The curse affinity.
"They have no knowledge of you ever having it."
It was his only ability that was never directly given by Skill Weaver.
"Hence, they could never see it in the tome."
Then that could only mean...
"....You were the one who gave me the curse affinity."
"Correct."
"...."
It was the only elemental ability that he could continuously progress.
After all....
"That is my power, and that is the power that's inside that body of yours."
"...."
"The more you use the abilities that Skill Weaver has given you, the more you're allowing Jin to fully assimilate with your body."
"Then why haven't you warned me?"
"I couldn't. The only thing I could do was give you the curse affinity. It was my way of protecting you from its influence."
Snap!
The other Brandon snapped his fingers once again.
"You've been relying on it more often, right?"
"Yeah."
"I know how tempting it is to use Accelerated Cognition and Mana Burst, even Mana Disruption. But let me tell you of its true nature."
Accelerated Cognition.
Jin could see what he was seeing through his lenses.
Mana Burst.
Jin had full access to his muscle fibers and mana core.
Mana Disruption.
Full access to the Sovereign's abilities.
"....I fought him last time. So this doesn't make any sense."
"Did you really think you were fighting the real him?"
"....A doppelganger."
"Precisely. Good catch."
"And the hospital? I've used my strings. He must've seen the curse affinity by then."
"I've configured it whenever I sensed his presence. You might not have noticed, but the threads were entirely made of pure mana."
At that moment, the other Brandon stood up and clasped his hands behind his back.
Then, he approached the lifeless Belle—who laid on the ground.
"Back to Belle. This is where Ciel had made a blunder."
Since she didn't know of his curse affinity. She didn't take a binding vow into account.
"That system message...."
The one that screamed 'Don't go'.
"It was you, right?"
"Pretty obvious, no?"
Then, the other Brandon bent down and tucked Belle's hair right behind her ear.
"Wouldn't they find out?"
"If you make such an exchange with a binding vow, you can ensure they are given false information."
The other Brandon turned his head back and looked at Belle.
A warm smile spread across his features as he gently caressed her hair.
"I've used up everything in me from the previous progressions for a binding vow."
To prepare for the event in which Raven had finally used the ability.
"All of this. My consciousness, the affinity implantation. Everything."
From the 158th ability, he had sacrificed a part of himself just for this moment, to finally give it all to Raven.
"Could you do me a favor?"
The other Brandon asked without looking back.
"Anything."
And his preparations to ensure he achieved his goal.
"Please save my sister. I wish for there to be one timeline where she is alive and happy."
To finally save his sister.
"Sacrifice Skill Weaver in exchange for my sister's life."
And as for the other Brandon's sacrifice....
"My final will."
Snap!
An influx of memories surged within him.
From his childhood throughout his death.
His entire journey.
All in one fever dream.
It was at that moment that he had now fully become Brandon Locke.
Sharp pangs attacked Raven's cerebrum like sharp daggers.
A myriad of pain coursed within him, and Raven found himself on both knees, clenching his head.
And by the time he was done....
".....You could've done that from the start."
"It wouldn't work since you aren't me. You think I haven't tried that this entire time?"
"Excuses."
"No, no. A certain condition had to be met."
"Condition, huh?"
"Fine, I just wanted someone to talk to this whole time. Someone that isn't actively trying to manipulate me. It gets pretty lonely inside your head, you know?"
There was still a sense of childishness in the way he spoke.
He was, but a boy who had never fully experienced his childhood.
"Heh."
But as Raven raised his head....
"...."
The other Brandon had already disappeared.
Even if he had never asked a favor, Raven would've done it anyway.
He neared Belle, crouching down and extending his arms towards her abdomen.
"Binding vow."