MT - 98 Word of Power

Roy exhaled deeply, his fingers nimble as they deftly manipulated Eris's movements.

In truth, treating someone like a puppet, controlling them with such precision, required a certain skill set.

He slowed down the movements just a bit, then fixed his gaze on Eris and said, "This time, try not to lose focus."

Eris nodded seriously.

In the end, she managed to master the dance.

Edna clapped for Eris, her applause warm but restrained. As Eris's instructor, Edna wasn't particularly known for her exceptional teaching methods. Her approach was mostly rigid, relying on rote memorization—simple, straightforward, almost mechanical, like "1 is 1, 2 is 2."

This method had its limitations, and it hadn't worked particularly well with Eris.

Roy, on the other hand, always made an effort to keep his lessons lively and engaging, often weaving in small stories to spark Eris's interest. Although Eris still wasn't keen on subjects like arithmetic, at least Roy's style made learning more enjoyable.

At that moment, Eris's face was drenched in sweat.

It wasn't because the dance itself was physically demanding, but because remembering the intricate movements had drained her mind. Her already limited brainpower was taxed to the point of exhaustion.

Roy shook out his sore fingers and looked at Eris. "Take a short break. After that, let's try dancing together. If it goes well, it'll mean you'll shine on your birthday."

Eris nodded, her expression tired but determined.

Ten minutes later, Roy called out, "Get ready, Eris."

Eris stood up, her sweat having dried, and her face flushed with a slight redness.

Roy approached her but paused when he reached her. He realized that his height seemed just a little too much compared to hers.

Though they were only three years apart, his height had already surpassed hers by nearly three heads.

The noticeable height difference would certainly affect their coordination.

After a moment's thought, Roy subtly adjusted his posture, his bones shifting with a faint, strange sound. His height shrank from nearly 1.75 meters to about 1.6 meters.

Edna stared in shock, her mouth slightly agape, while Eris merely looked on, unsurprised. To her, it wasn't a stretch to believe that Roy, who could suddenly grow taller, could just as easily shrink.

After all, she'd witnessed his battle with Ghislaine just moments ago.

Roy extended a hand toward Eris, his smile gentle as he spoke, "Then, beautiful lady, would you honor me with a dance?"

Eris, normally composed, felt a sudden flush rise to her cheeks.

"What... What did he just say? 'Beautiful lady'?"

That was her first thought.

Despite her usually tough exterior, even Eris couldn't help but care about how others perceived her. When her long-time, often cold, and sometimes harsh teacher suddenly smiled so warmly and called her that, even Eris couldn't help but feel her heart race.

Roy, still holding his hand out in front of her, raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Eris, snapping out of her momentary daze, instinctively prepared to scoff. But seeing him as her teacher, she reluctantly relented.

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I suppose I'll dance with you," she said, somewhat begrudgingly.

Roy raised an eyebrow, bewildered. "That's not how you say it. You're supposed to say, 'I'd be happy to.'"

Eris fell into silence, her earlier shyness vanishing. She now looked at Roy with a hint of challenge in her expression.

Roy smiled softly and repeated, "Would you dance with me?"

Eris fell silent again, this time, the earlier compliments no longer affecting her.

Finally, she nodded in silent agreement, her response barely audible. Roy, with a sigh, rubbed his forehead. "Alright, then. Let's begin."

The lively music played, and Roy's right hand took Eris's left, while his left arm gently circled her waist, guiding her into the dance.

The rhythm was light and quick, the melody flowing softly through the room.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on Roy's handsome face. The golden light illuminated his delicate features—his brows, the slight flutter of his lashes, and his beautiful eyes—all of which made Eris feel momentarily dazed.

In any world, beauty catches the eye. People naturally find themselves looking at good-looking individuals, and those with a positive first impression always seem to draw more attention.

But in that fleeting moment of distraction, Eris lost her rhythm. She, who was never particularly good with timing, now found her steps faltering, her movements out of sync.

Roy frowned, surprised that Eris had lost focus again. He hadn't expected it.

Sighing, he gently attempted to guide her back into the rhythm. Feeling the sweat forming in her palm, Roy mistakenly thought Eris was nervous. "Don't worry. Just keep your steps steady."

Eris nodded, but in reality, her thoughts were a muddled mess. Her heartbeat quickened in a way she'd never felt before, especially when Roy frowned—he looked even more attractive when he did.

Her eyes unconsciously traced the golden locks that cascaded down his neck, following the curve of his collarbones. The sight made her cheeks redden involuntarily.

What's happening?

Why am I like this today?

Eris tried to push the strange thoughts aside, determined to stay focused. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop being drawn to him.

Finally, the dance ended when Eris accidentally stepped on Roy's foot.

Roy frowned, deep in thought. He was puzzled by Eris's reaction today. Normally, she was somewhat of a scatterbrain, rarely paying attention in class, but now, she seemed… different. Something was off, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Roy couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Eris kept zoning out, and there was an underlying sense of nervousness that she couldn't quite hide.

He turned to Edna with a questioning glance and asked, "What do you think's going on with Eris? Do you have any idea?"

Edna covered her mouth with a quiet laugh, watching Eris avert her gaze, looking every bit the shy young girl. With a knowing smile, she said, "Dancing with such a handsome young man must be quite the nerve-wracking experience for any girl."

Eris, her thoughts exposed, flushed red with embarrassment and shot back defensively, "I'm not nervous! No, I'm just... thinking about how to handle the upcoming ball."

Roy's expression softened as realization dawned. He grabbed Eris's face, gently pulling her towards him and pinching her cheek. "Eris, you've reached this age, haven't you? But remember, little ones can't fall for their teachers, you know?"

Before he could say anything more, Eris's response was swift and beautiful—she punched him squarely in the stomach.

Roy didn't dodge. The punch landed perfectly, right in the spot three inches below his ribs, but Eris immediately regretted it. Her fist struck something harder than she'd expected, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She glared at Roy, her voice dripping with frustration, "Tch, just because you're good-looking…"

Roy shrugged nonchalantly, deciding not to tease her further. While it was fun to mess with a brat, he didn't want to push it too far—he could already imagine her going on a hunger strike if he kept it up.

He smiled and turned back to Eris. "Alright, let's continue. This time, focus on feeling the rhythm of my steps. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you're nervous, just take a deep breath."

Roy reached for Eris's hand once more. Her hand wasn't as soft as he had imagined; instead, it felt rough, a result of her years of sword training.

But her consistent sword practice had also given her a strong and graceful body, and as Roy guided her movements, he couldn't help but notice the balance she carried with each step.

Edna, watching from the side, clicked her tongue in admiration and smiled. "If you wear a neat dress and attend the ball, I'm sure you'll be the most stunning person there. No one could be more elegant than you."

Eris was taken aback. It was rare to hear such high praise from Edna, her strict etiquette teacher. Feeling a bit irritated, she slightly quickened her pace, hoping to make things a bit more difficult for Roy.

But Roy only smiled, adjusting his hold around her waist, lifting her effortlessly, and spinning her gracefully.

He set her down gently and stopped the dance, looking at her with a knowing smile. "There, I think you've got it, Eris?"

Eris huffed in frustration, turning away to avoid looking at him.

Roy nodded, as if recalling something, and said, "By the way, I'll be gone for a little while soon. When I'm away, let's have Rudius teach you some magic arithmetic or something. You'd better listen carefully—Rudius is actually quite good at it."

Eris, who had been deliberately ignoring him, suddenly turned back around. "Where are you going?" she asked, curiosity sparking in her voice.

Roy shrugged casually. "Just some things I need to take care of. It's not something for kids to worry about."

Eris mumbled an acknowledgment, then resumed trying to follow the rhythm of the dance. She could feel that her movements were improving, though there was still room for refinement.

Roy watched her for a moment before turning to Edna. "The rest is up to you, Edna. Just guide her through the steps."

Edna nodded, and Roy walked out of the room, heading outside.

The moment he left, Eris paused, her expression darkening as she watched his retreating figure.

As Roy stepped outside, he ran into Ghislaine. Recently, due to Eris, Roy had to keep postponing their sword training sessions, leaving Ghislaine with little to do.

Curious, Roy had once asked Ghislaine why he always seemed to stick so closely to Eris.

Ghislaine's response was simple, just one sentence: "Protecting the young lady is the duty of a bodyguard."

Ghislaine was a bit of a stickler, especially when it came to flexibility in thinking. She didn't quite understand the need to adapt.

However, in certain moments, Roy found himself appreciating Ghislaine's unbending nature.

When Ghislaine saw Roy, she was quite surprised. She looked him up and down before speaking, "You've gotten even more handsome. Way more than that Paul kid."

Roy's mouth twitched, unsure of how to respond. It seemed that everyone's first remark upon seeing him lately was how much he'd become more charming.

Ghislaine circled Roy, inspecting him with a mix of curiosity and admiration. Then, she asked, "Can I touch you?"

Roy felt an unusual sense of embarrassment. He looked into Ghislaine's eyes, finding nothing but calm indifference.

He hesitated but nodded, reluctantly agreeing to her request.

Ghislaine began to feel him up, inspecting every inch while commenting, "Has the muscle density changed? No, wait, even your bones have shifted. Your whole body seems to have changed. I heard from Eris that you weren't home last night. I thought something had happened to you, but after just a day, you've turned into this."

Roy's lips twitched. He knew Ghislaine didn't mean anything bad by it, but somehow, it felt like she was indirectly insulting him. He cleared his throat a few times and then looked at her, "Want to spar a little?"

Ghislaine chuckled, patting Roy on the shoulder. "I can tell you've gotten a lot stronger, but no. I still have things to do."

With that, she waved him off and walked toward Eris's room.

Roy sighed and turned back toward his own room. Eris's situation was settled for now, but he still had some unfinished business.

Once in his room, he closed the door behind him and opened the system's interface, his gaze lingering on the final reward.

[High-Level Word of Power Awakening Opportunity]

This time, Roy didn't act impulsively. He called out to the system, "How about this High-Level Word of Power Awakening opportunity?"

A cold, electronic voice answered.

[No problem.]

Roy let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, but immediately, doubts crept in. He seriously suspected that the system's "no problem" was a setup for some sort of trap.

It seemed that the system picked up on Roy's hesitation, as it offered an unusually thorough explanation.

[The awakening of the Word of Power takes a considerable amount of time and will not affect the host too drastically all at once.]

Hearing this explanation, Roy relaxed a little. He addressed the system, "Then, awaken it."

[Word of Power Awakening in Progress.]

[Selecting suitable Word of Power.]

[Word of Power: Moment]

[Type: Time-based Lower Word of Power, can be upgraded.]

[Current Awakening Progress: 1%]

Roy furrowed his brows slightly. In an instant, his thoughts seemed to speed up considerably, but by the time he processed it, he felt nothing out of the ordinary.

Word of Power: Moment.

Was this the Moment?

According to the Word of Power hierarchy, Time Zero was the higher version of Moment, belonging to the lineage of the Kings of Sky and Wind. However, the difference between these two was not as simple as one being weaker than the other. In fact, Moment was one of the few Word of Powers capable of countering Time Zero, making it unique among all Word of Powers.

Roy pondered more on the details of Moment. This Word of Power was incredibly powerful, almost like a close-range assassin. In an era dominated by cold weapons, it would have been considered a king without a crown.

For Roy, this could be an immensely valuable power.

***

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[Bleach: Love and Bonds Make Me Stronger!]

Synopsis:

Falling into a rabbit hole called the Soul Society is bad enough.

But do you know what's even worse than that?

Landing in a Soul Society where the very concept of the Gotei 13 doesn't even exist yet!

Armed with shattered fragments of meta-knowledge, Makoto struggles to survive in the Rukongai amidst human-shaped monsters.

But even after throwing everything he's got into the fight, staying alive in a world where the Soul Society's Most Diabolical Criminal still roams free is nothing short of impossible.

Fortunately, it seems the gods might have heard his suffering, on the brink of death, his cheat finally awakens!

[Love and Bonds System!]

As long as he builds relationships be it romance or friendship with every character around him, his strength will grow.

Simple, right?

But…

[Unohana-mama, can you give me some of your milk?]

[Bald old man, you're lucky to face just 1% of my power, otherwise, you'd be split in half and dead!]

[Saito-chan, could you sit on my face? Please!]

[Aizen-kun, you might be good at manipulation, but that brain of yours is still only 3% of mine!]

[Yhwach, if you can see every possible future, can you see one where you become a Magical Girl?]

Why the fuck this system have a foul mouth that only drags him toward death instead of fostering love and bonds?