Chapter 231: 231

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This collective resentment attracted a cursed spirit, one that fed on greed and the selfish hoarding of knowledge. The scroll he clutched became a symbol of his curse.

The other cursed being known as Elias, was a renowned scholar in a small thriving human city, known for his vast knowledge and eloquent speech. He held a position of great respect and influence, often consulted by leaders and common folk alike. Rumors of his help being required in the humanity kingdom adds to his reputation. However, Elias harbored a secret resentment towards those who dismissed his ideas or challenged his authority. This bitterness festered over time, which led to Elias beginning to manipulate information subtly, distorting truths to suit his narrative and undermine his rivals.

Elias’s manipulations, though initially small, grew more significant and harmful. He whispered falsehoods into the ears of the powerful, sowing discord and mistrust among allies, and leading to decisions based on twisted truths. The small city, once harmonious, began to fracture. People turned against each other, alliances crumbled, and chaos ensued. Unbeknownst to Elias, his deceitful actions stirred a collective resentment among the city’s inhabitants. Their shared anger and betrayal, amplified by the magnitude of Elias’s influence, led to Elias attracting a cursed spirit that attached itself to him.

The Knowledge Hoarder’s eyes glowed with an insatiable curiosity, while the Whisperer’s serpentine eyes gleamed with malevolent intent. They paused, considering each other, and then the Whisperer spoke.

His voice a silky hiss “Why do we fight, Hoarder? We are both seekers of knowledge, in our own ways. Perhaps we can settle this without bloodshed.”

The Knowledge Hoarder voice dry and rasping “What do you propose, Whisperer? A sharing of our truths? I suspect your version of knowledge is nothing but a web of deceit.”

Whisperer smiled, forked tongue flicking “Not deceit, my friend, but interpretation. Knowledge is not a fixed point but a fluid stream, ever changing, ever evolving. To control the flow is to wield power. You, with your hoarding, stagnate the stream, letting it fester.”

The Hoarder eyes narrowed “And you, with your lies, poison it. Knowledge must be preserved, not twisted to fit the whims of those who would corrupt it. I safeguard the truth, while you pervert it for your own ends.”

“Truth is a matter of perspective, Hoarder. What you call truth, others may call folly. Knowledge, in my hands, becomes a tool to shape reality, to bend minds. What good is knowledge if it is not shared, if it does not influence?” Whisperer laughed softly.

The Hoarder voice steady, with conviction “Knowledge shared must be pure, untainted by lies. True knowledge enlightens and empowers, fostering genuine understanding and growth. What you offer is not enlightenment but chaos, misleading and misguiding those who seek the truth.”

“Ah, but a lie can inspire, can provoke thought and change. It can be a catalyst for growth, forcing minds to question and seek deeper truths. It is a spark that ignites the flame of curiosity.” Whisperer replied, eyes gleaming with cunning

Knowledge Hoarder scowling said “A spark that can also destroy. A mind corrupted by lies may never find its way back to the truth. Lies lead to mistrust, to fear, to division. True knowledge unites, it enlightens and builds trust, paving the way for progress and innovation.”

Whisperer mockingly answered “And yet, in your hoarding, you hoard not just knowledge but power. You keep it from the masses, doling it out only when it suits your purpose. Is that not its own form of tyranny? My lies, at least, are accessible to all, free for any to hear and believe.”

Knowledge Hoarder voice filled with passion “Accessible, yes, but at what cost? A world built on lies is a world doomed to crumble. My duty is to protect knowledge, to ensure its purity and accuracy. Knowledge shared in its true form elevates society, whereas your deceit breeds confusion and collapse.”

Whisperer leaned closer, voice a whisper “But can you truly protect knowledge from change, from interpretation? Even the purest truth can be twisted in the telling. Admit it, Hoarder, even you cannot keep knowledge from evolving.”

Knowledge Hoarder nodded “Knowledge must evolve, yes, but through understanding and insight, not through deceit. Evolution of knowledge comes from discovery and learning, not from the corruption of falsehoods. Your so-called wisdom is nothing but cancer, spreading rot and decay. I will not allow it to consume the truth.”

Whisperer sighed dramatically “Then it seems we are at an impasse, old friend. It appears that words alone cannot bridge the chasm between us. We must settle this with more than debate.”

Knowledge Hoarder raising his scroll said “So be it. I will show you that the purity of truth is stronger than your twisted lies. Prepare yourself, Whisperer”.

Without warning, the Knowledge Hoarder raised his scroll and began chanting an incantation. The texts on his parchment-like skin writhed and shifted, summoning shadowy tendrils that surged towards the Whisperer.

The Whisperer moved swiftly, his form blurring as he dodged the tendrils. With a flick of his forked tongue, he whispered insidious lies into the air, causing the shadows to falter and twist into grotesque shapes befores dispersing. The two cursed beings circled each other, looking for an opening.

The Whisperer hissed a string of distorted words, causing the ground beneath the Hoarder to shift and crack. From the fissures sprang nightmarish illusions of monstrous creatures, their eyes glowing and claws reaching out to tear at the Hoarder.

The Hoarder, undeterred, unrolled another section of his scroll, summoning ancient runes that glowed with a malevolent light. With a gesture, he conjured a fireball imbued with the knowledge of destructive spells, hurling it at the illusions. The fireball exploded, incinerating the creatures and forcing the Whisperer to retreat.

In a fluid motion, the Whisperer retaliated by conjuring a serpentine illusion that coiled around the Hoarder, constricting tightly. The Hoarder struggled, his eyes blazing as he recited a counter-spell. The texts on his skin flared brightly, causing the illusion to dissipate in a shower of sparks.

Seizing the moment, the Whisperer lunged at the Hoarder, his forked tongue aiming for the Hoarder’s throat. The Hoarder barely managed to evade the strike, feeling the Whisperer’s breath on his neck. He responded with a swift incantation, summoning a barrier of dark energy that repelled the Whisperer with a forceful blast.

The Whisperer was thrown back, but he quickly recovered, his yellow eyes filled with fury. He spat a venomous curse, the words twisting into tangible forms—serpentine coils of dark energy that lashed out at the Hoarder, their touch searing and corrupting. The Hoarder countered by conjuring a shield of arcane symbols, blocking the curse and reflecting lies and curse back towards the Whisperer.

The serpentine coils turned on the Whisperer, their searing touch causing him to writhe in agony as his own venomous energy burned him. He screamed in rage and pain, his form flickering like a faulty projection. The Hoarder took advantage of the Whisperer’s disorientation, pressing the attack with relentless determination.

The Knowledge Hoarder chanted a powerful spell, the texts on his skin glowing with an ominous light. He summoned a massive, fiery golem imbued with ancient knowledge of warfare. The golem, towering and blazing, charged at the Whisperer with devastating force.

Desperate, the Whisperer lashed out with a flurry of lies, creating illusions of giant serpents that lunged at the Hoarder and his golem. The serpent’s bit and coiled, their venomous fangs striking true. But the Hoarder was prepared. He absorbed the falsehoods into his scroll, the texts shifting and changing to accommodate the new information. The Whisperer, realizing he was losing ground, attempted to flee, but the Hoarder was relentless.

With a final incantation, the Hoarder unleashed a storm of ethereal blades, each one inscribed with forbidden knowledge. The blades sliced through the serpentine illusions and struck the Whisperer, who screamed as the energy blade tore through his essence.

As the Whisperer’s form collapsed to the ground, the Knowledge Hoarder stood tall, his eyes blazing with triumph. He approached the remnants of his foe, his scroll at the ready. With a frenzy and determined expression, he began to chant, drawing the Whisperer’s essence into the scroll.

The scroll absorbed the Whisperer’s power, the texts glowing brighter and more complex. The Hoarder felt a surge of energy as he consumed the essence of his defeated opponent. His form seemed to grow more imposing, the texts on his skin shifting with newfound knowledge and power. At the back of the scroll, a huge serpentine eyes filled with cunning light grew on the scroll.

Ikenga and Evara, who was sitting on Osisi’s tree branch, felt the slight change in the wind movement, the huge body of Boros slightly moved.

Ikenga smiled pointing at Orin “From now on, you are to take the name “The All-Knowing Oracle” A mysterious entity that embodies the resentment towards those with superior knowledge or intellect”

Orin bowed towards Ikenga and at the same time felt the attraction to take a place beside him. Closing his eyes and thinking of the new ability of the whisperer he just acquired.

A serpentine tongue came out of his mouth as he lied to the world around him “Fly” the effect took place immediately as his feet left the ground taking him up to the branch Ikenga was sitting on.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep