Yukki sighed lightly, dismissed the call, and turned her face to Rakina.
"For now, I'll handle the Fools to make sure they don't send anyone to kill you while you're preparing to enter the Tower. If push comes to shove, I might even have to knock some sense into them." Her face darkened, and her eyes narrowed, flickering with violent intent. Shun swore he saw electricity sparking.
"Master. Thank you." Rakina bowed gratefully. "I will not disappoint you."
Yukki nodded faintly, then snapped her fingers. A spatial door opened.
"Take care of yourself, my disciple."
"Yes, Master." Rakina turned around and entered the portal.
"Wait, boy."
"What?"
Shun stopped in his tracks and turned slightly.
She tossed a coin. He caught it and inspected it.
An old five-yen coin? Shun frowned slightly.
"What's this?"
"A reward for saving my disciple."
Shun stared at the coin, then slipped it into his pocket. "Thank you."
And just as he was a step away from the portal.
"Also."
"Hmm?" He halted his steps.
She threw him a shirt. He unfolded it with curious looks.
"Thanks, I guess?" He store it into his inventory and was about to enter the portal.
"And one more thing."
"Yes?" Shun stopped and wondered silently why she can't speak everything at once?
"That cleave through your body should've cut you in half. I believe it's His power you received that enables you to endure and recover from such a terrifying attack.
"But know this, don't get too attached to it. It is a double edged sword. As soon as you get spoiled by it, know that it's too late." Her warning came stern and sharp.
Shun looked down at his body. A huge wound across his torso could be seen.
If not for the ability He has given to him, he would've died. Such a power, to recover one's state at an unprecedented speed is unimaginable and might get one addicted.
Yet in the end of it all, it's still belongs to an Outer God. A being that sees life as nothing but toys. He must take caution each time he used His power.
As he stared at his wound, Shun trembled when remembering the pain. That sensation of coming close to death. It shaken to his core.
However, it lasted briefly as he clenched his fist.
He couldn't let this slow him down, or be a reason for his journey to stop.
This kind of thing would be an occasion and he must get used to it.
Terrible and stronger pain awaits in his path. Cower in fear is not an option.
He raised his gaze. Eyes filled with an even stronger resolve, "I understand."
"Good." She nodded.
"Is there something else?" Shun wanted to jump into the portal but ceased his movement and glanced at her.
"Nothing."
"Then I'll be on my way. Thank you for everything."
He walked into the portal.
"That should be my line." Yukki smiled faintly
As soon as he stepped through the portal, he found himself just in front of the tailor, with his back against the door.
Dawn had long passed, yet the sky was still blanketed by darkness. The streetlights cast a dull glow over the road.
He glanced back—something was off.
It was now abandoned. Planks strapped to the windows, glass shards on the ground, and an eerie stillness inside.
He reached into his pocket and felt the coin. He smiled, somewhat reassured.
"Shun, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, just thinking… everything that happened feels like a dream. I mean, an eel acting as a bus?"
"I'm glad you enjoyed the view."
"Can I live there?"
"It's not possible. You'd have to marry a witch. A friendly reminder—don't."
Shun frowned a bit. "Why? It's worth it!"
"It's a complicated process, but it's your life, so I can only with you the best of luck."
"Thanks."
"Also, one more thing. You're still in that form."
The Living Alloy form. That explains why passersby kept glancing at him.
Gotta change back, he thought and reverted the transformation.
Almost immediately, Shun's stomach growled.
"Sorry." He laughed, hiding his embarrassment. But then he heard another faint rumble. He glanced at Rakina. Her cheeks flushed red.
Shun offered a faint smile.
"Let's go eat."
***
They decided to eat at a fast food restaurant. Shun observed his surroundings out of boredom. He could count the people here on one hand:
A man who had checked his shoelaces more than fifteen times in ten minutes, and a group of high school girls gossiping about the lone thirty-year-old man in the corner.
The man was strikingly beautiful. His hair flowed to his shoulders, his bangs parted evenly in the middle. He wore a white robe, and his skin had a slight dark tone.
Then he stood up walked to the entrance. Perhaps because he's uncomfortable being the center of attention? Or perhas something else? Shun wouldn't know.
As he passed by Shun, Shun heard something:
"Five hundred years… is enough."
Shun glanced at the man. He halted mid-step and turned his eyes slightly. Their gazes met.
His eyes burned with killing intent and madness.
Time seemed to slow. Something deep inside Shun trembled.
Fear. Despair.
He froze. Forgot to breathe.
Then, the man looked away and walked on.
What… was that? Shun asked himself. Sweat trickled down his cheek. His emotions boiled wildly.
Anger. Hatred.
How dare that guy invoke such revolting feelings in me? Shun, trembling in fear and despair?
Somewhere deep within, he couldn't accept those emotions.
"Shun."
But her voice didn't reach him. He was too far gone, too lost in the chaos inside him.
"Shun!"
This time louder—accompanied by a light tap on his shoulder.
"Huh?"
He snapped out of it and immediately saw the concern in her eyes.
"Sorry, I just spaced out."
"Is that so? But you looked like you saw your worst nightmare."
"Really? But I'm okay."
Rakina shifted her eyes to the entrance—to the man who had just left.
"Do you know him?"
"This is the first time I've seen him."
Silence lingered. Shun took the moment to calm himself.
Ever since receiving powers from Him, his emotions had become unstable.
Pride in not feeling fear and despair? Never once had he thought of himself that way.
But… that line of thought—was that even him?
Calm down, calm down. I just need to do something about these emotions. They're in the way.
Should I just pretend I don't have them?
At that moment, Shun was unaware of how cold and stiff his expression had become.
"Here are your orders."
The waiter set the food on the table, snapping Shun out of his thoughts.
He chuckled to himself, trying to laugh it off.
Erasing emotions sounds like a solution… but surely there's a better way, right?
He focused on that question and asked himself again.
Right?
He wouldn't know.
Besides, this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
His stomach had been protesting, and now it was time to eat.
As they ate, they discussed important matters—mainly preparations for the Tower:
Weapons, skills, artifacts they needed for different scenarios.
No one knew what awaited them inside the Tower.
In the course of the conversation, Rakina revealed something.
"My skill is to create a blizzard by cutting open space that connects to a planet constantly in a winter storm."
They exchanged knowledge about each other's abilities to determine their fighting chemistry.
Of course, this only worked when both parties trusted each other—
In a world where deception often brought profit, trust was a rare currency.
Rakina also revealed an artifact:
---
[Silk of Comfort]
Description: Grants the user the invincible effect and heals their wounds.
Type: Item
Durability: 59%
Rarity: Very Rare
---
It was a robe made of silk, clearly worn down. Its color had faded.
"An item-type artifact. So lucky."
Artifacts have two types, one is consumable and has limits to how much one can use, and one is an item, showing durability percentage.
Naturally, item type artifacts were more useful and that caused this type of artifact to be incredibly popular in the market.
Furthermore, it was hard to find it.
If Rakina sold it she'd set for life and didn't have to work for three generations.
Rakina stored the artifact into her inventory as it turned into particles of white.
With everything in Rakina's arsenal being revealed, of course it'd pose some danger to her.
Shun anticipated as much and waited quietly for…
"Let's make a contract." Rakina suggested.
…There it is.
"Sure."