The Sinful Life of The Emperor

In the corridor, Kiba was taking a step forward when Enchantia spoke.

[[Information on your mother.]]

Kiba visibly flinched. The step he was in the middle of taking never happened as he was stuck in a place.

"Mother?"

It took him a while to break out of the shocked state.

[[Yes. It goes without saying I'm referring to Zed's biological mother and not your present form which is just a creation of your powers.]]

"....."

[[Your mother has been to two World Fragments since we first met, including this one. And since I know your original aura, source, bloodline, and genetical heritage, I identified her the moment she stepped into World Fragments.]]

"...."

[[I must say, you inherit a part of your character from her, especially coldness.]]

"Really? My caretaker said the same when I killed him."

Kiba knew his caretaker was only known by his title - Red Fox. Something he learned thanks to Pythia when she took his consciousness to days of future past.

Red Fox has really protected him from powerful mutants. Sadly, in the process, he gained heavy injuries which turned him as weak as a mortal.

Thinking back, Kiba wasn't surprised by Red Fox turning so bitter and negative. He could even empathise with Red Fox, but not for a moment, did he regret his decision of murdering him.

[[Don't you wish to know about your mother?]] Enchantia asked.

She knew his answer would be yes.

The first time she met him, he hated his parents and Red Fox. Something she felt natural given the life he led in slums and the way he was forced to explore BSE79.

"...." Kiba closed his eyes.

It has been years so he could only somewhat remember what pangs of hunger felt like. An empty stomach and strong contractions of pain.

He could barely remember what bone-numbing chill felt like. The loss of warmth in blood and sensation of ice washing over skin.

He could more or less remember what it felt like to beg on a street and the reactions of passerby... the pitful stares, the unpleasant remarks, and schadenfreude.

He could remember the total sense of lose when all his hard work and efforts were rewarded with punches and kicks.

There were many emotions and sensations he could recall vaguely.

Agony, despair, fear...

He could faintly recall what he felt in certain days when reality overburdened him.

Days where he was on verge of giving up his life... times when he just wanted to throw himself to certain death.

There were so many things he could remember albeit barely.

But there were certain moments which were crystal-clear in his memories.

The nights where he prayed to gods for help. The times where he begged for his parents to return... hope they would forgive him for whatever sin he has committed and save him.

And then finally, the days those prayers and begging turned into curses and rage. The moment where he wished everyone responsible for his state to die and rot in hell.

"Know about my mother?"

Kiba opened his eyes, and a smile appeared on his face.

"No, not interested."

[[What?!]]

Enchantia was astonished.

In the Hall of Legacies, the glowing orbs flickered in surprise.

Enchantia's incorporeal face was in an obvious state of disbelief. She was seldom surprised, much less shocked...

[[You mean to say you don't want to know about her?]]

"Obviously," Kiba replied.

[[Are you sure? I have all the details you need. Her name, appearance, background, powers---]]

"I already said no," Kiba cut her in between. "So thanks, but no thanks."

[[Don't you want to find your parents?!]]

"Nope," Kiba answered with a barely audible sigh.

"Maybe if you have asked me three months ago, I would have accepted your offer, but not now and never in the future."

[[What are you saying? Is it because of the debt I owe you?]]

Enchantia refused to take a no for an answer.

[[You can have the information for free.]]

"Wow~ You are far more eager than me," Kiba was surprised by her attitude. "But as I said, I'm not interested."

[[Why?]]

Enchantia asked. She disliked her assessment was wrong.

"Why? Well, no reason," Kiba answered with a faint smile.

"But if you want a reason, well, it is just that I have no reason to find either my mother or my father."

[[You hated them!]] Enchantia reminded him.

"Yeah, for reasons I now consider stupid."

Kiba let out a breath of air before continuing.

"In the end, my parents owed me nothing, so, why should I hate them for not giving me a life I wanted?"

[[....]]

"Maybe I still hate them. No, truthfully speaking, I don't know what I feel about them."

Kiba looked in the distance.

He could visualize his Dream Rise House, the underground sections, the lavish meals he would have every day, the luxury cars he drove in, the properties he owned... He has everything that a person could ever desire or want.

There was nothing out of his approach. Neither pleasure nor comfort.

"I guess what I want to say is my parents are just a part of my past. If my previous setbacks don't make a difference to the present me so why should my parents? They no longer matter... as far as I'm concerned, they are as good as dead."

Kiba's body flickered with speed fluctuations and he shot into a distance, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.

He knew thoughts and stands of individual changes with time. What might one consider as a permanent opinion could easily change with changes in the environment.

Nothing was permanent, not even his present thoughts.

"The only thing I know for sure is that I no longer want to live in past."

Kiba disappeared from the corridor.

In the Hall of Legacies, Enchantia's spectral figure started dispersing.

[[He has changed far more than I gave him credit for.]]

As the dimension began reverting to its original state, she chuckled.

[[But past is something that no one could ever escape from.]]