Chapter 46: Well, That's Something

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

Chapter 46: Well, That's Something

Hours later*

Looking at the peaceful face of Aya, it almost seemed as if she were merely drifting in a comfortable sleep. Her expression was serene—too serene. But those who stood around her knew the truth. She was no longer alive. After a few silent seconds, her body began to crumble, disintegrating into fine, silvery ashes. Even her clothes followed suit, vanishing into nothingness as if erased from existence by some unseen force.

In my right hand, I held a milky, mist-shrouded marble—small, cold, and deceptively fragile. Within its cloudy surface swirled a liquid that moved of its own accord, sluggish yet with no indication it would ever be still. This was the so-called "immortality" of Aya. An essence I had extracted through the Error's Uniqueness, and captured via a ritual designed solely for her. The ritual itself was the product of countless Computational Divinations, fine-tuned with precision using layered combinations of Pathways to ensure every element functioned in perfect synchrony.

Yet even now, with the result in hand, I knew the truth ran deeper.

Despite its name, the so-called immortality was a lie. A comforting illusion. Aya's continued existence hadn't been due to eternal life, but rather a subtle manipulation of fate itself. If it had truly been immortality, then the simple act of severing her head should never have brought her to a state of suspended death in the first place.

What Aya possessed wasn't everlasting life. Instead, it was something far more insidious—a subconscious, semi-passive and semi-active mechanism that redirected harm meant for her. Any danger, any lethal blow, was shifted elsewhere, cast onto another vessel or target capable of bearing her burden while keeping her alive, even with her head and body separated for so long.

That was her so-called immortality: a redistribution of consequence, a transfer of both physical and spiritual damage. Her body and soul were protected, but her mind—her consciousness—remained vulnerable. Unburdened, untouched... and ultimately alone. For even a lie that mimics immortality must still yield to the truth of limitation.

That said, I switched to the Card of the Twilight Giant before I installed the Immortality Marble into a socket at the back of my left glove. The glove itself had been modified through a ritual I had set up beforehand, along with the ones to deal with Aya's immortality, to transform it into a vessel specifically designed to interface with the marble's peculiar nature.

With a flick of my left wrist, a sharp hiss cut through the air. Milky, mist-shrouded wires extended from the tips of my fingers, each one semi-translucent and flowing like strands of liquid silk. I manipulated them with ease, guiding their movements until they coiled around me like serpents and ghostly white.

Channeling my Spirituality into the glove, I activated the marble's latent influence. Immediately, the wires pulsed in response to my desires. I directed my mental exhaustion—dense, oppressive, almost physical—into them. The moment the burden transferred, the weight in my mind began to lift. I felt it, the sudden lightness, the sharp contrast. It was as if I had just awakened from a deep, dreamless sleep—refreshed, clear-headed, and newly alive.

The wires, now heavy with what had once overwhelmed my mind, sagged. They fell slowly to the ground, no longer graceful, their movements sluggish and burdened. Then, like mist touched by sunlight, they began to dissolve—disintegrating particle by particle, unable to withstand the corrosive weight of my transferred fatigue.

I watched them vanish into the floor, leaving nothing behind but a trace of fading warmth in the glove.

Note to self: I need to create more wires. Otherwise, next time, I'll be forced to improvise—to find some other medium capable of bearing future burdens. And there will be more burdens.

I begin tearing down the Wall of Spirituality. As the wall crumbles, I switch over to the Eternal Aeon Pathway, becoming a Dual-Pathways Beyond with the Twilight Giant Pathway I had already activated. The two Paths intertwine within me, ancient forces spiraling together without resistance, their symbology flickering in and out of my perception like forgotten constellations.

In that moment, innate knowledge begins pouring into my mind—alien yet somehow familiar. Concepts and truths unfold with effortless clarity, revealing the structure and nature of the Eternal Aeon Pathway.

Eternal Aeon - Sequence 9: Dancer

Mystical Knowledge: A wealth of knowledge would materialize in their minds, enabling them to comprehend it instantly. This knowledge is about using dance, rhythm, and spirituality to connect with the forces of nature and communicate with unknown entities. This was the essence of being a Dancer. With this knowledge, they were able to appease other entities by creating new sacrificial dances tailored explicitly to certain situations.

Enigmatic Dance: This is directly planted in a Dancer's mind, enabling them to comprehend it instantly, and all that remained was to practice it.

Summoning Dance: This does not resemble the traditional sacrificial rite but rather a blend of sacrifice and summoning. By executing this dance, a Dancer could attract nearby objects or spirits and allow themselves to be possessed by one of them, at the cost of their blood, thereby gaining access to one of its abilities or traits. Summoning Dance lasts for 20 to 30 seconds. They would first need to endure such a form of Possession. Some attachments could inflict significant adverse effects on humans, while others might prove reluctant to depart, creating complications. Although it's not its intended purpose, it could be used for Spirit Channeling to gain information from deceased spirits. However, the Dancer can't ask questions. Instead, they will randomly see some of the spirit's memories. Each Summoning Dance consumes a lot of Spirituality and can only show a single memory. This method is just better than nothing.

Physical Enhancement: A Dancer would become extremely flexible, allowing them to actually perform the dances they were given knowledge of.

Spirituality: When a Dancer danced, their Spirituality radiated outward, merging with the ambient natural forces. This helped them concentrate their thoughts, quiet their minds, and enter a transcendent, mystical state.

I shake my head slowly. This Eternal Aeon Pathway... there's more to it than I initially grasped. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. This is the very Pathway used by the main character in the second book of the Lord of the Mysteries series.

I rub my chin thoughtfully, mentally cataloging what I know and what still eludes me.

With a flick of my left wrist, a new set of milky mist-shrouded wires spills forth from my fingertips.

Under my control, I make them begin to 'dance', an improvisational motion somewhere between ritual and art. Spirals, coils, and weaves—no set form, only flow.

And then it happens.

I feel my Spirituality surge outward, not in a violent burst but as a natural bloom. The wires respond like extensions of my own being, weaving in rhythm. My surroundings shift subtly—the air feels heavier, more aware, as if the space around me is listening to the dance, holding its breath.

The dance isn't beautiful in the traditional sense—it's eerie, magnetic, like watching fog learn how to move. But it carries resonance, and that's what matters.

I let the movement continue, allowing my thoughts to drift.

With the glove acting as a conduit and the Immortality Marble embedded at its core, I can use it to work with other Pathways if I'm creative enough to think of a way to do so.

I reel the wires back into the glove as I leave the room used to allow Aya to die through a ritual and obtain the Immortality Marble.

Outside, the sunlight filters through thin clouds. In the backyard, Momoyo stands in the grass, her sleeves rolled up, a sheen of sweat glinting on her arms. She had been practicing, but now, she's paused, her expression unreadable.

"So, I guess Aya is gone?" Momoyo asked with restrained frustration.

"Yup." I replied simply, stepping onto the stone path. "Body included. No risk of someone accidentally waking her up again."

The wind stirred. The birds nearby had gone quiet.

I didn't elaborate, and Momoyo didn't press.

"Great, both of you are here." Tesshin called out, emerging from the opposite path with a grandfatherly smile. "I just finished talking with some old friends. You two are all set for the new school semester. Of course, Momoyo will be a student… and Chikao, you'll be the school nurse." He grinned as he said it. "Be glad I didn't make Chikao a teacher—people would've had a lot to say about your relationship. Hehehe."

"Why am I going back to school?!" Momoyo snapped, already looking ready to throw hands with her grandfather.

"Because you need to learn more than just how to punch things to death!" Tesshin shouted back. "Besides, summer's almost over! And this is your last year of high school—enjoy it while it lasts!"

I almost forgot that Momoyo was still in high school. Honestly, I kind of expected her to be done by now. Then again, it's easy to forget that the creators of these beautiful female characters always make them look way too mature for their age.

"Whatever… Am I going back to Kawakami Academy?" Momoyo asked, folding her arms beneath her chest in a way that made it clear she wasn't thrilled but also drew my attention to her breasts.

"Nope. I've transferred you to a different school." Tesshin said, grinning like he'd just pulled off a great task. "No point sending you back there now that you've got Chikao in your life. You're welcome, by the way." He beamed with satisfaction, clearly proud of himself. "Besides, I wouldn't have called in old favors if I were just shipping you back to Kawakami Academy, now would I?"

"Then, where are you sending us?" I asked before Momoyo could. She closed her mouth with a faint scowl.

"Ishiyama High School." Tesshin answered plainly.

"I feel like I've heard of that school somewhere... but where?" Momoyo frowned, her brows knitting together as she tried to remember.

"I'm gonna need to restock a few things if we're going there..." I let out a long sigh, already mentally cataloging everything I'd need.

"Let's just say." Tesshin said, narrowing his eyes at his granddaughter. "It's a place I was planning to send you at some point in the past." He let that hang in the air for a moment. "Anyway, you two should get ready to leave tomorrow morning."

"Seriously, where have I heard that school's name before?" Momoyo frowned even harder, clearly straining to remember.

"Should I be preparing for something while working there as a nurse...?" I asked, casting a glance at Tesshin. I was already halfway to calling it a night and crashing into bed.

"Lots of bandages. And maybe a metal bat, if you feel like it." Tesshin offered cheerfully.

"…Right." I muttered, rolling my eyes before glancing over at Momoyo. "You can think about it tomorrow. You want to do anything before calling it a night, Momoyo?"

"How about you two stay in a shared bedroom?" Tesshin cut in before Momoyo could respond. "Start working on the next-generation heir of the Kawakami Clan, huh?"

I stared at him in utter disbelief.

Momoyo, on the other hand, didn't immediately shut it down. Judging by the look on her face… she was actually considering it.

Seriously, this makes everything so forced in more than one way...