Zekai's vision tore away from the white void—
and reality crashed back.
The world didn't return—it snapped into place around Zekai. A violent force pulled him back, like reality itself was reclaiming him.
"...What the hell happened here...?"
The Red Transparent screen flickered—
[ ARCANA INTERFACE ACTIVE ]
Subject: Zekai Krystan
State: Displaced → Reanchored
---
His voice sounded unfamiliar.
In front of him—
Aron was suspended in the air, his body hanging unnaturally still—like something had been paused mid-existence.
His throat was crushed in the grip of a black entity.
"…What is that…?"
[ TARGET LOCKED ]
Entity: SOULREAVER
Classification: Extraction-Type
[ Threat Level: Lethal ]
Zekai didn't have time to figure out what this screen was.
Aron's face, fear mixed with relief the moment their eyes met, was enough.
"Don't… lose yourself… Mr.Zekai…"
Something inside him cracked. If he don't move now, Aron would die.
Zekai moved before the thought even finished forming.
The air cracked behind him as he moved.
Instantly. Something sharper took over.
A violent surge of energy rose from inside him.
Red energy wrapped around his arm, black threads weaving through it. And within that—something else formed. Sharper. More focused.
The Red Transparent screen flickered again.
[ ARCANA RESPONSE ]
Authority: THE FOOL
Status: Partial Manifestation
Effect: Reality Deviation Initiated
Warning: Control Undefined
---
'...This is what Zero gave me?'
It didn't matter. He only understood one thing.
Then—
He disappeared.
Not teleportation. Just movement his body hadn't learned how to perform yet.
Just speed, beyond what his body should allow. In mid-air he reappeared in front of it.
His hand closed around Soulreaver's throat, gripping something that only existed because he forced it to.
For a moment, something resisted. Not physically—like it refused to exist in his grip.
The same way it had held Aron. And Zekai crushed that resistance. For the first time—it hesitated.
Zekai caught it mid-motion, not the body, the movement itself.
The air cracked behind him as he moved.
For a moment—the world split into two possible outcomes.
Zekai chose the one where it stopped.
He didn't wait to see them. For a second, Soulreaver didn't understand what had happened.
Then—it adjusted. Because it wasn't supposed to stop there. No hesitation… his body already knew what to do.
"You chose the wrong target."
Aron's body dropped. Zekai caught him mid-air before he hit the ground and moved him carefully away from the fight.
"Aron… are you okay?"
"Ah…"
He barely nodded.
That was enough.
"…Sorry… I made you wait."
Before Zekai could say anything else, that Soulreaver moved behind him.
The creature struck—and missed. Not because Zekai moved.
Because it had already missed. The result came first—movement only followed after.
Aron's body hit the ground hard, his vision shaking. He couldn't move.
Every breath burned, his chest barely rising.
But his eyes—they didn't leave Zekai.
"...You're still you... right?"
His voice came out weak, barely a whisper. For a moment, even he didn't understand what he was looking at.
Not speed. Not strength. Something else. Something wrong. Then—a faint, broken laugh escaped him.
"…Of course you are…"
Relief replaced the fear. Not because he understood—but because he didn't need to.
"I knew it…"
"…you wouldn't lose."
His fingers tightened weakly against the ground—as if holding onto that belief alone.
For a brief moment—the outcome had already been decided. Zekai didn't even turn fully.
The distance between them was barely a few steps close enough that he could feel the cold leaking from its body against his back.
Its hand reached for him, but Zekai caught it by the throat, his fingers closing around something that felt half-solid—and lifted it effortlessly.
He caught it again—this time harder. It dropped the black stone card.
He turned his head slightly.
"I'm talking to him."
"You're not part of this."
Zekai threw it—but it didn't move the way it should have. The space twisted—like something was resisting the outcome.
Then it slammed into the wall.
The wall dented inward on impact—cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb before the sound finally caught up.
The impact cracked the surface like bone, but it refused to die. Of course it didn't.
Zekai glanced back at Aron.
"Stay there. I'll finish this quickly."
He didn't care what this place was. Or why any of this was happening.
He stepped forward. His mind was clear—Something inside him had already decided.
"I didn't care what this place was. Or why any of this was happening. From this point on—anyone who tried to kill us—would die by my hands."
The Soulreaver came at Zekai again. Then it stopped. Not retreating.
Aiming. Its white gaze locked into Zekai, and its hand rose slowly.
Zekai felt it instantly. Something inside him shifted. Not his body. Deeper.
[ WARNING ]
Integrity: Failing
Soul Extraction: In Progress
Layer Breach Detected
---
A thin, smoke-like essence began to stretch out from Zekai.
A force tore through his chest—invisible, but undeniable.
Not pulling his body. Pulling him.
Zekai's vision shook as something inside him was dragged forward—like he was being pulled out of himself and into something else.
His breath hitched.
"...What—?"
This wasn't pain. This was being taken somewhere he might never return from.
His existence was being dragged forward.
Just like it did to Aron.
Zekai's knees almost gave in.
"...So this is what Aron felt..."
This—this isn't pain. This is being taken.
Two choices.
One he understood. One he didn't.
His thoughts didn't slow—they fractured.
"If I chose wrong… there wouldn't be anything left to regret it."
The pull tightened. For a second—his body leaned forward. Like giving in would be easier.
Aron's face flashed in Zekai's mind, struggling… still reaching… even when he knew he couldn't win.
Zekai jaw clenched.
"…then there's no choice."
His fingers tightened.
"...He endured this?"
His voice came out low. Unsteady—but not breaking.
"...Then what the hell am I doing…?"
The pull intensified.
The pull dug deeper—like something was finding the parts of him, he didn't control.
Trying to take those first. Harder. Trying to rip him apart.
[ ARCANA SYSTEM — INTERVENTION ]
Condition: Soul Integrity Collapse
Status: TERMINAL
— Continuation is not guaranteed —
[ AUTHORITY INVOKED: THE FOOL ]
Deviation is possible.
Cost is mandatory.
[ WARNING ]
Selection cannot be undone.
Refusal is equivalent to erasure.
Select your price:
> [ OPTION I — TEMPORAL SACRIFICE ]
21 Year of Lifespan will be erased.
— Stable continuation granted —
> [ OPTION II — HIDDEN ROLE ]
A concealed function will be assigned.
— Effect unknown —
— Control not assured —
[ NOTE ]
The Fool does not grant survival.
Only outcomes you are willing to lose yourself for.
Zekai forced his foot forward—each step heavier than the last, like the ground itself was trying to push him back.
Against it. Forcing his body to move—even as something inside him was being dragged out.
'Damn it… That Fool said it would help me but it's been taking my life piece by piece.'
There was no other way. If he didn't choose one of these, he would definitely die here.
"Option one… or option two… "
The first option was worse. If he chose that, he would slowly lose his lifespan.
Anything was better than that.
…Then option two.
Even if he didn't understand it. Even if it's dangerous.
This is do or die.
A breath. Unstable.
"…There's nothing worse than dying here."
"I choose option Two."
A breath. Sharp.
"I won't break here."
[ ANOMALY DETECTED ]
Expected Outcome: Collapse
Actual Outcome: Resistance
Recalibrating...
---
Something answered. Not his body. Not the system. Something deeper—something that shouldn't have existed.
A strange, overwhelming sensation erupted from within his body—like it was about to explode from the inside.
Then—a red, electric force burst out from him and slammed into the Soulreaver.
The pull snapped—like something he refused to give was no longer allowed to be taken.
[ OVERRIDE CONFIRMED ]
Authority Deviation Accepted
Soul Extraction: Denied
---
The moment it hit. The Soulreaver's entire body distorted, like it was being crushed from the inside.
[ ANOMALY DETECTED ]
But… it didn't die.
It still had life left in it. Even after taking that attack head-on, it remained standing.
But now—it no longer understood what was happening.
Even after all that, the Soulreaver didn't retreat.
It didn't know what backing down meant. It just stood there, staring at Zekai without blinking—pure killing intent in its gaze...
like it wouldn't leave until he was dead.
But this was the moment he needed to show it who he really was.
"Try that again…"
He lifted his head slowly.
"…and I'll erase you."
No hesitation. No fear.
"No mercy... anymore."
A pause.
"…and this time, I won't leave anything left to take."
"Not for things like you."
End of chapter 20 - No Mercy