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Philip looked at the cloudy skies, "… We're finished here."
Mita was quick to voice her own thoughts aloud, [Are you certain this was the correct option? As reckless and cruel as the boy was, he remains one of the few Elven Heroes of modernity]
She had yet to go through his memories. With his simulated self being under construction, shards of Drunio's past were already beginning to be laid bare, painting the reality of the Elven world.
[Human Heroes may be plenty, allowing for the Crown to be selective to a certain degree, but there might not even be a dozen Elven Hero candidates, the loss of one would spark extreme political turmoil, perhaps on the level as one of the incidents you were sent out to prevent]
[And I say this after studying the copy I've created of his memories. Even he wasn't fully aware of his compatriots… the political scene of the Elven Empire is far more complex then it meets the eye]
He looked away, "That is for us to deal with another time. Until then, he'll remain here for you to study." Philip said as he crossed a gate, reappearing inside Mita's palace.
"The way a Hero functions is what I'm most curious about. For as long as he remains here, we'll get plenty of chances to study how the System rewards and punishes those with a background like ours."
[Aren't you afraid this may bring significant growth to the boy?]
Philip smirked, "That would be even better. Wouldn't it be great if we recorded the moments and conditions that enforce a Hero to grow?… It wouldn't be half bad to have someone to spar with."
'Someone real rather than a copy… not that it makes much of a difference.'
"Either way, regardless if you succeed or not in learning anything about those aspects, the core values he carries alone are enough for me." Philip added as he pushed a door open
He closed his eyes as he walked to the portal hall, putting his thoughts into words:
"The way I see things, Heroes are merely vessels that carry the templates of those that left their marks in the annals of history. It doesn't mean all Classes are like that, just that the greatest of them are often distributed to us at the moment of registration." He added as he stopped before a gate
"Perhaps not all of their abilities can be understood and copied. Skills, for example, are exceedingly difficult to be understood, and even I struggle to understand what my own Skills do most of the time."
'Understanding Skills might very well be connected to the System's functions. And trying to make any sense of that is as much as trying to understand the physics behind the universe itself.'
He put his hand against the portal, "But their Abilities are another matter altogether… those can be understood and replicated—"
[But what would you do with those, anyway? It's not like you're lacking in that department]
He threw Mita a side-eye, "I'd rather not arrogantly believe I can resolve all troubles with the little I have going for me. If I can learn more, why wouldn't I?"
"Besides… if I can have a plethora of Hero Skills to fuse at my own discretion, why wouldn't I do it?"
He brushed past some older notifications, "And even if I don't need it, someone else might. Understanding the conditions, if not the process, is the true worth of this experiment…
"Once he rests a little, start with some preliminary tests."
He crossed the gate, "I leave this matter in your hands…"
Once Philip vanished, Mita sighed, [A grand way of saying you're leaving me with all the work…]
/Fwoop!/
Not long after, she too vanished.
…
Not long after…
[… May I inquire on your current… experiment?]
"Don't act as if you can't tell." Philip retorted as he checked himself in the mirror
[I try not to engage in simulations of your own self and those recognized by you. There's a reason why those who can see the future curse their own ability…] She said with a tint of sadness
He exhaled, "Yeah… sorry… I'm just a little upset. If I don't get this right, I fear I'll end up going crazy."
Inside his bathroom, Philip looked at his reflection as translucent scales ignited around his forehead, together with a pair of horns that curved around his head.
The air waved around his head, "Ever since I first changed species, I've had this pressing feeling of containment." He said as he checked his teeth, which were about the same, if not a little sharper
"To maintain this… appearance, something that can be recognized and accepted as "Human", I was forced to suppress my true appearance, even if it led to great discomfort."
The horns around his head trembled, coming in and out of reality as he tried to control them, "It was bearable before, but with recent events, suppressing this side of me is not an option any longer."
He put his hands against his throat, "I feel as if I'm constantly asphyxiating, and I might be."
"I doubt that in this state, breathing alone is enough to power my body. I already eat a lot, so there have to be more conditions I'm not entirely familiar with… if any of my concerns carry any weight."
[I suppose… We have yet to test that theory of yours also… Once we have the time, I'll try to connect with your… what was it called now? Vital Core?]
Philip threw her a short glance and nodded, but quickly resumed his thought:
"Regardless, if I keep this up for the rest of my life, I'll end up going insane… and that is without considering that I'll inevitably grow even further than now, making this feeling even more unbearable."
'I must find a solution now, even if it pushes my other plans back.'
/Crackle…/
/CRACK!/
The horns reappeared, the heat so intense that the porcelain tiles behind the mirror cracked as the air rapidly heated and cooled…
"It isn't much, but if I can at least control certain traits of this… energy… then I can at the very least lift some of that weight off my chest. And after that, I'll have to learn how to control its output."
"If I can't go that far, I fear I'll have to live as a hermit in some distant mountain. We can both agree that isn't ideal, but we can also agree that if this continues, I might not even be able to live normally."
He looked at his palms as Armament wrapped itself around his fingers once more, "In this state, if I hold an iron fork for too long, it'll melt in the time it takes for me to lift it to my lips."
[Do you even need an iron fork?]
He chuckled faintly, "That's not the point here, is it?…"
"I'd like to sleep tonight if you don't mind. With how much pressure there is inside of me, I might end up unraveling unconsciously, razing this manor to the ground." He said as he raised his hands to his face
The scales trembled, vanishing as only his horns were left hanging above his head.
He pulled another suit from his inventory, putting it on, "I can keep the horns alone as a Pseudo-Armament to some degree, but the feeling of suffocating is still there… haaaa…"
'No matter how much I inhale, it isn't enough… Usually when you feel something is wrong, it's because it is. But its not like I can go to a supernatural doctor and ask him to do a check-up on me, right?'
Philip glanced at his Status, "What even is the point of Armament being listed here? Perhaps bloodline-related abilities in other individuals are listed as Abilities in the Status Panel?"
[You can still develop it, can't you? It's not like you inherited it from another. It's your own ability that you can develop through training… though the question remains of how it'll look like once another inherits it]
Philip laughed drily, "That'll take a long while, I'm afraid… That said, even if I wanted to do it…" He mumbled as he scratched the back of his head, "I don't think my current predicament allows for such…"
[… Right… you almost drilled a hole through the toilet just now—]
"AHEM! Let's not talk about that blunder…"
Philip stepped away from the mirror. The young man with long black hair and blue horns stared back at him, and for a split moment, he didn't recognize himself.
He touched the mirror for a second…
Mita's voice boomed beside him, [All hail Demon-King Vinten! The one whose Fate cannot be read! Lord of Nightmares and the world beyond! The first of his kind, who shall bathe the world in blue fire!]
Virtual confetti burst behind him with miniature fireworks…
"Shut it… this isn't that kind of story." He replied with a chuckle as his blue slit eyes returned to their ordinary shape as he adjusted his tie, "That said, there's one more thing I'd like to do."
He opened the notifications he had previously set aside:
[Skill Fusion has detected two abilities suitable for fusion]
[Eyes of Premonition + Inevitable Hound]
He smiled evilly, "Shall we give it a try?"
Mita's voice reached him immediately after, [You're already struggling to keep yourself together, and your solution is to fuse your Skills even further?]
She almost seemed disappointed…
"You know me… how can I not? At worst, I'll have to try a little harder…"
[You have no sense of urgency. What if something ridiculous ends up being created?]
"Like you?… I'd say that'd make things even more amusing… But you do raise an important concern."
He looked at his hands, 'In my current state, it's strange to consider it, given I've already grown this far, but I believe it's exceedingly easy for me to grow even stronger if I wanted to.'
'It's mostly a hunch, but I can infer where it comes from…'
'With this recent event, I'm certain this is because of my Title. Apex Evolver already showed immense potential, especially with Hyper Cells, but now, both have grown even stronger than before.'
Philip mistakenly brushed his horns as he tried to brush his hair, a rather strange feeling… He tapped them, his eyes closed, 'I'm certain that I could potentially push my Stats to infinity by using the System.'
'If I push them through Limitless, I could use the System to push my body further, and my body would grow in turn to accommodate this strength. This was what happened in the reactor to some degree…'
'But its something I'd prefer to avoid, if possible.' He thought as he pinched his eyelashes, 'The whole point of this adventure is to try to strand from the System, and not to become a slave to the tool.'
[There are no shortcuts to strength, after all. It's a lesson you should take a little more seriously I believe]
He grunted, "Noted… Fuse!"
[Fusing…]
/Fuon…/
The black wolf materialized before him. Its deep eyes staring straight into his, as if waiting for something… "Hm?… Oh?… I see… You don't need to look at me like that." He said as he reached for his face
/SPLAT!/
Philip took out his two eyes! "All you had to do was ask."
Mita's voice trembled… [… Maybe we're beyond putting ourselves together…]
/BITE!/
The wolf devoured the golden eyes…
[Critical fusion!]
[Fusion complete!]
[You have acquired the Skill, The Wolf that couldn't Run (???)]
[Pinnacle Skill Fusion Lv16 -> Lv 21]
Philip felt a momentary change in his body, a different but fundamental feeling as when Liminal Planetarium came to be, though it's hard to say if those feelings shared any common origin.
He put his right hand over his eyes, as the bleeding immediately stopped. In real time, one could see the nerves at the back of his head spread outward as they formed another eyeball in its place.
As for him, he needed not to see to witness the Status Panel. Within the void, he could see it stand before him, 'Now that I think about it, this is my first time seeing… well… not seeing.'
"I think I get it now…"
[Get what?!]
Philip chuckled… Instead of inspecting his new Skill, however, Philip's attention fell on the other notifications, "Critical Fusion… excellent."
"Just a few more levels and Skill Fusion will grow to its utmost potential. It'll gain the ability to affect Titles, and perhaps even Traits." He said as his lips curled
'We got here quite quickly, though. Maybe I can do it before its time to return.'
[…]
As he stepped outside the bathroom, he reached out for the air, "Now then, shall we test this new Skill?"
/Step…/
[Activating Skill, The Wolf that couldn't Run (???)]
…
/Meanwhile…/
Viera continued her studies in peace and quiet… "… Why do I feel something bad is about to happen?"
[…]
The bulb of light shining beside her seemed so very still…
"Viera! Come up here real quick!" Philip's voice shattered the peace, startling her as she turned her head
"Philip? What is it this time?…"
She moved away from her table, moving along to the stairs leading to the third floor. There, she frowned as she raised her head, "Philip? What is it… and why are you posing?"
[…]
"Viera… I've been waiting." He said with a stiff expression, making her wonder if there was something wrong going on… No, there definitely was!
She stood in place, suspicious of his intentions, "Did something happen? You aren't going to use me again as an experiment again, are you?"
Philip kept his stiff gaze as he looked down at her from above, "Your words wound me, Viera. Have I truly brought such pain and misery upon you? If so, know that I am truly sorry for my actions."
"Huh?"
'Why is he speaking like that? Is there something stuck in his throat? And what is all that mist coming from nowhere?! It's like a damn waterfall!' She exclaimed as white light slowly grew in intensity behind him, forcing her to close her eyes, 'What's that?!'
He noticed her flickering eyes, "What is it? I've only meant to apologize for my past wrongdoings. Is it too much to ask for a word with you? If so, you may return, the day is still long, after all…"
"… Sigh… whatever… If you want to talk, its fine… But don't worry about it, I've already come to accept your condition." She said as she looked at the ground
She also blushed a little, "At the same time, I've been… having fun."
"… I didn't hear what you just said. Could you come up here and tell it to me a bit… closer?"
She blushed more as she looked away, "I… Tche! Forget it! Just say what you want and let's get this done with!" She exclaimed as she crossed her arms.
"No can do. You see, I've had quite a meeting earlier today and my voice hasn't quite recovered since then. I'm afraid I'll have to tell you… up here." He said as he pointed to the ground
"I-Is that why your voice is weird? I… okay…"
She took one step forward… then two… then ten… '… Hm?… Something's off, since when were these stairs this long?' She asked as she raised her head… "WHAT?!"
/Tremble…/
The silver hairpin on her loose hair seemed to trembled, as if unable to comprehend what it had just seen also… 'This boy… what has he done now?' Laplabe thought as it looked around.
Earlier that day, when Philip rushed outside, he had been left behind to guard the fort, so to speak. And now, he felt as if he were looking at an entirely different person.
'Don't tell me something did happen? I thought he was being paranoid… but was there some truth to it after all? Did he achieve something in this short span of time? Just what kind of ability…'
"… What is it, Viera? I'm waiting." He said as her eyes trembled
She looked left and right, up and down, "S-Something is wrong?! Magic?! I… I swear I walked half a floor up!" She claimed as she took a step back, before taking a few more in Philip's direction, her back turned
"… !!!"
But as she turned around, she once again found herself in the same spot, shaking her spirit to its core.
'I-Impossible… I swear I… Hm?… W-Where did that throne come from?!' She thought as she raised her head
Above her, Philip stood seated on a stone throne, looking down at her with the same stiff expression as before, "Hm? Oh, don't mind me. I've taken a seat since you're taking so long…"
The slight change in his expression was everything she needed to know, "You… are you the one behind this?" She asked as her eyes turned serene.
"No… pfft… ahem…"
"So it's the same time as Star Platinum…" He said with a stiff gaze
/Snap…/
That was it, the sound of her sanity snapping, "You damn… can't leave me be…"
/Fwoop!/
"O-Oi…"
A staff materialized in her hands, "I've had enough of your pranks."
Philip got up from his seat, "Calm down, we're still inside the manor!"
"I don't care! LIGHT BEAM!"
/FLASH!/
As the light flashed, Viera suddenly saw herself… in a vast open field, "W-What?!"
'Where am I?!'
Philip appeared before her like a specter, "This is the power of The World. The World can…"
"EEEEK!"
/BONK!/
She turned around with everything she had, smashing her staff right into Philip's face as he collapsed on the ground. As she leaned over to face him, she puffed her cheeks, "Well-deserved."
She also momentarily looked at his face, 'Now that I look at him… what happened to him?'
"Haha…"
[Very well-deserved]
'You stay out of this.'
…
/Fwoosh…/
Philip sent Viera back to the manor through his gates before he exhaled loudly, visibly tired, "That almost got me…"
[The magic?]
"TCHE! You looking down on me?! Viera's basic 5th Tier magic can't do anything to me! I'm talking my Skill!" He claimed as he dusted his pants
[Of course… So? Had your fill?]
He looked around. These mountains were where he ran through when he first escaped the gardens, the other side of the Never-Ending Mountain range beyond the ancient Dwarven road, "Yeah."
Philip looked behind him, a massive white wolf waiting patiently, "You did well, you may rest now."
The wolf was gorgeous, if not majestic. Pure white fur that flowed around it like clouds in the sky, making it seem as if it were in constant motion, taking shapes otherwise impossible for it.
Its golden eyes stared at him with wonder and yearning as it lightly shoved its head against his palm.
However, its paws were still a pure shade of black, the only impurity in this otherwise holy creature.
As the wolf vanished, Philip laughed, "Another cool ability has been added to my arsenal."
[Is that the primary qualifier for an ability's usefulness?]
"Hmmm…"
[Don't put so much thought into it…]
[Activating Skill, Liminal Planetarium (???)]
Philip closed his eyes with a light smile, before he too stepped through the gates.
…
/Half a day later…/
All staff of Utler Manor gathered in the living room at Philip's request. Although there was some confusion, if not nervousness, for the matter he wanted to convey, they remained in formation as they had been trained.
Viera too stood in the crowd, at the forefront of them all as she tried her utmost to remain… composed.
'What the hell it this about? Why is he taking so long? I can feel three dozen eyes staring at my back!'
As always, Viera struggled to remain composed in a social encounter…
/Clack!/
""!""
Philip opened the doors to the living room, adjusting his sleeves as he stepped inside, "I apologize for the delay, and even more so for calling at this late hour."
"This will be brief, but it's necessary to prevent future misunderstandings."
"Wha— Hm?… What is…"
Viera's words stuck in her throat as she noticed the things sticking out of his forehead, 'Are those… horns?!' She realized as her eyes opened wide, 'So I wasn't wrong!'
Philip stopped before them. He could easily tell where most of their gazes were focused, but he remained composed either way, "Announcement number one. You may come inside now."
/Step step step…/
""!!""
A massive white wolf stepped into the hall, startling much of the staff even further, "This will be a new companion for the manor. Don't be alarmed by his size, he is very docile and loves to play."
"??"
Even the wolf seemed confused by his words, but Philip didn't wait, "I'll have to trouble you all in helping me take care of it." He said with a short nod as he reached out to pat the wolf's head.
Despite its imposing yet majestic appearance, the wolf didn't seem threatening in the slightest. If anything, it was akin to staring at a large husky… though his face remained extremely sharp.
Viera was the first, or rather, the only one willing to break the silence, "When did you get a… pet?"
Philip checked the time on his wristwatch before he turned to her, "A few hours ago."
"…"
He chuckled, "A few things happened when I went outside. It's a bit of a long story, so I'll cut it short with this announcement for now. There really is little to worry, all I ask is that you let him roam around freely." He finished as he turned to Sebastiano.
"Head Butler, arrange it so that it is fed well. For any other matters, you may come to me directly or request approval from the madam. That is all."
Sebastiano bowed, "Understood, lord."
The wolf remained utterly still. Not even its tail seemed to wag… though as Philip patted its head, it moved a little, left and right… "That's one thing down, let's move on to the next matter."
He pointed at his head, "I'm sure many of you have noticed the changes in my appearance. First, I'd like to apologize for keeping this from you, but this is part of my biology, it's just that is has grown strenuous for me to keep it tucked aside."
"I can say that I'm still Human… though about as Human as a Half-Elf is… I hope this won't strange you from your usual interactions with me… It's not like much changes because of a few more pointy ends."
As the staff chuckled slightly, Viera's forehead tensed, "Don't say it in such a manner!"
He didn't reply immediately, "… This will require further updates on my part, but we can handle those as time passes. I'm grateful for your time, and know that I deeply appreciate your work in these past few weeks." Philip said as he bowed again.
"There's still a lot ahead of us… I hope we can continue to meet with smiles on our faces. That's all everyone, you may return to your duties."
With those words, the staff bowed respectfully as they began to walk away. In the meantime, Philip turned to Viera, smirking, "Now… madam. May you accompany to my private quarters?"
"Ugh… Stop talking like that!"
…
Viera struggled to accept the fact Philip wasn't Human… though reality settled faster than she herself expected. It was almost as if something clicked inside her mind, as if her brain could finally exhale in relief and say, "But of course…"
It just made sense, didn't it? For the illogical existence known as Philip Vinten… Philip Polter, to not be Human at all and instead be some Demi-Human species far from humanity.
After a short conversation, Viera walked around him as he reached for his suit, "… So… are these… real?"
"Have I not told you they were?"
"But they… are floating over your head?"
Philip threw her another question, "Isn't fire just the same? The bottom section is transparent, but the flame remains floating above… It's a similar reaction, to some degree… or a very raw manner."
/Tap tap…/
He reached for his forehead and tapped the translucent area where his horn should've been, "See? Just because you can't see them, it doesn't mean they aren't there."
She tilted her head, reaching out towards them… but Philip gently pushed her hands away, "Don't, it's dangerous."
"Dangerous? How?…"
Philip finished unbuttoning his suit, "Can't you see they're like flames? These are extremely hot… The reason I kept them tucket was because I couldn't properly control them... even this for me is difficult."
"Without my control, their heat alone would cast this entire room aflame."
"If I let go of it all completely, this entire Manor would be engulfed in fire."
Viera stepped back for a second, but quickly calmed down, "Still…"
/Ssszzz…/
Energy gathered around her hands, and with a light touch, she reached out for his horns, "… They look… as if there's a small foamy surface… like velvet. Interesting…"
'My mana is burning away quickly. It's like burning through a spell every second.'
Philip exhaled, "Are we exploring my body now? Top to bottom?"
"For the last time! Stop putting it like that!" She exclaimed as she gathered energy at his horn and jerked it down!
Philip chuckled as the flames above his head flickered, "… Had your fill?"
As she let go of them, her face slowly went to normal as her eyes grew heavy, "… Did it hurt? You know… to hide those things?"
"… I would be lying if I said I was comfortable. But hurting wouldn't be correct." He said as he took off his shirt, shoving it in bed as her expression reddened again
'He really has changed a lot.' She thought as she compared his back to the one she saw during his training sessions with Fabrin, 'It almost makes me feel… sorry.'
There could be no change without consequences. The power to force the latter to happen without the former was beyond that of Human hands… So it could only make her wonder…
How much did he go through to achieve this much in so little time?
The more she learned, the more she realized how much he kept to himself…
Just who was he, truly? The one who barged into her life, turning it upside down?
Philip checked his body as his breathing adjusted, "… This is something I haven't had the time to process well. You could say it's a recent trouble I've been going through."
"Once I get things under control, I'll tell you more about it… in the meantime…"
/Spread!/
Two fiery wings appeared before her as scales spread around his body. Viera immediately felt the extreme heat as the air wavered, 'T-This…'
Philip turned to her, showing her his slit eyes and transformed body, "This is who I am."
He opened his arms, leaving his body bare. She inspected every corner of his beastial self, from his sharp fingers to the two claws growing at the tips of his claws.
His hair which burned at its end, to his eyebrows that extended beyond his forehead, leaving burning trails in the air…
She accepted it right then and there that he was no Human… but at no moment did she consider him to be a Demi… no… looking at him like this… it felt almost improper to use such terms.
For he… looked very much regal.
That instead of looking at the partial degeneration of another species, she witnessed the growth and evolution of mankind. What stood beyond it, what existed above it…
Compared to him, Humans were merely an incomplete aspiration of his form. That was what she felt deep down in her chest… together with another strange feeling she herself did not understand yet.
/Baddum…/
What was that feeling? She wondered amidst the transient, dancing flames… When her fear reached its limit, what stood beyond it wasn't the desire to step back, but to step forward.
In the center of the firestorm, it was the coolest… Viera now found herself before the raging tides, her dress fluttering behind her as her head tilted to face the unknown…
"Hm? My eyes are up here." Philip said with a smirk as she froze
/Baddum…/
And then… as she realized where she stood, her eyes flashed with a dozen emotions as she, "A-ba-ba… eek!"
Stuttered a dozen times.
/Dash!/
In a flurry of emotions, the young girl who understood nothing about herself… ran away.
"… She could've closed the door." Philip said as he retracted Armament, leaving only his horns behind
[You'll be smitten for your transgressions one day] Mita claimed… almost with resentment in her tone
Philip scoffed, "As if the Gods could do anything to me right now."
He felt a tug inside his chest, 'You go back to sleep.' He thought as he smacked his lips together.
/Tremble…/
As he moved to the side, the sheets under his bed wavered. A long shadow melted into the tapestry beneath the bed, sloshing its way to the feet of a cabinet.
As it rose to its surface, a small black tree with a large eye acting as a fruit formed before him…
"… What happened to you?" Laplabe asked as the eye fruit scanned him up and down
Philip smiled, "I apologize for not contacting you sooner… I imagine there were no issues while I was away?" He said as he stopped before the mimic.
"Why ask when you already know? It's been quite a few hours."
"Heh… Ever heard of small talk?"
The eye rolled, but it soon fixed itself on his forehead, "So you weren't Human after all. I suppose that answers everything."
"Perhaps… if you wish to justify all of my accomplishments through that alone." Philip continued as he took off his belt, "I've been Human for most of my life, and even more Human in the recent weeks…"
"Can you be a bit less cryptic?"
He threw his belt on his bed, "And where would the fun in that be?"
Philip opened his arms, doing the same pose he did to Viera a moment before, "If you want a direct answer… then I've evolved past mankind a few days ago."
For as absurd as his statement was, it was more within Laplabe's understanding then half of the things he had done in the past two weeks.
Laplabe thought of everything that had happened these last few days… and was utterly unable to determine which of those abnormal events led him to become like this, "That doesn't help at all."
Philip laughed, "Then that's that!"
As he took his pants off, he walked to the bathroom, "I'll tell you more about it while I bathe, so don't look at me like that."
"Hm… you look eager. Is anything else going to happen? Anything I should be aware of?"
"… I'll be meeting with some guests soon, there's nothing too deep in it." He replied as his smile grew
He brushed his hair aside, "I think it's about time I settled a few old questions as well."
…
/Inside Liminal Planetarium…/
/Burn!…/
The flames around his body rose and fell before Philip recalled Armament in its entirety.
"Haaa… I can't do it… this will take a few weeks, if not a few months, for me to master."
'This has nothing to do with my practical mastery of Armament. It's an entirely different field of application that only exists because it has become part of my body.'
'Armament currently exists in a state that is hard to describe. I can neither describe it as what it was before, nor can I settle on a description for what it has become.'
Philip stretched his arms, "But I think I can envision where it is going to."
[Should I attempt to research more into this subject?]
"No… I want to do this myself… but I appreciate the thought." He raised his hand to caress the floating orb of light, "You have far more important tasks to fulfill as well."
He closed his eyes, "Also, I can't be having someone else teach me how to breathe… it's embarrassing."
Mita knew this wasn't a matter of pride. She understood, more than anyone, what Philip meant, [Understood]
"I'll get the hang of it eventually… Until then, perhaps I should solve that other thing first."
/Shaaaa…/
The world shifted as he sat down in the darkness. By the time he stopped moving, an elegant chair had materialized underneath him, and the surrounding training void had become akin to an eastern-style dojo.
Philip lightly opened his eyes, 'I can't sit still… the thoughts I had when I dived into the reactor. I feel as if I were about to understand something, but in that situation, I couldn't give myself the time to think it through.'
'I've forgotten most of it, but its not like its gone…'
[Isn't that easy to solve?] Mita asked as he tapped his hands on the table
"How so?"
[I can just throw you inside again]
A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, "… I'd rather not… We can leave it as a possibility though…"
[Then we can just bring those thoughts forward again. The current you might've forgotten those feelings, but I still possess the you that retained them. The imprint of that moment…]
[If I recreate him, at least from his perspective, it would be as if he just stepped out of the reactor]
Philip's eyes flashed with light, "Right… that is an option."
'Enlightenment can be brief. By the time you think it through or experiment with it, as your reason returns, the thousand ideas you had… could very well have already been forgotten, like waking up from a dream right after.'
'But none of it matters if I have a recording of those dreams…'
"Given my mental capacity, forgetting such things shouldn't have been a possibility." He said as he tapped his forehead, "But this isn't all-powerful."
"… Very well, we'll proceed with that… after we get this over with first. I won't be able to focus if I keep thinking about it."
Philip got up from his seat, 'The month has just about passed.'
"Dae told me to wait two Eden months, that's about one Earth month, so…"
'It's about time I met him.'
/Fwoop!/
Philip crossed into a gate, the room left behind dissipating into nothingness…
…
/Chatter…/
Meanwhile, at a luxurious hall…
"… and then, Lord Hero, I…"
/Chatter…/
Dae stood at a circular dining table, surrounded by noble ladies on all sides. They were all elegantly dressed, their beauty highlighted to the extreme.
"I see, you did tell me about it last time we met, didn't you?" Dae replied as he turned to face her
His thoughts trailed away… 'This is tiresome. Dealing with this is taking too much of my time.'
Despite being surrounded by so many people speaking over each other, Dae barely missed a cue, keeping up with their words without trouble.
However… something glinted at the corner of his eyes…
'That is…'
His eyes moved ever so slightly, and what he saw made him lose composure for a slight moment…
The world almost seemed to freeze for a second… Standing on a table next to a few other nobles… was none other than Philip.
As Dae's gaze turned to him, Philip raised his glass to him as his lips moved. And while he couldn't hear him, tracing his words was far too easy.
—I've come to have our talk—
Dae closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was gone and time had resumed… No one seemed to reach to his presence. For a moment, it was almost as if he were hallucinating…
But Dae would never let such thoughts cloud his judgement. With a light gesture, he got up from his chair… "Excuse me, ladies. I'd like a moment to use the restroom."
Dae was a Hero most able with his words, but what made him interesting aside from his appearance and demeanor to these ladies was how he blended his words, shifting between elegance and bluntness.
To many, it was akin to a breath of fresh air…
…
Dae's smile slowly faded as he moved away from the party room. In the endless halls of this palace, and in the shining gardens reflected through the windows, he soon found himself before his destination.
A hundred thoughts passed through his mind as he went through all possible scenarios, but in the end, he deemed this encounter as genuine, though that didn't make him relax yet.
'Given the news, Philip should be in hiding, likely already at his destination, or on his way there.'
'I knew he'd call eventually, but I assumed it would take a few more months. Philip isn't necessarily an impatient person, which can only mean… that something forced him to approach me.'
Dae reached the second floor, 'Has something unusual happened? Another unforeseen circumstance beyond the guidance of the manual I provided?'
/Push…/
As he stepped inside the bathroom, Dae was quick to notice a man resting his back against the furthest wall. Amidst the decorated tiles, an unusual being stood, its blue horns reflecting in the elegant toilet.
"Yo. It's been a while." The man said as he pushed his hair back, "Doing well?"
Dae exhaled, "Philip."
The promised meeting had been set in motion.
…
.
.
.
Notes
It's time for a fateful meeting and for many answers to be solved (Hopefully)
What do you think they'll talk about? For once, I'm certain Philip will try to get back at Dae for all the suffering he went through...
Either way, I'm done here. Until next chapter.
Bye bye!
--
One of the reasons this chapter took a little longer for me to make was because I was watching HxH. I never finished it, so I took the time to go through it, which was what I did for the most part since last weekend...
Sorry...
Peace!