Chapter 215 – Soul Dive
It was clear without stagnant water. I would be happy if I could stay here forever.
I was standing in a grassy field with a gentle breeze blowing through. The sun was about to set behind the horizon right now
Even the ears of grass, which were faintly reflecting the sun’s rays, were similarly plunged into a pitch black world.
Roxy’s world was shrouded in darkness.
[Snow, are you here?]
My question was carried by the wind and drifted far away. Space distorted as if responding to it.
The one who emerged from there was, as expected, Snow. However, the difference was that she’s in an adult form.
This was who she really was. Her face was dyed red with a stigmata. In other words, it meant that the interference with Roxy’s mind was beyond her control.
[I can finally talk to you properly… Fate.]
[Can’t you just release Roxy?]
[It’s impossible. You know that.]
Snow said so and pointed at her own face. The crimson-colored sacred stigmata shone even more.
She probably tried to resist the revelation. But she seemed to be able to keep it under control. Just like dad.
Which means…
[You’ll have to kill me.]
[Please stop with that. I’m sick of it. To fight with someone important…to kill each other.]
[Even so…it’s alright. I was originally dead already anyway. Besides, I have to pay for my sins. Fate now remembers the reason, right?]
[….Snow.]
Please don’t say the same thing as my father.
[All of you, why are you so intent to die!? You know what will happen if I kill you.]
Snow merely smiled in response.
[Devour me with your Gluttony skill. Come on.]
I don’t want to repeat what I did to my father.
Why? Mason-sama… Mikuriya… Mother… Why would all of you go ahead with something like that? I know. Even I had the same feeling when I fought Tenryu to protect Roxy in Gallia.
Even so, my heart wouldn’t accept it. Somehow, I felt as if I could hear Snow’s voice from far away.
Even though she says she’s always nearby…
Snow turned her gaze toward the horizon.
[Some things are necessary to move forward. Before the sun goes down.]
[…Are there no alternatives? Is there really no choice but to do it this way?]
[Roxy won’t be able to come back. Unless I can no longer interfere with her.]
Step by step, I come in front of Snow and stare at her face. I remembered a promise from my childhood.
This memory was stolen from me by my other self. I guess I was lonely because my mother wasn’t there at that time.
What kind of request did I make? Or maybe I instinctively sensed Snow’s power as a Sacred Beastkin and felt a sense of familiarity with her.
[Snow…]
I touch her cheek. It was faintly warm and made me feel undeniably alive.
[Time is running out. Quickly.]
She’s right. Once devoured, she’ll be forcibly separated from Roxy. If I don’t do it quickly, Roxy’s spirit won’t last. Also, I’m worried about Greed who was fighting Libra alone.
However, not everyone would be saved. Like my father, Snow will be forever trapped in the Gluttony skill. I don’t think Roxy would want that either.
Was this really the only way?
I put my hand around Snow’s slender neck. After that, all I had to do was squeeze tighter.
She silently closed her eyes slowly.
(………..You…are you really okay with that?]
From somewhere, I heard a voice calling me. It sounded exactly like mine, and it resonated heavily.
I heard it before. This is another me. After being integrated by Mikuriya, the voices that were difficult to hear seemed to become clearer.
(I can take over that stigmata)
What are you going to say even though you haven’t come out to the surface until now? Anyway, it was decided a while back. I can’t believe you
When I said that, my other self sneered.
(I need power. So, that I can break through the shackles that are you. In order to demonstrate my power as a sacred beastkin, that is essential. I will gain the stigmata. Snow will be freed. It’s not a bad deal)
You are going to try to hijack me again once you get the stigmata, aren’t you?
(Hasn’t it always been like that? I’ll let you feel the pain of being sealed alone in the depth of Gluttony skill)
Do you really think that I’ll accept that deal?
(Fat chance. You don’t want to lose her)
This guy… He’s the other me. Once he gets ahold of Snow’s stigmata, this guy will do everything in his power to take over my body.
I’ve finally come to terms with the Gluttony skill, but now there’s still the other me.
(The preparations are complete. Touch the stigmata)
I remember my father telling me to be careful with this guy. He must have expected this to happen.
But, I lacked a better alternative. I gently touched Snow’s stigmata.
The stigmata shone brightly. She opened her eyes, perhaps intending to tell me something.
But the stigmata had already left Snow. It became particles, and floated away, flowing like a stream of water.
And it nested itself into the back of the hand that I used to touch it.
[Kuh.]
A burning pain erupted. Snow’s stigmata fit perfectly in the back of my right palm. I thought there would be some kind of forced change, but nothing in particular. Even though the stigmata was currently glowing bright red.
At that time, my right arm began to move on its own and tried to strangle me. I managed to stop the movement of my right arm with a sudden burst of strength.
Are you trying to take over already? So quick tempered.
(The Gluttony skill is still getting in the way… It’s still a little lacking…what a shame. There will be plenty of opportunities from now on… Look forward to it)
The Gluttony skill seemed to be suppressing the other me. Perhaps the stigmata was also sealed by the Gluttony skill in the same way. No way, I never thought that the day would come when I would receive the protection of the Gluttony skill… honestly I had no idea it would do that.
For a long time, it had always been suffering and a lot of effort after all.
I took a breather and turned my eyes to Snow. She looked stunned, as she was staring back at me.
[What a ridiculous action…]
[But, I somehow managed.]
[Haa…something that seems to never change. But, I caused Dean’s demise…surely you remember?]
[Dad didn’t blame Snow. Besides, I… Dad.]
My mother died soon after giving birth to me. And my father quietly raised me in a small village deep in the mountains.
At that time, I (Gluttony Skill) and the other me (Sacred Beastkin) coexisted, and it was a very unstable situation. Far from large cities, to hide from the possibility of causing irreparable damage if something happened, and from other sacred beastkin pursuers.
[I was Dean’s pursuer.]
Snow told me while looking far away.
Like this time, she probably had no choice but to fight against the stigmata.
[But, I lost to Dean. Fate and the other you found and helped me who was seriously injured.]
Deep in the mountains away from the village where I grew up as a child. When I was playing alone, I felt like I could hear someone’s voice and got lost. Thinking about it now, she must have sensed the other me.
At that time, I felt like I was getting along well with my other self. My father thought that he was evil. But to me, he was like a brother.
When the other me found Snow, he got busy taking care of her. It seemed that he was happy to meet a sacred beastkin for the first time other than our father.
I think he was probably lonely. Not wanting to lose the family he had come to meet, he took care of Snow while avoiding dad’s attention. I worked hard to cooperate with him.
However, it didn’t last long. When Snow recovered enough to move, he was found by his father.
The battle between the two was reignited. The other me couldn’t stop them and broke down in tears. He was gradually inspired by the battle that unfolded up close, and by the time he stopped crying, he had awakened to the power of a sacred beastkin.
[I have awakened what shouldn’t be awakened.]
The resulting surge was terrifying, since it was combined with my Gluttony skill.
The runaway power ended up killing Snow and severely wounded dad.
[Dean sealed the other you into the Gluttony skill at the cost of his own life.]
And I have been alone since then. Dad was by my side the whole time, but it wasn’t for long.
I lost most of my memories along with the other me. As a result, I assumed that dad’s injuries were what caused him to die.
[Do you remember what the other me asked Snow for?]
[He said something strange. But, now I understand.]
He wanted her to stay with him. That made everything crystal clear.
There was a proper reason why he came out earlier. For me, the other me, Snow is still special.
That’s why he took over the stigmata that bound her heart. Even though he made an attempt to take over my body soon after.
Snow turned her eyes to the world where the sunlight is beginning to shine. It was kind and warm.
[Roxy, wake up.]
[Snow! Your body.]
[I can’t help her in the same way now that I’ve lost the stigmata. But, there’s only one other way.]
It was similar to when I took over the stigmata. As Snow’s body shattered, it turned into particles of light.
[No… Don’t. Isn’t this the same as you…dying in the end.]
Snow smiled brightly. So brightly that it could’ve pushed me back.
[I will completely assimilate with Roxy’s soul. It’s okay, she won’t change or anything. I’ll simply make this power (Valkyrie) available for her to use freely.]
[…Thank you, Snow.]
[It will still be me. So, do not worry. I will live within her.]
Those words were not only meant for me, but also the other me.
Snow became particles of light and spread to the world. The lush grasslands regained its vitality and bloomed one after another.
The world became warmer, and a peaceful breeze blew through. The sun has risen to a cloudless sky.
Roxy’s inner world has returned. Which means she’s trying to wake up
Let’s head back… The battle against Libra awaited.
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