’Of course, they saw the transformation.’
’Why would they choose not to question it? I never really prepared for them questioning my abilities after the fight.’
’It might seem normal to me, but it’s truly far from normal.’
Various thoughts were running through Ryuk’s mind as he stared at the Half-Fallen One.
Yet, his gaze was as straight as ever, containing the same naivety and his usual poker expression.
"There is a hint of Dark Energy in your transformation. Dark Energy is a secretive energy, and all you need to know is that it encroaches upon Apex Energy, which most of the races use."
"Only the Knulls are well-known users of Dark Energy, and they’re the reason why they’re so overwhelmingly powerful, along with a few other known Interdimensional races."
"But even though your transformation no doubt bears a hint of this Dark Energy, some others think you might have come from a Dark Church. After I showed them proof of your existence, they had no choice but to swallow it up."
"And also, the majority of them were only sore because of Ignatius’ losing. They wanted to defend their own by trying to tear apart your name—something the Grand Elders recognized, so they dismissed your case," the Half-Fallen One explained as Ryuk unconsciously heaved out loud.
"But I can trust you, can’t I, Ryuk? That you’re really one of us?" The Half-Fallen One stepped forward toward Ryuk, who didn’t move an inch backward.
"You can’t really be siding with Dark Powers, can you? You can’t be a secret messenger for the Knulls, can you?" she asked, as Ryuk looked into her burning silvery eyes.
He could feel the gravity in the area suddenly rising tenfold, the air itself crawling with an intense chill as if time had stopped.
"A secret messenger for the Knulls, huh?" Ryuk mused, intense disdain and mockery oozing from his voice as his eyes became steely.
"The most precious thing I possess in the world was taken away from me by a Knull. And now, you, along with your council of Fallen Elders, wonder if I’m only a messenger of one?" Ryuk asked sarcastically, as the crimson color of his right eye began burning with a fiery glow.
"Edge this into your memories, Half-Fallen One. You’ll never find an entity whose heart burns with hatred for the Knulls more than mine. That you can at least be sure of, even if the earth rends and the sky begins falling. My hatred for the Knulls will be enough to hold them all in place."
"And I will never rest until, at the very least, the Knull that took the life of one dear to me is erased from this world. This I swear to the one I love the most in my heart."
The Half-Fallen One paused in her tracks, every single one of Ryuk’s words echoing in her head.
’So… so much hatred!’ she thought in shock, as the world around her changed in its color.
In a world where everything seemed golden, a dark aura containing an intense amount of bloodlust covered Ryuk’s figure completely, burning like flames around him.
’There is no doubt about his hatred for the Knulls. If so, then we all might have been worried for nothing,’ she thought as the sight of the world returned to normal.
Slowly, she turned back and walked away from the balcony.
"Your answer is satisfying. You will be leaving with Morgaine tomorrow at the earliest sight of dawn. Goodnight, Ryuk," the Half-Fallen One called, soon fading away from Ryuk’s gaze as he stared at her disappearing silhouette before turning back to look at the horizon before him.
[Host handled that quite nicely,] the system notification flashed as Ryuk exhaled loudly.
’Her own words about me being a messenger helped. If she had outright asked, "You can’t be a Knull, can you?" I would have displayed my doubt, and under her hawk eyes, I’m sure she would have seen that faint doubt.’
’Who knows where that would have ended me? But she has seen my hatred, and that is truly genuine. For now, my identity is safe at least.’
’The dark energy they sense from my transformation isn’t that of a Knull but that of the Anunnaki, which my nanobody was built after,’
’But if they all start suspecting that I’m a Knull or at least have an association with one, it’s only a matter of time before my true race is revealed. And I have no doubt that I will be killed on the spot without any trial whatsoever.’
’But I’m not sure all of the Elders have truly dropped the matter. Some of them might have their interest piqued and still be suspecting me.’
’For now, I can’t use any of my Nanobody power at all for fear of being discovered. One day, no doubt, my identity as a Knull will be revealed, but I can’t afford for that to be now when I’m so powerless.’
’Strength. I really need strength,’ he muttered, as he shifted his attention, perching on one of the thoughts that arrested his attention the most.
’Interdimensional Gates and Entities, huh?’ Ryuk mused, remembering the words used by the Half-Fallen One. Surprisingly, he felt a connection.
’Uncle Bob had already told me in my evolution holograph of him having passed through thousands of worlds before he finally chose to rest on Endearth.’
’Could these interdimensional creatures really just be the inhabitants of different other planets?’
’So many races, so many planets, so many levels of power. Just what is there in the farthest depth of this universe? Just how long will my hatred take me?’
Those were Ryuk’s last thoughts as he slowly fell onto his back on the golden tiles, his eyes drifting closed.
For the night, he had chosen to sleep on the balcony instead of returning to his room.
---
The next morning came, almost quicker than lightning, to a total of ten individuals in the Eclipsed Citadel.
Ryuk’s crimson-blue eyes opened to the sight of a person standing over him.
"Wakey, wakey, sleepy head."