Abyssal Awakening
Chapter 754: Psychology Behind Powers

Chapter 754: Psychology Behind Powers

Kaia. . .

To say that she is an enigma was putting it lightly for Gwen.

A woman who can evade the ’Vision’, someone who was able to master the Zone. But most importantly, she felt like a woman wearing a mask.

It wasn’t the way she acted or how she spoke. In a sense, it was Gwen’s own intuition. Yet at the same time, it’s also because she felt similar in a way.

To her, Kaia felt like someone with the whole world bearing down on her shoulders.

"So how was it? Was that enjoyable for you?" Gwen asked with a smile seeing Kaia walk away from the empty arena.

"Really? You think that was enjoyable?" Kaia raised an eyebrow.

"No harm in asking. You might have to get used to it since a few might want to test you a little further." She grinned, causing Kaia to let out a fatigued groan.

"Is that really needed? Surely you didn’t kidnap me and force me to fight them? Just tell me what you want me to do." Kaia frowned.

Folding her arms, Gwen thought about it for a moment.

It made sense that she would be confused and a little short on her fuse.

She was technically kidnapped with no goal in mind.

’Even though I told her I want her to help me, I’ve pretty much sent her to fight others after bringing her back.’ Gwen thought to herself.

After a brief moment, she made up her mind.

"Why don’t you follow me and we’ll take our time figuring that out hm?"

"Huh? So you had no plan for me in mind?" Kaia gritted her teeth as she glared at Gwen who laughed.

"Oh I have many plans in mind but none of which are suitable right now. So why don’t we get used to each other first? You won’t be going anywhere after all." Gwen licked her lips as Kaia shivered.

Jumping back slightly, she could feel Gwen’s eyes scanning her from head to toe, even using her Vision at that.

"Can you stop that!? It feels gross!" Kaia paled, rubbing her arms as she wanted to back off but Gwen grinned.

Seeing Kaia squirm like this lit up something inside her. This reaction towards some light teasing. . .

Rushing forward to stop Kaia from leaving, Gwen wrapped her arms around Kaia’s waist and held her chin.

"Oh hell nah!!!"

A cloud of darkness burst out around Kaia as she disappeared from Gwen’s arms and reappeared not far away.

"Pft ahaha~ You should see the look on your face. I’m only kidding around." Gwen laughed while Kaia pulled a face of distrust.

"You say that but you’ve been scanning my body since you’ve kidnapped me! There’s an entertainment district just for you if you need it!"

"That simply won’t do. No matter how lazy or how unbothered I am, there is still a certain reputation I must uphold. A cardinal going to the brothels. . . paints a rather bad picture don’t you think?" Gwen smiled, hoisting herself onto the fence and holding one of her knees.

"So I’d rather keep my entertainment within arms reach or at least within the order."

"So you do this with your own people too and not just me??" Kaia was in disbelief.

"Ohya? Are you perhaps jealous? Does the fact that I might go teasing others bother you?" Gwen narrowed her gaze with a smirk.

"That- No- Wha? Huh?" Kaia was stun locked.

That wasn’t even her original intention yet with the way Gwen was wording things, it twisted the situation on its head.

"I’m only kidding. I don’t do this with others, I’d rather spend my time sleeping after all. Plus, even if I try to talk to them do you think they can relax when talking to a cardinal?" Gwen flashed a momentary sad smile as it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

Of course, Kaia didn’t miss that moment.

"So you’re suffering from the fact that you’re a cardinal? Isn’t that another way of just saying you got on one to talk to so you’re a bit lonely?" Kaia folded her arms, leaning on the same fence.

Hearing this, Gwen’s smile twitched for a moment.

"Rather bold way of saying things. You may be a stray cat I picked up but I’m still a cardinal at the end of the day."

"So you threaten people who even remotely want to relax? Jeez no wonder you got no one to talk to." Kaia mocked.

A vein bulged on Gwen’s neck.

"You’re not even remotely afraid?"

"Why should I be? You’ve already kidnapped me, sexually harassed me, threatened death on me and I’m pretty sure I’ll be disabled and killed if I try to run. What else is there left to be afraid of when you’ve already told me everything you wanna do to me?" Kaia listed things out one by one.

Gwen sat in silence.

It was a new kind of feeling.

Slight annoyance? Yet at the same time, perhaps this was what it felt to talk to someone without caring about status.

Granted, that’s not very convincing since Kaia was only here because she was forced to be here.

"You really are one strange stray cat. I’ve picked up a few stays in the past but none have acted like you?" Gwen chuckled as her annoyance subsided.

"How do?" Kaia raised an eyebrow.

"None of them have been as bold as you. They’ve been quivering in their boots and too scared to even see me eye to eye. Even after I reassure them that I’m not going to kill them." Gwen shrugged.

"Oh b*tch please, I’m downright terrified right now. I’ve just learned not to show it in the slums will eat you alive the moment you show weakness." Kaia rolled her eyes.

"Put yourself in my shoes for a moment. You decide to check out something weird that’s been going on. Next thing you know, this ’demon’ is chasing you down no matter where you go and kidnaps you. They have the capability to kill you whenever they want and you can’t do anything about it." She explained as Gwen listened silently.

"Then. . . Do you want to go back?" Gwen threw out the question.

Kaia wasn’t sure how to reply.

The two stood in silence and it was Kaia who broke the silence with an annoyed groan.

"You are one weird princess. You kidnap me and threaten death then you offer freedom. If you’re going to be like this why did you kidnap and threaten in the first place? First impressions are important you know?" Kaia sighed, turning to Gwen.

"If your first impression is tyrannical, not many will be willing to reach out towards you. They wouldn’t want to build a connection. And even if some do, they might have other goals for doing so."

"Then are you following me and accepting this treatment because you have goals as well?" Gwen asked with a small smile.

"I won’t deny that."

Once again, a silence dawned on the two.

Gwen was thinking to herself, how she should proceed. And partially, what Kaia’s goal might be. She had already guessed that Kaia wanted the secret to her Vision. Perhaps even finding a way to properly evade that detection.

The. . . powers that people take are interesting to Gwen.

It’s all about their psychology and what they want to achieve in life.

Hunters that choose the path of strength, aggression and destruction typically do so because they want to prove control through dominance. To abide by the laws of the jungle.

And a lot of them, Gwen noticed it to be a reflection of their helplessness. They felt what it’s like to not have the overwhelming strength to overturn an unfavorable situation.

Thus they fall onto the path of seeking power in order to control what little they can.

A silent scream towards the world.

"Look at me, I’m not afraid anymore. I’m strong."

Hunts that choose the path of protection, like her dad, do so in order to protect the people around them. They fear the consequences of losing what they treasure so rather than going down the path of power in order to destroy the opposition, they opt for defence.

They grasp what they can in desperation and do their best to shield that from the world.

"I don’t get if my body is hurt or broken so long as what I treasure is not lost."

Then there are the Hunters that focus on healing. They typically fall into three categories for Gwen.

Those who have a strong empathy, those who are guilty from seeing life lost before them, and those who want to control the mortality of others.

And to her, being a healer is a sad fate.

They offer the world so much of themselves that they sometimes fail to see the harm that is done to them. Their shift in psychology.

In Gwen’s own words, "They stitch people back together, but who’s there to heal them?"

Then there are people like Kaia.

Hunters who opt for stealth. People who hide, conceal and keep things away from themselves.

A desire to remain unseen, to avoid judgment. A fear of intimacy or exposing one’s vulnerability.

Some might even do so because of trauma towards a loss of identity.

"She’d rather disappear than risk being know. What did the world do to her to make her hide?" That was the question that Gwen wanted to answer for Kaia specifically.

And on top of everything, Kaia is also someone who uses illusions and manipulation.

An obsession with perception and control. A sign of growing up being powerless in an environment where being herself isn’t enough. She manipulates herself and the world around her in a desperate attempt to seem like they’re ’enough’.

Because at the end of the day. . .

"People like that bend the world to their image because they fear it might crush them if they don’t."

To hide behind a mask because they fear others taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.

Even though Gwen has only seen Kaia for a brief moment, this brief moment was enough to see the cracks in Kaia’s expression.

The fractures across her body and her mindset.

In that aspect, Gwen wanted to give Kaia a hug. To tell her that no matter what happened in the past, everything was going to be okay.

It’s alright if Kaia had her own goal. Gwen was willing to accept that as trust isn’t so easily forged.

But her desire at the end of this long, long road. . .

Is someone she can talk to. A friend whom she could confide in and. . . she sees that possibility in Kaia.