Ball of Nothing 291 Altered

"Zero! What happened here?" he asked.

The young doctor looked slightly dazed and disoriented but he didn't seem to be hurt. Merlin inspected his student and noticed that Zero's magic status had increased yet again. Was his training actually working?

"It's nothing. I might have forced the creation of Parallel Minds in a different way but it works now. Just some technical issues that have been sorted out. Sir, I'm going to read all the books now as you've requested of me since I have at least five Parallel Minds now. Can I borrow these spare golems? My Parallel Minds can control physical vessels."

Merlin was pleasantly surprised. If Zero was able to manipulate vessels with a Parallel Mind, did that mean he was almost on par with Truen's control of magic? The wood elf had about thirty Parallel Minds now and was only able to achieve the art of controlling a separate physical vessel if he dedicated five Parallel Minds to one vessel.

Merlin looked around. No, Zero had more than five Parallel Minds if he was controlling all ten spare golems.

"Zero, how many Parallel Minds do you currently possess? Answer me honestly." Merlin frowned. If each vessel required five minds, Zero had to have at least fifty.

Zero laughed nervously. Truth be told, he didn't know. He was leaving it all to Mii and Wii. How should he explain his unique nature to Merlin? Would the Sage God even believe him?

Merlin noticed his student's troubled expression and suspected that Zero was hiding something. According to Hua Tuo, Zero never did things the normal way. Maybe Zero didn't have as many Parallel Minds as Merlin thought he had. He simply had a different way of using them.

"Zero, it's ok. You can tell me anything, I'm your teacher."

The teenager hesitated a little. Mii did tell him that these methods other than Mathematics were considered unorthodox and only worked in theory. For Zero, he was able to create a different kind of outcome using the same methods and he didn't want Merlin to think that he was cheating. He really tried the initial method and studied Arithmetic to the point of tears. It just wasn't working for Zero so the young doctor sought an alternative method to the task his teacher assigned him.

"I... Will you be angry at me if I didn't follow the method proven in the books?" Zero asked.

Merlin shook his head. "I won't. Books were written by people of the past. Many things are not accurate with changes after many years. What worked for them back then may not apply to us now. I assume you've discovered something new not related to the books in my library?"

Zero nodded, happy that Merlin understood and agreed with him. Unlike Hua Tuo who believed that ancient scriptures should be adhered to and not deviated from, Merlin was more open-minded and willing to explore new paths with Zero. If there was one thing Zero liked more about Merlin as compared to Hua Tuo, it was the wizard's like-minded curiosity and insatiable desire to learn new things even if it sometimes landed them both in trouble.

Slowly, Zero told Merlin about his ability to duplicate his mind in his mindscape. Merlin didn't understand what Zero was talking about so the teen had to explain everything from the very beginning with the Mind's Eye system given to him after he met the Great Gods. In the process, Zero also divulged a few hints about Solo that Merlin took note about. 

"So this Wii is a mindscape assistant solely in charge of your Parallel Minds?" Merlin clarified.

Zero nodded. "She is. However, I don't know much about her yet or how this happened. All I was told was after reaching five, the Mind's Eye system created Wii to help me manage things. I don't seem to have a limit in cloning my mind but Mii was a limit when it comes to processing all the information and synchronising them. My current limit is ten because Mii cannot handle anything more than that. Even so, I want to reduce Mii's burden. I just don't know how yet. Wii cannot help Mii in her work because the system created them differently. Mii is So- I mean, the Great One's creation and Wii is mine."

Merlin frowned with so much new information swimming in his head. "Wait... the mindscape belongs to you but the Mind's Eye system was created by the Great One which created the mindscape you have now along with Mii and Wii? The change of administrators... What does that mean? Is the Mind's Eye system currently under your control or the Great One's? Also, if you are the Great One's future self, doesn't that make both of you the same person?"

Zero sighed. some of Merlin's questions really hit the head on the nail. "This is what I'm trying to figure out too, sir. I don't think So-, the Great One and I are the same even if we should be the same existence. I am not the Great One, I am Zero."

Merlin blinked and thought hard. "Zero, do you know what a time paradox is?"

Surprisingly, Zero nodded. "It's something that shouldn't exist on the same timeline. The balance of the world is destroyed with a time paradox so two people of the same identity should never exist on the same timeline. The entire branch of the timeline will disappear if there is a time paradox. The world rejects the foreign existence and tries to get rid of it, often ending itself while doing so."

Merlin nodded. "That's right. The Mind's Eye and your mindscape is something like a time paradox. They shouldn't exist. If it was created by the Great One for his future self, Zero you should have been the owner of the system. Why was there a need for an administrator transfer? Something doesn't add up for me."

Zero froze. He never thought of it that way. "But the one who helped was Buddha..."

Merlin froze. Buddha was aware of this? Why did Buddha know what to do? The more Zero explained the sequence of events, the more questions Merlin had. Suddenly, he felt fearful of the Enlightened One. Buddha definitely knew things that not even the Great Gods did. he looked at Zero with fear in his eyes.

"What else happened? Did Buddha interfere in anything else after Trigression Falls? Other than Wii, were there any other changes? Did you ever attempt to use your Parallel Minds after the stitching lessons? No, that's not right. You learnt how to stitch with Mitchnew before you went to Trigression Falls. If you heard voices back then, how could Wii have been created by you? The system still belonged to the Great One. I was there. I saw you develop your first Parallel Mind at Hua Tuo's hut stitching fabrics using magic."

Zero looked lost and confused, alarming Merlin.

"Sorry, Zero. There's something I'd like to investigate. Can you allow me access to your mindscape?" the wizard asked and Zero had no reason to refuse.

Merlin couldn't help but be impressed by the size of Zero's mindscape. There, he saw a lot of books and met three fairies.

"Lily, Wii, this is my magic teacher, Merlin. I think you've met Mii before so I won't introduce the both of you," Zero smiled.

Mii stopped working and looked up. True enough, Merlin was in Zero's mindscape. She became wary. Without permission, nobody could enter Zero's mindscape. Why was Merlin here? What did he want? Zero's memories were a secret even to Merlin. The Divine Entities, Solo's identity and so much more... the strawcherry fairy paled. All those books were lying around in plain sight. If Merlin decided to forcefully retrieve them, not even she would be able to prevent the wizard god from learning Zero's secrets in here.

Wii the little eggplant fairy was immediately seized by Merlin who trapped her in a glass prison. Zero was startled and begged his teacher not to harm his newest assistant. Merlin turned a deaf ear to his student and continued to layer detection spells and tracing spells on the small fairy. Mii and Lily were likewise alarmed by Merlin's sudden attack.

Trapped in a glass prison, Wii could only beg for mercy and cry in fright. Merlin looked very scary with the anger evident on his face. Zero couldn't stop his teacher and didn't know what to do. He shot Mii and Lily a pleading look but neither fairies could interfere.

Soon, a golden thread appeared from Wii. The golden thread was tied to something in the library so Merlin followed it quickly. Zero didn't know what was going on but that golden thread reminded him of the golden chain on the purple book they found earlier. Mii was also shocked. She didn't know what Merlin was doing but it didn't seem as if the wizard wanted to harm Zero. Lily panicked when Merlin went to the second level of the library. Those books contained some of Zero's memories and as a mindscape guardian, she had the duty to protect her master's privacy.

"Please stop!" the flower fairy shouted and flew after the nimble wizard.

Merlin didn't stop. For someone his age, he was still as fit as a fiddle. That golden thread led him to an ordinary-looking book that Merlin quickly pulled out. Wii struggled and pleaded to be let out with the spells hurting her. She didn't recognise that unfamiliar golden thread tied to her wrist but no matter how much she tugged at it, the golden thread wouldn't come off. It was bound so tightly to her wrist, causing her to feel pain whenever she touched it. THer wrist felt as if they were on fire but there were no signs of external damage.

Merlin flipped open the pages of that book and knew what the book was about. Mii was ready to smack the wizard with the dictionary of archaic tongue that she was still recording until Merlin flipped to a section of the book with torn out pages.

Lily gasped and Zero who had just arrived wondered what they were up to. "What's wrong?"

Merlin gnashed his teeth in anger and glared at Wii. the golden thread was tied to the missing pages in that book. Wii was no eggplant fairy or assistant. Merlin narrowed his eyes. The Mind's Eye system did not create an assistant to aid Zero in controlling his Parallel Minds. Something else did. That something else was responsible for the missing pages and golden thread. No wonder Zero's memory sequence was altered.

"Who are you?" Merlin demanded and Zero blinked, not sure if he heard it right.

Wii whimpered. Mii and Lily gave each other confused glances.

"Sir," Mii called out. "She's Wii, an eggplant fairy assistant to assist Zero in his mindscape when he uses his created Parallel Minds."

Merlin ignored her. "Who are you?" he demanded once more.

This time, Wii stopped crying. She had a terrifying smirk and Zero felt a chill in the library. "As expected of the world's greatest magician. I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance."

Zero knew that voice. Mii also shuddered and Lily quickly left the scene, trying to get help from Gaia when Wii smacked the flower fairy with a powerful spell that made Lily lose consciousness. Zero jumped forward to catch the flower fairy and glared at Wii.

"Why are you possessing Wii? She didn't do anything wrong! Also, didn't how are you here? The last time we met you showed me the fall of a Great God. What do you want from me?"

Merlin looked confused as Zero talked. Did Zero know who this was?

Wii laughed and easily broke Merlin's spell. "What a shame... you found me too quickly. I was hoping to make this last for a little longer."

Zero sighed and walked up to the eggplant fairy. "What do you want, Solo? I'm still in the middle of my training. You really don't like meeting me in the real world."

Solo rolled his eyes using Wii's body. "Didn't you hear? Time paradoxes will destroy worlds. You and I cannot exist on the same timeline."

Hearing that, Merlin immediately understood who was possessing Wii. He didn't know who Solo was but if he had to guess, that would be the name of the Great One. More questions flooded Merlin's mind. If Solo was the Great One, why did he alter Zero's memories and pose as Wii? Was Wii even real? What about the Mind's Eye system? How did Solo hide in here for so long without anyone noticing? Did Solo actually exist or was he merely a memory fragment left behind by the system to pass a message to Zero?

Zero sighed. "You don't have to harm anyone to meet me. I don't like it when you do that. Can't we agree on a date and have some tea to talk like normal people?"

Solo raised a brow. "Where's the fun in that? Also, I'm going to send these nuisances out so we can have a heart-to-heart talk. It's been a while, Zero."

Zero didn't have time to respond before Lily, Merlin and Mii were dismissed. With only the two of them left in the mindscape, Solo abandoned Wii's vessel and dismissed her too. Right now, he assumed Zero's teenage form and grinned.

"You've grown again," he commented and Zero sighed.

Solo frowned. "What's with that reaction? Aren't you happy to see me?"

Zero glared half-heartedly at his twin. "Do you always have to cause trouble and frighten me each time you see me? I have so many questions to ask you. Is Wii even real?"

Solo smiled. "One thing at a time," he told his future self. "Wii is every bit as real as Mii. She's created by the Mind's Eye system but under my will. The one who sealed Wii away the first time was you. The Wii that you saw after freeing her was a recreated version after the administrator rights have been changed. About that, I'm still rather upset with Buddha for changing the rights over to you."

Zero raised a brow. "Oh? Pray tell. You've been bothering Mii a lot while you were in charge of Mind's Eye. I could tell. Mii couldn't speak about many things freely and chose to avoid some topics when I asked. That was because of you, right?"

Solo didn't deny it. He sat beside Zero and placed an arm around the young doctor. "After regaining some parts of the memories from Divine Fragments, you've become smarter. Yes. You're right. You can say that Mii has also been recreated several times under my command. However, I did them all because of you. You're way too reckless. If it wasn't because of my constant guidance and watching over you the whole time before you matured, did you think you could survive in that cruel world so comfortably?"

Zero didn't deny that he was immature back then. He always had to turn back and rely on Mii to help him navigate his way through the world. However, as he started seeing the world differently, his opinions often differed from the system. Solo's and he weren't on the same page.

"You know that I will never become you, right?" he asked.

Solo faked disappointment. "What a shame. No wonder Buddha so willingly betrayed me to help you. After changing the administrator, the system started purging me. If I didn't hide in Wii before you sealed her up and alter the commands, would we have this opportunity to talk?"

Zero inhaled and looked at Solo with wide eyes. "So it is you! All this time I was wondering why Mind's Eye would never do some of the things I wanted, you were the reason why it never happened!"

Solo didn't look remorseful. Instead, he had a thoughtful expression. "Do you hate me?"

Zero frowned. "What a strange question. You are me but from the past. I don't like the things you've been doing but I can never hate you. Are you here just to tease me again? Your time is almost up. I can feel it."

Solo smiled. "So kind as always," he mused and kissed Zero on the cheek. "Let's see what kind of doctor you will end up as. From now on, be prepared to meet a lot of victims. Unlike you who wants to save as many lives as possible, I want to destroy as many lives as I can. I want to destroy the lives of those who want you and me gone. Arachne and Athena are just the beginning of this tragedy."

Zero didn't like the sound of it but he couldn't do anything else because Solo's remaining energy traces dissipated. As soon as Solo disappeared, Merlin and the three fairies were brought back to Zero's mindscape.

"Zero! Are you alright?" Merlin asked. Mii was still restraining Wii while watching over Lily who had yet to regain consciousness.

Zero nodded. "You can let go of Wii, she's the real deal. It's a shame that she's originally created by Solo but after I broke that seal, Wii's new vessel was created by the Mind's Eye under my control. Solo merely hid in her body to preserve his remaining energy to pass on a message. he's no longer here."

Merlin seethed. "I'm going to find Buddha!"

Zero quickly pulled the sleeve of his teacher's robe and shook his head. "No, Buddha didn't do anything wrong. In fact, Solo admitted that he took matters to his own hands because Buddha decided to betray their agreement. Mind's Eye system should have always been under Solo's control. Solo never had any intention of allowing me control of the system. Once I was in-charge of Mind's Eye, Solo's fragment had nowhere else to go. Buddha was helping me."

Merlin didn't know what to believe or think. "Solo... that kid... is he the Great One?"

Zero remained silent and Merlin seethed. "Solo altered your memories."

Zero nodded.

"He could have killed you."

At this, Zero glared at Merlin. "He would never do such a thing. Hurt me by killing the people around me, yes. However, he would never kill me. This is going to be a battle against myself. I have to stop Solo. Arachne and Athena's feud was only the start of Solo's grand plan, he told me so himself before he disappeared."

The revelation troubled Merlin and Zero's assistants.

"Let's talk about it outside of the mindscape. I think your assistants need time to recover. This time, you're not going to hide anything from me. I won't forgive Buddha for trying to hurt you. That golden thread was Buddha's. He had a part to play in altering your memories. If I didn't notice that something was wrong, you would have been manipulated."

Zero had no comebacks for that. He truly wanted to believe that Buddha and Solo would never harm him but Merlin had concrete evidence of their misdeeds. The fact that Mind's Eye had hindered what Zero wanted to accomplish several times in the past was evidence that they were trying to control him even if they didn't want him dead.

Zero looked at the book that had fallen. the torn pages were recovered and Zero could now remember the correct sequence of events along with a few other altered memories including the time he spent recuperating at the Spring of Vitality with Baal. Zero felt the tears well up in his eyes at the particular memory of Baal whispering to him over and over again his unheard prayers for Zero's recovery. To think that Solo removed that memory as well... Zero felt angry and betrayed.

Yet, there was nothing he could do about the past even after recovering his altered memories. He knew now the truth about Mii and was able to dig up information from the Mind's Eye system now that it was no longer deceived by Solo's influence. Zero felt a dark cold fire burning in his heart knowing how much Mii fought against the system, begged and cried as she was scrapped and recreated with Solo's ideals.

"Teacher..." Zero called out once they exited the mindscape.

Merlin was slightly surprised. Zero often called him 'sir' or 'Merlin', never 'teacher'.

"What is it?"

Zero looked up with a pained expression. "Please don't tell anyone about this. Not Buddha, not Truen, not even the Great Gods. This is a battle between me and my past self. I need to save Solo if I want to save the world. However, I am weak. There are so many things that I do not know. Won't you teach me?"

The wrath Merlin felt earlier sizzled and fizzed away to nothing more than smouldering ashes. Zero's heartfelt plea touched the wizard and Merlin decided to impart to Zero what he didn't even mention to Truen. 

"Arithmetic," he said.

Zero looked up in surprise. Why bring Math into the topic all of a sudden?

"You need to master Arithmetic if you want the power to defeat Solo and save this world. While I am the Sage God of magic, there are many things more powerful than magic. You cannot defeat Solo who is the creator of this world with the things he created. You must invent something of your own to match his powers. For that, you need Arithmetic."

Zero swallowed and trembled. He didn't know if he could manage this.

"Don't worry," Merlin told him. "I will help you. First, you need to finish reading all the books in this library and the forbidden library that I have. Don't forget to update the outdated information. Once you have finished, we will move on to higher level things."

Zero nodded. If it was merely a reading marathon, he could manage that. As for Arithmetic... he would cross that bridge when he reaches it.

Chapter end