The Holy Spirit's expression was grave as she fixed her glowing gaze on Kazuki. The atmosphere in the soul realm remained tense, the silence between them thick with unspoken fear and curiosity.
"Tell me everything," the Holy Spirit demanded softly, but firmly. "Everything about that… Chaos Spirit."
Kazuki sighed, running a hand through his hair, still trying to get used to having these types of conversations as a supposed five-year-old. "I'm not originally from this world," he admitted. "I came from another one. It might sound ridiculous or crazy, but—"
The Holy Spirit raised a hand, cutting him off. "I'm not an idiot. I already suspected as much. A normal child doesn't think, talk, or act like you. It's obvious. I've been watching your soul. Now—what happened before you were reborn?"
Kazuki took a deep breath, memories of his old life flickering before his eyes like fading echoes. "It started with a dream. I saw him—the Chaos Spirit. Then, for thirteen days, I heard his whispers. Constant, unsettling voices in my head. At the time, I was already… mentally unstable in my past life. I thought I was losing my mind, paranoid. But one day, after returning home, I closed my eyes… and when I opened them again, I was here. In this world."
The Holy Spirit's expression darkened. "By what you're telling me… that means the Chaos Spirit was inside your soul long before the ceremonies. Long before you were even reborn here. He's been orchestrating this from the very start."
She began pacing within the soul realm, her radiance dimming slightly as she thought aloud. "If he implanted a fragment of his Spiritual Energy into your soul before you were reborn, then it explains everything. It explains why no one noticed anything unusual until the ceremony. He masked his Chaos Force so thoroughly, even Lord Julius couldn't detect it. That's why, when Julius blessed you with Holy Force, the crystal displayed both forces awakening within you."
She stopped, turning back toward Kazuki. "But the truth is — you already possessed a force. Chaos Force, laced within your soul like a sleeping serpent. And now… you carry the stolen energy of countless spirits he's consumed over time. His purpose is clear. He's building you up, nurturing your strength, waiting for the day when you're powerful enough for him to corrupt you completely… and then consume you."
Kazuki's stomach turned at the thought.
"But," she continued, her voice regaining its strength, "we still have a chance. The future isn't set in stone. That's why I'm here. I've already seen what would happen if I told anyone about him — the death, the destruction… everyone gone. The entire world would fall, even Julius himself."
Kazuki clenched his fists. "Then we keep this between us."
The Holy Spirit nodded. "Agreed. From this moment on, you and I will work together in secret. I'll help you grow stronger, guide you, and when the time comes — we'll be ready for him."
A sense of determination flickered in Kazuki's chest, his resolve tightening. He didn't ask for this, but he would see it through. If the fate of the world, his family, and himself balanced on a knife's edge… then he would sharpen it into a sword.