Ch. 2 Human or Neutrality

The dimly lit street lamps cast long, wavering shadows as a few figures huddled together, their hushed conversations drifting on the night air. Suddenly, the very ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently.

"Hey, what the hell on earth is going on?!" exclaimed one of the figures, stumbling.

"I've heard," another gasped, his voice tight with fear, "that in the main battle, many ancient Curseumans have been unsealed. But for them to shake the earth from this distance… I can't even imagine how powerful they must be!"

"I'm getting goosebumps..." the first person whispered, clutching his arms. "I don't want to fight anymore..."

The second man, though equally terrified, clenched his fists. "Don't say that!" he urged, his voice regaining a desperate resolve. "If we lose... the entire humanity and Spiritumens will be wiped off! It's better to fight than to die!"

The scene shifted abruptly. Now, Rahi stood over the unconscious form of Ray, who lay sprawled on what appeared to be a vast, pristine seashore.

"Hmph," Rahi mused, his voice a low rumble. "You are unconscious. I never thought , I have to raise my sword on a lesser being like human."

Rahi stared at Ray for a few moments, his piercing blue eyes analyzing the fallen soul. Then, with an effortless grace, he dropped into a low, almost ninja-like squat, his gaze never leaving Ray.

"You truly have something different," Rahi murmured, a hint of genuine intrigue in his tone. "I can sense your soul has evolved into a Neutrality. So you are no longer a lesser being, but your neutral energy is too low... Your current energy level is like a mere fragment of sand compared to the sun, if I were to compare you to an irregular Neutrality."

Rahi paused, a rare flicker of thought crossing his face. "You are a Neutrality, like me, even if an 'ultimate lesser' one. I want to check what abilities you have gained before I erase your Neutrality soul."

Rahi rose to his feet once more. He extended one hand, and at that very moment, a shimmering layer of magical mana enveloped Ray's entire body, gently lifting him into the air.

"Let me see..." Rahi uttered, his eyes beginning to glow with an intense inner light for several seconds. Then, he lowered his hand, and Ray's unconscious form gently descended back onto the ground.

Rahi's expression was a mixture of fear and wild excitement. "How can a lesser being like you possess this ability?" he gasped, his voice laced with disbelief. "Truly, I cannot believe that with your current energy, you could one day surpass me... no, not just me, but perhaps even the Supremes themselves! Absorbing... absorbing everything in your path is your ability."

A strange conflict played across Rahi's features. "Human, I came here to kill, but seeing this... I no longer wish to. I don't know whether I should kill you or not, because with this ability, you could become a danger to us. What should I do...?"

After a long moment of contemplation, Rahi's expression hardened with a new decision. "I have decided. I will let you live and see how far you progress."

Rahi took a step backward, preparing for his departure. "Human, or rather, Neutrality," he corrected himself, "I can no longer remain in your realm. I must return to Realis—where all Neutralities reside. Thankfully, there's a war ongoing on this planet, which is why this planet has managed to bear my presence for this long. Otherwise, this world would have already been destroyed due to the imbalance of energy."

"SPACE PACT: REALIS!"

In a blink, Rahi vanished from the seashore.

Ray's slumber continued, undisturbed by the cosmic drama that had unfolded around him. Five days passed in quiet serenity.

Then, a new presence. A young woman approached Ray's prone form on the seashore. She knelt beside him, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Hey, are you listening...?" she whispered, gently slapping his face to rouse him. "It's too dangerous for you to be here. Wait... is he a real Spiritumen? But I'm not sensing any kind of aura from him."

Ray stirred, slowly beginning to regain consciousness. A soft groan escaped his lips.

"Hhh... Where am I?" he mumbled, his mind still hazy. "My waist feels wet and some kind of hot."

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the sunlight. The girl's face came into focus.

"Is this you, Ager?" he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep and confusion.