Greyashe chapter 322 is entitled 'Passionate debut II'.

Previous chapter 321: Passionate debut.

Next chapter 323: Passionate debut III

Summaries page

-Short summary-

Despite his appearance and attitude, Lazaro shows that he is a man to feared....and maybe respected?

-Long summary-

Rain drenches the group of travelers and the magicians that pursue them. Van keeps his eyes on Lazaro, still processing what had just happened. Though he himself is the lynchpin for the events that are perhaps about to occur, he is still surprised at the speed and ferocity things had changed. Lazaro who seems to have no interest in anything that isn’t himself (or Roysé), had suddenly tossed his gauntlet into the ring, for what seems to be revenge for his people? Or maybe it’s just pride. Or maybe he just wants Van to stop talking. In any case, it remains that he is apparently ready to help.  Roysé begins to ask Lazaro what’s going on now, but he shushes her gently and says that he has business to attend to. After he dispatches of a few neer-do-wells, and a certain farseeing father/son duo, they can leisurely chat on various subjects over tea. Of course he is mostly interested in discussing their future, but he’s willing to open up with anything to get things moving.

The angel frowns at being shushed like a child, but Lazaro’s overwhelming self-confidence fills her with something like trust. She agrees that discussions are in order and that she will trust him to save Colin and Van. Lazaro rolls his eyes and reluctantly agrees to save the two, only because she’s cute when---aw, she’s cute all of the time. Befitting the future queen of his empire. The young man strides confidently over the magicians and with a half grin asks which of them wants to skip the whole rigmarole of being defeated and just subjugate himself now? He’s in a rather benevolent mood, as seeing Colin on his knees is a welcome sight (even if the farseer isn’t bowing before him.) Colin manages to raise his head and commands that the young man do something about the magicians before he gets angry. Lazaro’s expression doesn’t change as he asks what will happen if he gets angry? Colin replies that some things are better left unsaid. Lazaro shrugs a shoulder and returns to the magicians, and repeats his early inquiry. He adds that if they all just want to prostrate themselves before him, he might even allow them entry into his soon to be kingdom.

The two magicians turn to each other and wordlessly seem to agree on something. They then leap backwards and the Earth magician launches another attack at the God-to-be. Lazaro speedily dodges the wave of soil and with blank cadence comments that lining up for divine punishment is also an option. He turns back to the magician who has blacked out from a lack of oxygen and snaps his finger. To Van’s surprise the man begins to float! He then levitates several feet in front of Lazaro who clasps his left fist with his right hand and charges forward. The third magician who wears a black blindfold over his eyes launches a fireball enchanted with agape therefore defying the unenhanced rain. Lazaro’s human shield takes the attack and the magician flails in pain upon being hit by the fire attack. The God-to-be boredly notes that his shield is alive, and adds that he doesn’t dislike their ruthlessness in attacking their comrade. Such treachery makes attacking them without remorse all that much easier after all. He closes the gap between him and the fire-using magician, tossing aside his shield right before reaching his target.  Another fireball is launched, but Lazaro catches it with his hand and turns it into water right before the magician’s eyes. He then chides him for being too weak to matter, and extending his hand causes a mini explosion that causes the magician to fly several feet in the air, but he lands on his feet neither down nor out. The soil around him suddenly warps and collapses causing him to fall into the Earth, and the fire magician follows up with several fire vollies down the hole. Van finds himself realizing that he can stand and he quickly runs to assist Lazaro, but as he approaches he gets flashes of the last time he used his agape and how that had ended. The farseeing boy comes to a slow stop upon a second realization…despite throwing himself into the risk of gaining agape for the purpose of protecting his friends and himself, he is still just as powerless as he was when he didn’t have any magic at all. In fact he’s arguably weaker now since he is in essence one of Butcher’s slaves, just like the magicians Lazaro is fighting. This is it. This is exactly what the others had been warning him against, why his sacrifices had always come to naught. His father had said that he is pursuing power for power’s sake and he hadn’t understood what that meant until this moment. Now it is all too bitterly clear….he will never be able to accomplish his goal of protecting those dear to himself if he does not change something. Van grits his teeth and nearly asks out loud what it is that he is missing? How can Lazaro fight so confidently despite the recall? Why can he deftly do what he struggles to even try?

The boy is so immersed in his retrospective that he doesn’t notice his father has already caught up with him and stands at his side. Colin puts his hand on his son’s shoulder and tells him to watch the entire fight. There’s a reason that idiot –Lazaro despite all of his major flaws is still able to remain so strong in the face of adversity. If he watches well he can pick up on this, and then truly be able to embrace the strength he seeks. Van stares up at his father and realizes that he trusts Lazaro despite all of his earlier actions and words. It’s evident since he requested him to ‘watch’ the fight rather than join him. Which means that he knows or at least is very sure that Lazaro will be able to defeat the magicians without them joining in…and it also means that he really is just being a stubborn father-like figure when it comes to him and Roysé. Van gives his father a look of agreement and just a smidgen of annoyance; if he knows Lazaro is this strong, why is he always trying to drive him away? Colin smirks briefly and then goes to get Roysé whom is still standing where Lazaro left her due to her inability to see.

The fireball magician heaves as many fireballs as he can into the hole where Lazaro is, and only stops when there is no response for several moments. Lazaro then shoots out of the hole at top speed and lands behind the magicians, his arms crossed and his expression disappointed. He says that he had considered them for positions in his empire –as jesters who can juggle fire and do sleight of hand with grass, but they aren’t even good enough for that much. The grass magician stomps on the ground and causes an Earthquake which doesn’t seem to affect Lazaro in the least. Lazaro reveals that he is standing several inches above the ground and shakes his head as he extends his arm and –

The fireball magician launches an attack from behind that grazes the God-to-be’s face, and Lazaro whips back and with a slashing motion with his fingers aims a seemingly invisible attack at the fireball magician who’s arm suddenly flares up itself.  The grass magician causes a spire to rise under the God-to-be which trips him up and leaves him open to a vertical spire that smacks him in the face and causes him to hit the ground and slide for a bit in the rain. He curses that ‘devil’s magic’, as it allows the fireball magician to use attacks despite it raining, and keeps these two powered up despite his strongest efforts. His ability isn’t enchanted so while he can perform attacks, the rain decreases the effectiveness. The fireball magician wraps a fire around his fist and lunges at him as the ground magician causes him to sink into the earth again keeping him from moving. The battle seems to have swung in the favor of the magicians and Van can feel himself beginning to panic despite his father’s confidence in Lazaro’s abilities. If they  win against him now then what chance do they stand? He is quickly surprised that neither Colin or Lazaro’s expressions have changed despite the current development, and really wishes that someone could package overconfidence and sell it so he could enjoy it’s benefits as well.

Lazaro realizes now that the rain could very well be an ally. He’s never really done what he’s about to attempt, but should it work out it will be a further testament to his greatness. In addition, with Roysé watching she would have no choice but to be impressed! He turns to magicians and asks if they’re ready to feel the burn? This causes the flame magician to falter slightly, and he capitalizes on this moment of hesitation. His hand erupts from the soil and is doused by rain. The rain normally neutralizes his abilities right? Then why not use this rain to his advantage? He then applies some of his ‘will’ as an energy conduit and like magic, both of the magicians burst into flames that only get greater as the rain continues to pelt the trio. Lazaro digs deeper into the soil to protect himself from the onslaught, and realizes that this ability has the unfortunate side effect of possibly bringing harm to him. He peers out from his soil shelter and is relieved that his future fiancée seems to be doing fine. Of course he could do without Colin standing beside her, but he is patient. He then notes that his new move seems to only affect targets within close range which makes sense. His ‘will’ is the conduit after all. Still unless he can figure out a way to keep himself from harm this attack is impractical. Lazaro then looks at Roysé who is asking Van something, and he realizes (or remembers), that Roysé is blind and wouldn’t have seen his triumphant new move. He then rises from his spot in the ground in frustration and annoyance and commands the farseeing boy to stop explaining his move to her before he can! ---And then he is immediately burned. Colin shakes his head and calls him a blithering idiot, and then tells him to ‘recall his will –or undo the alchemic route’ before he burns himself to death. Not that he really cares though.

Van blinks as he remembers that term; the alchemic route. So Lazaro’s moves are the result of alchemy? No wonder he can use them without ill effects from the recall! But, alchemy requires the alchemic route which is at least from his admitably meager understanding something that requires intelligence to perform. Lazaro seems….yeah. So how is he able to do it? Colin makes a face as he looks at the three dead magicians and asks if Lazaro had to kill them? He’s not going to get any info from them like this, and now neither can they. Though this is of course what relying on an idiot results in so probably he should blame himself the most. Lazaro tells Colin to come a little closer so he can hear him over the roaring flames, but the farseer responds that he’s fine, and that he can catch up with them (if he can) after he puts out the fires.

Later at an abandoned house outside of the city, the group rests after Lazaro’s small burns are tended to. The aforementioned God-to-be sits outside staring up at the night sky while Colin and Roysé are inside. Van who had taken a walk to gather his thoughts returns to their ‘base’ and spies Lazaro sitting and stargazing. The boy sighs and strides over to him, asking if they could talk for a moment. Lazaro looks less than thrilled to talk to anyone other than Roysé but doesn’t flatly say no either, so Van takes this as an invitation to start talking.

Inside Roysé sees Van’s return and the beginning of his conversation with Lazaro. She then asks Colin to be straight with her….this ---as in Van joining their group and him relenting (slightly) and allowing Lazaro to travel with them is part of a grand scheme isn’t it? What she doesn’t understand is what he’s hoping to achieve doing all of this, and what her role is it? Surely it couldn’t have just been to get Lazaro to follow them?

Colin laughs and reassures his ‘daughter’ that he wouldn’t relegate her to such a lowly role. In fact in his ‘grand scheme’ as she calls it, everyone is the lead actor or actress. As for what end he’s aiming for? Well…it’s the same as any other parent who wants the best for their children. The way he sees it, everyone can help someone in one way or another even if they don’t realize it right away. Van can help her, she can help Van, and maybe someday the two of them can come up with a cure for stupidity and help Lazaro. Either way it’s reciprocal mutualism that he’s hoping to achieve through their band of misfits. To that end, he will need to enlist her help before long. Roysé gives him a long look and with a small smile replies that while she’s not sure of his approach she does genuinely believe that Colin is looking out for them, and she of course wants to be of service to him. Before she agrees though, she has to know –in what way would Lazaro help Van?

Colin crosses his arms and states that his son is a brave boy who’s altruistic to a fault. Sacrificing your life and giving it up are two different things. In order to truly seek strength without it in turn destroying the possessor, one must have resolve. One cannot have resolve however without being able to steadfastly stand for and or against something, but one cannot be altruistic without giving up something they believe in for someone else’s greater good. There is being altruistic, and there is standing up for what is right. Lazaro, despite himself is standing up for what he believes in despite how it might affect others. Not exactly a good thing, but it’s what grants him insurmountable strength. His resolve to follow his core conviction will never waiver, and that is what Van is lacking. He simply changes his outlook on what strength is in order to become more powerful. Colin strokes his chin and with a smirk adds that Lazaro’s inability to be empathetic might be a problem though…

Outside Van and Lazaro glare at each other. Lazaro talks as if he’s repeated a statement several times and says that he will not ‘train’ him to have more resolve unless he agrees to be his underling, and being an underling means bowing to your master on command. Van crosses his arms defiantly and states that he is tired of being underfoot and will not bow to him. Lazaro tells him to get out of his sight then, as he has no interest in those who want to stand beside him unless they are Roysé. The farseer frowns. So everyone is below him? The God-to-be scoffs and replies that there are obviously people above him, and he’s not foolish enough to believe that he is the world’s authority. Van starts to ask why then would he need to be his underling to receive tutelage but Lazaro cuts him off and staring up into the sky with a mute expression and genuine cadence in his voice adds that he will give the ones above him the choice to be below him, as that will be the only safe place in his regime. If they refuse then they will not be above him anymore…..they simply will not be.