R-a - Volume 3 - Chapter 19

R-a Chapter 177 (Live in editing-v1)

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“Not even once?”

“No, not even once.” Micheal’s voice echoed out loud, fearless and confident.

He was currently sitting down on a comfortable, plush chair in a large meeting room. A long table dominated the center of the room, with several chairs spread up and down it. Micheal’s chair was at the center of the table.

Several bookcases surrounded the edges of the room, crowded with ancient books of various sizes. Two long white torches hung from the roof, magically lit and shining peaceful light down below. This room gave off an ancient, noble feeling, as if this was the meeting place of kings.

Across from the table that Micheal was at was none other than the legendary Toren himself.

Yvvtal.

“This is the first time I’ve ever used any of those techniques in my life.” Micheal continued his response, nodding at the ancient Toren. Despite looking only middle-aged, Micheal was well aware that this being had lived for longer than he could conceptualize.

“Huh. How absolutely beyond the norm.” Yvvtal smiled as he replied, giving Micheal a warm look. Despite being only a remnant of his Soul, in an incorporeal ‘Spirit Body’ form, the Toren looked as real as Micheal.

After Micheal had magically recovered from his exhaustion, Yvvtal had teleported him away from the testing area of the King’s Challenge. The powerful warrior had congratulated Micheal on his victory as he was led to this meeting room here.

Yvvtal had then introduced himself by the name ‘Grandmaster Yvvtal,’ claiming to be a passive part of the Inheritance that was here to guide the victors. He’d declared that Micheal’s victory had won him ample rewards. Before he was allowed to access those rewards, however, he needed to answer a few of Yvvtal’s questions.

And thus, here Micheal was now.

“The way you moved through those techniques looked as if you had studied them intensely. This unique Physique of yours… I’m very impressed.” Yvvtal continued to smile as he looked at Micheal.

Micheal didn’t feel even a hint of guilt as he smiled back. After all, everything he had said thus far was true.

He had never used any of those techniques in his life. In this life, technically, which was the only life he was talking about.

In his past life? Most of those techniques had long since leaked outside to humanity from this tomb, ones Micheal gobbled up and studied to the core.

But, hey, who was he to presume Yvvtal would want to know about that? His smile widened a fraction, giving him a rather earnest look.

“And it’s because of your… Awakening from a couple of months ago,” Yvvtal waved his hand casually as he went on,

“That is why you can almost instantly comprehend any Sword Art, yes?” His words were spoken as if he was merely curious, but Micheal knew better.

Everything Micheal said here was vitally important, words that the ancient Toren would pour over with a fine-tooth comb.

“Yes, that exactly.” Micheal nodded,

“Before, I was mostly an ordinary human. Now, however, my mind and body have become extraordinary. I can sense things I’ve never felt before, strange concepts that I can grasp with ease.” Micheal waved his hands excitedly,

“It’s amazing!” He laughed out loud.

Yvvtal merely smiled, his eyes never leaving Micheal. Micheal noticed all of this as he kept a keen watch of his own on Yvvtal. To cover that, his eyes were full of the honest curiosity that anyone else in his place would have.

Micheal’s initial impression of Yvvtal remained mostly the same. The Toren still seemed quite nice, not like the type of person that would casually slaughter a thousand children without blinking an eye.

His overall opinion of the man had changed slightly, however.

‘He’s not like the rumors say.’

Micheal couldn’t tell for sure yet, but he had realized that the Yvvtal he had read about, and the Yvvtal that stood before him, were not quite the same.

His mind had been painted the picture of a brutal killer that took pleasure in torturing innocents. The Byren that Yvvtal had possessed had gone on to torture and kill hundreds of random people, all in the name of Yvvtal’s ‘experiments.’

Micheal had likened him to Xavier, the serial killer he had put down back in the Stardust Cluster of the First.

However, just from the brief interactions Micheal had had with the Toren thus far, Micheal was slowly beginning to think that was not the case.

He had thought that Yvvtal’s entire life goal was to grow stronger. That was the obsession that remained within the memories of Yvvtal’s Inheritor. It was a point he accepted as fact.

Now, however… he felt like he was missing a piece of the puzzle. The Toren before him seemed to be far more complex than he had expected.

‘It’s all the same in the end, though.’ Actions spoke louder than words. Regardless of the Fallen Deity’s true goals, what the Toren desired was still transparent to Micheal, and that was good enough for him.

“Very amazing indeed, young warrior.” The look in Yvvtal’s eyes seemed to change for a brief instant, as if he had made a decision. A moment later, he smiled at Micheal once more,

“Now, before I can send you off to pick up your rewards for completing the King’s Challenge, there are a few more questions I’ll need you to answer.”

“Sure! Fire away! I’m ready for anything!” Micheal replied, smiling eagerly.

“It’s nothing too serious, don’t fret. Simply, some of the rewards require a certain level of compatibility. Please answer each question honestly.” Yvvtal replied calmly.

Right after that, he began to ask Micheal a series of questions.

“Have you ever killed someone?”

“If you had the power to save the lives of 10 people, or the life of someone you loved, who would you save?”

“If you needed information to save the life of someone you cared for, would you be willing to torture someone that had tried to kill you for it?”

Some of the questions Yvvtal asked were ones meant to clarify what Micheal had done, while others were serious, moral questions that, for most people, had no easy answer. Those serious questions were ones most people around Micheal’s age would need to carefully consider before replying to, and even then, were difficult to respond to.

And, throughout all of these questions, Micheal’s mind seemed to twist slightly. Instead of simply being asked questions, he vaguely felt as if he was actually experiencing each and every situation.

It was as if he was undergoing a magic vision in the back of his head where he was living through every question, making every answer he gave suddenly gain vital importance. These feelings bubbled in the back of his mind, but felt indisputably real.

Despite that, Micheal answered each question almost instantly.

“Yes, I’ve killed many people.” He had.

“I would save the life of someone I love.” It might be selfish, but he was already bearing the fate of his entire race on his shoulders. If he had to pick between 10 people or saving his closest friend Shin, he would pick Shin every time.

“Yes.” He was no stranger to torture, as much as he abhorred the concept. Life in the 7 Layers was brutal, and sometimes you had to be brutal back. As long as the victim believed he could survive if he talked, getting honest information was rather easy. It was only when death was almost assured that torture grew less effective.

Yvvtal continued to ask questions and Micheal continued to answer them even as he felt he was living through them. He never spent more than a few seconds of pause before he responded, making his decisions with forthright honesty while remaining perfectly calm.

It might seem foolish to some to rush to answer these questions, especially with honest answers that would clash with Yvvtal’s morals, or lack thereof… but that was only if the Fallen Deity actually cared about Micheal’s answers.

The ancient Toren was using this test to examine Micheal’s personality, but not in any normally expected way.

Here, in the Magic Core of Yvvtal’s Inheritance, the Fallen Deity was able to sense things with keen insight. According to the memories of the Byren that had been tested here, in this place Yvvtal was able to vaguely sense a being’s emotional state. He could also influence those emotions, just like how Micheal felt he was experiencing each question in the back of his head.

Instead of caring about what Micheal believed in, Yvvtal cared about how Micheal would react to emotionally stressful situations. The Fallen Deity layered on heavy question after heavy question, forcing Micheal to respond to extremely emotionally charged events.

Then, the Toren would monitor exactly what Micheal felt. If Micheal’s emotions flared out of control, he would be able to sense this. If Micheal remained in complete control, his emotions remaining in check, Yvvtal would know.

Did Michael have an extremely steady and calm personality? Could he control his emotions, or would he give in to them? Did he have a cool exterior, but a weak, emotional interior?

These questions were of vital importance to the Fallen Deity.

For, when Yvvtal went to posses Micheal’s body, Micheal’s emotional psyche would be forced to bear the emotions that Yvvtal had shoved away for so long.

Extreme guilt at the murder and basic torture of tens of thousands, self-hatred for what he had done, despair at the thought of endless failure, loneliness from a loveless life in solitude, the endless litany of emotional attacks went on.

Micheal would need to bear all of these emotions and more in a single moment. If he succeeded, his body would remain stable and Yvvtal would be able to find a home within it and successfully bond.

If he failed, his mind would break, damaging both his body and his Soul. He would go insane, and Yvvtal’s Soul would, at best, suffer a severe backlash that could prevent him from ever attempting to control another being again.

Yvvtal’s caution was understandable, given the consequences.

Yvvtal asked 17 questions in total.

Micheal answered all 17 questions in a state of almost nirvana-like peace.

At the end of it, Yvvtal looked at Micheal with a hint of both awe and glee. For the first time, Micheal saw a hint of the real Yvvtal as the Toren gazed at Micheal like he was looking at a delectable beast of prey.

That gaze disappeared almost instantly, but was all the proof Micheal needed to verify at least some of the rumors about the Toren.

“Excellent! Congratulations, young warrior! Those are all the questions I have.” Yvvtal’s voice returned to a state of gentle friendliness.

Micheal looked at the Fallen Deity solemnly. His gaze was steady, but the excitement he’d shown from earlier was gradually returning as the emotional-twisting visions faded.

“Now, let me lead you to the Treasure Hall!”

.. .. .. .. .. ..

The Treasure Hall was aptly named.

A huge, silver room spread out around Micheal, filled with dozens of gold tables that held various pieces of gear, Artifacts, chunks of metal, and more. The walls were lined with white symbols and silver torches, giving it a rather prestigious appearance.

Micheal had just been teleported to the entrance of this room, leaving the meeting room at Yvvtal’s command.

“Ah, before you seek out the treasures you would like from here, there is another special prize you have won, young warrior.” Micheal turned around as he heard Yvvtal speak, looking back at the Toren’s Spirit Body.

The man stood confident and proud, just a meter and a half behind Micheal. In his hands was a large, purple gemstone.

“This is a Miracle Gem. It’s an extremely rare object that has several special properties.” Yvvtal explained as he motioned at it. The rock glowed faintly and was about the size of Micheal’s clenched fist.

“For achieving such a complete victory in the King’s Challenge, this is a little extra bonus I’ve decided to toss in.” The Fallen Deity motioned for Micheal to come forward and take the large gem.

Micheal obliged as he walked up and picked it out of the Toren’s hand. He held the glowing rock up to his face as he studied it, smiling once more as he thanked Yvvtal and asked a few random questions about the Miracle Gem.

While he did so, he checked something off of his mental list.

2 Star Physique, get.

Yvvtal began to explain what the Miracle Gem did, but Micheal already knew.

This gem was truly as rare as Yvvtal said. It contained energy that had come from a different world, concentrated at an abnormal level. This energy was very special, however, a type of energy that was borne from a single concept.

Strength.

There were only a small number of Miracle Gems in existence on the Second Layer. This Inheritance had most of them, as far as Micheal knew. These objects grew to some level of fame once people discovered their existence, though Micheal had never grown close to even seeing one.

If one absorbed the energy within a Miracle Gem, they could magically modify the genetic and physical makeup of their body itself. The process went automatically, but it drastically raised the power and potential of your body.

And for Micheal, who currently had a 1 Star Physique thanks to the Dragon Building Liquid he’d downed on the First…

This was more than enough to push him up to a 2 Star Physique, and bring him very close to a 3 Star Physique.

The increment might seem small, but the difference between a 1 Star Physique and a 2 Star Physique was substantial. In a world where even a 1% power difference could matter, a 2 Star Physique could boost your power by up to 30% over a 1 Star Physique, depending on the exact way the Physique was raised.

In Yvvtal’s eyes, Micheal’s body was pitifully weak, even if it had some extremely desirable aspects. Strengthening it was absolutely a priority for the Toren right now.

“…so, you just need to absorb this Miracle Gem after you leave my Inheritance. You may always return, however, to study the Martial Pillars here in my castle.” Yvvtal had finished explaining what the gem did, while also explaining a little about what this Magic Core area was.

Attached to the Treasure Hall were a large commons area and several rooms that had large walls listing various martial art techniques, including Sword Arts, Fist Arts, Axe Arts, and a number of different Weapon Mastery skills.

After completing any Challenge, a warrior would be allowed to access these rooms to train. They were useless for Micheal, but other humans would definitely find them extremely enlightening.

“Thank you for informing me, Grandmaster.” Micheal bowed his head as Yvvtal finished. The powerful Toren smiled politely and then turned to look at the large Treasure Hall.

“Now, young warrior, I’m sure your curiosity has reached its peak. Please, feel free to go into this Hall and take any three treasures which you desire!” Yvvtal’s voice boomed as he motioned at the room around them.

Micheal obliged once more as he turned to look at the Treasure Hall. He scanned the large room, his eyes moving from table to table, over treasures galore.

Finally, his eyes alighted on a particular table near the center of the room. On it, he could see several large, yellow pieces of paper that were covered in black symbols.

He immediately began to walk through the room towards this table without hesitation. His feet echoed on the finely cut stone floor as he slid through the hall, eventually finding his way there.

“I will choose these three pages here!” His voice boomed just like Yvvtal’s had as he scooped up three Contract Seals.

With these, he would be able to form two separate contracts with the Rury Gang. One that was an overall contract that would apply to all of the members, and then one more specific contract that would be focused just on their leader, Simone.

He would have an extra Contract Seal leftover, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

After all, he would have a use for that Seal very soon…

Micheal turned to the side as he heard Yvvtal appear behind him. He gave the Toren a winning smile as he held the Contract Seals in his hands.

The Fallen Deity looked rather stupefied. He blinked as he stared at Micheal, and then at what Micheal was holding.

“Are you… are you sure, young warrior? Do you know what these are? Do you not want to look around at least a little more?” The Toren was at a loss.

Contract Seals like this were quite a good treasure. They were used, in Yvvtal’s time, to tame Magic Beasts and allow a Toren to influence them. Their secondary use was to form binding contracts between groups, but that was often considered a waste given how lucrative a Magic Beast serving you could be.

If Micheal had just picked one, Yvvtal would’ve thought nothing of it. To pick three, however… it was unusual, to say the least.

“Absolutely! These are Contract Seals, right?” Micheal replied without a whit of hesitation.

Yvvtal stared at Micheal again before shrugging, as if in defeat.

“Very well, young warrior. It is your choice to make.”

Micheal smiled at Yvvtal’s reaction. It was the most humanizing thing he’d seen from the mass murderer. Or perhaps he should say Torenizing, his inner Shin added.

‘There’s no need to be greedy.’ He sagely nodded at the thought as he tucked the Contract Seals under his arm.

After all, he was going to steal everything he wanted from this room anyway.

Taking it now or then, it mattered little.

“Now that you have chosen your three treasures, there is only one thing left for you here.” The world around Micheal twisted as he teleported once more.

He was now within a grand looking throne room, standing atop a red carpet that led up to a raise, white throne. Micheal blinked at the abrupt change, turning his attention to the being sitting atop the throne.

“As the first victor of the King’s Challenge, you have earned a very special privilege!” Yvvtal had adopted a rather formal tone as he looked down on Micheal from his throne,

“The ability to leave a Soul imprint on my Inheritance Core. Doing this will allow you to teleport back to my Inheritance a single time, even if you are in the midst of danger. Think of it as a life-saving escape ticket, if you want to accept it.” The ancient Toren smiled at Micheal as he waved his hand to the side.

A large, blue orb appeared in the air in front of the Toren. It floated there for a couple of seconds before it flew over towards Micheal. It stopped just half a meter away from him.

‘Here we go.’ Micheal thought, his eyes placid.

The Fallen Deity was wasting no time at all. After determining that Micheal was an acceptable choice, he was immediately moving forward.

Here and now… the powerful Toren was going to begin his takeover of Micheal’s body.

It wasn’t going to be all bad, though.

Micheal’s eyes gleamed as he looked at the floating orb, forcing a smile down as he looked at the orb.

“Oh really? That’s awesome! Yeah, I’d love to leave an imprint!” Micheal’s voice sounded eager.

“I thought you might.” Yvvtal laughed,

“Just place your hand on the orb and send a bit of your Ki into it. You will feel a small connection form. Just hold onto that connection for a couple of seconds and then you’ll be all done!”

Micheal followed Yvvtal’s instructions as he slowly raised his right hand and began to reach out towards the orb.

The most important part of his plan for the Second Layer would depend on what happened here.

For it was only after Yvvtal implanted himself in Micheal’s body that he could finally get what he needed most here. Something that would vastly boost his chances of success for his plans here on the Second, a vital part.

…A new Ability.

Micheal’s right hand landed on the orb.

A flash of blue light abruptly shook the air and then…

Everything around him vanished.

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