Assimilate All Talents

Hundreds of memories flooded back to Sol; the childhood he knew was an entire fabrication. After overcoming the initial overwhelming sensation of the resurfaced memories, Sol only had one thought.

‘Mom and Dad are alive?’

While that was the first thought that came to his mind with his memories restored, he couldn’t help but doubt them. There was a small doubt in the back of his mind whispering that it could all be part of the bald man's plan to influence his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. It didn’t make sense to change these memories, and Sol had no thoughts of obedience at all, which was their original goal. Additionally, the unsealed memories didn’t erase the fake ones, as if left untouched to allow Sol to determine which were the real memories. There was one last piece of evidence that made Sol determine that they were real, and it was by what became of the bald man who tried to tamper with his mind.

The bald man was now collapsed on the floor with his eyes rolled upwards. Sol saw the barrier leave his mind and travel to the bald man, so he knew this was done by it. It seemed his father left him one final means of protection in the very low chance another psychic ability tried to tamper with his mind.

As much as Sol wanted to understand what all this meant, his current situation did not permit it.

“WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?!” Weaver was furious but held his hand as he had no idea what just occurred. The bald man was still technically breathing, but Weaver could already deduce he was gone forever. While the bald man's body was alive and breathing, the mind itself had been shattered with no chance of recovery. Even for another specialist in memories and matters of the mind, they would be unable to do anything as the memories were completely erased, there was nothing to save.

Red Sands stood behind Weaver, unfazed by his outburst. Her orders were to protect Gus, but she did not see Sol do anything; hence, she didn’t have to take any action. Though seeing the bald man collapsed on the ground, the edges of her mouth, hidden under the obfuscation of the magical cloak, curved slightly upward.

Sol knew it was caused by the psychic barrier, but he pretended not to know.

“I don’t know! He just collapsed.”

“Don’t bullshit me! Fuck! The boss will…!”

Weaver appeared more scared at whatever Cane would do to him rather than the comatose bald man. He realized there was only one way to save him from the boss’ wrath.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck! You crossed the line, Sol! Your corpse will hopefully appease him!”

Alarm bells rang in Sol's mind. Weaver’s fingers moved as strings sprang out to kill him. This would have caught Sol off guard in the past, but these last few days he had not only been practicing the basics of combat but was also devising the best way to counter Weaver. With his life in danger, Sol didn’t hold back and cast the best spell to best counter Weaver.

“Cover my body in flames, [Flame Aura]!”

A thin layer of fire covered Sol’s body, and the strings that rapidly approached burned at the slightest touch. Weaver retracted his strings in surprise.

[Flame Aura] was one of the easiest and fastest spells that Sol knew. Although it’s an easy spell, it is rather inefficient with a high mana consumption to maintain the concentrated fire. Taking into consideration Weaver’s quick and flexible strings that can come from any direction, Sol knew the best way to counter them was to cover himself from all directions.

“A dual mage, you're full of surprises aren't you. You think I have never fought with a fire mage before? You’ll quickly run out of mana if you spend it that way, so I’ll just wait it out.”

Sol knew the downsides of the spell, and even with his ridiculous mana regeneration, he could only maintain it for at most ten minutes. While he could fight Weaver, there was a small spark of hope in his heart after what he read in the diary.

“We don’t have to fight! You may think you are loyal to Cane, but that's because you were brainwashed just like every other victim!”

“Hahaha!”

Weaver laughed at his claim. Sol believed it was because it sounded too hard to believe.

“I know it's hard to believe, but it’s true. I took his diary and read how he sold you, but after you got returned, they brainwashed you again! They did the same with you, Red Sands, they took everything from both of you!”

Red Sands stood as poised as she had been the entire time, while Weaver kept laughing.

“Hahaha! You don’t think I know that already?! That bastard used me as his personal secretary for an entire year; I already read his damn diary. Those nobles threw me away because they didn’t like how I behaved! The only person who ever accepted me was that motherfucker, albeit in a twisted way. As long as I obey him and avoid his… punishments, everything is dandy.”

Sol couldn’t believe he was fine with this. He was brainwashed and used to commit crimes for someone else's benefit.

“What about who you used to be? What about all the crimes you committed?!”

“Haha, what about it? Those adventurers don't give a fuck about me; why should I care what becomes of them. I also get to enjoy certain privileges by working under one of the biggest crime bosses in the city, who can complain. As for my memories, maybe they manipulated me to think this, but I honestly don't care who I used to be. If anything, fuck the past me for being so weak to get captured.”

‘He’s too far gone…’

“By the way, is your mana ever gonna run out soon? We still have to wrap this up.”

Sol glanced at his mana, which just dipped under 300; he still had plenty of time. While Weaver was a lost cause, maybe Red Sands could be persuaded. Sol wanted to believe it was possible to break free from this brainwashing they were put through.