Chapter 7
Ren's eyes slowly began to snap open.
"Oho… finally you're finally awake, Ren-sama," Slyva sighed, then let out a breath of relief. "I thought you wouldn't wake up again."
Ren frowned as a sharp pain rushed through his head. "Huh what do you mean? how long… was I out?" he muttered, trying to sit up
"Ah—!" A grin slipped onto his face despite himself as pain shot through his ribs.
Slyva lunged forward. "Oi, oi take it easy, idiot!"
She paused, raising her fingers. "As for how long you were out, huh let's see hmmm mustered slowly as she began counting one… two… three… four... Five"
Ren's expression darkened. What is she doing…?
"Ah, that's right!" she suddenly exclaimed, slamming her fist into her palm.
"Two weeks."
Ren's eyes widened. "Eh—? What are you saying?! Two weeks?!"
"And you couldn't take me to a hospital?" Ren frowned, trying to sit up then immediately regretted it as pain flared through his ribs. "Don't you think two weeks is… a bit strange?"
Slyva waved a hand, completely unfazed. "Ahh, it wasn't a problem, Ren-sama. I once passed out for three months."
She smiled as ren stared at her.
"…is that supposed to make me feel better?"
A dull silence followed.
He dragged a hand down his face, exhaling slowly. "Yuji and Akari are going to be worried sick…"
His expression tightened because he could already hear Akari's voice...loud, furious
"…Yeah. I'm dead."
He glanced back at Slyva, more serious now. "So. Are you going to tell me everything?"
Slyva didn't answer.
Her smile had faded and her gaze shifted slightly as it became more focused, for a moment, Slyva looked unsure.
Ren frowned. "Slyva?"
She exhaled quietly.
He leaned forward despite the pain. "Soo… are you going to tell me or..."
"Be quiet, Ren-sama she shot back I'm thinking about it."
Ren blinked as confusing crept in his face "what's there to think about it's something you can ah and spill out?"
Slyva let out another sigh, a small grin tugging at her lips.
Ren stared at her for a second, then shook his head. "You know you sigh a lot, right?"
"Shut up, stupid," Slyva shot back.
"…Sigh seriously what a pain," she muttered.
As her eyes locked onto his.
"Do you really want to know? Because if you do then there's no going back."
Ren hesitated for a while for the first time since waking up, uncertainty crept into his expression.
But he wasn't going to back down not after everything that has happened
"…I'm ready," he said quietly. "If I stay ignorant now, I'll just end up searching for the answer later."
For a moment, Slyva simply stared at him she smiled faintly. "I see… In that case…"
She raised her hand.
Whoosh...
A swirling wave of dark energy twisted through the air before condensing into a black key floating above her palm.
Ren's eyes widened. "W-Wait… magic? that's amazing this is summoning magic, right?!"
Slyva burst into laughter and ren frowned immediately as annoyance creeping onto his face.
"What's so funny?"
"Magic?" Slyva wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling ah that's a good one ren-sama… there's no such thing as magic in this world."
The grin on her face slowly faded.
"This key was crafted by your mother."
Her voice softened.
"With her blood. And her power....
Ren froze.
"…Wait."
His breath caught in his throat.
"You knew my mother?"
Slyva starred then looked away briefly before speaking again.
"First, she said quietly, "we need to break your seal.....
Her eyes returned to his and trust me… this is going to hurt you badly."
Ren blinked. "Huh? Wait, what seal are you talking abou...."
But before he could finish....
Slyva appeared directly in front of him.
Ren's eyes widened as he didn't even see her move
THRUST.
Thump!!
The black key slammed into his chest.
The key began sinking into his body.
Slowly and forcefully.
Like something alive crawling beneath his skin a violent shockwave exploded through him.
GBIM GBIM
"GHH—AHHHH!! He scaremed
Pain tore across every nerve in his body.
Ren collapsed forward, clutching his chest as his body convulsed violently his amber eyes bled into crimson red as it felt like thousands of explosions were erupting inside every cell of his body at once.
His scream shook the entire building as the windows trembled.
From his mouth foam spilled as dark veins spread rapidly across his skin like crawling shadows.
And through it all...
Slyva watched chuckling softly. "Yes… that's it, Ren-sama."
Her smile widened slightly.
"You can do it.... but the pain was unbearable.
Ren gasped desperately for air as sweat poured down his face.
What… is this.. , his body trembled violently feeling like countless tiny bombs were detonating inside every cell of his body.
"Ghh—!"
His vision blurred as he squeezed his chest trying to gasp for air but this time even the air seemed so far away
Ren collapsed onto the floor, drool spilling from his mouth as he clawed weakly at the ground, desperately trying to breathe.
Then everything went black as he passed out
"Huh?"
Slyva blinked.
"O-Oi… Ren-sama?"
She quickly rushed to his side, kneeling beside his motionless body.
"… wait wait you're not dead, are you?"
Confusing crimmed in her face
Lowering her head, she pressed an ear against his chest.
Thump...
Thump.....
A steady heartbeat echoed back at her.
Slyva let out a long breath. "Phew… thank goodness."
She wiped the sweat from her forehead before slowly standing back up.
"Alright. Phase one completed, her expression shifted slightly now comes the difficult part…"
Time slowly passed as two hours had come and gone
Ren's eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Huh…?"
A sharp headache slammed into him instantly.
"Ah ow… my head…"
He pressed a hand against his forehead, groaning weakly.
Slyva's voice immediately rang out.
"Eii! You're finally awake!"
Relief flooded her expression as she leaned closer, fake tears forming dramatically at the corners of her eyes.
"I'm so glad... You were unconscious for two whole hours. I seriously thought you'd be out for another two weeks."
Ren ignored her because fragments of memory suddenly crashed back into his mind
The black key, the pain In his chest.
His eyes widened.
"You..." He pointed at her accusingly. "What the hell did you do to me?! It felt like hell itself was tearing through my blood!"
Slyva burst into laughter.
"Ahh, you really should've seen yourself!" she said between laughs. "You were rolling around like 'AHH! AHH!' It was hilarious."
Ren's eye twitched.
Slyva eventually calmed down, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Relax, Ren-sama. All I did was break the seal your mother placed on you."
Ren froze.
"…Mother?"
Before he could say another word...
A black screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Player has successfully broken the seal.]
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