Chapter 321: Ryun

Chapter 321: Ryun

The Mind

What are you worried about? Selia asked as he prepared to bite into the fruit.

Many things, Ryun said. On the top of the list is that it will drive me mad. If it does, I am going to need you to stop me.

Both Selia and Erdania nodded and took positions around him.

He settled on the ground and then he ate the fruit.

For a few moments he didnt feel anything different, and then suddenly as if someone flipped a switch, he was somewhere else.

He knew that this place wasnt real immediately. The clue was obvious, he could see how he used to before he got his new eyes. He was on a plain, tall green grass swayed up to his knees, and above him was a sky filled with colors and stars. There was no sight quite like this in the Infinite Realm, not for anyone who had normal eyes. The sky could change color, but there was no great tapestry like this one.

His powers didnt work either, which was another clue. A noise made him turn around and he was met face to face with his deepest self.

He raised his head to look at the eyes of a wolf, a copy of the Reaper that he had met so long ago back on Earth. But this couldnt be the Reaper, it died, he had felt the last of it fade away. What remained was just the perk and what Ryun believed to be just the last vestiges of power that the Framework had been unable to bundle up into a perk.

Yet, he still had the dreams. Less now, but he dreamed the Reapers life.

The Reaper is dead, the wolf said, answering his thoughts. But did you really think that that was going to be it? That you could inherit a power from the Aspect of True Death and remain unchanged?

You are my deepest self? Ryun asked, confused.

The wolf chuckled. Who do you think that you are is a better question?

Ryun opened his mouth, but then closed it. He remembered what Jiharuud had told him, what he had called him.

You are He Who Is Feared, He Who Is Underestimated, He Who Reaches Beyond, and He Who Fears Himself. The Liar and The Mad. You are Echo of True Death and Wolf of the End and Harbinger of the Final End, The Witness of the Journeys End, the half of one whole that once was and always will be, a law of all things. You are He Who Sees and He Who Knows. You are Loved and Loving, Honest and Deceiving, Enduring and Broken, ArrogantAboveAll.

Some of those names he understood. He was feared by some, he was often underestimated, and he did reach beyond. He didnt know if he feared himself, though, or why he was the liar and the mad. The true death and the end names seemed more clear now that he could see what his deepest self looks like. He who sees and he who knows were obvious, his sense gave him great knowledge. Loved and loving, he had a family, people that loved him and who he loved in return. Honest, he didnt lie and he kept his word. Deceiving he didnt know what that meant. The last three he agreed and knew as well.

So why was his deepest self the wolf? He had put what remained of the Reaper into his technique, gave it autonomy.

The wolf laughed.

You put nothing into that technique, ithe, said.

Ryun blinked, but before he could ask the question the wolf answered it.

The Reaper died, but what remained was the Mantle of the Reaper, one part of True Death. You cannot destroy something that was a law of an universe. The Reaper that reached his end, and the Mantle that was filled by a new oneyou. You took all that remained. The memories, even though you cannot comprehend them. There is nothing left of the old, all that remains, all that you think is remnant is just you. Every time you use that technique you pull me out, and let methe subconscious part of your mindtake control of it.

He held the Mantle of the Reaper

So, the wolf started again. Who do you think you are?

Ryun hesitated. Things were starting to occur to him, confusing him. If he had assumed that Mantle, just how much of himself was him and how much was what remained of the Reaper?

His old life on Earth, before the Framework had always seemed so disjointed than what came after. Was he changed from the moment he and Melody walked into that cave, from the moment the Twin Aspects of True Death surrendered their power to them? It changed his perspective, made him look back on who he was before that moment and after. He he was a loner, a person that disliked the monotone life of the world before the Framework. When it arrived, it liberated him in a way. It gave him a way to be free of all the systems that people put into place before. After they encountered the Reaper and the Scythe he became calmer? Happier for sure. He and Melody got even closer, their bond gained a substance that was lacking before.

He raised his eyes looked at the wolf, and wondered just how much of himself was what remained of the Reaper. His focuses, his Path, his power. It's all tied to an end, a finality, True Death. He had taken the Reapers place, and even though the Framework tried to contain it inside a perk, it didnt contain everything. He was the Wolf of the End.

The things that he put inside his skills, that he locked in, even they were influenced. A monster that went through anyone who stood in his way. Like the Reaper hunting his marks, those who ran from death. He didnt break his word, like the Aspects of True Death, that never strayed from their purpose. But that still left a few of the things that Jikharuud called him unclear to him.

Do you want to see? The wolf asked.

See what? Ryun frowned.

Everything.

Ryun was about to ask for a clarification, but the wolf opened his mouth first. The wolfs jaws gaped open, disjointed and unnatural until all that Ryun could see was the darkness inside its maw. And then that darkness surged forward swallowing him whole.

Ryun was the Reaper, or the Reaper was Ryun, it didnt matter. Who he was didnt matter, what mattered was simply that he was. In the beginning they were one, and set apart from the others. After all the ones purpose was to be the final destination, the end to all things. Even other Aspects were meant to meet the one at the end. The one was therefore lonely. Their creators saw this, but cared not for the plight of the one. The purpose of True Death was not to be happy, but to bring the finality to their toys, when they decided the time was right.

The one existed before all the others, older than the footsteps of the ones who were long since vanished. But the loneliness grew, and the one made a decision. The one picked up their scythe and split themself in half, right down the middle. So that the one might always have a friend.

Time surged, memories flashed. Too grand and incomprehensible to the one who was half. Ryun who was the Reaper, and who was one half could not grasp, could not comprehend, his mind to small to hold the weight of so much time.

As his mind buckled under the weight, in pain, seeing only flashes of memories that were grand enough to punch through even the primitive and small nature of his mind, another part of his mind understood.

The dreams he experienced were a release valve, slowly giving to him that which he had taken onto himself when he assumed the Mantle. He gained power, distilled through the Framework to protect his fragile mortal form. But the rest? The rest of what made an Aspect of True Death was still there.

Selia and Erdania stood in front of him, studying him.

Ryun, you still there? Erdania asked.

Ryun nodded his head. Yes, he said slowly. There wasnt much of a change that he could tell. He did feel freer in a way.

How long? He asked.

Half an hour, maybe, Erdania answered.

Ryun hummed to himself, then noticed that a notification was flashing in the corner of his eye so he brought it forward.

Congratulations! You have gone through a Crucible!

Fruit of Jikharuuds Insight +100 to base intelligence and wisdom; +500 to intelligence and wisdom

New title availableLesser Crucible of the Mind

Lesser Crucible of the Mind

Go through a mental experience to improve your mind by forging it under unusual conditions based on your mind state.

+200 to intelligence and wisdom, +1% to all stats,

Lesser Enlightened (Mind Perk),

20 000 Greater Essence

Lesser Enlightened (Title Perk)

Your mind is resistant to mind effects and can function at moderate condition in all states, even after it was damaged beyond the point where most would falter.

He wanted more mental protection, and he got it. He would need to test it out and see how it worked later. The experience of the fruit had left him feeling calm, understanding. He didnt change how he was; it was just that all those tiny little voices in the back of his head were now gone.

Im advancing, he said then raised his eyes to meet Selias. Watch closely, it might give you a bout of inspiration.

She nodded seriously and he closed his eyes.

To advance to the Ascended Realm, one needed to cleanse their body of all impurities. Of any Essence that was of a lesser tier. Ryun had done that easily, well, not easily, but it was a natural step for him. His body was made out of tier 9 Qi. He did believe that tier 8 was sufficient though. But there was also the inspiration part of it. For him it was a realization about the lengths he was willing to go to achieve that power. He pushed through pain, cut his own body up, something that most would shy away from.

He looked at his Path, and then advanced.

Congratulations, you have reached Early Ascended Realm Stage on the Path of the Final End!

RewardSecondary Aspect available! You have stepped into the Realm of the Ascended, as such you now begin to manifest the power over Aspects. You may choose in which way that power manifests.

Merged Aspects

Merge the secondary Aspect with your primary. The result will depend on the compatibility between the Aspects. The resulting Qi will be generated from your current Core.

Secondary Core

Split your core in two, each new core will retain 40% of your current size. One core will continue producing Void, and the other will produce your secondary chosen Aspect.

Dual Core

Your core will become capable of producing your secondary chosen Aspect. You will keep the two different Aspects inside and will be able to control the ratio of Aspects inside.

He was already prepared. He pulled out the Aspect Orb that he had filled with tier 9 Stillness and crushed it in his hand, pulling the Essence into himself.

He had given thought to how he was going to proceed from here on out. He had considered every option, but in the end he had decided on Dual Core. It was risky, his regeneration relied on Void Qi, which Stillness wasnt. If he split his core he would have a lot lesser Void to regenerate. If he merged them, it might not even work until he managed to upgrade his body, and his techniques might be more limited. With the Dual he would at least be able to control the amount of Void that he had. And he believed that he could cover that weakness once he advanced his second Path and improved his body. Or when he used the elixir for perk improvement.

He made his choice.

Stillness Qi (9)(Aspect Perk)

Your Qi passively enhances your body with the Essence of the Stillness. Any forces or objects approaching you lose their momentum depending on their power. While Stillness Qi is moving through your body all Essence seeking to influence you is 20% less effective and you are influenced by slowing down toward stillness. Any techniques you use that utilize Stillness Qi will seek to bring any Essence they touch to stillness. Gain +25% to endurance and +25% to wisdom.

He stood up and felt his core. It was filled with Void so there was no Stillness inside of it. But he could tell that it was different. He put his hand to the side and fired a technique, spending Void. Then he felt it; both Void and Stillness were regenerating inside his core. He even felt like he could stop one and focus only on the other. The Framework gave him the knowledge of how to cycle his Qi inside his core to keep the two Aspects separated. He didnt use that, but instead used the cycling technique that Tali taught him.

Now, he needed to practice, figure out everything that he could. And then he would advance his secondary path and use the resources he had set aside for himself from Zenker. He had a lot of things to figure out.