Chapter 16- Talk With Violet (Part 2)
"Now, I don't know what these rocks could give you, and it seems to be luck-based more than anything," Rein explained. 'Well, I don't know about luck. It could be this system's decision and not something that fate decides.' He mused as he looked at the rocks.
If the system can control his body, what stops it from deciding what he gets and what he doesn't? If anything, it would make more sense if the system were the one that provided the user with the right skills and weapons for them.
"Ummm, so I need to use these rocks?" She asked.
"Yeah, here. Try." He said as he handed them back and watched carefully. Violet took them and inspected them before she intently looked at one of the rocks. A second later, the rock disintegrated as it shone with a bright light.
Violet closed her eyes instinctively, then opened them again. That was when she froze. Her eyes seemingly saw something Rein couldn't see.
"So, what did you get?"
"It's…" She seemed confused for a second before she finally snapped out of it. "It says here 'Soul Summoner'."
"Soul Summoner, huh?" Rein raised an eyebrow. "That sounds quite interesting. Read me the description of the skill."
"Ummm, it says here, 'You can absorb the souls of any target you kill and summon them back to serve you and do anything you want. They will be 80% weaker than their original counterparts; their power increases as you level up your skill.'
Rein adjusted his sitting position as he leaned forward, his eyes surprised at what he just heard.
"That sounds really strong," Rein muttered. 'A summon skill? That definitely has insane potential. If she could get several summons who could fight for her, that means she would have an army of monsters under her command.'
Rein didn't even need to imagine to realize how ridiculously powerful an ability like that was.
"This does sound really strong. Ummm, however, it seems I can only keep 3 summons for now." She said.
"That still is quite powerful. If you could get a reliable monster as a summon, it could help you a lot."
"Yeah, haha, I can at least fight now." She said. 'If this ability makes me stronger, then I can finally help Rein.'
"Ok, for now, let's keep it aside until you actually get your hands on some monsters," Rein said as he pointed at the second rock. "Check the artefact. It would be ideal if it gave you a weapon of sorts to use."
Violet nodded and used the second rock just like the first one. However, this time, something else manifested in her hands. It wasn't a sword, or even a weapon of any sort.
Instead, looking closer at it, Rein could see that it was a circular, flat object made out of black metal with 4 small balls in it, organized in a rectangular shape facing each other. The balls looked completely plain and grey, almost like marbles.
"What is this?" Violet raised an eyebrow.
"Give it to me for a second," Rein said.
Taking the circular shape, Rein inspected it with his eyes. 'This doesn't look like something from Earth at all. I have never seen this metal before.'
[Name: Lesser Elemental Cycle]
[Type: Elemental Catalyst]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Ability: Randomly gain lesser access to one of the four elements (Fire, Water, Light, Darkness)]
[Description: The cycle of elements is as unpredictable as fate itself. None except for a few could truly grasp its power. Infusing the cycle with Essence will grant you a random element for a specific amount of time depending on how much Essence you use.]
"..." Rein blinked slowly as he read the description. Then, he pursed his lips and looked at Violet, who was still confused. "Here, read this."
The woman took the cycle and read it before her eyes widened. "This…"
"It seems you could use elements now. It's almost like a skill in and of itself."
'What a weird weapon. This is definitely not from this world. Where did it even come from, or did the system make it up on the spot?' Rein rubbed his chin. Being able to control elements was a fictional idea he had read about in books, but he never thought it could be real.
"Why am I being given such strong things, Rein? I'm worried…" Violet said. What if this was some malicious plan? What if she were being lured in by some invisible force toward something really bad?
"... What else could you really do when you don't know anything? We have far bigger problems to face now than some possibility. If these tools help us to survive, then we will use them until we prove that doing that is a bad idea. Or else, we won't live till we discover the truth." Rein replied. "It's better if you take that skill and this cycle and learn how to use them. They will make a big difference."
"I guess you're right…" Violet said as she thought for a moment. "Mmm, I'm sorry, it's just. Everything is still so unreal it feels like a dream… Or a nightmare. It hasn't even been two hours, and I still can't believe that the world we know is completely gone."
Violet smiled bitterly. Even though she was hiding it deep down, she was incredibly distraught and confused. The sheer number of casualties, the fact that she has to kill people who were once normal and happy, just so she could survive. How could that not affect her deeply?
But, for the sake of her own life and for the sake of those she cares about, she had to survive. It was the only option she had.
"How are you able to remain completely composed, Rein?" She asked. "How were you able to kill them without feeling anything?"
Staring deep into his hypnotizing eyes, Violet searched for the truth. How was her companion so calm, no matter the situation? Even before, she asked him this question countless times, and every time, Rein would say the same thing.
'That is just who I am.'
But, Violet deep down didn't fully believe that. No person is simply born a cold-blooded killer. Something must have happened in their lives that changed them, and she was certain something had changed Rein at some point.
Something in his past that he never told her about must have triggered his shift.
"Who said it doesn't affect me?" Rein's calm voice snapped her out of her daze as he closed his eyes. "I'm not someone who enjoys killing innocent civilians."
"Then, how are you…"
"Violet." Rein cut her off as he sighed. "If you're going to try and think about the morality of all of this, you will never get to the end of it. Is it moral to kill these Undead? I don't know. Perhaps there is another way to save them that we haven't discovered yet that will render our 'survival' demonic. Or, it could be that we are now merely animals fighting to remain alive. Either way, thinking about it is pointless because it will only make you hesitate… And when you hesitate."
"... You die." Violet continued his words in a daze.
"So, if you are hesitating, it's better that you give me that cycle and that skill. I will make better use of them."