Chapter 30 - Supreme Territory

"Miyuki!"

Tatsuya called out her name, while extending his hand, trying to grasp that peerless figure. He didn't notice the extreme flow of profound energy within his body, allowing him to traverse the distance in an instant.

"Please stop crying, Onii-sama…"

Without even noticing it, Tatsuya had already gone ahead and was already hugging his little sister. His negative emotions that he was always previously suppressing, all broke out of his control without any notice.

The beautiful girl before Tatsuya, touched and wiped out the tears from the latter's face. Miyuki looked at Tatsuya with an unfathomable love and care that surpasses every single thing in the world.

Despite Miyuki's attempt to wipe and halt Tatsuya's tears, it just wouldn't stop. It was the insurmountable amount of emotions that gradually grew into an even larger bulk. This was the sole time that could allow Tatsuya to vent his feelings, without any repercussions.

"Sorry, I couldn't protect you at all!"

"It's fine, Onii-sama."

"I'm sorry that I wasn't by your side, when you needed my help…"

"It's fine, Onii-sama…"

"I'm really sorry…"

Tatsuya, despite being taller than Miyuki, seemed to have shrink, enough to lay his head on Miyuki's shoulder. The beauty carefully caressed the young man's back, conveying her concerns and love towards the latter.

(Although, this is nothing but an illusion, I still can't help but cry… But this is fine, I would be able to vent out my emotions…)

Crying outside, reminiscing in the inside. That is Tatsuya's current state, as he can't help but recall the different things that he had already encountered ever since the very beginning. Most of his memories were dominated by his life on the Earth, whilst the new memories are still growing slowly.

"I really missed Onii-sama's scent…"

Miyuki slowly said, with a soothing voice that rivaled any heavenly voice that existed. It was the best voice for Tatsuya, not even charm could beat it. Although, it was already a few months since he had lost her, it felt like it happened yesterday.

"Miyuki…"

Tatsuya slowly voiced out her name, as his eyelids felt heavy. The exhaustion that he had acc.u.mulated from the everlasting examination that he had just finish, had begun to show itself. Miyuki let out a smile, filled with relief and happiness.

"Good night, Onii-sama…"

"..Miyu..ki.."

Squeezing out her name from his mouth, Tatsuya's eyelids finally closed. His hands that held Miyuki slowly lost its strength, as he was overcame by his exhaustion. Miyuki stared at his face, without minding the disguise that Tatsuya still had.

She slowly knelt to the ground, together with Tatsuya's sleeping figure. She arranged Tatsuya's head to lie on her lap, as she caressed his hair with care and longing. There weren't any tears on her eyes, but only longing existed in those beautiful eyes of hers.

…

"Miyuki!"

Tatsuya called out her name, instantly waking up from his sleep. His figure quickly formed a sitting figure, as his gaze checked out the surroundings. He realized that he couldn't find that peerless figure within his surroundings, as he looked downcast.

"Onii-sama, I'm here."

Tatsuya's body shuddered in shock, as he slowly turned behind him. There, he saw the smiling Miyuki, and felt his emotions ran rampant once again. But, this time, it weren't negative emotions, but emotions that came from fulfillment.

"How are you, Onii-sama?"

"Thank you, Miyuki. I'm fine, and have already gotten enough sleep."

"You've been sleeping for a whole day already…"

"Really?"

Tatsuya felt surprised that he actually slept for a whole day, without any stop. It wasn't that unusual, as he fought hundreds of thousands of lightning skeletons back then, without any rest. Sleeping that long isn't that dangerous for cultivators such as himself.

"Mm… It's the first time that I have saw Onii-sama sleep that long!"

"Haha…"

Tatsuya wryly smiled, as he felt awkward before Miyuki's astonished expression. He felt really happy from the depths of his heart, but he already knew that this is all illusion. It is something that came from himself, not from anybody else.

"Miyuki…"

"I know what you want to say, Onii-sama."

"…I really am sorry."

"It's fine, Onii-sama. I haven't blamed you at all, and will never do. I was already satisfied by the life that we had back then."

Tatsuya, obviously knowing that this was all but an illusion, still felt complicated from Miyuki's statement. Honestly, he felt relieved that he had managed to hear those statements that could allow him to feel free from the burdens of that time.

"Although, I'm nothing but an illusion, I am the Miyuki that have existed in your heart, and will continue to do so in the future. My words are her words…"

"…Thank you, Miyuki."

Miyuki smiled at Tatsuya's gratitude, showing her acceptance over the matter. She hasn't changed at all, as her beauty still contained that sense of etherealness that separated her from others.

"But, I'm afraid that you are already lacking time, Onii-sama."

"Why is that?"

"I'm sure that you have already noticed, but you are currently in your soul form."

"Which means that I'm currently powerless…"

"That's right, Onii-sama."

Miyuki nodded her head, affirming Tatsuya's guess over the matter. The latter lifted his chin up, adopting a very serious expression. The former noticed this, as crescent heart-shapes appeared on her eyes. She stared at Tatsuya with adoration and love.

"The White Tiger God said that the second test would assess my heart. Now that I have already heard the statements I've wanted to hear, I should have already passed the test…"

"Actually, I think that this test doesn't simply assess your heart, Onii-sama. I think this test is trying to assess your aspect in that regard."

"But still, I don't have any other lead."

Miyuki covered her mouth, trying to stop her laughter from bursting out. Tatsuya noticed this, and stared at her with confusion written on his face. He just waited for Miyuki to speak her thoughts about the matter.

"Ever since then, Onii-sama is really not that good when it comes to this stuff… While, you exceed me in practical knowledge and theoretical application, I'm better when it comes to mental psychological knowledge…"

"Yes, you're the best, Miyuki…"

Tatsuya sincerely praised Miyuki, while slightly clapping his hand. Miyuki can't help but blush before this sincerity, as she felt embarrassed for keeping up a tough front. But, she felt that it wasn't that bad, as bliss and happiness floated to her face.

"I can confidently say that Onii-sama has a very strong heart that won't easily break!"

"I see. So this test doesn't actually assess your resolve and willpower, but it does assess something else…"

"That's right, Onii-sama. I think what the White Tiger God is trying to assess here, is your potential to achieve something that is related to strength."

"Hm. Something that could be connected between the heart and strength…"

Tatsuya tried to analyze every single hint that he could find from the current circ.u.mstance. He wasn't feeling pressured, as he chose to slowly and calmly approach the situation. Breaking through it with brute force, is nothing but a useless farce that won't work.

"I was brought again to life, thanks to the White Tiger God's power. But, since my attachment towards Onii-sama is strong, I managed to possess my own will."

"Then, I'll have to thank the White Tiger God for such generous gift…"

"Really, Onii-sama… The White Tiger God wants to see if you can reach the Supreme Territory!"

Tatsuya felt confused, as it was the first time that he had heard of this term. Combining his knowledge from Earth and his knowledge in this universe, made him very knowledgeable of different things, despite that he wasn't even aware of this term at all.

"The Supreme Territory is the state where someone could attain emptiness. For example, when we are attacking someone else, despite minimizing the bloodl.u.s.t behind our attack, the killing intent will still remain, but…"

"With the Supreme Territory, no hatred, anger, killing intent, bloodl.u.s.t, or any other emotions exist. You are just simply waving around your fist or sword…"

"As expected of Onii-sama, you instantly got what I wanted to convey!"

"I see… Supreme Territory, huh."

Tatsuya slowly said, as if feeling enlightened. His eyelids slowly closed itself, as he descended into the world of enlightenment. His physical body in the real world suddenly entered a mysterious state, together with the State of Equilibrium affecting it more.

"Finally, I have found the rightful heir…"

Someone sat beside Tatsuya's physical body that currently lied down against the ground. It was a person with a long white hair that cascaded till his waist, and eyes that had vertical irises that looked that of a tiger.

He just simply sat beside Tatsuya, while monitoring the unusual state that Tatsuya was experience. Lightning flickered across his body, emitting a dangerous amount of power. A gigantic pillar that had rivaled the height of heavens stood by his side.

Despite the efforts of the other cultivators that came together with Tatsuya, not a single one of them entered the eyes of the White Tiger God. Only Tatsuya who had managed to bring out the Million Lightning Skeletons from his White Tiger God's Pole, shone brightly.

"Really, it is the first time that I have encountered a monster that could surpass the potential of myself…"

The first test was staged to assess and examine the potential of the aspiring cultivator. Normally, you would only fight hundreds of lightning skeletons, and that is still considering that the skeletons would possess the same strength as yours.

"But, the White Tiger God's pole instantly assessed that you could fight Lightning Skeletons of that level. Furthermore, even after defeating every single lightning skeleton that it could produce, you weren't even done yet…"

The White Tiger God shook his head in amus.e.m.e.nt, as he noticed that Tatsuya was currently approaching the Supreme Territory. Know that this state was the bare minimum of the fighting states that one must possess to achieve godhood.

"Actually, if you weren't able to access the Supreme Territory, even if you possessed an unlimited amount of potential, I won't accept you as my heir, but looks like I was worried for no reason at all…"

He then stood up, while quickly grabbing the White Tiger God's pole that stood beside him. He was now absolutely sure that Tatsuya would be able to access the Supreme Territory, as he could sense that the latter was already approaching that territory in a rapid speed.

"Mhhm…"

A very faint voice resounded across the empty void, and it made the White Tiger God smile. He saw Tatsuya slowly stand up from the ground. This scene made the White Tiger God happier, as the smile on his face widened even further.

The disguise that Tatsuya had, still wasn't undone. His golden hair danced across the air, even though there wasn't any wind. His red eyes lost its threatening glare, and only possessed calmness. It was a different type of calm, it's not indifference either. But, it was the state which a god should possess.

"Very good! Now that you have passed the second test, the third test shall begin."

"…"

"The third test will assess whether you could withstand my blood!"

The White Tiger God said in a very calm tone, but his voice carried enough power to completely rip apart the space. Tatsuya immediately felt suppression coming from his soul, as he sensed that the being before him had achieved an ever more superior state.

"…"

"Are you ready, my soon-to-be rightful heir?!"

Before that question, Tatsuya felt weird. He calmly stared at the person before him, as he instantly knew from the start that this man is the White Tiger God. He could notice the extreme strength from the individual before him, and it is a kind of strength that had already surpassed his comprehension.

"Bring it on…"

Nevertheless, it made him excited. He calmly affirmed the White Tiger God, as he looked forward to the situation where he could finally talk with the being before him. From the start, his interest for the White Tiger God didn't came from the latter's strength, but from the experiences and knowledge that the latter could impart to him.

(Maybe, my question as to how I reached this universe would be soon answered…)