After that intense conversation, we spent the rest of the afternoon touring the castle. I showed Roxy the floating gardens and the breathtaking views from the ramparts of the Chaos Breaker. We walked and talked about trivial things until the sky turned a deep purple and the temperature dropped.
"It's time to go back," I told her.
We returned to the guest quarters in silence, finally entering the room to sleep...
.....
The Next Day
The morning sun bathed the castle in golden light. After a quick breakfast at the great table with the group—where the atmosphere felt strangely calm despite being in a Dragon King's fortress—I approached Rudeus. Pulling him away from the rest, I told him what I planned to do: the library, the ship project...
"A flying ship...?" he whispered. His eyes sparkled slightly at the idea.
But that spark died the moment I mentioned the other part. When he heard that if Hitogami died, the world would collapse... his pupils contracted, and for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his expression.
"Then... we can't free ourselves from him," he said in a low voice.
I shook my head. "There is an alternative."
He looked up. "Sealing him."
"Sealing him...?" he repeated, surprised. "Is that even possible?"
"According to Perugius, yes," I replied. "He said it could work."
Rudeus's eyes lit up immediately. "Then he knows how to do it. Let's ask him for help."
"Wait," I stopped him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "The seal doesn't exist yet."
His expression tensed again. "Then... what will we do?"
"Don't worry," I said calmly. "I'll take care of creating it."
Rudeus stared at me. "Are you sure?"
"No," I admitted. "But I'll try. All I ask is for your help finding useful information. Ancient records, forbidden theories, any clue we can find in his library."
He was silent for a few seconds... then he nodded. "Count on me."
I breathed a little easier. "I also told Roxy," I added. "Not everything, but enough. She knows what I plan to do... and she's going to help."
Rudeus offered a small, tired but sincere smile. "Still, there's one problem left."
His expression turned serious. "Is there more?"
"Yes," I replied. "We still need Orsted."
Rudeus frowned slightly at the name. "The Dragon God...?" he muttered. For an instant, he reached for his shoulder, right where Orsted had pierced him once before. "I thought I wouldn't have to see him again."
I couldn't help but offer a slight smile. "He might know how to reach Hitogami," I continued. "Or at least, how to get us closer to the Void World. Perugius doesn't have that answer... but Orsted might."
Rudeus remained silent for a few seconds, absorbing the magnitude of what that implied. "Talking to Orsted isn't going to be easy," he finally admitted.
"We have no other choice," I said calmly. "So, after your summoning lessons with Sylvaril, come to the library. You'll help us search for any useful information."
Rudeus looked up and nodded with determination. "Understood. I'll do everything I can."
The plan was beginning to take shape... even if the road ahead was anything but simple.
....
POV: Hitogami
In the infinite whiteness of my world, visions of the future stretched out before me like golden silk threads. But now, once again, they were changing. They twisted, knotted, and died before my eyes.
"No... not again!" I roared, projecting my will into the vacuum.
I forced my sight beyond time, tearing through possibilities, searching for the moment of my victory. That exact point where everything was under my control again, where the board was cleared of annoying pieces. But all I found was my ruin.
In every possible branch, the outcome was the same. Before, I could see a path; before, my enemies were different. But since I came face to face with Arthur, fate has mutated into something I do not recognize. There is no longer a future where I reign.
I saw myself on my knees, immobilized, chained by a luminescence that did not belong to this world, victim of a spell that had never been written in the history of magic. Around me, my executioners watched me with contempt.
But what made me writhe in fury was not the presence of Orsted, nor the pathetic Rudeus. It was the central figure. Among all of them stood a boy with silver hair and golden eyes... it was... Arthur.
His eyes, cold and calculating, did not show a hint of doubt. He extended a hand toward me, and in that instant, the future shattered. Total darkness.
"Curse you!" I screamed, my voice vibrating through the entire place. "Curse you all!"
I struck the floor of the Void World with blind rage. It didn't ease my fury. It wasn't possible. I am a God, I am the one who dictates fate... and yet, that thing... that Arthur... was beyond my reach.
With a snap of my will, I abandoned the visions and anchored myself to the present. I connected to the senses of my most useful piece at this moment: Luke.
Through his eyes, the great hall of the Chaos Breaker appeared before me. The scene was simply irritating. Luke was sitting at the table. In the distance, I only saw the gestures: Arthur's hand on Rudeus's shoulder, the expression of terror on Rudeus that then changed to firm determination, and that spark of confidence in Arthur's eyes that I hated so much.
"What are they laughing about? What are they planning? Is it the plan to kill me?" I thought.
My eyes gleamed with a dangerous intent. If I cannot predict Arthur's future, I will make sure his present is a hell so great that he won't have the strength to reach that tomorrow.
....
POV: External
"Luke..." Hitogami whispered directly into his mind, his voice sounding like honey and concern. "Do you see how they look at each other? Arthur and Rudeus are planning something. Arthur also spoke with Perugius earlier—could he be planning something against the Princess? If they achieve what they want, Ariel will never reach the throne and your family will perish in the war they are going to unleash."
Luke, sitting at the table, gripped his cutlery until his knuckles turned white. "Are you sure?" he thought desperately. "Arthur is my friend... and he wouldn't do anything to Princess Ariel."
"Arthur is no longer the man you knew. Look, he even looks different. It's possible Perugius has brainwashed him," Hitogami lied with an invisible smile. "Now, listen carefully. There is a way to stop this without you having to stain your hands directly. In the lower levels of this fortress, where waste accumulates before being purified, there is a creature. A small rat infected with an ancient strain of the Petrifying Crystal disease."
Luke swallowed hard. He knew that disease; it was a slow and agonizing death.
"It's not for Arthur," the Human God continued. "He is too strong. But the woman... the Water Mage. If she falls ill, Arthur will abandon his plans, stop looking for Orsted, and leave to try and save her. It's the only way for him to withdraw from the board without anyone having to die... at least, no one you care about."
Hitogami knew Luke loved his group, but his loyalty to Ariel and his fear of the end of the world were more powerful tools.
"Find the rat, Luke. Put it in the blue-haired woman's quarters tonight. Do it for the future of the Kingdom of Asura. Do it for Ariel."
...
POV: Luke
I walked through the white stone corridors of the Chaos Breaker, but my steps felt heavy, as if my boots were made of lead. Every time I crossed paths with one of Perugius's spirits, I forced a smile and a polite greeting. I was an expert at maintaining appearances; it was my training as a knight and Ariel's escort.
But inside, Hitogami's words echoed.
"For Ariel..." I whispered to myself.
That was the key. He had shown me what would happen if Arthur and Rudeus moved forward. I had seen Ariel crying over the ruins of a kingdom she never got to rule. I had seen my companions die in a war that Arthur would provoke by challenging forces he didn't understand.
If I had to push aside just one person to save the future Queen of Asura and avoid the end of everything, I would do it.
I descended to the lower levels, away from the luxury of the guest area. The air here was different—colder and staler. I reached the pits where the remains of the fortress's magical experiments accumulated. There, in a dark corner, I saw it.
It was a small rat, with grayish fur and unnaturally red eyes. It moved with a strange slowness, dragging its paws. I took out a small metal container and, with a quick and precise movement, trapped the creature. The metal felt ice-cold in my hands.
"I'm not killing her," I tried to convince myself as I climbed back up the service stairs. "It's just a disease. Arthur is a genius; he'll find a cure, but by the time he does, he'll be far from here. He will have given up. He'll be gone seeking help and will no longer be a threat to Ariel's destiny."
I stopped at an intersection. To the left was the hall where the others were laughing. To the right was the corridor leading to the guest rooms. I looked at the container in my hands. I felt a deep disgust, not for the animal, but for what I was about to do to a friend.
But then, the image of Ariel crowned and safe returned to my mind, projected by Hitogami's will. I straightened my back.
"It is a necessary evil," I said with a cold voice.
I waited for the corridor to be deserted. I saw Arthur and Roxy heading somewhere, and Rudeus was busy with Nanahoshi receiving lessons from Sylvaril. Ariel and Sylphy were talking. It was the perfect moment.
I walked down the hall, entered the guest area, and headed for the door of the room I had seen her leave earlier. With my heart pounding very fast, I slid the doorknob. It took only a second to leave the container open under the bed and exit without a sound.
When I returned to the main corridor, I almost bumped into Rudeus.
"Ah... Luke," he said, surprised. "Were you going somewhere?"
My heart gave a violent leap, but my face reacted before my thoughts. I smiled. "Just stretching my legs," I replied. "This place is huge, don't you think?"
Rudeus laughed softly. "Yeah... Chaos Breaker is incredible. Though," he lowered his voice a bit, "it also feels like it's watching you all the time."
I nodded, swallowing hard. "Well, we're just guests."
Rudeus observed me a second longer than normal. "Hey," he added, "I'm going to the library later. It seems Perugius gave us total access."
"The library?" I repeated, faking curiosity.
"Yeah. Arthur and Roxy should be there right now. We're going to investigate... important things."
There it was. So they would find something there. That was the reason Hitogami had acted.
"Sounds... intense," I said with a brief laugh. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
"We hope so too," he replied, then bowed his head slightly. "Rest, Luke. You look tired."
"I am," I admitted. "See you, Rudeus."
We parted ways. I walked a few more meters before stopping, leaning a hand against the white marble wall. My breathing was ragged, though I hadn't run.
"It's done..." I whispered.
But instead of relief, I felt an even greater weight fall upon my chest.
...
POV: Hitogami
In the empty room of my world, I closed my eyes and savored the moment. Through the connection with Luke, I felt his fear, his guilt, and above all, that blind obedience born of despair.
"Well done..." I whispered into his mind, letting my voice sound as warm and paternal as possible. "You have saved Ariel, Luke. You have saved the future of Asura. Sleep peacefully, knight."
I cut the sensory link with a gesture of disdain. Puppets are so easy to handle when they believe they are making a "sacrifice." But as soon as I was alone in the void, the fake smile vanished from my face. A sting of irritation ran down my spine. Despite Luke fulfilling his part, something was still bothering me.
I fixed my gaze on the threads of fate, seeking confirmation of my success. But the tapestry was still a mess.
"Damn it!" I growled.
Even with the rat in the room, my vision remained incomplete. The future where Arthur is present is like trying to look through a sandstorm. The threads vibrate, change color, and vanish into blind spots. I can never see the exact moment he acts; he is an anomaly that distorts all time around him.
I tried to see the mage's body petrified; I looked for the image of her turned into crystal, but Arthur's blurred figure always intervened, blocking the final result.
"It doesn't matter," I told myself, forcing a calm I didn't feel. "When the mage falls ill... he will despair. Geniuses like him are the easiest to break when it comes to the person they love."
I sat on the white floor. "Find the cure, Arthur. Run, despair, waste your mana and your time saving that stupid woman. While you cry over her bed, I will finish clearing the rest of the board."
....
POV: External
That night, the Chaos Breaker slept wrapped in a silence that was almost sacred. In the guest room, the atmosphere was warm, lit only by the soft blue light of a floating lamp. Roxy sat on the edge of the bed, undoing her braids, while Arthur remained at the desk, reviewing a mountain of magical notes.
"Doing this without the full help of the Great Sage is exhausting," Arthur thought, rubbing his eyes.
"Hey, Great Sage, haven't you found the cure for Nanahoshi yet?" he asked in the shelter of his mind.
"Do you want to save her or not? Let me do my job. Although her condition is not as complex as Zenith's, it is still intricate. Besides, you haven't stopped interrupting with your questions."
"Sorry, sorry... it's just that there are too many things to do," Arthur replied with a mental sigh, leaning back in his chair.
"Hmp... if you let me continue without distractions... it will be ready tomorrow morning."
"Excellent..."
"Arthur," Roxy said suddenly, breaking the silence of the room and snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Hm?" Arthur turned his head to look at her.
She was watching him with a soft expression, but with a trace of concern in her eyes. Roxy hugged herself for a moment, looking toward the window where only the darkness of the sky was visible.
"You look exhausted," she continued in a low voice. "You've been in front of those papers since we left the library. Come, rest. We'll continue tomorrow."
Arthur let out a small, dry laugh, remembering the visions that tormented him. He was about to respond with a joke, but the exhaustion was real. He stood up from the chair, accidentally hitting the table with his thigh. The ring fell to the floor...
The ring rolled across the floor with a metallic clink, describing a small arc before disappearing under the bed, right on the side where Roxy was sitting.
"Ah..." Arthur muttered, bringing a hand to his temple. "How clumsy."
He leaned down to pick it up, resting one knee on the floor. The light from the floating lamp barely reached under the bed, casting long, confusing shadows. Roxy also leaned over a bit, pulling back the bedspread to help.
"Leave it, I'll—" She stopped.
Arthur noticed the change instantly. "Roxy...?"
She frowned slightly, bringing a hand to her mouth. "It's nothing..." she said quickly, though her voice sounded strange. "I just... got a little dizzy."
Arthur felt something tighten in his chest. "Dizzy?"
Roxy nodded, taking a deep breath. "It must be the exhaustion. We walked a lot in the library today."
Arthur forced a smile but did not relax. He reached out and carefully took the ring. In that instant, something moved in the periphery of his vision. A faint sound. An almost imperceptible scratch.
Arthur froze. "...Did you hear that?"
Roxy blinked. "Hear what?"
Arthur slowly turned his head toward the darkness under the bed. He activated a minimal current of mana in his eyes, just enough to focus better. Nothing. Only shadows... and dust. Perhaps it was his imagination.
"Nothing," he said at last, standing up. "I must have imagined it."
Roxy let out a small, nervous laugh. "You've been way too alert lately. That's not good for you."
"Nor for anyone," he replied, putting the ring away and approaching her. He held her gently, resting his forehead against hers. Roxy closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself be held.
But then her body tensed. "...Arthur."
"Yes?"
"I think..." she swallowed. "I think I'm going to the bathroom for a moment."
"Does something hurt?"
"No," she replied quickly. "Just... nausea."
Arthur pulled back immediately. "Nausea?"
She avoided looking at him directly. "Don't worry. Seriously."
Arthur nodded, but his mind was already working at full speed. "Nausea. Dizziness. Fatigue. Could the food have disagreed with her?"
Roxy went into the bathroom and closed the door carefully. Arthur remained standing in the middle of the room, trying to understand what was happening.
....
POV: Hitogami
I felt the tug. The slight alteration in the thread. My lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"Ah... it has already begun."
The discomfort. The first symptom. "I don't need her to die quickly," I thought. "I only need him to fear."
"Watch her, Arthur..." I whispered, though he could not hear me. "Watch her and despair."
My eyes scanned the immediate future... but as always, the image distorted when he appeared in the center. My smile tensed.
"...Tch."
It doesn't matter. Soon, you will suffer watching her petrify.
....
POV: External
Minutes later, Roxy came out of the bathroom looking slightly pale. Arthur was already at her side.
"Better," she said, forcing a smile. "I just needed a moment."
Arthur didn't respond immediately. He raised a hand and carefully placed two fingers on her wrist, feigning a casual gesture. He felt her pulse. Normal.
That didn't reassure him. Without saying anything, he channeled a light current of detoxification magic, adjusting it to the minimum, just to rule out any anomalous reaction. The mana flowed through Roxy's body without resistance, dissipating gently.
"Do you feel better?" he finally asked.
"Yes... much better," she nodded, looking more relaxed.
Arthur watched her for a few more seconds, as if searching for something out of place, but found nothing obvious. In the end, he exhaled slowly. With a gesture, he turned off the floating lamp, and they lay down. Roxy nestled against him, her breathing becoming steady and regular.
Arthur stayed awake for a few more moments, listening to that familiar rhythm. Seeing that she was okay... and after hearing her confirmation once more, exhaustion finally overcame him.
He closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly.
To be continued...