Chapter 98: Deep Exchange with Leviathan
[Death settlement, refreshing status...]
Wait, that's not right. How am I alive?
The Dark Tide gradually filled the cavity that had been pierced through Aeron's chest, forcefully pulling him back from the brink of death.
"...So who's going to compensate me for the buff I'm missing?"
Rising from the pitch-black tide, he surveyed his surroundings. Illusions formed by the Dark Tide flashed past him—scenes of the town's corroded remains, echoes of people left behind before they were devoured.
However, the scene before him didn't stir much emotion in Aeron. He rose from the tide and shook his head.
Alright, time to assess the current situation!
First, my clothes are still on (why am I even paying attention to this?), the weapon is still in my hand, my body is mostly unharmed, and my head can still think straight. It seems the corrosion's effect on me isn't as bad as I imagined.
Although being devoured by the Dark Tide was within Aeron's expectations, he had to admit he was taking a huge gamble this time.
After all, what it was actually like inside the Dark Tide and what kind of effect it would have on him were complete unknowns.
Well, none of this is a big deal anyway.
The moment he remembered that Rover would have his back no matter what he did, all his problems were solved. Ah, it feels so good to be carried.
It was true he had caused her a fair bit of trouble, but she was the protagonist, wasn't she? Giving her a few question marks to clear off her map was perfectly fine.
If he had to name one troublesome point right now...
Aeron slowly raised the gun in his hand and aimed it at his own temple.
Bang!
He was basically challenging the bullet to see whose head was harder.
But, unlike any time before, when the bullet passed through the other side of his head, Aeron's consciousness not only remained clear, but the damage from the previous second was also instantly repaired, as if nothing had happened.
Then, a familiar whisper began to sound in his ear.
"Heh, your little tricks are useless here."
The tide around Aeron began to reconverge before his eyes. Leviathan, borrowing Fleurdelys's form, appeared before Aeron once more.
"However, to be able to maintain your consciousness in here... you either possess a resilient and noble soul, or..."
"If you want to fucking curse me out, just say it."
Aeron was starting to wonder what heavenly law he had broken. Why did everyone, human or not, have to throw some snide remarks his way? Except for Roccia, of course.
However, Aeron didn't plan to continue his useless resistance. Not only was this Leviathan's domain, but he was also down to his last bullet. He had to save it for a critical moment.
"What, you didn't bring me here just for a little chat, did you?"
"It matters not. There is nothing else here. As long as I can keep you trapped, my goal will be achieved."
"Ha, then you might be disappointed. I'm just an ordinary person. I don't have their immense power."
"The very act of observing you is valuable in itself."
Leviathan spoke with a flat voice, using Fleurdelys's face.
"Your way of existence, your choices—they are different from everyone else in Rinascita. At the very least, between weariness and trouble, you always appear so... contradictory."
"What's so contradictory? I'm just cleaning up trouble."
"Does that include dying time and time again?"
"That's just the cost."
"Heh... See? The mere act of having your physical body killed is not despair for you. However... for your spirit to be so broken as well, that is truly beyond my expectations."
Aeron said nothing.
Ignoring the latter half of that sentence, which was clearly an insult, he had just been playing along at first. Why were they having a real conversation now? Don't tell me you're repressed too?
...But, this might not be a bad thing.
Although Aeron hadn't played many gal games, he could rely on his years of experience dealing with all sorts of people to distract it for a bit.
"But in the end, I'm just a boring, ordinary citizen..."
"That is merely what you believe."
As it spoke, the tide around Aeron began to surge, restraining his body and lifting him up before Leviathan, giving him no chance to resist.
Leviathan's face, formed from the Dark Tide in the likeness of Fleurdelys, drew close, so near that Aeron could almost feel its breath.
"You hold no expectations for the world, nor do you intend to leave anything behind... I am very curious. What is it that has supported you all the way to this point?"
"I have no wishes, no homeland, and no god to believe in. All I want is a peaceful life. That's all."
"Wishes... a god..." Leviathan repeated the two words, and for the first time, a thoughtful expression appeared on its face of Dark Tide.
Previously, it had only perceived emotions through the Dark Tide. This was the first time it had been so close to a human, observing their expressions.
Then, it gently raised a hand, its fingertips resting on Aeron's jaw, sending a chill through him.
"You clearly possess an essence closest to 'nothingness,' yet you chose the most troublesome path."
"What, are you that interested in my choices?" Aeron replied to Leviathan, his tone unchanging.
"Yes."
Leviathan leaned in closer. The Dark Tide quietly coiled around Aeron's wrist. It tilted its head slightly, its darkness-shrouded eyes seeming to "gaze" at him.
"I still believe that we can find a way to coexist. You would no longer have to welcome death, nor would you have to bear such complicated duties."
Its eyes were covered by the Dark Tide, so Aeron couldn't read its intentions, but judging by the corner of its mouth, it was probably smiling.
"Fleurdelys, Rover... The people and things that force you to stand up and face them time and time again are the root of your suffering, are they not?"
"I, on the other hand, thought I've been quite happy recently."
"You have merely grown accustomed to being needed, accustomed to being pushed along. Without them, without those responsibilities and expectations, wouldn't you be more at ease?"
Oh my, there's even a phase for sowing discord.
In that case, Aeron was about to engage in what he did best: spouting bullshit.
A moment later, a deliberate silence fell over his face, allowing a perfectly measured trace of weariness to creep into his brow.
"...Sometimes I do think it would have been better if I'd never met them."
This sentence was half-truth, half-lie. The exhaustion was real, but the "what if"—Aeron had never considered it.
Hearing Aeron's reply, the corners of Leviathan's mouth turned up even further. The Dark Tide gently enveloped his fingers, closing around them like an invitation.
"You do not need them. What you need is to be freed from 'being needed.'"
"No more fighting, no more scheming, and no more worrying about who might die."
"As long as you are willing to become my proxy and spread the gospel of 'Heaven' throughout Rinascita."
"You can enjoy the peace you seek, by my side."
"Uh... then why do I have to be tied to you?"
"Because you are different from others. You are not bound by the past, nor are you drawn by the future. You are not shattered into pieces by so-called emotions and responsibilities."
"So you just have to belittle me, is that it!?"
And what's with these cheesy lines? Aren't you the Threnodian threatening all of Rinascita? This is totally out of character, hey!
"By my side, you will no longer have to play any role. You only need to be yourself, free from any responsibility or restraint..."
"And if I refuse?"
"From the moment you were devoured by my Dark Tide, that option was no longer on the table."
Leviathan's voice remained soft, as if whispering right by his ear, but the touch of the Dark Tide suddenly became heavy, coiling around Aeron's limbs and torso.
"Your body will become the perfect vessel for me to walk the world. Your eyes will witness how 'Heaven' descends."
"You will watch as the lights of Ragunna are extinguished, as the clamor of Septimont falls silent, as Rover struggles valiantly only to fall in the end, as Fleurdelys exhausts her very last ounce of strength..."
"You will keep watching, through these eyes, unable to stop it, unable to even look away."
Hold on, you haven't even won yet. Why are you popping the champagne at halftime?
Just as Aeron had predicted, regardless of the reason, it seemed Leviathan was dead set on having him.
It had used both threats and temptations, leaving nothing out. Aeron had to take back his earlier assessment.
But at the same time, he had to admit that Leviathan was right. His best option right now seemed to be to obediently follow its arrangements.
"...I understand."
"Heh... A wise decision."
The Dark Tide began to seep into Aeron's body. He could clearly feel Leviathan's frequency synchronizing with his own.
He couldn't die, and he had no means to resist. Aeron was truly at his wits' end.
Sigh, if only I had a helper right now.
"But, I think I still prefer stories of love and hope."
The instant Aeron's words fell, a dazzling white light suddenly flashed within the Dark Tide.
"?!"
Seeing the abrupt change, Leviathan retreated again and again. The reason was simple: from within the white light, it sensed a frequency of the same origin!
[Projection, commencing.]
[Resonance Power Source—Imperator.]
"Haha, did you really think I had that much time to waste chatting with you? You're still too naive in that regard, kami-sama!"
The white light flowed and quickly took form. A pure white, elegant, and divine pegasus materialized behind Aeron. A long, spiraling horn grew from its forehead, emitting a gentle yet resolute radiance.
Alright, everyone say "the horse is awesome" now!
"Leviathan," Imperator's voice was ethereal and calm, declaring to the Threnodian with unquestionable power, "this erroneous fusion must end."
The Dark Tide controlled by Leviathan churned violently. "Imperator... How dare you...!"
"I did not expect to encounter you here, a vessel that could access my frequency and be accepted by you."
As it spoke, Imperator's gaze turned to Aeron. "Young man, your will is more resilient than I imagined."
"I was just doing my small part."
That's right. This was Aeron's goal for chatting with Leviathan all along.
He couldn't fight the Threnodian alone, so he had to find a helper who could.
And as it happened, this helper was right here inside Leviathan—that is, within the Dark Tide.
Leviathan had enhanced its power through Cartethyia, so Aeron just had to use himself as a medium to enhance a Sentinel's power in the same way.
If there's too much water, add flour; if there's too much flour, add water. The logic was that simple!
"I must thank you. If you had not used yourself as bait and ventured deep into this place, I would not have found this fleeting opportunity."
Hearing Imperator's words, Aeron was unconcerned.
"No need. We're just using each other."
Getting involved with Rover was already troublesome enough. He didn't want to provoke a being on the level of a Sentinel.
Seeing the giant white pegasus appear before it, even Leviathan itself lost its earlier composure.
"With just this remnant of your will? Both you and he will become the cornerstone of 'Heaven'!"
It had already fused deeply with Imperator. There was no way the other could have enough power left to project its strength here, let alone interfere with its control over this domain.
"No," Imperator's voice remained steady. "We will become your cage."
"A cage?" For the first time, a fluctuation appeared in Leviathan's voice, and the Dark Tide roiled violently. "With just this remnant of your will, and this vessel who doesn't even have Resonance Power?"
"With us."
White brilliance spread out from the pegasus's form, creating a clear boundary with the Dark Tide. The light was like a solid rampart, firmly suppressing Leviathan's turbulent power within a certain range.
The horse is making its big move! The horse is going in!
With such a strong initiation, how could Aeron not follow up instantly?
"Didn't you want me to be the proxy of the Dark Tide? Your wish is my command!"
[Focus Fire Target, activate.]
In an instant, all of Leviathan's Dark Tide within the entire domain turned into a torrent, surging toward Aeron and frantically pouring into his body.
Then, countless illusions flashed before his eyes.
Among them were unlucky souls who had lost their self-awareness, a submerged town, and a slender figure holding dual pistols who seemed to have noticed something...
Although something incredible seemed to have appeared at the end, Aeron couldn't be bothered with it now.
"I forgot the beginning and the end, but anyway, this is our hot-blooded combination technique!"
Yes, Aeron had risked being devoured by the Dark Tide for the sole purpose of becoming the Threnodian's vessel.
The reason Leviathan couldn't be killed was its endless Dark Tide and its untargetable main body.
If it couldn't be selected by an effect, then he just had to use an effect that didn't require a target.
"How dare you... use such a method..."
"Weren't you the one who told me to be your proxy? Are you not satisfied now?"
Leviathan couldn't understand how this guy before it could always do such illogical things.
"What—what in the world are you!?"
And Aeron immediately gave his reply:
"Just a passing, hard-to-kill king. You'd better remember it!"
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