Wicked Reincarnation

"You know he's an idiot," Eri looked at Zero on the training ground working out along with Nana, Xavi and Lini.

"It was his choice," Timo sighed as he sat on the bench with Eri and watched his students train with the other exorcists.

"If you met him instead of Yano, would you have dragged him back? You were friends, weren't you?" Eri twirled her thumbs and looked at Timo.

"It was his decision. If he's happier this way, then as a friend, I should be happy for him."

"Wow, you're disgustingly honest and serious for once," Eri grimaced but sighed.

It's been two months since they've come back. Around three weeks ago, Yano and Lia married. When they came back, they forgot about what happened in the trial and although Lia asked why Leo wasn't with them, no one remembered until a week ago when Yano had the feeling there was something important he forgot.

So he used his power on himself and forced himself to remember, or maybe because heavens wanted Yano to remember, but Yano finally was able to recall his meeting with Leo.

At first, Lia was sad but gradually came to accept it, yet Eri and Timo who spent 10 years with that bright idiot were reluctant to part like this.

At the end of their lives, Timo and Leo even fought against each other. Timo really regarded Leo as a friend but what should he do? Find the strange mortal that had Leo's soul? That was stupid and would interfere with Leo's wish.

"Hey, don't you think those two are being awfully melancholic?" Zero whispered to Xavi.

Zero liked Xavi, maybe because they both seemed to be the same age, although Xavi was older and both acted childish even though they hated to be seen as one.

"They're still mourning," Xavi explained, "It's best to leave them like this."

"Yes, my brother's very sad right now!"

"You!" Zero instantly jumped away from this hell bringer. He didn't know why Lini liked him so much, but her teasing and mischievous nature was annoying! As! Hell!

But seeing how everyone had so many experiences, been through many adventures, Zero who was wet behind his ears, also wanted to go on a journey filled with fun and hardships, mature and be able to reminisce about the good ol' days and cry, mourn for a good friend. Although the latter was an experience Zero gladly skipped.

So, Zero instantly decided. He threw the puny wooden sword on the ground, ignored Lini and made an determined expression and declared, "Stop with the training. This won't help me. I'm going on my own adventure!"

Everyone became silent before bursting into laughter, especially Lini was the loudest.

"Ahahaha! What's gotten into you?"

Zero brushed her off, "Hmpf! Just you see! I'll create history!"

And with that, Zero walked to prepare for his exceptional journey. But of course, first, he had to ask Lia for permission.

With a flustered voice, completely losing his prior brazenness, Zero shyly peeked into Lia's office.

"Lia," his small meow for her made her look up from her documents seeing a white trembling kitten at her doorstep.

"What's wrong? Come, sit."

Zero made himself comfortable before twirling his thumbs.

"Lia, I'm old enough to decide what happens with my life, right? But I still came here to ask you, I'm good, right?"

Lia put her pen down and stifled her laughter, "Yes, yes, a good boy."

Zero's ears turned red, "This isn't what I meant! I feel I won't evolve if I stay all the time here!"

Evolve?

"But didn't you want to become a captain? You have to train religiously for it."

"Yes, however, I have to explore the world and gain more valuable experience."

"My, my," Lia teased Zero, "The little bird is ready to leave the nest."

"Don't treat me like this! I'm serious, I want to go on a journey! My power's stronger and I can defend myself."

"Alright, go and live out your little dream," Lia didn't cut Zero any slack but felt happy Zero got a sense of purpose.

"Thank you!" Zero jumped up, "I'll, of course, contact you and come back soon!"

With that Zero ran out and Lia laughed until she saw a second kitten but this time a mischievous one.

Lia could already guess what this one's purpose was, "You want to join him? Don't tease him too much and make sure you both stay safe. Zero alone, I don't trust it, so take care of him."

"Thanks! I will!"

***

A while later, Zero packed with a small backpack left the palace. Since Zero came from the core of the Immortal World, he wanted to experience the Veil, Mistand and Neverland, and maybe the Mortal World if Lia allowed it.

Although Zero has already been to these places after they've been remodelled and reformed, he hasn't been able to play-cough, explore the beach parad- cough, the new Immortal World properly.

Zero was on a serious journey and not on a holiday trip. Well, although this could count as well. Hehe. No, no, Zero wanted to gain more experience. Focus!

When Zero left the capital and travelled to the border leading him to the second layer of the core it was already evening.

But Zero was unfazed by it. He was already strong and could take care of himself. On top of that since Lia's reign, the immortals have also become night active.

There now many immortals out at night, partying and sightseeing. Since Lia and the others opened up the Veil, Mistand and Neverland, immortals freely walked from one layer to the other, enjoying travelling around and explore new aspects of the Immortal World.

So, under the bustling masses of immortals, Zero walked around without fear nor loneliness. He was excited to see all these people flocking around and having fun. Yet for some reason, Zero felt a particular gaze on him. It was one he loathed.

"You! Come out!" Zero instantly whipped around and shouted, scaring the nearby people but he didn't care. His annoyance was clearly directed at the culprit, he scowled, "Leave me alone!"

"Nope," out with a grin, Lini showed herself and proclaimed, "The Immortal King has told me to join you. She's worried little Zero can't manage on his own, hehe."

"Don't lie! Lia trusts me!" innocent Zero was firm in his conviction.

Lini just shrugged her shoulders, "A good journey always has friends. So, let's go!"

Lini grabbed Zero's arms and pulled him along.

"No! I don't regard you as a friend, you-"

"Did you bring money?"

"Hmpf, let my benevolence teach you something," dissatisfied Zero sulked, having his trip ruined by Lini, this evil witch.

Suddenly, a man waving flyers came into sight, "This is the way to enjoy a beautiful journey!"

Zero froze on the spot. He mechanically turned to the man under Lini's curious gaze, "I-Is it true?"

"Of course, young man!" the man gave Zero a flyer and assumed Zero and Lini were young teens, "This is actually a journey to something greater. If you visit every single place marked on this flyer, then you will achieve something incredible!"

Having found the goal and purpose of his journey Zero immediately swallowed up what the man said.

"Lemme see!" Lini took the flyer away from Zero, "Hmm… the first destination is the old residence of the A family. Didn't Xavi say he's too embarrassed to go back there? I'm excited to see what's it about!"

Zero took back the flyer, "The next few are either some popular places and the other old places of the council families… something's weird about this but why not? I haven't seen Mika's mansion yet. Apparently-"

"It's full of gold!" Lini was now also excited.

"Hmpf," Zero ignored her and made his way to the A family's old residence while Lini incessantly chatted. Since Zero wanted to see it during the bright day, they decided to stay the night at the inn. Of course in different rooms!

The next day when they arrived at the A family's place, Zero could understand Xavi's embarrassment. They literally turned his place into a tourist attraction and why in hell was there a shrine for?

Who were these people praying for? For the alive and kicking Xavi?

Did he become a god or what?

Well, if they were paying their respects to Xavi's men who lost their lives in the war, Zero could understand it, but to be obvious this was solely an attraction for immortals!

Lini seemed to love it, "Wow, did Xavi and Lily really live here? Look at this, an ancient temple with a shrine! See, they're even throwing money into a box! Are Xavi and Lily religious? And this banner is insane! Did they really announce themselves like that? 'A family's a wonderfully pleasant residence!'"

"Let's go," at first Zero thought maybe witnessing where the others used to live would help him grow and awaken some kind of power, but what was this gimmicky tourist attraction spot?

Arriving in the Veil, the long ashlar wall that served as the border has long been torn down and attractions, as well as more housing options, have been built on the once barren land that was filled with juicy grass and beautiful flowers. The origin of the veils was still unknown and between each city, the massive white clouds still existed but now they were used as attractions, treated as some kind of fun game.

"Find your way through! If lost, one member of staff will come and find you, just scream!"

Overall, the once gloomy, suffocating and silent Veil became a bustling and lively layer akin to the core. When Zero and Lini went to visit Susa's parents, they made the discovery that they somehow became celebrities, and many immortals wanted to visit them.

Susa wanted her parents to move to the capital but they liked the peaceful house they lived in and operating their shop but now obviously the peacefulness was destroyed.

Elder D's mansion wasn't any different, many immortals travelled to see the infamous golden mansion. Well…

"It's really out of gold! Wow!" Zero had a hard time praying Lini off this place before moving onto the next destination.

Zero's feeling reinforced. Something about this was weird. Nana's old place wasn't any different from Xavi's, it's been remodelled into a tourist attraction. After touring more places in the Veil, they left for Mistand.

Zero was curious about the infamous mansion. The T family's, Noel's, iron fort mansion.

Mistand's name didn't fit. Since the second Ghost King was responsible for creating this mist, it could be purged. Mistand was habitable again and many chose to reside here, especially around the T family's mansion.

The cannibals were long in prison or have been given a second chance. A large area of Mistand, however, still kept the Mist, yet just like in the Veil, it was treated as an attraction like a labyrinth, of course, minus the ghosts.

"Do you feel anything?" Zero asked Lini as he felt a bit disappointed. Could the flyer man have been lying to Zero?

Although it was fun and nice to visit all these places, where was the adventurous journey Zero dreamt off?

"I feel happy! This is so much fun! Let's go to the next place!"

The last set of destinations were in Neverland, the beach paradise. Secretly Zero looked forward to it. The popular spots were, of course, Yano's, MiI's and Skyla's families residences, Zero walked with confidence to Oldie's place.

He wanted to swim in the ocean, sunbathe on the beach and feel the sun beneath him!

"Oho, look how we have here? Our little angel and oh~the mischievous-"

"Witch!" Zero cut off Oldie as Lini grinned.

"What you doing here? Little kids, all alone?"

"Hmpf, if I don't look for you old man, you'll starve!"

"So filial?"

"We're here on a journey! Zero wanted to explore more of the world!" Lini sold Zero off and Zero's cheeks reddened.

"E-Either way, I'll cook something!" while Zero busied himself in the kitchen, Oldie and Lini splendidly got along, "How are my married son and daughter in law doing?"

"They're happier than ever although every morning you can hear Yano's scream while he's being chased by ghosts. Typical."

"Oh, really?" Oldie's face blanked. He heard some rumours but wasn't sure if he should trust them.

"Then on what journey are you here for?"

Lini held up the flyer, "The man who gave this said we can have an incredible journey and Zero was instantly sold."

"This looks familiar, lemme take a look," Oldie took the flyer and almost snorted, "What incredible journey?"

"He said that after we finish our journey we get something incredible or something like that."

"This is-" just at that moment Zero walked in with the food, "A flyer for sightseeing."

Zero's whole world shattered.

"No…no…NO!"

His face turned sour, "I'll never forget that flyer man! How dare he trick me!"

"I think he thought two little kids would be easy to please and he was right. Look at you being fooled but it's ok, you had fun, right?"

"Ahahahaha!" Lini cackled as Zero pursed his lips, "I'll have Lia hunt down that man and then I'll go to the Mortal World. Alone!" he added as Lini gave him expectant eyes, "Lemme join!"

"No!"

"Yes, c'mon!"

"No, just eat the food! I want to swim and drown in my sorrows…"

"Zero don't be like this," Oldie laughed and patted Zero who sulked, "An adventure is about having fun, you don't need anything fancy."

"I didn't have fun with her!"

"Yes, you did!"

"Hmpf!"

And so Zero's little adventure of three months came to an end.