Ryuta And Zodiac Ruins(2)

Ryuta woke up in bed.

His hair had returned to its natural brown color, and his eyes were back to their brown and blackish hue.

His sword rested below the bed.

Ryuta opened the neon-colored door and walked toward the hallway of the Zodiac Ruins Castle.

There, he found the Zodiac Ruins, sitting at the table, smiling at him.

Orion said, "Come and let's eat food."

Orion added, "Do you like apples?"

They sat down and talked about what had happened.

The Zodiac Ruins knew that Ryuta had come back to life—returning to a time where he had died for the first time.

The dining hall of the Zodiac Ruins Castle was peaceful, illuminated by the soft glow of enchanted lanterns. The long table was filled with plates of food, though Ryuta barely touched his meal. His mind was elsewhere.

Seated around the table were five powerful figures—Aelius, Leonis, Kael, Orion, and Zephyr—each representing a Zodiac. They had been watching Ryuta for a long time, and now, they finally sat together in one place.

As Ryuta placed his fork down, he broke the silence.

"I want to go back to my real, original timeline. The one where I was a deity. Not this timeline, where I first died."

The room fell quiet for a moment.

Zephyr, the Aquarius, leaned back in his chair, his silver hair reflecting the dim light. His voice was calm, yet firm.

"It's impossible," Zephyr said. "If you want to return to your original timeline, I think you need to die."

Orion, the Sagittarius, immediately waved his hands.

"Hey, hey! Not that part. Too much, dude!"

Zephyr sighed. "Sorry, Ryuta."

Ryuta shook his head. "It's nothing."

Aelius, the Aries, crossed his arms and glanced at Ryuta. He wasn't one for deep conversations about timelines or fate, but he respected Ryuta's determination.

Orion grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Why don't we talk about our powers instead? What we can do?"

Aelius's fiery eyes locked onto Ryuta.

Ryuta nodded. "Okay. It's fine—we still have time."

Aelius – The Blazing Ram of Aries

Aelius leaned forward, his hands resting on the table. His presence alone radiated heat, as if an invisible fire surrounded him. His crimson eyes glowed slightly, flickering like embers.

"Since we're doing this, I'll go first," Aelius said, his voice carrying a sharp intensity.

With a snap of his fingers, flames erupted from his palm, twisting and swirling like a living entity. The fire didn't burn the table or the air—it was controlled, shaped by his will.

"My power is 'Solar Ignition.' I control fire, but not just any fire—pure celestial flames. The kind that can burn through anything, even divine energy. My body constantly generates heat, which is why I don't really feel the cold. If I wanted to, I could turn this entire castle into ashes."

He smirked, the flames dancing between his fingers before vanishing with a flick.

"But I don't, because I like having a place to eat."

Orion chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're hot stuff."

Aelius rolled his eyes before looking at Ryuta.

"My strongest ability is called 'Infernal Stampede.' When I activate it, I become pure fire—my speed increases, my attacks burn everything in my way, and my body becomes nearly untouchable. But it drains a lot of energy, so I only use it when necessary."

He tapped his fingers against the table.

"Your turn, Leonis."

Leonis – The Sunfire King of Leo

Leonis straightened his posture, his golden mane-like hair shimmering under the lights. His golden eyes held a sense of regality, pride practically radiating from him.

He placed his palm on the table, and instantly, a golden flame erupted beneath his hand—not wild like Aelius's fire, but controlled, burning with a steady intensity.

"Unlike Aelius, my flames are not just heat. They carry divine properties."

The golden fire flickered before forming the shape of a lion's head, roaring silently.

"I wield the 'Sunfire Domain.' My flames do not just burn—they purify. They weaken curses, counteract darkness, and enhance my own strength. The longer I fight, the stronger my flames become. As long as there is light, my power does not fade."

He closed his hand, and the golden fire dissipated.

"My ultimate ability is 'Solar Overlord.' When I activate it, my entire body becomes a conduit of the sun's power. My strikes become unstoppable, and my regeneration skyrockets. However, if I push too far, my body overheats, and I can lose control."

Leonis smirked, turning to Kael.

"I suppose it's your turn, scorpion girl."

Leonis leaned back after finishing his explanation, a satisfied smirk on his face. His golden flames had faded, but the warmth of his energy still lingered in the air.

Across the table, Kael rested her chin on her hand, her piercing violet eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Scorpion girl?" she echoed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "How unoriginal, Leonis."

She lazily lifted her hand, and in an instant, dark purple energy coiled around her fingertips like wisps of smoke. The air around her grew heavy, as if an unseen force had filled the room.

Kael – The Venomous Stinger of Scorpio

Kael twirled her fingers, letting the poisonous aura dance around them.

"My power is 'Venomous Domain.' Unlike you two hotheads, my abilities focus on something more... subtle."

The energy in her hands pulsed, and suddenly, the shadows beneath the table stretched unnaturally, twisting like living creatures.

"I control venom, toxins, and corruption itself. My energy seeps into the air, weakening those who breathe it in. Even if you're physically strong, a single cut from my poison-infused weapons will slowly drain your strength."

She leaned forward, her smirk widening.

"I can also manipulate shadows, turning them into physical weapons. My ultimate ability, 'Scorpion's Kiss,' allows me to inject my venom directly into my opponent's bloodstream. The more they resist, the faster it spreads."

Her violet eyes flicked toward Ryuta.

"But don't worry. I don't use my full power unless I'm serious. Lucky for you, I'm feeling generous tonight."

Leonis scoffed. "More like you enjoy toying with your enemies."

Kael simply shrugged.

"Maybe."

She turned to Orion, motioning for him to speak next.

Orion – The Untamed Archer of Sagittarius

Orion stretched his arms behind his head, leaning back in his chair with a relaxed grin. Unlike the others, he didn't summon any fire, venom, or divine energy—he simply tapped his fingers against the table, as if considering how to explain.

"Alright, alright. My turn, huh?"

He lifted one hand, and suddenly, a bow made of pure starlight materialized in his grip. It pulsed with cosmic energy, its glowing form shifting as if alive.

"I don't mess with fire or poison. My power is 'Celestial Marksman.' My arrows never miss their target."

He pulled back on the bowstring, and a shining arrow formed from thin air, humming with power.

"I can create arrows from different elements—light, wind, even gravitational force. Depending on how I charge them, they can explode, pierce through solid objects, or curve mid-flight."

He released the bowstring, and the arrow vanished before it could hit anything, dissolving into light.

"My strongest ability is 'Starfall Barrage.' When I activate it, I summon a rain of celestial arrows that lock onto my enemies. No matter where they run, the arrows will find them."

He grinned, leaning back again. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Zephyr, who had been silent, finally spoke.

"Basic."

Orion's grin dropped. "What?"

Zephyr smirked. "Your power is just archery, but shinier."

Orion scoffed. "And yours is what? Fancy wind tricks?"

Zephyr leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand.

"You'll see."

---

Zephyr – The Stormborn Visionary of Aquarius

A soft breeze stirred in the room, despite there being no windows open. Zephyr lifted his hand, and the air around him shimmered like rippling water.

"My power is 'Stormborn Vision.' I control the water, the storms below, and the water itself."

He closed his fingers into a fist, and suddenly, the room felt heavier, as if gravity itself had shifted.

"I can create water strong enough to tear through mountains, or soft enough to carry a single feather. I can change water pressure to suffocate my enemies or enhance my own speed beyond human limits."

He opened his hand again, and the air returned to normal.

"My strongest ability is 'Tempest Eye.' When I activate it, I become the water itself—untouchable, unstoppable. My movements become unpredictable, my attacks become unavoidable, and my vision expands beyond the battlefield. It is not just control over water—it is complete awareness of everything around me."

Orion whistled. "Damn. Alright, that's not bad."

Zephyr simply smiled.

Ryuta listened carefully to each of them, taking in their abilities. These were not just warriors—they were Zodiac, each with powers that surpassed human limits.

Aelius leaned back, arms crossed. "Alright, Ryuta. You've heard about our powers. Now, what about yours?"

Ryuta remained silent for a moment. He knew his abilities were unique, but against the Zodiacs, he still felt like an outsider.

He glanced down at his Return to Life Sword, resting against the table.

Ryuta looked at the Zodiac Ruins, knowing they only understood half of the truth. They knew about Return by Death, but they didn't know about his real power.

He placed his hand on his sword and took a deep breath before speaking.

"You all know that I have Return by Death. You know that when I die, I come back. But that's not my true power. That's a curse. My real power... is something different."

The room fell silent as the Zodiacs listened carefully.

Ryuta continued, his voice steady.

"My true power is called Return to Life. It is not just some ability—it is tied to this sword." He lifted the blade, its surface dull now, but filled with something far greater. "This sword was created from my curse. The True Deity took my suffering and turned it into something I could wield."

The Zodiacs exchanged glances, confused.

"What do you mean?" Zephyr asked.

Ryuta tightened his grip on the hilt.

"The curse of Return by Death didn't disappear. It changed. It became this sword. My ability to revive, my endless cycle of death—it all became something new. The True Deity made it so that my suffering would no longer control me. Instead, it became my strength."

Leonis frowned. "And how does it work?"

Ryuta exhaled, standing up.

"When I loudly say 'Return to Life'..."

He raised his sword and shouted:

"Return to Life!"

At that moment, a surge of white energy erupted from his body, filling the entire room with a powerful light.

His hair turned white, his eyes gleamed like pure silver, and his sword pulsed with overwhelming divine energy. His very presence felt different—stronger, untouchable.

"This is my real power," Ryuta said, his voice calm yet firm. "When I activate Return to Life, I surpass human limits. My body becomes faster, stronger, and my sword becomes an extension of that strength."

The Zodiac Ruins felt it. This wasn't just another ability. This was something far greater.

Aelius stared at him for a moment before finally speaking.

"So if you die, does it still hurt?"

Kael scoffed. "Of course, dumbbell. He still dies."

Ryuta let out a small breath.

"It's fine. But yes, it really hurts."