Abyss Draconis

"And I'd be there to witness it all..." The system spoke, almost with a cheeky tone, as Ryuk grinned at it.

"Lately, you sound more to me than a robotic system whose only goal is to calculate Exp and Level Up cards," Ryuk said as the panel blinked.

[My only goal is not to calculate Exp and Level Up cards...]

"What's your goal then?" he asked.

[To make sure you achieve the peak of your evolutionary potential.]

Ryuk hummed thoughtfully.

[There are an uncountable number of restrictions currently placed on me, which are being unlocked in correlation to your ability to grow stronger. So, I gain more access to unique patterns of speech and the ability to feel the Host's emotions and attune to them.]

[As for whether I'm more than a robotic system? That can only be known after I have all of my restrictions unlocked, correlating to you reaching the peak of our evolutionary potential. Then, I'll know more about myself.]

Ryuk hummed again before nodding.

"You will one day. I know it."

Soon, he arrived above the blue sea that surrounded the island.

Even from afar, he could already see the lone landmass.

It was nighttime now, but the entire place was lit up with a mix of golden and white light scattered across the ground and walls.

Ryuk's eyes glimmered as he noticed the door to his house swinging open. A figure darted out, glancing around rapidly, its nose twitching.

It continued to sniff around before suddenly raising its gaze into the sky, locking eyes with Ryuk.

"Void!" Ryuk couldn't hold it in.

He unconsciously screamed outward, watching as shock painted the face of the panther before it suddenly disappeared into a vortex and reappeared right before him.

But as Ryuk's arms spread wide for a hug, he instinctively dove to the side just in time to dodge three-meter-long claws slashing downward, ripping through space as Ryuk appeared a meter to the left.

"Hey! Watch it!" he yelled in horror, watching Void cackle wickedly.

"I was just trying to make sure it was really you. Hehehe. Don't mind it," the cat replied with a mischievous giggle, as Ryuk raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Then, Void yelped as hands suddenly wrapped tightly around him—

CRAAACCCKKK!

The sound of bones creaking echoed in the air, followed by a loud screech as Void screamed out.

"Hey! WATCH IT!" the panther howled, his spine nearly shattered before Ryuk finally let go of the fierce embrace.

"You—you goof!" he shrieked, stretching his back out as he replied back mockingly.

"Oh, I was only trying to make sure it was you. Don't mind it, Void," Ryuk replied with a sadistic grin that made Void's eye twitch in irritation.

But then, the cold air behind him caught his attention.

He turned around just in time to catch a figure flying into his arms.

It was Isha—and the tears wouldn't stop streaming down her face as she clung tightly to Ryuk's shoulders.

"I... I... thought... you..." Isha stammered through the tears, and Ryuk gently patted her back.

"It's okay, Isha. I'm alive and well," he whispered.

She eventually stopped crying, wiping away her tears.

"Then why—why couldn't we teleport to your side...?" she asked, and Ryuk grew stunned for a brief moment before the system flashed:

[It was due to the fusion.]

"It was because of an evolution, Isha. I evolved after the fight. Just like how you and Void evolved and went into slumber, too."

"I went into slumber as well, and the energy wave during the process prevented both of you from reaching my side," he explained, wiping her tears away with his finger as she embraced him once more.

She was always the clingy one.

Or the 'melodramatic one'—as Void would always say jealously.

"Good to see you're back at least. It's been quite a long time since that battle..." a voice called out, as Isha finally released her embrace.

Ryuk turned and saw the man stepping forward.

"Antares..." he called, as the crimson-haired man stretched out his hands, gripping Ryuk's shoulders before exerting strength, but then laughed boisterously when he felt Ryuk not flinch in the slightest.

"Seems like you truly were evolving. Your strength has grown monstrously again," he said, and Ryuk couldn't help but grin.

"And you've definitely added more scars to yourself. Your energy wave feels like that of the Apocrypha stage now!" Ryuk exclaimed.

Previously, Antares had only reached the beginning of the Eternal stage after their first battle in the ruin of Niagara.

But since then, Antares had recovered and fought more in his Void Rift, his energy level multiplying threefold.

That was when he reached the Mid-Eternity stage but now, the Antares before him was at the Apocrypha stage.

It was clear he was evolving even faster.

"To be honest, I thought you would have left, Antares. I never expected you to wait for four months..." Ryuk admitted, and the man shrugged.

"Your pets told me you were definitely still alive. So I knew you'd return one day. Not like I could have left both of them alone to themselves and let them lose hope."

"It prompted me to wait, along with Rak and Aster..." he said, stepping aside.

Ryuk watched as the two ladies appeared before him.

"Rakshasa..."

"Asteralaxia..." Ryuk called out both names, and for a moment, the words were caught in his throat.

His lips moved to say more, but no sound came.

But then again, he didn't need to say anything.

Rakshasa moved first, giving Ryuk a deep, bone-crushing hug that nearly broke his back.

His eyes bulged at her strength before she finally released him, letting his spine breathe again.

"I knew you'd return soon. You're a monster, after all..." she said, and both burst into laughter.

Then he turned his gaze back to Aster, who stood there with her arms crossed.

She seemed to be debating, and in the end, chose to stretch her right hand out for a handshake.

"Good to see you're okay..." she said.

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A/N:

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