[Status: Consumable Subject]
Devour? [Y/N]
Aquarius stared at the prompt, chest rising and falling slowly. Everything had moved so fast, he hadn't even had time to breathe, let alone think about the fact he was in a damn novel.
He figured he'd save the existential breakdown for later. Right now, people were bleeding out.
"Question is there a way I can do this at a later time? Two people are on the verge of dying over there."
[Yes. Subject (Sub-Zero Jaguar) will be held in your inventory until you're ready to devour.]
Aquarius nodded in satisfaction, relief washing over him. "Would've been pretty awkward if I tried to use Devour knowing two people were gravely injured." he muttered.
His attention shifted. Wait..how exactly were they supposed to get ou—
Before the thought even finished, the Sub-Zero Jaguar's corpse fractured into shimmering golden specs, scattering like sunlit snow. They danced toward him in elegant spirals, and a warm glow wrapped around his body.
A tingling sensation washed over his skin like fine static before fading.
[Beast Core acquired.]
[This C-Ranked Threshold has been complete.]
'Huh. Guess he was actually right. This wasn't a E-Ranked Threshold.' Aquarius thought, eyes narrowing slightly.
Then everything around him began to fracture.
The world split like glass caught in slow motion, shards peeling away and disintegrating into pale light, just like Vergil's Judgement Cut End. He could see pieces of the frozen battlefield drifting into the void, fading into streaks of glowing blue.
It was… surreal. Dreamlike. Like the ending to a boss fight.
And just like that, they were gone.
They reappeared on cobblestone streets lined with snow-covered rooftops and glowing lanterns. The surrounding village had an old-world charm, reminding him vaguely of the Hidden Leaf Village from Naruto but older, more worn. The kind of place with history carved into every brick and banner.
A choked sob yanked his attention.
He whipped around and spotted the woman again—Shia—kneeling beside the two unconscious men, their bodies limp in her arms. Blood stained the ground beneath them.
"Help!! Someone!!" he screamed, voice echoing off the stone walls and wooden homes.
It worked.
Doors cracked open. Villagers cautiously stepped out, gasping as they took in the scene.
Among them stood a towering, ethereal beast—white and purple, glowing like starlight. Butterfly wings larger than a man shimmered in the cold air.
Beside it, a man barked, "Gia go help them!!"
The butterfly cooed—a haunting, melodic sound, and launched into the air with fluid grace.
Aquarius blinked, mesmerized by the sheer elegance of the creature. It drifted toward them like a spirit of winter, the wind around it warm and oddly comforting.
Gia hovered above Fin and Shane, wings slowly folding in to create a cocoon of shimmering light. Tendrils of glowing thread unraveled from her body, spiraling downward.
First soft.
Then stronger.
They wove into muscle, mended fractured bone, pulsed into the spirit.
Shia stared in awe through tear-streaked lashes.
Within seconds, Shane's color began to return. His chest rose. His breath no longer wheezed.
Fin coughed again but this time, it wasn't the death rattle. It sounded alive. Grounded.
Aquarius stared, half-stunned. "That big ass butterfly… is a healer?"
"More than that-" said a calm, firm voice behind him.
A tall man approached, draped in thick fur with a wide scar running from his jaw to his collarbone. Power radiated from every step. "Gia's one of the Sacred Companions. You're lucky we were close."
He looked Aquarius over, measuring not judging.
"You… You're not from here, are you?"
Aquarius opened his mouth then hesitated. His eyes flicked toward the now breathing Fin and Shane… then back to the imposing man in front of him.
The air was thick with silence, the crowd waiting.
Shia immediately rose to defend him. "He saved us!"
The villagers' eyes widened, murmurs rising.
"Wait wasn't that Threshold E-Ranked? It couldn't be that hard to clear right??"
"Yeah and where did he even come from? If I remembered only you three went inside the Threshold."
"Actually-" Aquarius stood up straight, speaking with calm authority. "That Threshold was C-Ranked with a very powerful Tier 1 Beast."
The villagers gasped.
"And if it wasn't for Aquarius… we wouldn't be alive."
Aquarius raised an eyebrow slightly. Now that he thought about it… he didn't remember telling her his name. Maybe her Trait had something to do with it?
Probably.
"Tch… I don't believe tha—"
"Do you doubt my daughter?"
The voice cut like steel through ice.
Everyone turned.
A man and woman stepped forward, clearly leaders. The man was in his late 40s, built like a general, silver-haired and clad in dark armor. His black eyes burned with silent judgment. Beside him was a regal woman with brunette hair and piercing purple eyes, her cloak etched with divine-looking symbols.
The village elders. Shia and Shane's parents.
"H-Huh? No sir! I was ju—!"
"Silence. Get out of my sight. I'll deal with you later."
"Y-yes sir!" The villager bolted away like a terrified rabbit.
"Shia, Shane… is this true?" her father asked, voice softened just a hair.
Shia nodded, wiping the last tears from her face. "Yes, Father. Aquarius saved us. If he hadn't arrived when he did…" Her eyes dropped to Shane in her lap, still breathing, "…we wouldn't be here."
Fin added hoarsely, "He… fought the Jaguar. Mostly by himself. It was stronger than anything we've ever faced."
The War Chief took a long, silent breath.
Then locked eyes with Aquarius.
"You," he said. "Come here."
Aquarius didn't flinch. He stepped forward, posture relaxed, meeting the towering elder eye-to-eye.
"I am Darius, War Chief and Elder of Threshold Hollow." He placed a heavy, calloused hand on Aquarius's shoulder.
"You have my gratitude."
Another murmur rolled through the villagers, this time in disbelief. The War Chief never gave thanks. Not unless it was earned with blood and soul.
Aquarius blinked. "Preciate it. Honestly just didn't want to watch anyone die today."
The woman stepped forward now. Her voice was gentle, melodic.
"I am Marien, High Seer of the Hollow. My husband speaks for the sword, I speak for the soul."
She studied him closely.
"Your soul is different… reeking of potential to grow and expand."
'Common sense tells me it's because of my Trait.' he mused.
To his surprise, Darius… smiled.
"We will hold a big special dinner and celebration for our guest. Would you like anything right now… Aquarius, was it?"
Aquarius nodded. "Do you all have a… library?"
He desperately needed more context. He was flying blind in a world with Thresholds, ranks, beasts, and Divine Cores.
"Just down that way, help yourself."
"Thank you." Aquarius nodded and started walking off.
"Thank you again, Aquarius!" Shia called out.
"Yeah, that dumbass never would've survived!" Fin added.
"Shut up, Fin. But yeah, we appreciate it!"
He stopped, glanced back with a grin.
"No problem. I would do it again."