Then, Kui and Tido snap back in reality. The darkness that surrounded them was gone. They're both back in Tido's Split Reality. As Kui shakes his head before looking around him to see Shiro and Zaki beside him, looking at him curiously.
"W-wha-?"
Kui murmured, a bit confused.
Zaki leaned closer to Kui.
"Did you take his arm?"
He asked curiously.
"Y-Yea-"
Kui spoke, but before he could finish his words…
Tido cuts him off.
"Vows may not be disclosed, Kizunishi."
Said in such an intimidating, cold, and rough voice. His eyes were staring right into Kui's.
Kui was startled, freezing up his body as he looked scared.
"R-Right!"
"Hm."
Tido hummed before going over to the kitchen area of his Split Reality, where he hopped onto a stool that was against a sink. Tido twists the faucet switch, letting water flow onto his cupped hand before dipping his head into it with one massive eye. As if it's his way to drink water, or cleanse his vision
The three watched him as he basically cleaned his eye with water; it was an odd view, a small creature, with one massive eye ball on its face, cleansing its one eye with water.
Shiro gulped before speaking.
"Is it my turn next?"
This caught Tido's attention, as he raised his one-eyed head from his cupped hands to face Shiro.
"Perhaps."
Shiro didn't reply, standing still, waiting for Tido's signal.
Tido stared at Shiro for some time; it felt like he was trying to sense if he was worthy or could handle his Vows.
"Crimson waves, a strong energy, neither positive nor negative, but somewhat in between."
Tido's thoughts were puzzling him as he stared at Shiro for longer. His one eye was able to read out and sense energy around people and beasts, hence why it's just one massive eye in his head.
Zaki's energy was nothing compared to this; Zaki's was negative, emitting a purple aura with dark spots. Tido can understand how negative and strong it is… Yet, looking back at Shiro, was something else; He had a crimson aura, no dark or white spots, indicating it was neither a positive nor a negative energy, but it was still stronger and felt more… ominous than Zaki's.
"Shiro Hiyoshi…"
Then, flash back from the time Tido had sensed the same kind of energy, XX years ago, when he was still human working for the B.S.C.
It was a faint memory, yet it was the same kind of energy he had witnessed XX years ago.
And then, Tido speaks.
"I refuse."
A straightforward rejection.
Shiro's eyes widen, slightly surprised by Tido rejecting him.
"Huh..?"
Zaki leaned forward to get to Tido's head level.
"Come on~ He's a special case, I told you!"
Zaki pursued convincing Tido.
"Forgive me, but I refuse to construct a vow with him."
"Not even a finger?"
Zaki asked.
Tido looked deep into Zaki's eyes.
"No."
Zaki fixed his posture, his face became calmer and more relaxed, somewhat serious.
"Alright, I won't push you to it."
Shiro looks confused, his mind is puzzled, and his face is very much questioning everything.
"But- But why? Is there something in me that makes you refuse?"
"Hm."
Tido steps down from the stool, walking towards Shiro.He was right in front of Shiro, looking up at him due to his size.
"Come closer."
Shiro leans down to get a better hearing of what Tido has to say.
"You're neither human or a beast."
"Your race is nowhere in the Construct Rules of a Vow."
"Your body? It is a flesh for an undefined strength you have yet to discover."
"Your thoughts are your own weakness; dwell too deeply into them, and you'll let 'it' take control."
These words, these sentences, they hit something in Shiro, but what?
His eyes widen in frustration, as if those words from Tido triggered something in him, but he doesn't know what.
He stood still.
…
…
…
[THUD]
"ACK!"
The three are back into reality, the real world. As Kui fell over onto the ground, face-first, as if he was thrown out of the Split Gate. Zaki stepped out of it normally. But Shiro? He walked out of it normally, too, but coming out with a puzzled mind.
"Dwell too deeply into them, and I'll let 'it' take control."
His thoughts were eating him as he stood still in the alleyway. Behind him was the Split Gate closing, with Zaki looking at Shiro in concern.
Zaki thinks it's just a little disappointment because Shiro was rejected from being given a vow, so he rests his arm on Shiro's shoulder in assurance.
"It's okay~ Do not worry, my student!"
"B.S.C. has a large quantity of Intelligent Beasts, with whom you can construct vows!"
He assured, with a cheerful tone.
Shiro stayed silent, looking at the ground with a puzzled mind.
"It is a flesh for an undefined strength you have yet to discover."
"Dwell too deeply into them, and I'll let 'it' take control."
His mind is replaying all the words Tido had told him, every sentence hitting him deep in his soul, but he wonders, why?
Zaki was still concerned, as he was looking at Shiro's disappointed face.
"Hey! You okay?"
Then…
Shiro's vision began to blur, his body hunched over, as Zaki's arm let go of his shoulder.
His body was beginning to be weak, as if he were about to faint.
"Shit."
He spoke just before falling over to the ground and fainting.
—Chapter 28, End : Partial Truth