"Well…"
Igor leaned back on the chair and admired the snow falling. It fell on the ground and stacked endlessly, just like his efforts in the chamber.
"I'll begin by saying this, old man."
He chuckled helplessly as he shook his head. He had been humbled greatly.
"High-Class, is a pain in the rear."
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|DxD|- Chapter 87- Resurrection
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What was High-Class? What made it so distinct from Mid-Class, so lusted after that it became a cutoff point? It was because everything moved in twos. Moving from Low-Class to Mid-Class was still possible with training. But to become High-Class required a transformation very few are able to trigger.
Baraquiel had prepared for Igor to return as a Mid-Class. But all his plans were derailed once he sensed that dense wave of power last night. So he was very curious to know what Igor used as his trigger.
"Sit down. I want to hear how you did it."
Igor came over and ever-so-carefully, sat down with Akeno. Baraquiel smiled, for his little girl had stayed up the whole night waiting.
"I'll begin by saying this, old man. High-Class, is a pain in the rear."
"Oh?"
Baraquiel raised an eyebrow.
"Did things not go to plan?"
Igor mock-frowned at the smirk Baraquiel gave him. Of course it didn't go to plan.
"Very. It took me ten years to reach that level."
Igor spoke with a grim heaviness. What stopped him was a very tiny thing. If he had that realisation, he could've reached High-Class much earlier.
He grabbed Akeno's legs and tried to unwrap them around his torso, but they didn't budge an inch. A faint trace of mana had anchored her to him.
"Is this new?"
Igor pointed at her in surprise. He wanted to lean on the chair without crushing her feet, but she had different plans.
"I've been teaching her to use light energy and magic this past year. And what do you know? She's quite talented."
Baraquiel continued proudly.
"As for this? Well, you'll have to ask her yourself. She should wake up around the evening."
Baraquiel teased and Igor could only accept defeat. He didn't have it in him to wake her up.
"What else have you been teaching her, old man?"
"Many things, Igor. But she picked up lighting the fastest due to a need to 'zap' a certain someone."
Igor showed no reaction to the jab. His finger traced her arms with continued curiosity.
"She's quite strong. Better than I was at ten."
"Given who her older brother is, is it not natural?"
Baraquiel's words watered Igor until a gentle smile bloomed. He looked down at the little lass and smoothly brushed her hair.
"Mn. It's only right she's stronger than me."
The tenderness in his eyes could not be hidden. Baraquiel watched and appreciated the love Igor had for his daughter. They shared no blood, yet he truly regarded her as his precious sibling.
"She missed you, Igor. More than you can imagine."
"I know."
She'd silently cried until she fell asleep. How could he not understand.
"I had hoped that wouldn't be the case."
Leaving without telling her was indeed not the right thing to do. Igor raised his head and was met with Baraquiel's sudden words.
"Take a year off, Igor. No training, no missions. Whatever plans you have, save them for the coming year."
"?"
Igor looked at Baraquiel somewhat incredulously. A year? He could do a week at most.
"I can't, old man."
"Because?"
"..."
A palpable silence came and went. Igor looked to the side, seemingly admiring the scenery. But countless feelings swirled in his eyes. He faced Baraquiel again, and spoke his intent.
"I want to resurrect my mother."
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Baraquiel showed no reaction, and Igor took it as his leeway to continue.
"As long as I have her corpse, it is possible to bring her back. I plan to find a way to do that."
"Did you think this through?"
Baraquiel questioned and Igor replied resolutely.
"Yes I have."
"No you didn't."
Baraquiel's rebuttal was swift. He sat up and met Igor with a stern gaze.
"If you truly thought this through, then you'd know this matter will only end with everyone dying."
"..."
Igor remained silent. A slight furrow of his brows revealed both worry and a hint of disbelief.
"What do you mean, old man?"
"I won't lie to you, Igor."
Baraquiel adjusted his posture and leaned forward.
"The world does not lack methods of resurrection. You can indeed resurrect your mother, by this day's end even. It's the consequences that will have you, your mother, and this family killed."
Igor leaned forward. His eyes had a glint of amber in them. Turmoil had formed at the possible deaths of his family.
"Don't keep me in suspense. What is it that will cause all of this?"
There was a deathly undertone in his voice. Being promised his mother's life, only to know he could not savor it left him disturbed.
"Gods, Igor. Do you know how death works? Countless souls leave the worlds and realms. A person dying is natural. But a resurrection is different as it goes against the flow: it ripples."
Baraquiel's voice lowered to a serious depth.
"The moment your mother's soul returns, every god of death will notice. And the moment she is recognised as Ariyan, you will have pantheons coming to see who dared."
"Old man…"
Igor slowly began.
"You mean to say that I can only…swallow it?"
"Yes."
Vital energy swelled within Igor. It heated his body, but cooled just as quickly when Akeno moaned in discomfort.
"Sorry…"
It was an apology both to her and Baraquiel.
"You do not need to be sorry."
"I do, old man. And this is even more reason I cannot rest."
"No."
Baraquiel refuted him immediately.
"This is more reason you should rest. You've been in the skies for a long time, Igor. It's time to land and rest properly."
The same words were repeated to him. Shuri had said it earlier and now it was Baraquiel. Admittedly, Igor felt a bit discomforted at being told to rest when he clearly needed to train even harder.
"Are you worried I'm becoming a weapon, old man?"
There was no snark, humour, or displeasure. It was curiosity. This little family of his had never once wronged him. If they had advice, he would at least take it seriously.
"Yes."
Baraquiel admitted without pretense.
"You're thirty-one, Igor. You've been fighting for a long time, and through your efforts, you've finally reached a goal not many attain in their lives. The best thing you can do for yourself right now, is take a year, maybe even two, to settle down."
Baraquiel subtly grinned, a sudden contrast to the tense mood. But it was that grin that let the light into the darkness.
"Who knows. Maybe you might find yourself a nice woman. Or ten if one isn't enough for you."
"Don't tease me, old man."
Igor begrudgingly smiled as well.
"I have enough on my plate already."
"But you will take the time too…"
Baraquiel asked with raised eyebrows. His nudging was clear, and Igor only helplessly shook his head and accepted.
"Yes, old man. I'll take the break. It'll at least get you and aunty off my back."
"I hope that remains the case, Igor. And keep this in mind. Everything has its time. Don't rush when you can rest."
Chapter 87
END