“Repeat after me,” Valhale’s body began to shroud in a soft mana, crackling as his demeanor shifted into that of a predator. His eyes sharply gazed at the young man. “I, Valhale, decide to follow the journey bestowed upon me by mana.”
“I, Ryuk Devereaux, decide to follow the journey bestowed upon me by mana,” Ryuk repeated Valhale’s words, his body slowly enveloped by the natural mana around him, his skin immersing in the dense energy.
“If I dishonor this gift,” Valhale’s eyes were cold, knowing he was chaining down this young man, but his priorities were set.
“If I dishonor this gift,” Ryuk repeated, feeling subtly numbed, isolated from the outside world.
“My mana core will be destroyed. I will become unable to use mana, with a curse upon me that…” Valhale paused, looking at the young man whose growth would halt at this point. Feeling guilty but resolute, he continued, “drains my life force each time I attempt to use mana, causing excruciating pain and leaving me weaker with every breath. My existence will be a hollow shell, eternally tormented by the very gift I failed to honor.” Valhale’s voice was unyielding.
“…drains my life force each time I attempt to use mana, causing excruciating pain and leaving me weaker with every breath. My existence will be a hollow shell, eternally tormented by the very gift I failed to honor,” Ryuk repeated, his eyes fixed on Valhale, noticing the coldness in his gaze even as he added chains to bind him.
The air around them crackled with the finality of the path’s establishment, sealing Ryuk’s fate with an irreversible bond.
At least, this is what appeared to Valhale, but for Ryuk…
[Pffft]
‘….’ The sensation that had numbed his senses a moment ago vanished, leaving him completely normal without a trace of effects on his body.
Reason?
First, he doesn’t use mana, so no mana core damage.
Second, he was immune to outside curses and thus could not be bound by any oath, curse, or similar bindings.
Technically, the moment he accepted to follow the path, he gave his consent and would have been bound, since he allowed it.
But even before this, he had already planned to push this far by giving Drishti consent to seal his energy, only because he wanted to know if his passive ability could be sealed by his consent or not.
And with this he confirmed that when things are harmful enough, outside interference can’t affect his body even with his consent.
But a question remains: how is he able to control the system’s interference with his own body, if he can’t supress his passive ability?
He reached two conclusions: either the system is strong enough to break his automatic defenses once he gives consent, or his own ability has the intelligence to judge if something is harmful or not.
[Indeed, you are correct about that.]
‘First one or second?’ Hearing the System’s words, a soft frown formed on Ryuk’s face as he inquired.
[Both, Host.]
‘….’ His eyes visibly widened, and a slight tremble in his pupils gave away his surprise. Calming himself, he inquired, ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
[Host, I have been trying to analyze your ability, but even after having your consent, it sometimes blocks me at certain points. I didn’t inform you since I wasn’t sure if it was your doing.]
‘Huh?’ Suddenly hearing something unexpected, an unknown feeling washed over him. His eyes glanced towards Valhale, who seemed satisfied after seeing him take the path.
However, Ryuk’s muscles tightened, evident from his clenched fists.
Only he knew the feeling inside him right now, unknown to others how it felt to realize that something with its own mind was existing inside his body.
‘System, do whatever you want. I want to know the origin of *shunya*.’ Clenching his jaw, he made Esme and Regina stiffen in their places, mistaking it as the Path he just took causing excruciating pain.
But it was a realization filling his mind.
Ryuk’s thinking was clear when it came to dealing with anyone: You can deal with someone a thousand times stronger than you. You can even deal with traitors. But when faced with the unknown, all certainty crumbles.
Possessing an ability this strong now seemed suspicious.
[I can indeed use my full capacity, but it will take time.]
‘How much?’
….
“Liege, we will follow your choice. You don’t need to think much,” Regina said, seeing Ryuk lost in thought with a visible frown on his face. She came forward, though Valhale felt guilty but remained silent.
“Regina, let’s leave this place,” Ryuk said, coming out of his thoughts and composing himself as he glanced towards her, commanding and turning to leave the place.
“Huh? Y-yes.” Suddenly hearing such a command, though confused, she followed him with Esme, who was also taken aback, moving together with them.
“You can rest in the mansion’s room—” Valhale, seeing the young man clearly leaving the battleship, thought to provide him a room inside the mansion, since it was clear that he needed to remain on this continent.
“I think you didn’t hear me,” Ryuk halted, turning towards him while adjusting his suit. His amber gaze coldly looked towards him, further adding, “We are leaving Titanora.”
“You are kidding, aren’t you?” Valhale’s smile slowly started to vanish, replaced by surprise which transitioned to anger the moment he saw the seriousness in the young man’s gaze.
“You! How dare you!” Realizing that he was indeed fooled, Valhale’s gritted teeth showed visible frustration on his wrinkled face. His eyes shot red with smoke starting to come out of his clenched jaws, revealing the use of an ability.
It was clear that this time he was just cheated by that young man. He had lost his thesis somewhere, making him unable to feel any presence of it.
Valhale’s body blurred before he cried out with a voice, “Enough of this!”
Swish
It wasn’t even a two-meter hand distance before Regina had already arrived between him and the young man. But before things could escalate further:
Thud
Valhale’s body fell to the floor, instantly coiling up with something foreign tearing through his flesh. His body, hardened enough to not tear under the weight of the whole continent, was now breaking rapidly, accompanied by a cry, “AGGGGHHHHHHHH!”
‘?!’
“Grandpa!” Esme, seeing how things had occurred, instinctively tried to teleport towards the coiled old man, but before she could vanish, her body was wrapped by two hands—one on her waist and the other on her head—pulling her into something firm yet warm.
‘Huh?’ Esme’s golden pupils visibly trembled at the sight of her grandfather in such a state, but her mind was calmed by the caring hug provided by the one responsible for all this.
“…It’s okay,” Ryuk said, hugging her tightly in his embrace, caressing her hair. He placed his chin on her head, his eyes turning soft while closing as he consoled her, “He will be safe.”
“But…” Her eyes, seeing the old man’s state, betrayed the quivering of her lips, slight dampness filling them as she turned to hide her eyes within the embrace.
Naturally, if it was a battle, she wouldn’t have said something.
But at this moment, his cries were not of some warrior—it was clear that the pain coursing through him wasn’t humane.
