I have Nine Lives

Chapter 206: The power of the underwater tribe

Felix wasn't sure why Altraeimo was eager... what was so good about being a god slayer?

Seeing Felix looking at him with a questioning look made Altraeimo cough and say:

"We should have our conversation in a more private environment. Come with me."

Altraeimo started swimming towards the palace, and Felix easily followed him from behind.

They reached the palace rather quickly before entering one of its adjacent buildings. There Altraeimo did some hand seals to activate a silent hex formation before sitting on a moss pillow.

Altraeimo waved his hand, indicating to Felix that he could sit as well, but Felix wasn't in the mood for that as he went directly to ask what he needed to know:

"Do you know anything about this mark? And why were you so eager to see it?"

Altraeimo took in a deep breath as he glanced into Felix's eyes before looking down and saying:

"We know quite a bit about the god slaying mark... actually our people used to roam on the land before as well."

Felix realized that it was time for a story... so he decided to sit down. He had already informed Marshallo about his condition, so he knew what to say to Lindo, Jack, and the others if they were getting worried about him.

"You see, we were once land-dwellers, quite strong ones. In fact, we were equal or stronger than the current humans."

"Our people were strong, so strong that we started to revolt against the Gods and their ways. Even though the gods gave out benefits that worked for both parties, our people were greedy."

"They wanted more and more. Until they started to create connections with the gods- only to mentally attack them."

"This leads to the god's hatred onto us, but while we could create connections with them if we found their altars or highly hex energy concentrated areas, they couldn't do much to us."

"This fact made them really angry, so they started to research a way to punish us besides waiting for our natural deaths."

"That way, they created the god slayer mark which you are branded with right now..."

Then Altraeimo parted his golden locks showing a very faint fire lotus on his own forehead as well!

Felix's eyes widened as Altraeimo continued to explain:

"The descendants that will have your bloodline will also get the god slaying mark, regardless of what they will do in life. However, with time the bloodline will thin, and so will the mark... We have been getting this mark on our foreheads for tens of thousands of years, and only in my and my father's generation, the fire symptoms stopped. That was also the reason we had left the water to see how the land was doing."

Felix nodded as he understood what he meant, but waiting wouldn't be very helpful for him:

"I understand your concerns, Felix. My ancestors didn't stay idle while the fire tormented them, while they dropped to the bottom of the ocean to seal the effects of the mark. They also tried their best in researching a way to remove the mark."

Felix looked into Altraeimo's eyes as he asked:

"So what did they find out?"

Altraeimo sighed as he said:

"Besides the information that I just told you now? Well, the mark itself would dissipate if you would make the god who planted it on you lift it. The other way would be if the god died."

Felix frowned as he asked:

"Isn't there any other way?"

Altraeimo shook his head as he said:

"I'm sorry, but there isn't any other way. If some other ways existed, our people wouldn't have had to dwell on the bottom of the ocean up till now."

Felix felt his head swelling from anger as he was ready to leave but Altraeimo stopped him as he said:

"While there isn't any way to remove the mark, there are ways to suppress it besides living in the ocean."

"There are? Then, why did your ancestors remain in the ocean?"

Altraeimo shrugged as he said:

"It's mostly because they are temporary methods, and they can run out rather quickly. My ancestors wanted to research without interruptions, so that's why they moved to the bottom of the ocean permanently."

Felix didn't need the methods. He didn't want to go back to the lion tribe. In one minute he would be okay, then the other explode into a bunch of flames that could hurt anyone that was near him.

This wasn't a way of living that Felix wanted.

"From your expression, I can tell you don't want those methods... *sigh* well, I guess I could help you some other way."

Altraeimo took out a flute from his clothes that he started to slowly play, creating high notes which soothed Felix's raging mind.

Felix enjoyed the music for a few seconds, but the more he listened to it, the more he realized that something wasn't right with the song.

Felix's soul was slowly being forced out of his body, just like when he used that pearl to train his soul with Lindo.

His body slowly fell to the ground below as his soul slipped out, and Felix glanced at Altraeimo asking:

"Why have you done this?"

Altraeimo looked at Felix's body before shaking his head:

"There is just one more way- to quickly get rid of the tattoo and also live."

"But my ancestors hadn't been able to use it due to their lack of strength."

Altraeimo closed his eyes for a few seconds before he said:

"My ancestors realized how to open the portal to the divine realm where gods reside... unfortunately for mortals access that place we would need to shed our bodies and enter only with our souls which would put us in a huge disadvantage compared to the gods."

Felix understood as he clenched his soul form's fists:

"Do you think my soul can withstand the divine realm environment and fight the gods?"

Altraeimo looked at Felix's soul, but he was almost blinded by the power he could sense directly from his soul. Even though Felix's body was his main strength. A strong soul resided in a strong body, and as long as his body got stronger, so did his soul.

His body almost reached the ultimate level, so his soul wasn't that far behind. It was indeed a little bit weaker than his body, but not by much.

Altraeimo turned off his analyzing technique as he looked at Felix's soul normally before saying:

"Your soul is extremely strong, so strong that I don't think any of our ancestors reached this level, but I'm not sure if you would be able to kill the god that marked you and come back safely as there aren't many records of the godly powers that the gods possess, while their strength is numbered in ranks. Who knows what type of special abilities they possess?"

Felix looked down at his body before shaking his head as he dropped back into it.

Even though he was confident to defeat the gods if he had his body. He wasn't sure about it if the only thing he was allowed to use was his soul.

His soul was pretty strong, but it was also getting a boost in power if it was connected to his body. Almost reaching his body's strength.

If it left its body's vicinity, it would lose 20% of its strength.

This was a huge loss of strength which made Felix uncertain, while he did easily take care of Sindora. It was mostly because she was pathetically weak for a god.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to go toe to toe with the battle gods only with his soul.

It would be nice if he could, but he was realistic.

Felix sighed while he cracked his neck, as his soul fitted back into his body, then he asked Altraeimo:

"Do you have any ways to quickly train the soul?"

Altraeimo shook his head as he lifted his shoulders, showing that he had no such way.

"You came to the wrong people. Have you tried talking with the raven tribe?"

Felix sighed, was he supposed to go back to the raven tribe now?

Well, he already visited them one, and he had a way to go to the divine realm when he was strong enough. So he decided to give them another visit.

Felix nodded towards Altraeimo and told him:

"I will come back sooner or later. Wait for me."

Altraeimo nodded with a smile on his face as he said:

"I will be waiting for you. If you invade the divine realm, this should be a good thing for our tribesmen as a whole."

Felix's silhouette disappeared, leaving Altraeimo alone as he sighed, then put his flute back into his clothes and left the building.

Felix's reappearance near the raven's tree didn't go unnoticed as he had only been gone for around 4 hours, he appeared in the same spot as the raven shaman came back. He was sweating as he looked at Felix's flaming aura and asked:

"Could I politely ask?... Why have you come back?"

Felix waved his hand and said:

"I actually came back for something that your raven tribe is known for."

The raven shaman frowned as his eyes were still glued on the fiery lotus tattoo on Felix's forehead as he asked:

"You need help with strengthening your soul?"

Felix clapped twice and said:

"Good, it seems you aren't entirely useless because of your fear."

The raven shaman didn't get insulted by Felix's words as he started to rummage through his cloak.

Felix waited at the bottom of the tree as he looked at the old raven with sharp eyes. Felix wondered what he would give him.