" The thing is, for some reason, I am not able to maintain my astral form. It might be because I've been detached from my body for too long. If I'm correct, I've been in this state for almost 15 days now. The place we are in is a bit special, you see.
After the "War of Gods" ended and the three alien races were pushed back toward the edge of the world, the remaining six races isolated this place. During the war, this land was drenched in death aura. Countless corpses piled up, and bones were scattered everywhere. To prevent future generations from being corrupted by the miasma, the top mages, along with the Angels, sealed this place away.
It's not easy to enter this realm. It acts as a barrier, separating the three alien races from the rest of the world. The flow of time here is also different. One day in this realm equals 5 days in the real world. I've been here for around 15 days, it should be almost 2 and a half months outside. And the death miasma sealed within this realm has already begun to corrode my astral form. I don't think I can last much longer."
Listening to Zhavrik's words, Max couldn't help but marvel at the possibilities this world held. Just how powerful must the people of this world be, to isolate such a vast land?
Looking at Zhavrik, Max felt a pang of sadness. He understood there was no future for the true owner of this body. And he himself had no means to help. He was already in a tight situation, knowing nothing about magic or the mysteries of this world. He truly felt like an alien here.
"So… is there really nothing we can do about your situation?" Max asked quietly.
"Well, no. Not really. Even I don't have any knowledge about this kind of problem," Zhavrik admitted.
"Then what about your father? Earlier you said he wouldn't be able to find anything. What did you mean by that?" Max pressed.
"Ah, that. The reason I explained all this to you is because of one of my abilities. After awakening the Dragon Slayer bloodline, I gained something I named the All-Seeing Eyes. As the name suggests, it lets me see the flow of mana inside people, and I can even read emotions. Of course, it's still low-level. I can't peer into the emotions of anyone stronger than me. But I can understand the feelings of low-level beasts and animals. It's actually quite fun to know what they're thinking."
Zhavrik chuckled before continuing. "As for mana paths, I couldn't control them. The only time I managed to glimpse someone's mana flow properly was with one of my knights. But controlling this power was tricky, so I gave up for a while and focused on sword skills instead."
Max's jaw dropped. "Wait—you can see mana flow? And emotions too? Damn, isn't that an OP skill!?"
"Well, like I said, I couldn't control it. But now that I'm in astral form, it's different. I can see things much more clearly. It's like particles of all colors moving around. Looking at you now, I understand why my father was so pleased when I awakened the bloodline."
He paused before speaking again, his tone serious. "From my eyes, there's nothing wrong with your body. Your soul seems to fit perfectly here. Even with my awakened bloodline, I can't see any difference. If I can't, then neither my father nor grandfather will be able to. So don't worry. And as for my memories and knowledge, I'll pass them all on to you."
Looking at Zhavrik's calm smile, Max felt his heart sting. How can such a good kid suffer like this?
"Don't worry," Max said firmly. "Whoever caused this… whoever made you suffer, I'll hunt them all down. I won't let your pain be for nothing."
Hearing those words, Zhavrik's eyes grew moist. He nodded silently, then drifted closer to Max. Slowly, his astral form sank into Max's body.
"Can you hear me, Max? I'll start merging our memories and powers now. It might feel uncomfortable—bear with it."
Hearing Zhavrik's voice in his mind, Max braced himself. A moment later, searing pain stabbed into his brain. He screamed, writhing on the ground as if his skull were being torn apart.
Minutes crawled by like hours. At last, the agony subsided. Max lay sprawled on the ground, panting heavily. When he opened his eyes, the world around him had changed.
The once-white land now rippled with a dark, wavy substance. Strange energies pressed against his senses.
"Is this… mana? Or whatever you call it? This dark, smoky stuff must be the death miasma you mentioned, right?" Max asked aloud.
"Yeah. This is death miasma, not mana," Zhavrik's voice echoed in his mind. "Mana doesn't exist in this domain anymore—it's all been corrupted into death miasma."
"You alright? Was the pain too much?" he asked, concern in his tone.
Max chuckled weakly. "I'm better now. But damn—that felt like hell. Is memory transfer that painful?"
"No, I don't think it was the transfer itself," Zhavrik replied. "It was likely the mana within our brain merging with your soul. And probably because I was still inside your body when it happened."
"I see…" Max sighed. After a pause, he asked the question that had been bothering him all this time. "So… what now?"
"Now that you've inherited my abilities, you should be able to leave this domain," Zhavrik explained. "Give your body some time to adjust to your soul. After a few hours, you should gain full control. And with the All-Seeing Eyes, you'll likely be able to find the exit."
Hope flickered in Max's chest for the first time in days. "What about you?" he asked softly.
"Me?" Zhavrik chuckled weakly. "My time is up. I don't even have enough strength to float anymore. Max… please, take care of my family. And… one more thing. That dragon girl—make her suffer a little for me. I know it might've been partly my fault that she killed me, but the way she did it… it was cruel. Horrifying. I can't help but hold some grudge. At least, steal all the wealth she and her family have hoarded. For dragons, wealth is their pride. Strip them of it—every single coin, every treasure. That'll be the perfect revenge."
Max couldn't help but laugh despite the sadness he felt. "You're something else, Zhavrik. Even at the end, you're half-serious, half-ridiculous."
They spoke for a little while longer. Zhavrik patiently explained parts of the world, sharing bits of knowledge Max would need. But at some point, his voice faded.
"…Zhavrik?"
No response.
"So… this is the end for you, huh?" Max whispered. His chest tightened. "Don't worry, my friend. I'll fulfill every wish you left me. I'll live not only for myself, but for you. I won't let anyone kill this body—not until I reach the peak of humanity. And I'll even punish that little dragon on your behalf."
He closed his eyes, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips.
"Rest easy, my first friend in this world."