethum are always so suspicious, which is funny considering how often your Clan expects loyalty without giving anyone a reason to offer it."

Ekear’s expression shifted slightly at the wording, but Januar didn’t give him enough time to settle on what bothered him about it. The historian continued speaking with the same careless tone, each sentence revealing just enough to make the next one more difficult to dismiss.

"You aren’t the only one carrying Nethum blood, and you certainly aren’t the only one who remembers things you shouldn’t."

For the first time, Ekear’s control slipped.

Januar laughed softly at the reaction. "There it is."

Ekear stared at him, searching his face for some sign that this was another joke, but Januar looked far too amused for that. More importantly, something about the way he spoke about the Nethum was too familiar, not like an outsider discussing a God Clan from a distance, but like someone complaining about a family he had already grown tired of.

"My path back to the God Plane has been irritating enough without them," Januar continued, resting an elbow against the typewriter. "Then they expect me to toil, sweat, bleed, claw my way back up, and when I finally return, I’m supposed to help raise the Clan another level as though they spent all this time making things easier for me."

He shook his head slowly, looking almost offended by the absurdity of it. "Why would I do that for people who make my life difficult at every turn?"

Ekear’s eyes narrowed. "If you’re really who you’re implying you are, then you should know what happens to traitors."

"Traitor is such an ugly word." Januar smiled. "I prefer someone with priorities."

Ekear’s Will began to gather around him, subtle enough that an ordinary person might not have noticed it, though Januar clearly did. Rather than react with caution, he looked even more entertained.

"I have no interest in helping the Nethum climb higher when I could spend that same effort breaking free of them instead." Januar’s gaze moved over Ekear once, almost lazily measuring him. "And you might make a useful little pawn for that."

"I won’t."

Januar laughed.

Ekear’s expression darkened further. "You think knowing something about me gives you control?"

"No, that’s where you’re misunderstanding things." Januar stood and brushed off his trench coat before lifting his typewriter. "You think far too highly of yourself."

Ekear said nothing, but his Will grew heavier.

Januar only waved a hand. "You’re not even on Sylas’ level, so how exactly did you convince yourself you’re on mine?"

Ekear’s gaze turned cold enough that the air around him seemed to tighten, but Januar had already started walking away. There was no curse left behind, no restriction settling into his body, and not even a threat that Ekear could point toward and prepare against.

"Do whatever you want from here," Januar called without looking back. "Fight me, run from me, improve yourself, gather allies, betray the Nethum, serve them faithfully, it makes no difference."

He lifted one hand in farewell as space began folding around him. "From this day forward, every struggle you make will help my plans in the end."

Then he vanished.

Ekear remained where he stood, stunned more by what Januar hadn’t done than what he had.

There were no orders, no suggestions disguised as warnings, and no obvious means of forcing him onto any particular path. Januar had simply declared that everything Ekear chose would benefit him somehow, then walked away as though the outcome had already been decided.

Was he truly that confident?

Ekear’s jaw tightened as unwillingness slowly replaced the shock. Januar didn’t even like Sylas, yet he had still spoken as though Sylas stood above him, repeating in another form the same thing Gralith had tried to tell Ekear more than once.

His gaze grew colder, his fists clenching.

In the end, he would be the one left standing at the top. Ekear steadied himself and turned toward the direction of the Milky Way World.

**

Sylas opened his eyes without moving the rest of his body, his gaze shifting toward the ceiling while three women remained tangled around him beneath the sheets. One rested across his chest while the other two had curled against either side.

He sensed something in the far off distance, just barely standing outside of his galaxy’s territory.

Ekear.

Sylas thought about ignoring him, then decided the man had earned at least enough respect for a direct conversation after what happened in the World of Spirits. His body disappeared without disturbing the women around him, and when he reappeared high above the world, he was already dressed in light blue jeans, a blue button-up beneath a navy blazer, and white tennis shoes.

Ekear arrived soon afterward and nodded once. "I do not want to lie to you. Our relationship isn’t the best, and I do not like you, but Master would be angry with me if I did not personally ask whether you wanted to be part of this opportunity."

Sylas waited.

"I am a descendant of the Nethum God Clan, and this generation’s war for heirship is coming soon." Ekear’s expression remained serious as he continued. "I am helping Master, Khan, and Gwenu raise their standards greatly, and I have several other pawns who should rise from the Mortal Plane soon."

Sylas recalled how rarely Ekear had been present during the time he spent under Gralith’s tutelage, which probably explained where much of that time had gone. It had never bothered Sylas, especially considering how rarely he remained around Gralith himself.

"If you would like, I can give you the same opportunity," Ekear continued. "You should understand, however, that the Nethum will only crown someone carrying their bloodline, and by joining this opportunity you would be subordinating yourself to the Clan."

Ekear stopped there rather than giving his opinion, though he believed Sylas would be foolish to refuse. The Nethum practically ruled the Poise Heaven on their own, and the resources offered during an heirship war were things even God Clans like the Thryskai would struggle to compare with.

But Sylas didn’t seem impressed.

"Which Heaven is the Nethum of?"

Ekear paused, already feeling the answer before one had been given. Sylas hadn’t considered accepting for even a moment. Nothing about what Ekear had said even seemed to shake him in the slightest.

Instead, Sylas looked like he was distracted by something else entirely, his thoughts swimming elsewhere as Ekear boldly revealed to him the biggest secret of his life. But to Sylas, something else was far more important...

This wasn’t the first time he had heard the name Nethum Clan.