The southern forest breathed slowly.
Eryon stood in the center of his clearing, observing the way the mana moved. There was no more random dispersion. The flows no longer collided; they bypassed each other like well-organized thoughts.
"So… this is what was missing," he murmured. Not strength. Not intent. But continuity.
Since that first echo in Dwargon, a space within him had been forming. A place where ideas wouldn't fray, where perceptions wouldn't be lost to emotional chaos. Not a separate entity, but an archetype.
Eryon closed his eyes.
If you exist, he thought, you need a name.
The mana responded with a ripple so faint it was almost imperceptible. He didn't think of grand titles or dominant monikers. He thought of stories from the old world. Myths. Figures that didn't impose answers but preserved knowledge.
"Saga…"
The name settled. It didn't glow or echo; it simply fit, locking into the silent space within his mind.
Eryon felt the difference immediately. Thoughts flowed with surgical clarity. Comparisons emerged without effort. When he observed the world, relevant data highlighted itself—without judgment, without emotion. There was no voice yet. But there was order.
"You won't tell me what to think," he whispered. "You'll just help me not to get lost."
The mana stabilized. The archetype was complete. Not as an active skill or a visible power, but as an internal pillar. Saga wouldn't analyze the world for him; she would simply hold, connect, and remember.
Eryon opened his eyes. The clearing looked normal. And yet, he knew. He would never truly be alone inside his own mind again.
To the north, Rimuru felt the shift. Not a warning. Not a danger. But the completion of something that had been unfinished.
[Update.]
…Great Sage?
[Mana organization phenomenon in the southern region has stabilized.]
Rimuru blinked. Stabilized?
[Yes. Unusual fluctuations have ceased.]
He remained silent for a few seconds. "So, it's done."
[Correction: The process has ceased. The result remains.]
Rimuru smiled, a sense of relief washing over him. "I see." He looked toward the horizon. "Whatever it was… it found its place."
He didn't investigate. He didn't call for guards. Some things do not require interference.
The clearing remained quiet. Saga existed now as an internal axis. Eryon walked through the trees, testing his new perception. Everything was sharper. Not stronger, just less fragmented.
Suddenly, the mana of the forest froze. Not in fear, but in attention. The world was watching. Then, devoid of emotion, a voice echoed through the fabric of reality.
[Analysis complete.]
Eryon didn't flinch. He recognized that tone instantly. "…The Voice of the World."
[Condition met. Stable cognitive archetype detected. Recognition granted.]
The mana rippled in confirmation.
[Unique Skill acquired: 『Elem of Saga』.]
No light. No explosion. Just confirmation.
Eryon felt the shift. Saga, previously just a conceptual space, now possessed a foundation. It hadn't changed its nature—it had simply gained a structure recognized by the laws of this world.
[Description: 『Elem of Saga』 — Cognitive support skill. Allows for the organization, recording, and correlation of internal information. Potential for conditional branching.]
"Skill creation…" Eryon murmured. "Not execution. Not dominion. Structure."
[Correction: Skill is in initial stage. Severe limitations applied.]
"As expected," Eryon replied.
The Voice of the World lingered for a heartbeat longer.
[Observation: Skill does not directly interfere with the external world.]
"Perfect," Eryon said. "That was exactly the intent."
The presence dissipated. The forest began to breathe again. Eryon closed his eyes. Now, his thoughts had layers. Memories didn't bleed into each other. Possibilities stayed archived. Saga didn't offer answers; she offered continuity.
"It's small," Eryon said. "But it's enough."
The following days were a study in clarity.
Eryon walked through the brush, noticing details he would have missed before: the patterns of root growth, the specific filtration of light. 『Elem of Saga』 didn't speak, but it associated. Possible paths formed in his mind like lines of logic:
Path A: Higher mana density.
Path B: Faster return to clearing.
Path C: Irrelevant.
"This is new..."
There was no pressure, only the clarity of choice. He followed the path of higher density and found a mana-rich outcropping. Useful, not grand.
Later, as he organized his supplies, the same phenomenon occurred. Not instructions, but priorities.
Reinforce shelter now: Lower mana cost later.
Delay reinforcement: Risk of storm damage.
Eryon let out a low laugh. "You think in terms of consequence."
Saga remained silent, but the internal space was active, connecting dots that previously required conscious effort. In the north, Rimuru felt the forest becoming more… predictable.
"It feels like things are flowing better than usual," Rimuru told Kaijin.
[Correction: Mana variations within acceptable parameters.]
"Must be my imagination, then," Rimuru concluded.
In the south, Eryon looked up at the sky.
"『Elem of Saga』… you don't lead me. You accompany me."
Nothing answered. But for the first time since he had arrived in this world, his choices didn't feel lonely.