A Week of Preparation (2)

Herman frowned, scrutinizing his nephew with disbelief.

"I didn't even have a storage item when I started junior high. And I could only barely afford one by the time I was in my senior years, and yet here you are, demanding one now?"

Ariase pouted, his lips forming a small, exaggerated curve, "But, Uncle, it would really help me a lot! Even just a spare would do!"

Herman sighed heavily, his brow twitching.

'Sigh... this kid… he's really cornered me this time. Even a basic storage bracelet with a fifth-of-a-ton capacity costs half a million pesos. Where does he get this audacity?'

Despite his frustration, Herman found himself softening as he looked at Ariase's pleading expression.

Weighing the pros and cons in his mind, he finally relented with a resigned sigh.

"Fine, fine. But listen carefully, I'll only give you a fifth-a-ton storage. That's all. You better be grateful, you little brat."

Ariase's face immediately brightened, a triumphant smile spreading across his lips.

With this, he wouldn't need to worry about storage any longer.

Herman shook his head and waved his hand.

A sleek, velvet-black box appeared in his grasp, which he handed to Ariase.

"Here. Open it. Now I really need to go, I've got a lot of things to take care of."

But as Herman turned to leave, his thoughts betrayed his outward composure.

'If I stay here any longer, this kid will probably try to rip me off again. Where in the world did he learn to be so shrewd?'

As Herman hurried out, Ariase chuckled to himself and eagerly shifted his attention to the box.

With trembling fingers, he opened it, excitement bubbling within him, only for his smile to fade the moment he saw what was inside.

It was a bracelet, its design so familiar that it sent sorrow through his chest.

Ariase stared at it, the platinum link bracelet gleaming softly under the light. He could never forget it.

It was the same design as the one his father, John Lorenzo Ruiz, used to wear on his right arm.

Ariase's breath hitched as memories flooded back.

He bit his lip, blinking back tears.

He had always wished for his father to give him a bracelet like this so they could match, but that dream had never come true.

Now, to think that wish would be fulfilled not by his father, but by his father's brother…

The bittersweet realization weighed heavily on him.

As his heart tightened, his gaze drifted toward a family photo resting on the nearby table, a snapshot of happier times taken years ago.

His voice broke as he whispered to the picture, "Ma, Pa, I… miss you... so much."

A single tear slid down his cheek, and he clutched the bracelet tightly.

'If I had returned earlier… would I... have been able to see them again?'

...

Meanwhile, Herman took one last glance at the glowing halo on his back.

After ensuring that the sanctuary was fully stabilized and his nephew had awoken from his coma, he prepared to leave for Luminaria.

The fairies had already extended him an invitation to meet their Queen, a rare and prestigious opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.

Herman left a note on the kitchen table, scrawling a quick message:

"Ria, I'll be gone for a few days. If there's an emergency, call this number: +63 945 1324 576. It's Erica's. But don't bother her unless it's something serious."

With that, he turned his attention to a small ancient seed in his palm.

A glimmer of excitement sparked in his eyes, 'I must succeed, no matter what. If I can forge a contract with the Fairy Queen, I can finally ascend as a full-fledged 5th Halo.'

Reaching the 5th Halo was a monumental achievement, vastly different from advancing through the earlier stages.

To achieve it, one had to form a contract with a being of divinity: spirits, anitos, or gods tied to one's Motherland.

As a Filipino, Herman knew that forming a contract with deities from other regions was discouraged, a matter of both respect and the intricate balance of faith.

Such an act could invoke the wrath of the gods in his homeland.

But Herman had no intention of following the rules.

He wasn't planning to form a contract with an inner deity of Earth.

Instead, he had set his sights on something far more dangerous, an Outer God.

This was a taboo of the highest order, an act forbidden and whispered about only in fear.

Herman's resolve, however, was unshakable, born from the knowledge he had acquired from a fragmentary text he'd recovered years ago in the [Tower of Knowledge of Good and Evil], now long destroyed.

The text spoke of a grim truth.

Those who bound themselves to Earth's inner deities became shackled by chains of world essence, their freedom stripped away as they were forever tied to a primordial book, a fate Herman would never accept.

With a deliberate motion, Herman tossed the seed onto the ground.

Instantly, a portal adorned with glowing, vine-like patterns emerged.

Without hesitation, Herman stepped through, his figure vanishing along with the portal.

...

After experimenting with the storage bracelet, Ariase was relieved to find it functional, even without a trace of mystic energy in his body.

Content with his discovery, he turned his focus back to his mundane routine.

Spotting the note his uncle left on the counter, he muttered, "I just woke up from a coma, and he's already gone. Where is he even running off to, leaving his weak nephew behind?"

The following days blurred into monotony.

Tuesdays were consumed with eating, drinking liquified mystic stones, studying, and researching.

From Wednesday to Friday, he avoided the gym entirely, his transformed body had become far too noticeable.

Instead, he opted to exercise in the privacy of their apartment, wary of drawing attention to himself.

By Friday night, concern weighed heavily on his mind.

Sitting in a small eatery, waiting for his takeaway order, he frowned.

"Uncle still hasn't come back... where in the world is he? He's not in any danger, right?"

The worry finally pushed him to act.

Back at the penthouse, he scrolled through his phone and dialed Erica's number, which his uncle had left for emergencies.

On the third attempt, she finally answered.

"Who is this, and how did you even get my number?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Ariase exhaled in relief, "Sister-in-law, it's me, Ariase."

There was silence, followed by the abrupt click of the call ending.

"What the—?" he exclaimed, staring at the screen.

Before he could call again, his phone buzzed. She was calling back.

After a coughing sound on the line, Erica spoke, her tone softer but slightly flustered. "It… it really is you, Ariase. Did your uncle give you my number?"

"Yeah," Ariase replied. "I was wondering if you know where he is. He hasn't been home in four days—"

The call ended again, mid-sentence.

Ariase's patience frayed, 'This girl... really ended the call twice?! Does she even know what respect is?'

But before he could stew further, he turned and screamed in utter fright.

Standing in the dimly lit living room was Erica herself.

He stumbled back, his heart hammering in his chest.

For a moment, he thought he was seeing a ghost.

Erica crossed her arms, her expression serious, "Ariase, are you sure he hasn't come home these past few days?"

Ariase glared at her, still catching his breath.

'Is that really the first thing you say after scaring me half to death?' he thought.

The dim lighting and her sudden appearance made the situation feel eerily surreal.

After calming his nerves, Ariase relayed everything he knew about his uncle's disappearance.

Erica shared her worries with Ariase, explaining that his uncle had done something similar in the past.

When he returned that time, he was gravely injured and fell into a coma for a week.

It was during when he underwent purification and awakened his acquired talent.

Ariase was already aware of this, but hearing it again only served to deepen his unease.

Erica, noticing his concern, activated her talent.

Her eyes began to glow with a cosmos-like light as starlike particles flowed through the room, casting an ethereal glow over the penthouse.

In seconds, she stopped, pivoted sharply, and activated another talent.

Celestial patterns emerged on her right arm, and with a grunt, she punched the space in front of her.

The air rippled violently, but the force was reflected back at her.

She was hurled across the room, hitting the wall with a heavy thud.

Blood trickled from her mouth as she wiped it away, cursing in her mind, 'Damn it, Herman! What are you up to this time? I can't even tear through the space you traveled!'

Turning to Ariase, she sighed in frustration.

"Sigh... his last spatial trail ends here. He must have used some kind of item to leave… I'm sorry. I can't find him."

Ariase could only nod in reluctant acceptance, trusting his uncle's ability to handle himself.

Saturday came, and Erica asked to stay in the penthouse, keeping watch over the lingering spatial distortion.

They spent the day in each other's company, with Erica sharing stories about Herman's past escapades and adventures.

Ariase laughed at some of the tales, storing away bits of drama he could use to tease his uncle when he returned.

But it was Sunday morning when everything changed.

The spatial distortion in the living room began to crackle, glowing ominously.

Suddenly, the space tore open, mystical roots and vines spilling out like an explosion of nature.

From the portal, Herman stepped through.

His presence was overwhelming, exuding an aura of pure, unbridled energy that made the air itself feel heavy.

Ariase froze, trembling in both fear and suffocation.

Even Erica, a seasoned 5th Halo, was almost forced to her knees, her body instinctively submitting to the pressure radiating from him.