The wooden striking block erupted in a blue fire, until it was reduced to ash. The oath was made…
"Now then, ask your question."
Satoya's mind raced searching for the best question to ask. Yet it was impossible to find the greatest question when his mind was flooded with questions that were equally as important as one another.
"Take all the time you need."
Satoya could ask an easy question, yet that would be a waste. But he also had a realization, and that realization gave him a question he wanted to be answered.
"Why did you keep appearing out of nowhere? Or how can I explain it.."
"I can tell what you are asking. So no need to search for a better way to ask it."
Satoya was relieved by the assurance.
"I have been observing you all.. No, specifically you."
"What do you mean?"
"But I only had to intervene twice now, one against the Cataclysm of the 8th Disaster, Saeonius Roland, and.. Rayna."
"Do you know what was happening to her?"
"That is the second question, I only agreed to answer one, Satoya."
"R-right.."
Satoya got an answer, but he wasn't sure if it was the most important answer he wanted, but he got an answer to one of the questions. But, why was Rin so interested in observing him? Him of all people?.. Or it could be Satoya probably being one of the first Truth Seekers in history to not have a Verity, but that claim was now losing its edge after Satoya started being capable of utilizing something that might or is his verity.
"Satoya."
"Hm?"
"Let's play two truths and one lie."
Could this possibly be the information Rin wanted to tell Satoya, something so secretive that there was an oath to make sure this information wasn't leaked to the outside?
"Sure."
"I will not provide any hints for which one is a lie, nor which one is the truth.. That is up to you to decide."
"Do I also need to say three things with one being a lie?"
"No need, I already am aware of the things you are hiding."
What? Does he know something that I don't even know myself? The more I think about it the more I feel creeped out. The thought rushed through his mind.
"First. I am a Truth Seeker with a Verity of time manipulation."
Time manipulation? A Verity like that exists? If I'm taking logic from the books and webnovels I read, there has to be a sort of limitation to it then or else that'd be completely broken. Satoya thought immediately after hearing that first statement, but he wasn't going to assume it was a lie as there are still two more things left to be said.
"Two. I have been fast forwarding the capabilities of you, and the others based off of the encounters you all went through, whether it'd be winning that encounter or surviving it."
Wait fast forward? Does he mean that literally? But if he has time manipulation, then could that be possible? Satoya grew even more confused from the statements.
"And lastly."
Satoya prepared himself to hear the last statement Rin was going to make. But the tone in which Rin spoke was a lot colder than before.
"I resent two things in this world, the Falsity and.."
The bandaged spear that was leaning against a cubicle began radiating a faint golden aura.
"You."
This last statement gave Satoya a sense of discomfort, and oddly enough, he felt like he was being weighed down as if gravity was taking a hold of him and forcing him to stay down, even if he had any intention of moving at all, he felt completely paralyzed.
"That is, all I will ever tell you, at least, all I will be allowed to tell you."
Rin continued by telling Satoya one more thing.
"Remember the oath, you will not relay this to anyone, and you will not tell anyone I was here."
This single conversation shattered Satoya's perspective of Rin. And yet he cannot even tell anyone about it, as he doesn't know what the Jurisdiction Gavel, an Ancient Crucible, would do to him if he were to break this oath. He remembered Zykar Ellington, a man who made a deal with the Gavel, but he never heard from him since he fought him. Could it be that he was out there becoming stronger? Or could it be that he was killed? When he stopped thinking, he noticed Rin vanished.
Satoya decided not to dwell on this for longer, and instead headed downstairs.
He discovered that Kohayuki was awake, or at least just became conscious. She seemed to be fully recovered, or to better clarify, her wounds alongside everyone else including him were reversed by Rin.
"My mouth tastes like blood and vomit.."
Kohayuki noticed Satoya looking at her from the stairs.
"Could you get me water?"
"Can't you get it yourself?"
"I forgot my wallet at my house…"
"Then how'd you buy that milk tea earlier?"
"Damn it, I didn't want to spend a couple Alikurs on water."
"Fine, I'll get you some water."
Satoya left the building, strolling to a vending machine. He took out his phone that somehow wasn't broken, or maybe it was but Rin reversed everything back. While grabbing the water from the delivery slot, he heard an announcement.
The Evacuation Effect Will End In 20 Minutes. All Jurisdiction Court activities have been halted, any property damage will be paid for by insurance.
What are they going to do about the Juries Rayna killed? Or what about Executioner Argoreas? His arm got torn off, how'd they handle these types of aftermaths anyway?
He went back to the building where the rest of his friends were, and gave Kohayuki the bottle of water he bought. She took the bottle with her as she rinsed her mouth with the water outside.
"That's better, mouth still tastes a little irony."
"Maybe you shouldn't call an Executioner a coward?"
"What? Was I wrong? He technically did run from the fight against those Ueda Clan Retainers."
"How long do you think they'll have until they wake up?"
"I'm not a doctor, how am I supposed to know? And also wasn't I practically dead that dude punched me so hard I thought I was done for."
Satoya cleared his throat, realizing that he probably isn't able to answer or explain how she was fine as Rin before he left told him not to tell anyone he was here.
"Did Rin scare away that Executioner? Seems like it, I mean no one can heal a person that well unless they are Edward but that'll be pretty expensive for his influx, no?"
"H-huh?"
Someone groaned behind them. Conveniently, it was Edward, who seemed to be feeling his back, probably because he was knocked through a street fence.
"Is the Evacuation Effect still on?"
"It'll end in like 20 minutes."
"Oh.. Also what happened? Where'd Executioner Argoreas go? There's no way in hell we beat him, did he retreat for some reason?"
Satoya became even more irritated, as he could be truthful, and say Rayna, or whatever was controlling her, ended up tearing his arm off, and now he doesn't know what the hell happened, but the problem was that if he did say that, even more questions will arise on what Rayna was.
Did they not know? Was me and Executioner Argoreas the only ones that somehow weren't knocked out by the high frequency that emitted from Rayna? I guess to be fair they were probably too busy covering their ears because of how painful it was.
Satoya was deep in thought, before he was nudged in the elbow by Kohayuki.
"You know what happened?" She asked directly.
"I, uhm, don't know, I woke up before you did, and went upstairs to look out.."
Satoya was obviously lying, and to be honest, he was a horrible liar, but somehow these two believed him. Can't be a horrible liar if people are dumb enough to believe you I guess.
"So what now?" Edward asked, looking at the unconscious Rayna, Isaac and Johnathan. Satoya turned to Kohayuki.
"I mean we could wait for them to wake up."
"Yeah and how long would that probably take? I mean c'mon Isaac slept for almost 15 hours one day and almost got sent to the hospital by his mom."
"I don't think sleep and being unconscious are the same thing."
"I mean, both are in a state of not being awake right?"
The three went quiet for a moment, until Kohayuki made a suggestion.
"Want to like, go on a walk or something? They'll probably be fine if we leave them alone."
"I'm good, and also are you an idiot? We can't just leave them unconscious. Who knows what will happen to them if we leave them alone?" Edward said in an almost offended tone.
"Good point, now what."
"I'll stay here, I don't feel like moving at all."
"God damn you're lazy."
"Ok well fuck you."
Edward gave her an annoyed look, before shooing them away while telling them to, "go walk or whatever, just be back here in a bit I'll text you if they wake up."
Kohayuki turned to face Satoya.
"Alright then, let's go Satoya."
"I kind of wanted to sta–"
"Don't be lazy, we are going."