A loud voice boomed across the broken realm as the system announced his victory.
[Congratulations, Hero Rael Deth. You have completed the Trial of Void.]
[Your performance is being evaluated]
Suddenly, Rael felt the world around him slow to a halt, even the dissolution of his soul froze in place. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, causing him to stagger before falling unceremoniously onto his back. Yet he smiled at the floating ring as he tried vainly to cling onto consciousness, hearing the indifferent voice announce the completion, perfectly clear despite his increasing grogginess.
"So, what is your choice? Will you take the chance and bet on me?"
[Oh? And what makes you think I w-]
[Your performance has been evaluated.]
[Your performance in the Trial has been deemed glorious!]
[You have obtained a True Name.]
The voice of the void trial interrupted it mid-word, echoing sharply through the broken space. Rael felt another, more forceful wave come over him, causing him to struggle to keep his eyes open for much longer.
[You have shown exceptional courage, skill and mental prowess.]
[Your Existence is solidifying.]
Suddenly, Rael felt a vast influx of energy run through his body, causing the lost pieces of his broken soul to drift closer together.
He managed to keep his consciousness long enough to say a few last words before passing out.
"In exchange...for the delusionary Technique...I extend the conditions for the contract...to you. You set any conditions you like...or miss out on this limited-time offer."
[I shall be the judge of that.]
[You have slain a higher being!]
[ Your existence is solidifying.]
[You have slain an Ancient Witch!]
[Your existence is solidifying.]
The ring watched with mild interest as it noticed a silver light begin to engulf Rael's body. Black motes suddenly started to converge from all over the realm, swirling around him before fusing back into his form.
But the voice wasn't done yet.
[You have consumed a fragment of the bloodline of the Ancient Witch, Euphoria]
[You have withstood the gaze of a Primordial.]
[Your existence is solidifying.]
[You have performed a feat!]
[A fragment of Euphoria has been sla#]
[A fragment of Euphoria has been sl@$%]
[A f#agment of Euphoria h#@* /0%=n]
'Huh? What was that?'
The voice of the void came out scrambled and incomprehensible near the end, causing her to be confused for a moment.Due to her level, there were few things in existence that were blocked off from her knowledge.
For 'banned words' to appear in the awakening of a mere child of Void and a toddler at that... something was definitely wrong.
[After all, the last time I heard 'banned words' appeared was when 'the fool' and 'that freak' last fought.]
[It's either I've been weakened far more than I thought due to being summoned by him or... No. It can't be.]
[...]
[An immortal being has been killed.]
A slightly confused sound escaped from the ring as the silver light surrounding Rael seemed to flicker before pausing abruptly.
[Assigning guidance system.]
[Congratulations...you have obtained a transcendent system, WitchSlayer!]
[ERROR!]
[WitchSlayer System is incompatible with Host!]
[Recalibrating...]
[Reassigning guidance system.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ascendant system, Limitbreaker!]
[ERROR!]
[Limitbreaker System is incompatible with Host.]
[Recalibrating...]
[Reassigning guidance system.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ascendant system, Paladin!]
[ERROR!]
[Paladin System is incompatible with Host.]
[Recalibrating...]
[Reassigning guidance system.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ascendant system, Dark Monarch!]
[ERROR!]
[Dark Monarch System is incompatible with Host.]
[Recalibrating...]
[Reassigning guidance system.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ascendant system, Destroyer!]
[ERROR!]
[Destroyer System is incompatible with Host.]
[Recalibrating...]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the ascendant system, Omniscient Re...]
[ERROR!]
[Omniscient is incompatible with Ho...]
[Recalibrating...]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the...]
[ERROR!]
[Recalibrating...]
[Congratulations...]
[ERROR!]
[...is incompatible!]
[Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!] [Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!][Congratulations...!][ERROR!][... Incompatible...!][Recalibrating!]
[ERROR!] [ERROR!] [ERROR!]
[Recalibrating Existence!]
"H-how is this possible? A being incompatible with any known system? H-how? An entity? But, he's just a child."
"W-what...are you?"
This time, the ring felt a genuine terror like never before. She looked at the boy in a new light now.
[ERROR!]
[The forbidden legacy of E#@/%$ has been discovered!]
[The forbidden legacy of E#@/%$ has been discovered!]
[The Hollow End...will now be terminated!]
"Wait, what?"
Her eyes narrowed coldly as she noticed the lights dim, before turning a vivid violet. Rael's body dropped heavily onto the floor before the light narrowed into a single bright bolt of purple directed at the centre of his chest.
Silver arcs of lightning started to crackle around it at it slowly expanded and grew in power.
"V#@|d$, what are you doing?"
She shouted out in annoyance, yet if the voice didn't hear her or decided to ignore her, she didn't know. But she saw the line increasing in brightness and knew what would happen if it actually decided to fire.
But she didn't really have to help him. Did she?
On one hand, she could simply ignore this creature and leave him to his fate. There were no downsides to this as the only thing she would have to lose was the casuality of his first and fifth vow which she could replenish on her own easily.
But if she decided to help him, there would definitely be consequences.
If she used a vow strong enough to save him, that would consume far more casuality than she would like to spend while in this form. Plus, it would greatly impact her image as a neutral player if she were to disrupt a conscious action of the void.
"Tch, all this because of that stupid favour."
She looked at the sleeping black mass of soul which seemed to still be sneering even now before turning up to a wide breach in the sky of his soulscape.
"But I must say, this one interests me. He cannot be allowed to die here."
She felt the many narrowed eyes boring into her, yet she shrugged it off before wrapping around Rael's heart.
[Supreme Vow, do not interfe-]
The sound of her clicking her tongue rang out as the ring lit up with a red light, ancient symbols igniting along it's length.
'So now you hear me.'
[First Decree: Gamble. If the Hero Rael Deth is to defeat the fragment of the fifth witch, Euphoria The Tempter within a minute of the Gamble and successfully consumes her remains, let the gates of reincarnation be opened.]
[Supreme Vow, stop this at once!]
[Fifth decree: Exchange. In exchange for a binding contract valid for the course of the Hero Rael Deth's next reincarnation, the being Supreme of Vows, shall devour a portion of the Hero's existence.
Suddenly a single, mirror-like eye appeared in the middle of the ring, shining brightly as it sealed itself within his heart.
The violet spear of void lightning dropped in an instant, faster than light. Yet right before it smashed into Rael, a dark pool of flames expanded beneath him, swallowing him and the ring right before they were struck.
For a few moments, the void was quiet, but then the voice of the void echoed once more. This time quieter than before.
[Appraisal has been interrupted!]
[Awaiting further instructions.]
[...]
[...]
[Orders confirmed.]
[Orders are to observe the target.]
[Do not engage.]
[Commencing Dimensional Descent]