GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?



Salvos didn't go back on his word. His eyes remained closed after he respawned. He snorted and turned away from Soverick. He felt disrespected that Soverick wouldn't relax even after he swore an oath. Swearing on your Origin is the harshest and strictest oath that you can swear. It is unbreakable. Breaking the oath will lead to the breaking of your Origin. 

It is so severe that Origin gods will die immediately and never resurrect if they break that kind of oath. Yet Soverick is still looking at him with calm wariness. He can see it in the child of the plane's posture that he can attack at the drop of a hat. 

He didn't say anything though. He promised not to antagonize Soverick so he will leave calmly with as much self-respect as a defeated man can muster. At least, now he can say that their fight had not officially ended and his defeat is not set in stone.

Soverick watched him go while still on alert. He is ready to move as soon as something suspicious happens. What he was afraid of happened. Salvos turned to him so he bolted forward. They were still close enough for a physical attack so he used his superior speed to reach him. He braced himself against the torrent of fire that Salvos's eyes produce but it didn't come. His blade stopped at Salvos's neck when he saw the smirk on his face.

"Don't test me," Soverick growled at the smirking idiot. "Or you might just regret it."

He was very close to beheading Salvos. If not for the absence of that glow in his eyes or the telltale signs of the activation of the divine ability, he wouldn't have stopped at all.

Salvos grinned. "Just wanted to see how quick you are."

Then his face grew serious. He said to Soverick. "It seems you are working hand in hand with Salvini. Note that I said "It seems you are" and not "You are". It is because everything is not what it seems with Salvini. The only thing that is certain with Salvini is that she will do what's best for the plane and what is best for her, not what's best for you. So you should watch your back."

Soverick withdrew his blade. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I have lived enough with her to know that she can sacrifice anyone to achieve her aim. You are not above that. I wouldn't want my rival to suffer ridicule now. Only I should ridicule you."

Then he waved goodbye before leaving. Soverick also returned to his pyramid. He did a lot of thinking along the way.

He is suspicious of Salvini but he has to admit that he is grateful for Salvini's tip. It prevented the worst of a full-blown clash between him and Salvos. A clash between them without external aid is sure to lead to his victory but he will have to use powers and abilities that he would prefer to keep hidden. 

Salvini's tip saved him from going all out on Salvos and wasting some of his respawn chances. Salvos is the only one that can kill him. Even if he brings everything he has to bear, there is still a chance of death because Salvos' attack cannot be dodged. You have to survive it. If he were not so suppressed then things might be different but he is. The two of them can't be fighting when there's a third enemy. So it is smart to avoid wasting his time and powers on Salvini. 

It is not that he suspects a third enemy who might take advantage of their fight. He knows with full certainty that there's a third enemy who intends to take advantage of any weakness that he displays and he also knows who the person is. The person has not been in his arena previously but that has changed now that everyone is in the same arena. 

He knows that they are planning something big for him. He saw traces of it around the arena and around the justice nutjobs. Someone is recruiting people en masse to deal with him so he is grateful that his fight with Salvos ended without too much trouble. He just doesn't trust Salvini yet. Even her brother said he shouldn't trust her.

He knows his enemy and he knows their aim but he doesn't know why Salvini is helping him or what her aim is. He saw what Salvini did and how she defeated Litori and the others so he knows that it is folly to trust Salvini. It doesn't help that his enemy is very similar to Salvini. They are both scheming female battle sages. 

It is also suspicious that Salvini told him not to go and hunt his enemies. She claims that going after the hidden enemy to disrupt their plan will be time-consuming and distract him from securing the divine crown. The reason she gave is correct and sounds reasonable. 

It seems like she is really helping him since her message has been useful so far. But he will wait until she makes do with the rest of her promise before he dares to make up his mind about her. For now, he will wait for the inevitable clash. 

Several situations flashed in his mind about the upcoming events. It might just turn out that he has been played all along and that it would have been better for him to go all out to destroy Salvos right now. Salvos is terrifying on his own. He and Salvini working together is a threat that can surely end him.

Salvos is stubborn and innately proud. He came to fight Soverick and failed. Soverick might just have convinced him to work together with Salvini with the code he gave. After all, he doesn't know what the code means. Salvini didn't tell him what it means in her message. He can't even trust her if she told him the meaning.

"I hope I won't regret this." He thought to himself.