My vision tore away from the white void—
and reality crashed back.
The world didn't return—it snapped into place around me. A force pulled me back—violently. Like reality itself was reclaiming me.
"…What the hell… happened here…?"
The Red Transparent screen flickered—
[ ARCANA INTERFACE ACTIVE ]
Subject: Zekai Krystan
State: Displaced → Reanchored
---
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
In front of me—
Aron was suspended in the air, his body hanging unnaturally still—like something had paused him mid-existence. His throat crushed in the grip of a black entity.
"…What is that…?"
[ TARGET LOCKED ]
Entity: SOULREAVER
Classification: Extraction-Type
[ Threat Level: Lethal ]
I don't have time to figure out what this screen is right now.
Aron's face—fear mixed with relief the moment our eyes met—was enough.
"Don't… lose yourself… Zekai…"
Something inside me cracked. If I don't move now—he dies. I moved—before the thought finished forming.
The air cracked behind me as I moved.
Instantly. Something sharper took over.
A violent surge of energy rose from inside me. Black energy wrapped around my arm—and within it, something else formed.
White. 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. I only understood one thing.
"You chose the wrong target."
I disappeared. Not teleportation—just movement my body hadn't learned yet.
Just speed—beyond what my body should allow. In mid-air I reappeared in front of it.
My hand closed around its throat—gripping something that only existed because I decided it did.
For a moment—something resisted. Not physically—like it refused to exist in my grip.
The same way it held Aron. And crushed it. For the first time—it hesitated.
I caught it mid-motion—not the body—the movement itself.
The air cracked behind me as I moved. For a moment—the world split into two outcomes.
I chose the one where it stopped. I didn't wait to see them. For a second, it didn't understand what had happened.
Then—it adjusted. Because it wasn't supposed to stop there. No hesitation… this body already knew what to do.
Aron's body dropped. I caught him mid-air before he hit the ground and moved him carefully away from the fight.
"Aron… are you okay?" He barely nodded.
"Ah…"
That was enough.
"…Sorry… I made you wait."
Before I could say anything else, that Soulreaver moved behind me.
The creature struck—and missed. Not because I 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. I didn't even turn fully.
The distance between us was barely a few steps—close enough that I could feel the cold leaking from its body against my back.
Its hand reached for me, but I grabbed it by the throat—my fingers closing around something that felt half-solid—and lifted it effortlessly.
I caught it again—this time harder. It dropped the black stone card.
I turned my head slightly.
"I'm talking to him."
"You're not part of this."
I 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.
I glanced back at Aron.
"Stay there. I'll finish this quickly."
I stepped forward. My mind was clear—Something inside me 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 me again. Then it stopped. Not retreating.
Aiming. Its white gaze locked onto me—
and its hand rose slowly.
I felt it instantly. Something inside me shifted.
Not my body. Deeper.
[ WARNING ]
Integrity: Failing
Soul Extraction: In Progress
Layer Breach Detected
---
A thin, smoke-like essence began to stretch out from me.
A force tore through my chest—
invisible—but undeniable.
not pulling my body... pulling me.
My vision shook as something inside me was dragged forward—like I was being pulled out of myself and into something else.
My breath hitched.
"...What—?"
This wasn't pain. This was being taken somewhere I couldn't follow back from.
My existence was being dragged forward.
Just like it did to Aron.
My knees almost gave in. So this is what he felt…
This—this isn't pain. This is being taken.
Two choices.
One I understood. One I didn't.
My 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—my body leaned forward. Like giving in would be easier.
Aron's face flashed in my mind—struggling… still reaching… even when he knew he couldn't win.
My jaw clenched.
"…then there's no choice."
My fingers tightened.
"...He endured this?"
My 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 me I didn't control.
Trying to take those first. Harder. Trying to rip me 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.
I forced my foot forward—each step heavier than the last, like the ground itself was trying to push me back.
Against it. Forcing my body to move—even as something inside me was being dragged out.
Damn it… That Fool said it would help me—but it's been taking my life piece by piece.
There's no other way… if I don't choose one of these, I'll definitely die here.
Option one… or option two…
The first one is already worse. If I choose that, I'll slowly lose my lifespan over time.
So anything other than that is better.
…Then option two.
Even if I don'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."
"I'm… not him."
A breath. Sharp.
"I don't break here."
[ ANOMALY DETECTED ]
Expected Outcome: Collapse
Actual Outcome: Resistance
Recalibrating...
---
Something answered. Not my body. Not the system. Something deeper—something that shouldn't have been there.
A strange, overwhelming sensation erupted from within my body—like it was about to explode from the inside.
Then—a red, electric force burst out from me and slammed into the Soulreaver.
The pull snapped—like something I refused to give was no longer allowed to be taken.
[ OVERRIDE CONFIRMED ]
Authority Deviation Accepted
Soul Extraction: Denied
---
The moment it hit—its entire body distorted, like it was being crushed from the inside.
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 didn't understand 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 me without blinking—pure killing intent in its gaze…
like it wouldn't leave until I was dead.
But this is the moment I need to show him who I really am. So I lifted my head slowly.
"Try that again…"
"…and I'll erase you."
No hesitation. No fear. I lifted my head slowly.
"No mercy... anymore."
A pause.
"…and this time, I won't leave anything left to take."
Not for things like you.
End of chapter 19 - No Mercy