Ch.29: Acceptance
[MISSION FAILURE! Initiating Soul Annihilation…]
"Arrrgghhhh…"
A soul-crushing pain erupted from the depths of his being as Nyx collapsed, clutching himself in agony. His body trembled. His thoughts splintered. His very soul felt like it was being peeled apart layer by layer, as if the universe had turned its gaze on him and decided—you do not belong.
He could barely remain conscious. Every breath came with a scream stuck in his throat.
Then—through the haze of pain—a voice pierced the void.
"Take it..."
The original Nyx stood there, smiling.
It wasn't mocking. It wasn't bitter. It was warm. Gentle.
"When I lost them… my parents, my everything… I didn't know what to do anymore. I was so lost that I never found my way back."
Tears trailed down his fading face, his presence growing translucent.
"But you… you did it. The moment you arrived, you did what I couldn't even imagine. So please… continue living. Carry their will. I beg you."
His form began to crumble—slowly, like ash in the wind.
Nyx, writhing in agony, didn't fully understand the words. The pain—this divine, soul-searing annihilation—was drowning everything else out.
But then… it stopped.
The agony disappeared in an instant.
His breath hitched. His vision cleared just enough to see the fading figure turn toward him one last time, locking eyes.
"Live on… and carry your… will."
Those were his last words before he vanished entirely.
Silence followed.
Then the System's voice rang out, cold and mechanical.
[MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. GRANTING THE REWARDS.]
---
While Nyx battled with the remnants of a fractured soul, far away in the heart of the capital, two cloaked figures moved swiftly through the back alleys. Neither spoke, but their steps were urgent—precise.
They stopped at a dilapidated structure—half-collapsed, abandoned by the looks of it. But inside, the rhythmic clang of hammer striking metal rang out, slow and steady.
One of the figures entered without hesitation. The other hesitated, then followed.
Within, a man sat hunched over a forge, sparks dancing around him as he shaped a red-hot blade. The air was thick with smoke and iron.
He didn't look up.
"What honor do I have to be visited by The Ghost himself?" the man said, smirking as he pressed the steel flat.
He finally turned, eyes glinting behind soot-streaked goggles.
The two cloaked visitors lowered their hoods.
"It's been a long time, Vin," Karl said, voice cool but edged with intent.
Vin stood, removing his gloves and wiping his hands on a tattered cloth. His gaze landed on the second visitor—then he chuckled.
"And here I thought you'd never grow soft. Is this the same brat that used to trail behind that arrogant young master of yours, Karl?"
Rhea didn't flinch. She stepped forward, chin high, eyes unyielding.
Karl simply nodded. "She's earned her place."
Vin raised a brow, then turned toward a large warhammer hanging on the wall—mounted like an heirloom.
"You're not here for drinks, I take it?"
Karl's expression darkened.
"I need your assistance."
Vin smiled.
"Then let's see what kind of chaos you've dragged in this time."
---
Far from the bustling city and deeper still into the lands unseen by common folk, a dark chamber echoed with silence.
At its center sat a man on a black throne, shadows curling around him like loyal dogs.
A robed figure knelt before him.
"Reporting, Master," the figure began. "As you instructed, Nyx Vaelthorn has arrived at the Academy. We've sent people to search the Vaelthorn manor… but we found no trace of it."
He paused, sweat sliding down his brow.
"It appears his former allies—Karl, the Ghost, and his maid, Rhea—are no longer in contact. But… the other two have vanished entirely. No trace left behind. It's as if they were never there."
He bowed lower.
"We've swept the estate, every inch of it. The object—it's gone."
The man on the throne didn't move.
He didn't need to.
The temperature dropped. The shadows thickened.
Then, his voice came—razor-sharp and barely above a whisper.
"Find it."
The flame in the torches dimmed.
"No matter how deep you must dig. No matter how many corpses you must climb over—find it. Without it, the plan cannot move forward."
The kneeling figure flinched at the weight of those words.
"Yes, Master."
He vanished in a shimmer of shadow.
And then… silence.
The man on the throne sat alone once more, staring into the nothingness with eyes unseen.
Whatever it was, it was worth war. Worth blood. Worth breaking the world for.
---
[Rewards Granted.]
[System Upgrade Complete. Phase-2 has been unlocked.]
Nyx stared blankly at the glowing interface hovering before him.
But his expression wasn't shocked because of the visions he'd seen.
Not because of the pain.
Not even because he had come within inches of erasure.
No—his look of disbelief came from something far more absurd.
"…Are you serious right now?"
After nearly ripping his soul into cosmic spaghetti, the System was now distributing rewards like a proud parent handing out gold stars. So shameless. So tone-deaf. Like it hadn't just tried to annihilate his existence five minutes ago.
[Ahem… gotta maintain my image. So, you got anything to say?]
"Fuck you!!!"
[…Yeah. I deserve that one.]
[But hey—congrats! You unlocked Phase-2!]
Nyx groaned and pushed himself off the ground, now back in the forest clearing from where this madness had begun. His eyes flicked toward the carnage behind him—dozens of monster corpses strewn across the field like a graveyard of his rage.
He cracked his neck and turned toward the city gates in the far distance, his steps slow but steady.
"I'm still waiting for that 'Uninstall' button feature." he muttered.
[Hah… funny. Real original. Now get moving, edge-lord.]
A/N: Ahem... yeah, I'm guilty for returning so late. I know I just said that I'll be gone for 3 days but seems like I took longer. But hey– I still returned. So yeah, it's daily updates from today. Enjoy~ Until then–
Stay healthy, Stay pure, just to get corrupted here~
–Clashercertified